Emmanuel Church, West Hampstead

Dear all

I hope that this finds you all well. As I write, we are almost half way through Lent and, despite the ongoing cold snap, we are beginning to see bluer skies and sunnier days. Such encouraging weather fronts have been matched in equal measure by your joyful participation in our Lenten activities. It was great to see so many children are our pre-Lent Shrove Tuesday pancake party, when we also made and decorated the feet of Jesus on his forty day journey through the wilderness and which now adorn the north wall of the Church. On Ash Wednesday our choir treated us to some beautiful music and it was really encouraging to see attendance at this moving service significantly greater than in many previous years. On Friday evenings at 6.30pm it has been lovely to walk and pray the Stations of the Cross and on Wednesday evenings at 8pm we have had significant numbers joining us for this year’s study material from Inclusive Church called ‘LIVING CHRISTIANITY : ‘Everyday Bread’. This and Stations of the Cross continue throughout Lent and you are all most welcome to join us.

This coming Sunday – March 7th 2010

This coming Sunday is our First Sunday of the month 50 minute Family Eucharist at 10 am when our children will be reading, leading the prayers, serving at the altar and there will be a sermon especially with them in mind. It would be lovely to have as many of you joining us as possible for this regular celebration of the joy of our community life.

Owing to unforeseen circumstances there will not be a service of Choral Evensong at 6.30pm, but we very much hope to have this much loved traditional service a week later on March 14^th.

Next Sunday – Mothering Sunday – March 14^th

Next Sunday is Mothering Sunday and is one of the two Sundays of the year when our church school joins us for the Sung Eucharist at 10 am. There will be the traditional distribution of posies as we celebrate our own mothers, living or departed, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the motherhood of the Church we belong to throughout the world. It is a tangible and visible sign of the warm relationship between church and school in these exciting times when we look towards the school expansion and development project. If you have not yet written or emailed Camden Council in support of this exciting development in the service of our local community as per my email a few weeks ago, may I warmly encourage you to do so in advance of the deadline for the planning application of March 18^th. Thank you.

Emmanuel School Quiz – March 17^th 2010

Clare Barton writes…

The Parents & Friends of Emmanuel are holding a fund-raising Quiz Night on Wednesday March 17th at 7pm at the school.

In previous years these have been really enjoyable evenings, with a chance to meet up with parents, teachers, governors & friends, have a bit of fun and show everyone just how good your general knowledge is - whilst also raising valuable money for Emmanuel which will directly benefit the children. Please all come along to show your support! Tickets are a bargain at only £2.50 per person, (purchased in advance) & you can assemble a team of up to 6 people, or just buy your ticket, turn up & be grouped with others on the night. Feel free to invite your friends, neighbours & family members too - the more teams the better, & there will of course be a prize for the winning team! Food will be available to purchase all evening, and you can even bring your own wine & beer to wash it down too! (Please note this is an event for over 18’s only, however the PFE hope to be arranging a social function for parents/carers and school children in the summer term - watch this space!)

We are also looking for people who are willing to help out with the Quiz, so if you can give a hand selling tickets, help set up on the night or rustle up some delicious hot food to sell, please do email us: clarebarton@olgatv.com / susanredward@hotmail.com / kimgelirli@hotmail.co.uk. It would be good if we could have a volunteer from each year group in each class to sell tickets, so we can ensure as many people as possible come along & join in the fun.

Applications for School places for 2011 and beyond

Since January, in common with Churches and Schools in London and throughout the country, we have been operating a system of a register for those applying for School places under the church membership criterion. Application under this criterion entails attendance at Church twice a month – together with the child – for a period of twelve months. The complexities of school application procedures and appeals mean that we are legally required to have an impartial record of Church attendance. We hope this will not be seen as a negative intrusion, but rather a joyful record of your presence with us on any given Sunday. We greatly value the presence in Church of all those applying under this criterion and hope that you will glimpse something here of the glory and inclusive generosity of this great God of ours, but also the fun and friendship which binds us together.

Lent Lunch for the Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal.

On the fifth Sunday of Lent (March 21^st) after the Sung Eucharist we will be hosting our annual bread and cheese Lent lunch in support of the Bishop of London’s Lent appeal for urgent work with children in our link dioceses of Angola and Mozambique. Posters, flyers and further details of this year’s appeal can be found at the back of Church. Generous offers of bread, soup and cheese may be emailed to Casey Hammett at cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk. The general concept of a Lent lunch is that you donate to charity what you might have spent on Sunday lunch at home or out in a restaurant. Please be assured that this is a very worthy cause, which I would warmly encourage you to support.

Emmanuel Electoral Roll

This is the time of year when, in common with Churches up and down the land, we update Emmanuel’s Electoral Roll. The Electoral Roll is the formal list of all those over the age of 16 who regularly worship at Emmanuel. As such it is a ‘family photograph’ of all the adult members of Church family, but it also entitles you to vote at the Annual Meeting on May 16^th and to stand for the PCC. If you are not already a member of our Electoral Roll, I would warmly encourage you to do so. A large, healthy Electoral Roll is one of the visible signs of a large, healthy Church family. Forms for the Electoral Roll can be found at “how to join” section of the website and at the back of Church. If you would like to know more about this please speak to one of the clergy, Emma or our Electoral Officer Carrie Reiners who can be contacted at creiners60657@yahoo.com.

