Services
The Act of Consecration of Man is celebrated
on Thursdays and Fridays at 9am and Sundays at 10am
The Menschenweihehandlung (Act of Consecration of Man in German) is celebrated on the first Saturday of every month at 9am
There is an evening service for those who have died at 6pm on the first Saturday of the month
The Sunday Service for Children is held fortnightly at 11.15am, followed by a story. 12th, 26th September, 10th 24th October
Other regular events
Tuesdays 10.30am
Discussion Group (the church will be open from 10am and tea and coffee will be served)
Thursdays 8pm
Gospel Study Group
Diary
Please note that events can be changed and updated as the public health situation changes. Please refer to the latest Update and our online diary, which you can view here.
26th September, 11.30am
The Weaving Essence of the Light
Performance by graduating students of The Speech and Drama Studio
1st-3rd October
Throwing off the Fetters of Fear - finding Freedom in Troubled Times
Michaelmas Conference
See the poster below.
2nd October
9am Die Menschenweihehandlung (Act of Consecration of Man in German)
6pm Evening Service for those who have Died
3rd October, 2.30-5pm
Michaelmas Festival for Families – more information below
15th October, 7.30pm-16th October, 1pm
The Centre Holds
Conference with Michaela Glöckler – via Zoom and in person
at Emerson College
You can register your interest via this link.
Sunday, 31st October, 11.30am
Members’ Meeting
Friday, 5th November, 8pm
Spiritual Journeys – Talk by Julia Katharine Soper on her inner and outer journeys
|
|
|
Update
The church is open in the mornings Tuesday-Saturday 10am-12pm.
Please wait to return to church if you have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last ten days or have new symptoms. We need to maintain the flow in our public spaces, particular the foyer and entrance lobby, which are not large enough to allow for circulation with a lot of space.
There will be coffee after the services on Sundays, and we will open the french windows in order to maintain ventilation in the Community Room.
We are now sharing out communion in every service. Please leave space between each other when you stand at the front, and let the row before you sit down before you stand up to come forward.
It seems possible to plan a little further ahead now, so you will see the list of forthcoming events is gradually lengthening. We will keep sending our weekly updates by email and print, which allows us to update events from week to week. For the moment, we use this as our rolling programme of events. Please do make sure to consult the latest Update for full details of any changes that may be necessary, or visit this link, where you will see a diary that is constantly updated and contains all the regular events as well.
Confirmation Classes (for children aged 13-14) are starting on 8th October. Please contact Nataliia if you would like more information.
We now have a card reader, which means that you can make a donation or pay for books or coffee using a credit or debit card. Please ask one of the priests.
With best wishes,
Nataliia and Tom
|
|
|
|
Notice
Angela Campbell’s sister, Jane Brewer, who was born on 28th August, 1946, died on 13th September. Her funeral is to be held at 1pm on Thursday, 23rd September in Copenhagen.
|
|
|
|
Notice
Heather Mary Douch, who bas born on 15th February, 1938, died on 23rd September. She is currently in the Chapel of Rest, which will be open from 10am-6pm until Sunday. Further details about the funeral to follow.
|
|
|
Religious Renewal Today
Two pictures from church history can help us to understand our task of religious renewal. We might imagine entering the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople in the time of the flowering of the Orthodox liturgies. There, in the gilded surroundings which were so beautiful that some visitors are reported to have fainted dead away, we would have seen not the altar, but the iconostasis, the screen that separated the holy place from the body of the church, which was covered in beautiful icons. Ever and again, the priests in their glorious vestments would come forth from the realm of the altar and bring blessings, a bible from which they read, and finally the communion. The faithful knew that the mystery was being accomplished, but it was removed from their sight.
Then we might imagine a Quaker meeting, where we find ourselves in a simple meeting room, with no altar, no pictures or decoration. There is no designated minister or worship leader. The congregation sits in silence until the Spirit comes to someone, prompting them to speak.
Our act of religious renewal unites both of these gestures. Following the silent waiting as the candles are lighted, the opening words: ‘Let us worthily fulfil...’ invite us all to be part of the service with complete equality. The mention of our worthiness shows how much has been placed in our hands. Like the Quakers, we are all called upon to be open for the Spirit.
We can hear the ‘Let us!’ in a different way: alongside the command to ourselves: Let's do this!, if we take the words literally, they are a prayer. They are directed to someone outside and beyond, who has the power to grant our request.
