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Parish News
New addition to our kitchen! For those who have been longing for coffee at church to come from something other other than hot water over granules, St James's has accepted the kind gift of a industry-grade coffee maker (together with ground coffee and filters), as part of a gift made by the Harvey family in loving memory of Alex, who was part of of the coffee hour team for many years. (My first memory of Alex upon arriving in the parish in 2014 was having Alex and Mick Harvey make coffee and tea for those attending community meetings with our ward police, which met in church for a number of years—ed.). The gift was also made possible in through the generous donations of those who attended Alex's funeral ten days ago.
Making a video greetings for our former ordinand David. It's been two months since our David Andrews left St James’s to be ordained deacon and begin his curacy in the Parish of Church Stretton in the Diocese of Hereford, and we’d like to send him a video greeting from the St James’s family. If you would like to take part, simply stay behind on Zoom after the 8.45 service, or after the 10am service in church, and Mouse will record your well wishes for us to send up Shropshire way!
Important information from our Health and Safety Officer, Richard Griffiths:
It could be that there will be a shortage of flu vaccine, so he encouraged me to get mine booked as soon as possible.
Richard has also received this from the Department of Health:
Anyone over 16 who is vulnerable will be offered a COVID-19 booster first along with health care workers and those in care homes.
Over 50s will be next in line in the order that the first vaccine was given.
There must be at least 6 months between the first jab and the booster.
There is no need to book - people will be contacted by their GP or the Vaccine Centre when it is their turn. When people are contacted it is important that they make an appointment and keep it.
It's apple season, and the apple tree in the vicarage garden is having a bumper crop of Bramleys this year. There are several carrier bags’s worth of apples that have been brought to church, so please do take apples home with you, and if you could leave a thank offering for God's bounty to benefit the church, even better! An alternative is also to make a time with Ian to pick apples yourself from the vicarage garden, an opportunity of which several people from our church family have already availed themselves!
Blessing of the (push)bikes! With bicycle lanes in place and with new bicycle racks both in front of church and at the community centre next door, we trust that you and your family might have bicycles that might wish to be blessed! We will do just that the end of the 10am service on Sunday 26 September (in a fortnight's time). We encourage you to bring bikes to church (locked securely outside) or to have a photo of any pushbikes to be blessed on your phone or tablet!
Since the re-opening of the church for public worship, we have have not been passing around the collection plates, to reduce the number of items that are touched. That, and the number of people who have either only been worshipping with us one (or due to circumstances, not at all) have contributed to a massive reduction in giving. We fully understand that many have been hit hard economically since the beginning of lockdown, and our situation is no different from other churches up and down the country, but at the same time, many would be keen to to make an offering, but the usual opportunity has been taken away from them.
With that in mind, this is a gentle reminder for those coming to church who would like to make their offering, that this can happen in church either as you come into the church (at the collection plate illustrated above) or at the contactless terminal at the back of church.
Particularly for those who are still worshipping with us online, we'd like to encourage you to use the online giving link, which you can access by clicking on this illustration:
There is also the facility to make a donation via BACS transfer to benefit the ministry and mission of St James’s—details are at the bottom of this newsletter.
On Sunday 17 October we will be celebrating the 190th anniversary of the founding of St James’s, and it will be an occasion to celebrate. The Bishop of Edmonton will join us for this particularly splendid occasion at the 10am service.
We are intending that on Sunday 17 October Bp Rob will also confirm the candidates who have been waiting since March of last year. Given that our whole congregation isn’t back with us worshipping in the church building just yet, we would like to hear from all of our candidates (youngfolk as well as adults) about their readiness to possibly be confirmed on 17 October. Ian would like to hear from all the candidates (and in the case of the youngfolk, their parents) about whether they would feel comfortable to be confirmed in mid-October.
Calling those who have been appointed sidespeople at the last APCM in May: While we have suspended sidesperson duties from the beginning of lockdown until now, we would like to reinstate the rota for sidespeople, though naturally for those who have returned, or feel ready to return to worship in the church building.
The churchwardens and Ian would like to hear from all sidespeople regarding their availability and willingness, cognisant it won’t be everyone just yet. But do let us know! (Cartoon above by Dave Barry and cartoonchurch.com)
Are you called to make use of your domestic passions for the church? Might you be willing—or even called by God—to serve the house of God by cleaning in the church, in teams of at least two, once a month? If this is might be you, please have a word with Ian, Linda or Iris. We have one team ready, and we are asking God to call another couple of teams!
If this is might be you, please have a word with Ian, Linda or Iris.
This weekend begins our sermon series this year, The Ingredients of Worship, over eleven weeks and taking us through the elements of what we experience in a service of Word and Table as part of a Christian community.