New curate

I was delighted to be able to announce to you a couple of weeks ago that in the summer we will be joined by a new member of the clergy team. Alysoun Whitton is completing her training at St Stephen’s House in Oxford and will be made deacon in St Paul’s Cathedral by the Bishop of London in the same service as Emma on Saturday 3^rd July at 3pm. She will then begin her ministry with us at Emmanuel the following day. It is a great sign of encouragement to us that the Bishop has placed a newly ordained person with us and I know that you will give to Alysoun the warm and generous welcome that Emmanuel is well known for giving. Alysoun has also kindly written a few words by way of introduction to herself:

I am very much looking forward to being with you at Emmanuel and to sharing your worship and teaching. I came late to the faith and can clearly recall how strange it all seemed; now that it seems like home I retain a sense of amazement and curiosity about our journey to God.

I attended Camberwell School of Art and became a potter, working in porcelain, which was pierced, decorated and inlaid with colour. I ran a workshop until my husband David became ill and then I stayed at home to look after him. After David’s death it was a church community that took me in and held on to me until I could breathe again on my own.

I began to study first at Birbeck Faculty of Continuing Education and then with Edmonton Area Course in Christian Studies, followed by Reader training. During this time I was aware that God was asking more of me and with the guidance of my parish priest and my spiritual director I began the process of discernment. So here I am at St Stephen’s House in Oxford and, God willing, I shall be ordained to the Diaconate this Petertide.

Holy Week and Easter 2010

Holy Week and Easter will soon be upon us and we will shortly be distributing a leaflet giving further information and a historical context to these traditional, beautiful and moving liturgies in which we follow even more than at any other time of the year the events of our Lord’s earthly life, death and resurrection. We are invited to participate fully in the sequence from Palm Sunday, through Holy Week to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter day. Maundy Thursday to Easter is often referred to as the Paschal Triduum (or the Great Three Days) which is essentially one liturgy beginning with the evening Eucharist of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday and only concluding with the resolution and joy of Easter Day – when the joyful and colourful ‘Alleluia!’ will be retrieved from its Lenten confines!

In brief these Services are:

Palm Sunday – 28^th March – when British Summer time also begins this year!

8.00 am Eucharist

10.00 am Sung Eucharist with Procession of Palms

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week

8.00pm A quiet said Eucharist with devotional address

Maundy Thursday – 1^st April

10.30 am Chrism Mass in St Paul’s Cathedral

8.00 pm Sung Eucharist of the Lord’s Supper followed by watch at the altar of repose

Good Friday – 2^nd April

10.30 am Stations of the Cross for Children – a 30 minute family friendly service, followed by hot Cross Buns and juice

2.00 pm Traditional Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion and Death

Easter Day – 3^rd April

8.00 am Eucharist

10.00 am Sung Festal Eucharist for all the family and renewal of baptismal promises

There are so many signs of vitality and growth in the life of Emmanuel and it is a privilege and honour to serve as your parish priest. Thank you for all that each and every one of you contributes to our life together. It is very much appreciated.

With my love and prayers, as ever,

Fr Jonathan

Dear Friends

I hope this finds you all well. The year seems to be gathering pace with great momentum and, having just celebrated Candlemas, the season of LENT begins on ASH WEDNESDAY – this year 17^th February. The word ‘Lent’ is derived from an old English word meaning quite literally “the lengthening of days” or “the springtime of the year”. All around us, plants and bulbs are beginning to shoot up from the darkness of the cold earth, until so recently covered in a thick blanket of snow. Nature itself is a parable of the cycle of new life which springs from death and which is at the heart of our faith. Just as new life is springing up from the earth, so in our lives of faith are we gently called to bring new life and fresh vitality to our faith through our Lenten activities, to which you are all most warmly welcome.

FAMILY EUCHARIST

Before Lent begins, this coming Sunday we have our Family Eucharist, celebrated around a central altar and where the children are fully involved in doing the readings, leading the prayers, serving at the altar and in singing. There will be a talk especially aimed for them and, as is our custom on the first Sunday of the month, it is our aspiration that this service will take no longer than fifty minutes. It would be lovely to welcome as many of you as possible, as together we celebrate the Eucharist in thanksgiving for the many signs of new life in our community.

CHORAL EVENSONG

To balance the informality of our morning worship on the first Sunday of the month we have at 6.30 pm a traditional service of Choral Evensong from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. We are as ever greatly indebted to our choir who work hard to learn the musical settings and anthems for these service and it would be great if we could expand the number of people who regularly attend this service… so please help us spread the message far and wide that this service is happening in and around the community.

OUR CHOIR

Our Choir is always looking for new singers – especially men. We would be delighted if you would like to sing in our Choir. For more information please contact Sukey Parnell, our Choir coordinator on sukey@sukeyparnell.com.

WELCOME

It is wonderful to be welcoming new people to Emmanuel all the time and to see our congregation grow in faith, hope and love as well as in number. One particular welcome that I would like to make in this E-mailing is to The Revd Claire Wilson and her family. Claire began her ordained ministry locally as curate of St Peter’s, Belsize Park, working with Fr Donald Barnes, before moving to Chingford Old Church in 1997 to serve as Priest in Charge. Claire has recently retired and moved back to the area. The very good news for us is that she has decided to make her home here at Emmanuel, and will be taking part in the whole range of our life together and in presiding at the Eucharist and preaching. Many of you have already met Claire after the Sunday morning Eucharist, but do please look out for her and say ‘hello’.

NEW NOTICE BORADS

Any day now we are expecting the delivery of our new notice boards, one replacing the current notice board on Lyncroft Gardens and a new community notice board facing towards West End Green and West End Lane. This is all part of our wider aspiration for Emmanuel to have a greater profile and be more visible in serving our local community.