In the Christmas prayers we hear that our Act of Consecration of Man can be part of a service that goes on in the spiritual world. As we imagine the beings of the heavenly hierarchies, we can expand our consciousness outwards and upwards in ever greater circles. First, we can think of those beings who accompany human destinies and human history. Beyond them, we sense the beings who are at work in Creation. Further still, we sense those beings whose fiery deeds of love underlie the whole of reality itself. They take up our attempts to fulfil the Act of Consecration of Man, filling out what we cannot yet manage. This is what gives us the confidence at the end of the service to say: ‘Thus it has been!’, even as we have to be aware that we have not managed everything perfectly.
In today’s world, it would be quite unrealistic to expect that human beings would accept being told by a priest what they must do to live according to the Spirit. Nevertheless, within every challenge that we face, we can feel the desperate need of renewal – renewal that can only flow from a new connection to the spiritual world. Our Act of Consecration of Man is a place where the Spirit can work with our conscious, free participation. In this way we can hope that our renewal of the religious life will also serve the ‘re-enlivening of the dying earth existence’.
- Tom Ravetz
|
|
Our Discussion and Study Groups
We currently offer two groups, which are open to all.
On Tuesday mornings we have an open discussion group, where we gather questions on a wide variety of themes, and try to discuss them in a way that aids our own deepening. The discussion starts at 10.30am; the church is open from 10am for refreshments. The conversations are always enriched by new members.
On Thursdays we there is a Gospel Study group at 8pm. We are currently studying the Sermon on the Mount. The conversations take the Bible text as their starting point and can be wide-ranging, as we explore the relevance of what we are reading to our daily lives. Newcomers are always welcome!
The Poetry Café and the Thursday morning discussion groups are not taking place at the moment.
It is sometimes valuable to turn to a question or a theme in a block of meetings. We would be interested to hear any wishes for topics.
Please address any questions or suggestions to Nataliia or myself.
We will resume meetings for Members of The Christian Community on 31st October.
- Tom Ravetz
|
|
|
|
If you have any unneeded, old kitchen pots, pans, spoons and ladles, they would be much appreciated as the children love to play with these in sandpit.
|
|
|
The Centre Holds
The public health crisis of the last year has accelerated and intensified many tendencies that were already present in our world. Many forces seem to be gathering strength that would separate us from each other, from our natural home, and from our source.
This can cause us pain and fear. We may discover a wish to deny the seriousness of the situation, or to ‘fix’ the pain and fear of ourselves and our friends. Quietly bearing uncertainty and questions can open us for a great potential: that we get to know ourselves better and observe what takes us out of alignment with our true self. With this self-knowledge, we can meet each other with compassion and understanding and work creatively with the tendencies that would divide us.
This is a joint event of The Christian Community in Forest Row and Emerson College, which will take place at Emerson College and via Zoom. Please register your interest at
www.emerson.org.uk/the-centre-holds
Programme
Friday, 15th October 7.30-9pm (in person at Emerson College & via zoom)
The Centre Holds
Contributions by Michaela Glöckler and Tom Ravetz
followed by gathering questions to take with us for tomorrow’s discussions
Saturday, 16th October 9.30am-1pm (in person at Emerson College & via zoom)
Working on the theme
With contributions, plenum, and small group work
Concluding thoughts from Michaela and Tom
|
|
Dear Forest Row friends in the congregation and community,
as you recall, I am now working and living in Hamburg in Germany.
I met up with Nataliia last week, whom I got to know a little from her time here in Hamburg during the ordination preparation (she was here from Autumn until early Spring in the course).
I am so pleased Nataliia has been able to come to you! Our personal and community destinies have been changing a lot recently. My family and I had to leave abruptly because of the UK's exit from the EU. Selina has arrived well, I'm sure, in Forest Row, but now destiny has brought the blessing of a child to her. Now Nataliia has come, from the Ukraine, then to Germany, and now to Forest Row. It feels like so many threads are being pulled in the weaving of destiny!
While the world externally has been grinding to a halt, our personal and collective destinies vibrantly continue to stream forth with a tremendous will and determination to be lived out! Our Father continues to give us the daily bread of our destinies. It continues to burst forth, despite all possible hindrances.
We now have 4 boys! Oskar is 8 years old and is Class 3 at one of the Waldorf schools. His teacher is actually an ordained priest of The Christian Community, Eva Scheffler! Her husband, also a priest, is the Priest seminar director in Hamburg. Bjarke, 6, is in his final year of Kindergarten. The boys have started making friends and have started speaking German (as well as English and Danish!). Lasse is 2 years old, a little choleric future boss, and has not yet decided to speak - he prefers grunts, as they seem to be adequate for communication....
And little Helgi is 6 months old, and will be baptised by Herr Scheffler on Sunday 26 September at 10:45 your time, so just as the Act of Consecration is coming to an end. He is a very happy little fellow. I have the impression that he is like 'strong Vanya' (some of you may know this charming story by Ottfried Preussler), storing up strength, storing up warmth, love and goodness, for the tasks ahead....