19 Sept: Saying thanks—Jesus and the Spirit at work
26 Sept: Saying thanks—Past, present, future and eternity
3 Oct: The people receive, react and respond
10 Oct: Being sent forth
We are pleased to announce our summer Sunday worship times from this weekend:
8.45am: Communion Service from the Lady Chapel, simultaneously online on Zoom and Facebook.
10am: Parish Eucharist in church (not live-streamed)
Also note the following, particularly for the 10am service:
- We are recommending masks to be worn entering and leaving church, coming up for Communion, and during the singing of hymns.
- While most of the pews will have ‘unrestricted’ seating, please be mindful how close you are sitting to those not in your household. The three back pews on the pulpit side will be reserved for those who would welcome socially-distanced seating.
- The Peace will continue to be without physical contact.
- Communion will take place at the altar, but we ask you to be masked, and communion will continue to be in one kind (i.e. bread only).
- There will be coffee and tea after both morning services, but we ask you to be sensible and sensitive to others’ need for a bit of space. (So let’s hold off on the crowding for when Jesus arrives!)
- Toilets and pews will continue to be sanitised after use.
- There will only be a limited number of pew sheets printed for Sunday, meant particularly for those who do not have access to the newsletter, and available after the service. (Some, including the housebound, will continue to have the pew sheet delivered.)
For a full run-down of what to expect at church when you come for Sunday worship, click to see our full FAQ on worship provision at St James’s on the parish website.
We are, first and foremost, asking our church family to be loving and respectful of each other, so that as many people as possible can come back to worship at church and feeling safe enough. These provisions will continue to be reviewed monthly by the vicar and the churchwardens.
What else is planned. Here is what in the cards with regard to St James’s:
- The Friday afternoon Over 50s Fellowship Club has resumed gathering in the Community Centre. For the time being, we would like to request that those who gather in person be doubly vaccinated.
- Midweek communion to resume in church on Wed 28 July at 10am, followed by fellowship (moving back from Thursday online communion).
- Saturday coffee morning will resume on Saturday 31 July in the church building.
- Bible studies on Tuesday afternoon and Thursday evening will resume in the vicarage from the beginning of August. (These will be hybrid affairs, simultaneously on Zoom.)
St James’s Audiovisual team is looking to expand!
With new equipment and exciting new services, now is the time for you to get involved.
The AV team is responsible for two important aspects of services at St James: Audio requires someone to manage the volume controls and the music box, while Visual requires someone to manage the presentation slides and software.
If you feel that you would like to give AV a try—with no commitment necessary—then please speak to Mouse either in person or via email:
gwcaffell@outlook.com.
Debt Centre Befrienders. Might God be calling to you to be a befriender, who stand alongside people who are being helped by the Enfield Churches Debt Centre (of which St James’s is a partner church), pray for them and with them, and even invite them to join in with the supportive community that is our church?
The ECDC has prepared a video explaining the work of befrienders, which can be accessed on YouTube either by clicking on the illustration above, or on this link: Befrienders Explanation Video
There is training available, and we would love to have a number of befrienders among our local churches. An application form is available by clicking here to download a PDF document: ECDC Befrienders Application
The September 2021 edition of the Edmonton Episcopal Area newsletter is available here to download: Edmonton Newsletter for September 2021
—SEPTEMBER UPDATE FROM THE ECDC—
We are now beginning to receive enquiries for support in the Enfield area and Jonathan Harris, our Debt Centre Leader, has dates for clients arranged.
Referrals to either the Enfield Churches Debt Centre or the Enfield Vineyard CAP Debt Advice Centre can be made by giving CAP a call on 0800 328 0006.
Please do pray for the many in the borough of Enfield that we know need to find freedom from debt and faith in Christ.
Other Help. We are especially looking for people with computer skills and social media skills at present to assist Jonathan in his work. If this is something you think you can lend a hand with then please do message jonathanharris@capuk.org.
Trustees. We remain keen to find some additional trustees to help with the work of Enfield Churches Debt Centre, particularly from people who may have experience of marketing/promotion, administration, HR and health and safety. If you think that this could be something that is of interest to you please do contact the current chair, Rev Mark Meatcher, whose email address is revd.meatcher@gmail.com
Revd Melanie Smith will be stepping down as a Trustee in September this year as she comes to the end of her 12-month term and it would be good to enhance the team on the board of trustees.
If you're interested in doing other things to help, maybe simply joining the Steering Group at this time, then again please do get in touch with Mark as outlined above in the first instance.
Monies. If you would like your church to help with the Enfield Churches Debt Centre project, our treasurer would be delighted to hear from you. Please do contact our treasurer, Sarah Elkins at her email address - treasurer.ecdc@gmail.com.
Easyfundraising. Another way of helping to fund the Enfield Churches Debt Centre is to use easyfundraising. We are now registered with easyfundraising, which means you can raise FREE donations for us every time you shop online. Over 4,000 shops and sites will donate to us when you use easyfundraising to shop with them – at no extra cost to yourself!