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKES

The day before Lent begins is Shrove Tuesday. Originally this was a day for using up those things in the household which would disappear during the rigours of Lenten fasting. With the continental tradition of ‘Mardi Gras’ comes the word ‘carnival’, which means literally, ‘goodbye to meat’. As Shrove Tuesday falls in half term this year (16^th February), we are proposing to have a children’s pancake party in Church at 4 pm that afternoon when, as well as there being plenty of pancakes to eat, there will be fun and games too. If you would like to come with your child please could you let us know by email, either to me on frjonathan@mac.com or Casey Hammett on cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk. All are most welcome at this event.

ASH WEDNESDAY

On the evening of Ash Wednesday we will be having a SUNG EUCHARIST, with the traditional imposition of ashes at 8pm. This ancient and loved tradition is a powerful reminder to us, in the comparative wealth of our contemporary society, of both our mortality and also our utter dependence on our loving Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier God. These occasional sung evening services at Emmanuel have not always drawn huge numbers in the past, but it would be wonderful if we could ‘buck the trend’ and get Lent off to a really good start in 2010.

FURTHER STUDY – LIVING CHRISTIANITY : ‘Everyday Bread’.

An important and traditional part of Lent is study and increasing our knowledge and love of God and of our neighbour. This year’s Lent Course has been produced by Inclusive Church and over the course of five weeks will be exploring the basics of our faith using Scripture through the lens of the Eucharist. The five weeks are entitled:

· Engagement

· Listening

· Responding

· Sharing

· Sending

All are very welcome to join the group which meets at the Vicarage on Wednesday evenings at 8 pm, starting February 24^th.

PRAYER : STATIONS OF THE CROSS

During Lent we look towards the Passion of Christ in Holy Week. As a prayerful means of preparing for this, each Friday evening in Lent we shall walk the fourteen Stations of the Cross in Church, meditating on Christ’s last journey on earth. The Stations of the Cross that we have in Emmanuel are set of oleographs dating from the late 19th century. On one level they may appear simply as pictures which enrich the fabric of the Church. It is during Lent and Passiontide that these Stations (so called because we pause and pray at each one) come into their own. All are most welcome to join us for this service which lasts about 30 minutes each Friday in Lent at 6.30 pm.

ALMSGIVING : CHARITY

Another traditional element of Lent has always been almsgiving – our charitable giving to those less fortunate than ourselves and our solidarity with the poor. It was very good to welcome during January, the Revd Ken Jefferson, Director of the charity ‘The Claypotts Trust’ and Pastor of Mbabane Chapel in Swaziland. When he was with us at the Sung Eucharist for the Baptism of Christ on January 10^th, Ken was telling us a little of his work in one of the poorest countries of the world, where the incidence of TB and HIV/AIDS is extremely high. The average entire span of human life in Swaziland is in the early 30s. Ken has now returned to Swaziland and he is looking for a specific project that we at Emmanuel can support on an ongoing basis. Further details of the charity’s work can be found at:

www.claypotts.org

LENT LUNCH : THE BISHOP OF LONDON’S LENT APPEAL : TRANSFORMING LIVES

The Bishop of London’s Lent appeal this year is once again for our link dioceses of Angola and Mozambique, and this year will be specifically supporting work in these countries with children. Further details of this can be found on the London Diocesan website at:

www.london.anglican.org/LentAppeal

As has been our custom at Emmanuel for several years our annual Lent Lunch will go in support of this appeal. This year’s Lent Lunch takes place on the Fifth Sunday of Lent – 21^st March – after the Sung Eucharist. Further details of this can be found in next month’s E-mailing and in the pew sheet.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS 2011

Once again the popularity and appeal of our School has been such that the demand for places for 2010 has been high. The general area of school admissions policies has been much in the national news recently and so the need for school governors to operate admissions procedures entirely by the book has been underlined. Under the criteria for admissions to the School as members of Emmanuel Church it is necessary to have attended the Church for a minimum of twice a month for a period of twelve months. Like many churches, in order to be entirely fair in operating these policies, we have just introduced a register of attendance for those seeking school places in the future.

If you are applying for a place for your child for 2011, please do ensure you sign the book each time you come to Emmanuel and which will be kept with one of the Churchwardens at the back of Church. It is not that we are seeking to be unnecessarily dogmatic about these things (we greatly value your membership and presence with us at Emmanuel!) but the stringent rules regarding school admissions has meant that we, along with many other churches throughout London and the country as a whole, are required to have an objective record of attendance to ensure that we treat everyone fairly and impartially. The partnership between Church and School is of key importance in our service of the local community and is something that together we rejoice in.

There are so many areas of new life and growth at Emmanuel for which to be thankful. May I thank each and every one of you for all that you contribute to our life together.

With warmest good wishes, love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF OUR LORD 2010 !

It was lovely to see so many of you in Church last Sunday as we celebrated the Epiphany of Christ at our Family Eucharist. My initial thoughts that there might be a smaller congregation so early in the new year and on such a freezing cold morning were entirely misplaced as we had 169 in Church. Thank you for getting 2010 off to such a good start as we seek to grow in number and in our knowledge and love of God.

The arrival of the wise men at the manger in Bethlehem inspires us in our inclusive vocation – that the Christ-child was not solely for one privileged people at a particular time and place in history, but for all people everywhere, of every background, ethnicity and way of life – and for you and me today.