Thora & I were hoping to be able to come and visit this Summer, and to 'say our farewells' properly. Unfortunately, as we foresaw, travelling over the border is for us no longer easy, and incurs financial and temporal costs that we can't afford. We are still convinced however that we can return some day, to visit you, and also my parents.
We made connections in Forest Row which remain very precious for us: friendships, encounters, talks, a personal word or little act of kindness. We remember them very well, and they have flown into who we are, and into our children's lives. They remain with us as something everyday, and at the same time, something holy and far-reaching.
With warm greetings
Luke
and greetings also from Thora
|
|
|
The Speech and Drama Studio, in association with Agnes Zehnter “am wort” Dornach, Switzerland will be presenting a preview performance of two of its graduating students, Tamar Gat from Israel and Carolyn Rich from Canada. This will take place after the morning service on Sunday the 26th September. Their full graduation programmes will be presented at Peredur Centre for the Arts on the 1st of October at 7.00 pm.
The students have been working towards attaining Goetheanum recognised Diplomas in Steiner Creative Speech with Geoff Norris of the studio, supported by Agnes Zehnter and previous teachers in America and Israel.
The programme includes texts by Rudolf Steiner, Christopher Fry, DH Lawrence, William Wordsworth, W B Yeats, Kathleen Raine, Rainer Maria Rilke, Rumi, the Israeli Poet Rachel and more.
You are warmly invited to support the fruits of their artistic labours.
|
|
Please help!
We are still seeking accommodation for our new priest
We are still searching for a 2 bedroom house to rent for Rev. Nataliia Shatna, preferably in the Forest Row area. We are grateful for various suggestions that have been made, none of which have yet come to fruition. Please
She will be staying in a room at Emerson College until we find a suitable house.
Please contact Nataliia or Tom if you know of anything.
|
|
|
|
|
Below is a link to a Podcast for August as part of the 100th year of The Christian Community events.
Three young people give us an insight into what they experience in The Act of Consecration of Man and tell us why are inspired by the Christian Community and why they are committed to the preparation of our Michaelmas Conference.
Follow the link below, (unfortunately it is only in German at the moment)
https://soundcloud.com/user-895241549/6-2021-07-22-jugend
|
|
|
The Children's Service recommences on Sunday the 12th of September at 11.15am
|
|
|
Gospel readings
Sunday, September 26 Luke 7:11-17
Michaelmas
Wednesday, September 29 … Matthew 22:1-14
Sunday, October 3 … Matthew 22:1-14
Sunday, October 10 ... Ephesians 6:10-20
Sunday, October 17 ... Revelation 12:1-12
Sunday, October 24 ... Revelation 19:11-16
|
|
|
|
|
Free Thursday Art History talks at 12 noon
online
Each session will be new content and will not be a direct follow-on from the week before but we will hold to our ongoing theme of the evolving of consciousness as it can be found in art over the ages of time.
Please note our new programme is as follows:
September:
9th - Landscape and Sky-scape : Constable, Casper David Friedrich, Turner
16th - Impressionists and Expressionists - Deborah Ravetz will join us.
23rd - Modern Art - Deborah Ravetz
30th - Ninette Sombart - a Christ inspired artist in colour, form and depth.
I look forward to welcoming you to our journey through the ages in art and the unfolding of human consciousness.
Greetings and good wishes,
Peter van Breda
(email)
Join Zoom Meeting at 11.50am ready for 12 begin via this link.
Meeting ID: 883 2856 7566
Passcode: 797461
Listen to Previous Art Talks:
Click here to listen to the talk on Piero della Francesca
Click here to listen to the talk on Pre-Renaissance Art
Click here to listen to the talk on Chartres Cathedral
Click here to listen to the talk on Leonardo (given by Andrew Wolpert)
|
|
Some useful resources
| |
Landline |
Mobile |
Email |
| Church |
01342 825 436 |
n/a |
tccinfr@gmail.com |
| Tom Ravetz |
01342 458132 |
07749 662717 |
lenker@tcc-mrr.co.uk |
| Nataliia Shatna |
n/a |
07763746175 |
nataliia@tcc-mrr.co.uk |
- You can download a shortened, printable version of this email here.
- See previous issues of our Updates here.
- If you are not on our mailing list, you can subscribe here.
- Reply to this email direct or by clicking this link.
- Gospel readings for the Act of Consecration of Man are listed here.
- Our Facebook page.
- Perspectives, quarterly journal of The Christian Community.
- Header picture by Deborah Ravetz
|
|
|
|
|