These donations really mount up and make a BIG difference to us, so we’d really appreciate it if you could take a moment to sign up and support us. It’s completely FREE and only takes a moment.
You can find our easyfundraising page at https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/enfieldchurchesdebtcentre/?utm_campaign=raise-more&utm_content=gs-e1
Prayer. The WhatsApp prayer network for the work of Enfield Churches Debt Centre is now up and running - if you would like to be included in this network then please do let us know using the email address below and providing your mobile phone number so that we can add you to the group.
Please do continue to pray for Jonathan, and for Nicky at Enfield Vineyard CAP Debt Centre, as they begin this important work.
In Christ Jesus,
Enfield Churches Debt Centre Steering Group
Email: enfieldchurchesdebtcentre@gmail.com
Enfield Churches Debt Centre
Revival Christian Church
47 London Road
Enfield, Middlesex EN2 6DS
Bible studies—still going strong! For the last number of weeks, Bible studies have continued via Zoom, and they have been engaging and entertaining, enriching and encouraging. Why not join in, if you are able and available!
Having looked at a number of psalms, the Tuesday afternoon Bible study will be embarking on a study of the Book of Joshua from the Old Testament. Next session, in the vicarage and simultaneously on Zoom and Facebook: Tuesday 14 September at 1pm.
The Thursday evening group has just begun studying the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Next session, in the vicarage and simultaneously on Zoom and Facebook: Thursday 16 September at 7.30pm.
After fifteen months online, the Over 50s Fellowship Club is due to head back at the Community Centre Fridays at 1pm. We request that those who wish to come limit themselves at the present to those who have been doubly vaccinated.
Special themes and activities for the coming weeks:
Friday 24th September: Jacket Potatoes
Friday 1st October: Play your cards right
Friday 8th October: The letter R
Friday 15th October: Games day
Friday 22nd October: Fish and Chips
Recent sermons are available to download (click on the blue link below):
Sun 12 September (The Ingredients of Worship: Giving thanksj in the Eucharistic prayer, and recounting salvation history), preached by Aleksandra Tomaszewska
Sun 5 September (The Ingredients of Worship: The gifts we bring, and the mingling of water and wine), preached by the Revd Dorienke de Vries
Sun 29 August (The Ingredients of Worship: The Peace), preached by Aleksandra
Sun 22 August (The Ingredients of Worship: The people saying please), preached by Keith
Sun 15 August (The Ingredients of Worship: Hearing and Proclaiming God’s Word), preached by Henderson
Sun 8 August (The Ingredients of Worship: Saying Sorry), preached by Ian
Sun 1 August (The Ingredients of Worship: Gathering), preached by Ian
Carol Harvey, our stewardship secretary, would like to ask that if any in the congregation have been making donations by envelope, but haven’t been to church yet, that they let Carol know (stewardship@stjameschurch.cc) or the churchwardens, and we’d be happy to collect donations, which would be very helpful, and would make our treasurer ecstatic!
New weekly community food hub for EN3. This one is run by Community Smiles, a local charitable initiative, Mondays from 1 to 2pm (though queues do start earlier, from 12.30pm or so) at the Qube, next to Eagle House Surgery on the junction of Nag’s Head Road and Ponders End High Street.
We’ve been informed by our friend and colleague the Revd Melanie Smith that a weekly food hub began operations on 19 January at Ponders End United Reformed Church (8 Loraine Close, Ponders End EN3 4AL, just off the High Street, opposite Ponders End Park) on Tuesday mornings from 10am to 12pm.
They expect to have some fresh fruit and veg each week, with grateful thanks to Zebras Children and Adults Charity, and have a reasonable stock of non-perishables. They might also be able to offer deliveries to some households via an electric cargo bike, should anyone not be able to get to them (please contact Ian if this might be the case).
NEW! Online giving now available. Ever resourceful, our intrepid treasurer Derek has found a way for us to provide a means for people to donate to St James's online in these times when we are unable to worship in our holy house or prayer and praise (otherwise known as the church building). This we were able to link through the same scheme that provides our contactless donation terminal in the back of church, but merely by clicking, we have a dedicated webpage (screenshot above) that allows donations (even gift-aided) to be made by debit or credit card.
You can choose one of the suggested amounts on the screen, or even choose your own amount to give, and donors will also be sent a receipt via email. This is especially useful to those who would like to make a one-off financial gift to our church's ministry and mission, and to those who aren't on our giving scheme by standing order.
To give to our church online, clicking the illustration above, or the button below, will take you to the online donation page:
To pay via BACS, here are the details:
- Account name: St James Enfield Highway PCC
- Account number: 02710560
- Sort code: 60–07–38 (NatWest)
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