Epiphany-tide

From early times in the Church the Epiphany of Christ was celebrated in three distinct chapters or ‘theophanies’: the arrival of the wise men in Bethlehem, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist in the River Jordan and the first miracle of the transformation of water into wine at Cana in Galilee. We celebrate the second and third chapters in the coming Sundays.

God’s love across the world.

On Sunday 10^th January we shall be welcome as our speaker at the 10 am Sung Eucharist the Revd Ken Jefferson, Director of the Charity ‘The Claypotts Trust’ and Pastor of Mbabane Chapel in Swaziland. Ken will be speaking a little about his work in health and education in one of the poorest countries of the world and where there are high levels of HIV and AIDS. It would be lovely to have a large congregation at this service as we celebrate our solidarity with people the world over in reaching out with the generous and all embracing love of God.

Epiphany Carol Service.

On Sunday evening at 6.30 pm the same day we shall be having an Epiphany Carol Service – a meditation in readings and choral music, celebrating the showing forth of God’s glory. Once again we look forward to the excellent music of Mark Denza and friends.

Christian Unity

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs each year from 18^th to 25^th January, uniting Christians of differing denominations and traditions in the prayer of Jesus that his followers might be one (see John Chapter 17). This annual week of prayer celebrates the great and wonderful diversity across the Churches and traditions but rooted most deeply in the love of Christ.

Throughout the country different Churches belong to local clusters or groups of Churches and we at Emmanuel are part of Churches Together in Hampstead. Last year we had the pleasure of hosting the annual united service for our local cluster. This year’s united service takes place at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holly Place, Hampstead on Sunday 24^th January at 3 pm, when the preacher will be Fr James Hanvey, S.J., superior of the Jesuits at Farm Street and Director of the Heythrop Institute of Religion, Ethics and Public Life. All are warmly welcome at this united service.

Reaching out in love and service

The principal Christian calling is to worship – that we might show our love of God with every facet of our being. Naturally overflowing from our worship is our service of the community in which we are set. On your behalf Emmanuel’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) as your elected representatives will be exploring further how we put into action our plans for the redevelopment of the rear of the Church to provide a new kitchen, disabled toilet and baby changing facilities, smaller community room and a new larger community room with windows into the Church. The larger room will provide a more comfortable environment for the Crèche on Sunday mornings, but the expanded facilities will enable us to offer more community space to groups in our local community. Plans for this are on display at the back of Church. At the same time we shall be correcting the undulating levels of the wooden floors. Whilst these are exciting plans - understandably this will involve us in a concerted period of fundraising, so watch this space…

School Expansion

The indications are that this year will also see much demand for places at our Church School and underline more than ever the pressing need to expand to a full form entry School. Many of you have been keeping abreast of how these developments are moving forward by the public meetings and on the School website. We anticipate moving forward to seeking formal planning permission this year and it will be crucial that the large level of support for this development in the local community is seen. We will be keeping you up to date with the developments in this monthly mailing and in the weekly pew sheet and notices. Fuller information can also be found at:

www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk/project-expansion.htm

Thank you for everything that each and every one of you does for the life our Church, School and community. It is very much appreciated.

With my love and prayers, and every blessing for 2010,
as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear Friends

If I were to begin this mailing by wishing you a happy new year, you might suppose that I had flipped my lid well in advance of the time at which those sentiments might appropriately be expressed.  In fact the season of ADVENT, which begins this coming Sunday, is the beginning of the new Church year when we begin to look forward with eager anticipation to the coming of Christ, both as a baby in the manger at Bethlehem and also his coming in glory at the end of time.

Advent is a beautiful season, when the Church is clad in purple and the coloured candles of the Advent wreath help us in our preparation.  As a way of celebrating the beginning of the season of Advent, in addition to our usual Sunday Services this coming week, we have our ADVENT CAROL SERVICE at 6.30 pm.  This will be a Choral Service, not with Christmas Carols, but with the magnificent choral tradition of anthems, congregational hymns and readings which witness to the eager longing of the people of God expressed from the time of the prophets onwards for the coming of Christ.

NEXT FAMILY EUCHARIST
Our next Family Eucharist is on DECEMBER 6th - THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT.  Our last Family Eucharist was really well attended and lasted exactly fifty minutes.  It is our aspiration that these services on the first Sunday of each month will be expressly aimed at our children and young people who also play a full part in reading, singing, leading the intercessions and serving at the altar.  On these Sundays we celebrate the Eucharist around a nave altar in the body of the Church, following the practice of the earliest Christians, and so that the children can see clearly all that is going on.  Above all a nave altar witnesses to Jesus, the origin and authenticator of our inclusive vocation - He who is in our midst as Emmanuel – God-with-us - and who assures us that ALL human life in its great and amazing diversity is infinitely valued and hallowed by God.

CHORAL EVENSONG
On the first Sunday of the month the Family Eucharist is balanced by more traditional worship in Choral Evensong at 6.30 pm, according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.  We are seeking to publicize this service far and wide and always greatly value new members to the Choir if you enjoying singing.  Please tell your friends and neighbours about this service and join us if you can.

CONFIRMATION – SUNDAY 13th DECEMBER
At 10 o’clock on Sunday 13th December we warmly welcome Bishop Peter for the annual service of Confirmation for our School and Church.  We have fifteen candidates this year and it would be great if you could join us to support them in this important step in their Christian journey.  As a way of making this Sunday extra special we are having a bring and share lunch after the service when there will be an opportunity to meet the Bishop informally.  The catering and domestic committee have a list at the back of Church for offers of food and drink which will be very gratefully received and which may also be emailed to Casey Hammett at cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk.  It would be lovely to have as large a congregation as possible that day so that Bishop Peter can see how alive, active and full of energy Emmanuel Church is.

CHURCH CLEAN UP
In order to make the Church look as beautiful as possible for the Confirmation (and in readiness for Christmas) we are having one of our regular Church cleaning mornings on Saturday 12th December from 10.30 am.  Many hands make light work, so if you could join us for this, we’d love to see you.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL CHRISTINGLE
One of the highlights of the School year is the annual Christingle Service , which this year will be on Thursday 10th December at 5 pm.  Join the children, staff and parents of the School in celebration of Christ as the light of the world.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL EXPANSION
We are currently working towards submitting a planning application for the School expansion.  As part of this visionary process a Development Control Forum meeting is taking place in the School hall on Tuesday 8th December from 6.30 to 8.30 pm. Parents, friends and neighbours are all invited to attend to give further views on the detailed design issues raised by the development project.  Planning officers from Camden will be present.   Further details may be found on line at:

www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk/School%20Development_page5.htm <http://www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk/School%20Development_page5.htm>

THE TRAVELLING CRIB
The Travelling Crib begins its journey around the parish this coming Sunday. The idea is that each household would give hospitality to this small crib for 24 hours as it journeys around the parish before taking it on to the next household, where festive refreshments may be shared, the candle accompanying the crib lit, and a short prayer said.  There are still four spaces on the list if you would like the crib to come to your home.  I will email the final list to the households who have signed up on Sunday afternoon.

CHARITY CONCERT
A Christmas Charity Concert in support of Christian Aid will be given by the ‘Can’t Sing Choir’, directed by Alison Denza on Friday 18th December at 8 pm.

CAROLS ON THE GREEN
Christmas really gets off to good start in West Hampstead with Carols on the Green, which this year will be on Saturday 19th December at 4 pm, when we shall gather around the tree on West End Green for joyful and festive singing, followed by a warming cup of hot chocolate in Church afterwards.  Please spread the message of this really enjoyable annual event far and wide.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NATIVITY PLAY
The Sunday School Nativity Play takes places after the 10 am Sung Eucharist on Sunday 20th December when we much look forward to the Christmas story being re-told in an imaginative and dramatic way by our youngest members.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

CHRISTMAS EVE
6.00 pm  CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE – a joyful and festive service for all the family
11.00 pm  - MIDNIGHT MASS with blessing of the Crib

CHRISTMAS DAY
10.00 am  FAMILY EUCHARIST
At the family Eucharist the children are invited to bring an un-opened present, as we all open our presents together and celebrate the birth of Christ, the greatest gift the world has ever received.

With my continued thanks for all that each and every one of you brings to our life together Emmanuel. I hope that you have very happy and blessed Christmas and wish you every blessing for 2010,

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear friends

ALL SAINTS

November begins on its very first day with the great festival of All Saints when we celebrate that great cloud of witnesses of holy women and men who have mirrored the love of God throughout the ages. We shall be celebrating All Saints at Emmanuel with the first of our new style Family Eucharists as we gather around an altar at the front of the nave and where the children of our community will be taking a key part in the service and there will be a talk especially for them. It is our aspiration that these services on the first Sunday of the month will take around fifty minutes and we will be singing many of the hymns and songs familiar from the school repertoire. We much look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible at that service.

CHORAL EVENSONG

On the first Sunday of each month there is also Choral Evensong, a beautiful traditional sung service using the language of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. This Sunday’s service will be a special celebration of All Saints and the Choir will sing Bainton’s majestic ‘And I saw a new heaven’ and the canticles to the setting in C by Stanford. We really want to publicize this monthly Evensong as widely as possible and to encourage as many as we can to attend. Why not come along and bring a friend.

ALL SOULS

The day after All Saints is All Souls Day when we remember all our loved ones who have died in past years. This year we shall be celebrating a Sung Requiem Eucharist for All Souls Day on Monday 2^nd November at 8 pm. During this Requiem we will remember aloud the names of any loved ones you would like included. There is a list at the back of Church for names to be included and it would be lovely if you could join us for this service.

CONFIRMATION

Confirmation classes are now underway for our annual service of Confirmation by the Bishop of Edmonton on Sunday 13^th December at 10 am. It is not too late to join one of the groups. If you would like to discuss the possibility further, Mother Annette, Emma or I would be very happy to chat with you. As a way of celebrating this special day in the life of our Church and School and welcoming our Bishop we will have a bring and share lunch after the service at the back of the Church straight after the service.

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE

The PCC had a very useful day at Edgware Abbey at the beginning of October envisioning the future and how we might nurture and grow the family of God at Emmanuel in which people of every age, race and way of life will feel fully included in all that we do and as we connect more fully with the community. As a means of making our dreams a reality we will be having a brand new notice board on the Lyncroft Gardens entrance to the Church a new community noticeboard on the West End Green side. We are also seeking to put into bricks and mortar some designs for the west end of the Church which will include a new kitchen, disabled toilet, baby changing area and smaller community room on the south side and a new community room with windows into the Church on the north side and at the same time rectify the problems with the floor. We are also proposing to screen in the narthex area around the font so that we can keep the Church open more during the week. So as to avoid disruption of Sunday Services we would have the back of the Church screened off whilst the work is done and still continue to use the front. Our next step is to gain some firm costings, seek faculty permission to undertake the work and to raise the necessary funds. Drawings showing the proposed work are on display at the back of Church. Watch this space as this exciting development unfolds…

GARDENING DAY 2 and CHURCH CELLAR CLEARANCE

Many thanks to all of you who came in such great numbers in October to help clear the Church and Vicarage Grounds as we enable these to be a much needed community resource. We are going to have a second such day on Saturday 28^th November, beginning at 10 o’clock, when we shall also be clearing the Church cellar. There will be hot soup and refreshments served during the day and later on refreshment from the fruit of the vine..!

EMMA

Many of you will have heard the announcement made in Church a couple of weeks back that, when she has finished her training at Cuddesdon, Emma has been appointed to serve as stipendiary curate of Hampstead Parish Church. It is the general rule of the Church that, having completed their training, the newly ordained go to serve in another parish in the wider Church. The good news for us is that Emma will be just up the road and it will be wonderful to see Emma ordained and continue in the ministry with which she has blessed us for so many years at Emmanuel. We assure Emma of our continued prayers as she completes her final year of ordination formation and training.

POSADA – A TRAVELLING CRIB

There is a lovely tradition originating in Mexico of a crib which travels around the community during the days of Advent and which comes back to the Church on Christmas Eve in time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This year we are hoping to start just such a tradition at Emmanuel when a small wooden crib scene will start off from the Eucharist on Advent Sunday (November 29^th) and travel around the parish. The general idea is that families would take it in turns to house the crib for 24 hours before taking it on to the next family, where they would together share festive refreshments and light the candle which accompanies it for the appropriate day. During November we will have a list up in Church for you to sign and we very much hope we will be able to have 24 households for the Crib to rest on its journey around the community before ending up back in Church for Christmas.

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS

We are just going to press with our Advent and Christmas flyer which we hope, as in previous years, to deliver to as many homes in the parish as possible. Last year we had a good team of volunteers who each took a street or a couple of streets to deliver the flyers to. We will shortly have a list at the back of Church for this important work of communicating our celebrations of the birth of Christ to the wider community.

There is so much for which to be thankful in our life together at Emmanuel as we aspire to live out our inclusive vision as ‘God with us’ at the heart of the community. May I thank you all most sincerely for enabling all this to happen and for making Emmanuel such a great place in which to serve as your priest.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear friends

HARVEST FESTIVAL

With the leaves on the trees all around us turning to the gorgeous hues of russet and gold, we begin the month of October with the celebration of Harvest Festival, thanking God for all the good things that we enjoy, but praying also for a more just and equitable distribution of the world’s resources as we raise money for ‘Water Aid’. Generously given harvest gifts will be taken to the Doorstep Homeless Families’ Project – a charity which supports some of the most needy in our local community.

THANKFULNESS

May I thank all those who came to help with the recent Vicarage and Church garden clearance day. Whilst we have some way to go before the ground behind the Vicarage and Church is transformed from an urban wilderness into the Garden of Eden, a huge amount was achieved on that day and we filled to the brim a large skip on the Vicarage driveway. We are planning another such day in early to mid November as we continue in our endeavour to make our grounds into a much needed parish and community resource.

ENVISIONING EMMANUEL’S BRIGHT FUTURE

On your behalf the Parochial Church Council (PCC) are going on an away day on Saturday 3^rd October at Edgware Abbey to envision our future both as the people of God in this place and as our church building continues to be a beacon of light and hope in the community of West Hampstead. With the help of the Revd Ann Claridge we will be exploring how we might connect more fully with the local community focused on West End Green and how we might use our building more fully and effectively as a community resource. We will be exploring especially how we continue to expand our inclusive vision in reaching out to peoples of all ages, races and ways of life.

CONFIRMATION

We shall shortly be beginning preparation sessions both for children and adults for Emmanuel’s annual service of Confirmation by the Bishop of Edmonton at 10 am on Sunday 13^th December. If you are interested in Confirmation either for yourself or your child (or if you would like to join the group as a ‘refresher course’) please speak to Mother Annette, Emma or me.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL EXPANSION PROPOSALS

On Wednesday 23^rd September an open meeting was held at the School with Mark Kemp from the London Borough of Camden and Hawkins/Brown, the architects who have been contracted to produce proposals for the design of the new school on Mill Lane as we look to seek planning approval towards the end of the year. Further details of all matters relating to the proposed expansion can be found on the School website: www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk/project-expansion.htm.

EMMANUEL CHURCH HALL, BROOMSLEIGH STREET

As this letter goes to press we are finalizing the sale of the Church Hall in Broomsleigh Street to the Borough so that it might be transformed into a twenty first century community resource at the heart of our neighbourhood where there is so little community space. The proceeds of the sale will be carefully invested so as to provide an endowment for the continuance of Emmanuel Church’s ministry and mission for many generations to come.

THANKFULNESS FOR SAINTS OF EVERY KIND

October is certainly a month for thankfulness for us here at Emmanuel and so it leads naturally and pleasantly into the festivals and holy days at the beginning of November. On Sunday 1^st November we shall be celebrating the great festival of All Saints, when we give thanks for that great multitude of saints that no one can number, who surround us with their love and prayers as we continue our pilgrim way on earth. We shall be celebrating All Saints with the first of a new design Family Eucharist as we gather around an altar in the main part of the Church and with a service similar to that used by the school on a Thursday morning. The hymns and songs will be familiar ones from the children’s repertoire and we are hoping to form a new children’s choir for this service. Our aim is for this service to be no longer than 50 minutes in duration. On the first Sunday of the month this lively Family Eucharist will be complimented as always by a simpler and quieter celebration of the Eucharist at 8 am and a traditional service of Choral Evensong at 6.30 pm.

The day after All Saints is All Souls Day – Monday 2^nd November 2009 – when we remember all our loved ones who have departed this life. At 8.00 pm that day we shall have a reflective Sung Eucharist of Requiem. There will shortly be a list at the back of Church for names to be remembered at that Requiem and I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us for this beautiful service as we give thanks for all those who have helped us on our own life’s journey and shown us the love of God.

There is so much for which to give thanks in our life together at Emmanuel and I thank you all most sincerely for your commitment and dedication in this shared vision.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

The Sunday School reconvenes this month and we have been making new provision for our toddlers and youngest children in the community room, where the service is relayed by loud speakers. In the community room there is paper and colouring material which may be brought back into Church if you so wish but the community room is also intended as an attractive and welcoming space for our youngest members.

It has been good to welcome some more of our older members into the choir and the good news is that this constituency in our parish family is steadily growing. The message that we want to give is that EVERYONE is fully and warmly welcome in all that we do. For Emmanuel to continue to thrive into the future it needs the regular, ongoing weekly support of all our members and we greatly value your presence with us week by week.

The Sung Eucharist on a Sunday morning is complimented by the quieter and reflective 8 o’clock Eucharist each week and by the beauty and majesty of Choral Evensong on the first Sunday of the month. But worship continues throughout the week also and is the steady heart beat of parish life. Morning Prayer is said Monday to Thursday at 8.30 am and Evening Prayer at 6 pm when, through Psalms and Scripture, we place ourselves in the broader horizons of God’s love for the world and his relationship beloved people sustained over many centuries as we connect with our forebears in faith. On each of these days the Eucharist is also celebrated in a quieter, more contemplative manner and this is the focus of our prayer, intercession and all we seek to be and to do day by day.

A COMMUNITY OF SERVICE
A Church I know in New York City has a sign over its door for people to see when they leave saying, ‘the worship is over – the service begins’. Quite simply that is the essence of the Christian life – that we are fed and nourished by the Eucharist to be sent out into the world to live lives of love and service. Here at Emmanuel we are going to be doing quite a bit of further reflection on how we might connect more fully with the life of the local community focused on West End Green and West End Lane and for this reason we have taken as our sub-title ‘The Church on the Green’. It is our aspiration that Emmanuel might become more fully part of the community life of West Hampstead.

Our beautiful Church building is one of our great assets. Of course the local Church is most fully the people who gather in it, but our building is itself a beacon of God’s light and liberating love in our community. On your behalf, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) as your elected representatives, will be having an away day October 3^rd to envision where we might most readily and appropriately be as community of witness, outreach and service. As part of our deliberations on the away day we will be considering how the Church building itself might best serve the needs of the current generation and be a greater host of a range community and church activities. As part of this process we would like to explore how we might re-configure the back of the Church to include a new kitchen, disabled toilet and baby changing facilities, to build a new additional community room on the opposite side of the Church and enable the Church to be kept more readily and securely open throughout the week. We would be most grateful for any input or ideas that you might have as we explore the exciting future of Emmanuel Church.

A SCHOOL OF THE LORD’S SERVICE
It was the fourth century monk St Benedict who famously wrote that his new monasteries might be called a ‘school of the Lord’s service’. That description is also an appropriate aspiration for what the whole Christian community should be – as the Lord calls us to discover and develop our true potential as created in his image and in his love.

A key partnership in our life at Emmanuel is our Church School in Mill Lane. The School was first built in 1845 to serve the needs of the rather smaller community of Hampstead, West End at the time. In recent years the School has become a place of excellence in the Borough of Camden and has thus been recognized and praised in recent OFSTED inspections. Not surprisingly the demand for places at Emmanuel School is always high and the need for school places in our Borough has become pressing this year with initially almost 100 children unplaced in any primary school in Camden. Emmanuel School is one the smallest in London with only 15 children each year and you will have seen in the press and elsewhere of the aspiration to expand the school to a full one form entry on land at 152-158 Mill Lane which was specifically acquired for this purpose 45 years ago, but only now has the funding become available. As we move onto the exciting next stage of this possible expansion, John Ward, Chair of Governors writes:

Dear parents, friends and neighbours
The Governors would like to invite you to a public meeting on Wednesday 23 September 2009 at 7pm in the hall at school to discuss our development project. This will be another chance to meet the architects and to discuss our ideas about possible designs for the proposed building on 152-158 Mill Lane. We would very much welcome your input at this formative stage.

There will be at least one further public meeting as we prepare to submit a planning application towards the end of the year. I very much look forward to welcoming you to the meeting. You do not need to book; just turn up. Further details of this can be found on:

www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk
John Ward

There is so much look forward to at the School as we warmly greet the new senior management team in welcoming back Shelia McCalla-Gordon as Executive Head and Tracy Kilkenny as Head of School and several new members of staff. The partnership between Church and School is a vital ingredient of community life in West Hampstead and we look forward to growing and developing this creative endeavour in all there is to come.

CONFIRMATION & CELEBRATION OF OUR FAITH
Autumn is traditionally the time when we at Emmanuel begin preparation for the annual service of Confirmation during Advent. This year Bishop Peter is coming to celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday 13^th December at 10 am. We will be drawing together a group of older children from the School but also a separate group for adults who would like to be confirmed. Confirmation is the seal of God’s love and a stirring up of the gift of the Spirit given in Baptism. Many adults come to Confirmation through having their children baptized and through other significant life events. Each year we hold a series of informal confirmation preparation sessions on a weekday night and we are usually helped in our thoughts with a glass of wine! If you are interested in Confirmation for yourself or your child please speak to Mother Annette, Emma or me. We would be very happy to tell you more.

EAST OF EDEN..?
Over the years the ‘L’ shaped piece of ground behind the Vicarage and alongside the south aisle of the Church has come to need more than a little attention. It is our aspiration that most of this ground might more usefully serve the needs of our growing church community. I know that some years ago quite a bit of attention was generously paid to these areas by several church members and friends, but during the interregnum before my arrival the effects of ongoing rain, sun and weeds have taken their toil. To get the garden back into shape we are proposing a garden working day on Saturday 26^th September from 10.30 am onwards when, in return for your generous help, we will provide food, booze and soft drinks. If you could help on that day we would be enormously grateful.

ONE YEAR ON…
The first Sunday in September will mark the anniversary of my last service at St Mary’s, Ilford as I prepared to move to West Hampstead and start at Emmanuel in October. It is a year which seems to have flown by amazingly quickly. For my part may I thank you must sincerely for the warm and generous welcome you have given us. Emmanuel is a great place to be and it is a privilege and an honour to serve as your parish priest. The signs for the future are bright, exciting and hopeful. Thank you for your partnership in enabling all that we do. It is very much appreciated.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear friends

MEMBERS OF ONE BODY

One of the most beautiful images of the Church in the Bible is that of the Body of Christ, an image we find most often in St Paul’s letters to young Christian communities just decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a beautiful and evocative image because it reminds us that among the members of the church there are always going to be different people. Such is the wonderful diversity of God’s creation. But, just like the various organs and limbs of the body, all members of the Church live and work together for the good of the whole.

No wonder, then, that at Emmanuel with our inclusive vision do we have such an amazing and diverse range of ages, ethnicities and ways of life – all of whom are equally welcome and equally precious in the family of God in this place. Our constant aspiration and aim is to enable all the amazing and diverse range of our church family to be included in all our services and activities as fully as possible.

In recent weeks we have been experimenting with housing our thriving and lively crèche in the community room at the south west corner of the Church. The acquisition of the new rooms at the east end of the Church with the new study conversion (enabled by your great generosity last year) has allowed those two rooms previously in the Vicarage to be used for our Sunday School and a Choir and music room upstairs. This has freed up the community room to be used for the crèche. In the community room there are now a range of activities for our youngest children, including toys, colouring sheets and crayons. We value our toddler and their parents very much indeed and it has never been our intention to shut anyone away. A few days ago our PCC voted to enable a large toughened glass window to be installed into the end of the community room so that anyone in there has full sight of all that is going on in Church. The speaker in that room is being overhauled as part of a wider enhancement of our sound system so that anyone in the room can also hear the readings, the sermon, the prayers and all that takes place at the altar.

So far the Churchwardens and I have received a number of positive comments from parents with children of toddler age who have been using the new room in recent weeks. In the coming weeks the experience in the room will be greatly enhanced by the installation of the new window and sound system modification. I would, however, be very grateful of any comments and observations you may have on these new arrangements by email or in person. We are constantly reviewing all that we do at Emmanuel and we would hate for anyone to feel excluded for any reason.

SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION

In making these arrangements it is also our express intention to include our older and senior members of the congregation as fully as possible. Audibility in a large Church building such as Emmanuel can sometimes be difficult, particularly to the rear of the nave. We would very much like to encourage our older members, whose presence we value very much, to sit towards the front of the nave on the pulpit side where audibility is at its clearest and so that we can assure you that your presence with us as part of Christ’s body is as valued as anyone else’s.

SOUND

James Bell of Keith Monks Sound Systems has recently undertaken a thorough review of our PA system at Emmanuel and his recommendations have been warmly endorsed by the PCC. In the coming weeks the sound system will be thoroughly overhauled, the radio microphone channels which have become muffled and distorted will be reset, the antennae re-sited so that we no longer have lapses of sound, especially by the font and Mother Annette and I will be wearing ‘madonna sets’ which put the microphone in the optimum place for the voice. James is confident that this will bring vast improvements to audibility in Emmanuel.

SCHOOL EXPANSION

Many thanks to everyone who has supported so clearly and warmly the proposed expansion of Emmanuel School on Mill Lane as the latest stage of the consultation drew to a close on 2^nd July. As you will have seen in the local media and elsewhere there is a certain amount of local resistance to the expansion on the proposed site, which was acquired by the local authority with the express intention of the expansion of Emmanuel School over forty years ago. The London Diocesan Board for Schools, the London Borough of Camden and the Governors believe that the expansion on the proposed site is the best possible option.

The existing buildings in Mill Lane have to be retained as they were covenanted for educational purposes by a family trust over a hundred years ago. It is proposed that these original buildings will house the reception class in the expanded school and new nursery provision. It is proposed that the rest of the school will be housed in the new buildings adjacent to the open space and conveniently near the present buildings and the Church. In the proposals the size of the open space will be preserved as we seek to work in close co-operation and collaboration with the Mill Lane Gardening Project, local community groups, neighbours and stake holders.

For well over a hundred years Emmanuel School has been situated at the heart of the local community of West Hampstead, adjacent to West End Green and Emmanuel Church. The school seeks to be primarily a servant of the local community and its excellent OFSTED reputation in recent years has meant that we could have filled each place six or seven times over for the new academic year. At this point in time there are almost a hundred children still unplaced in any primary school in the Borough for the coming year. An expanded Emmanuel School at the heart of this local community would provide another 105 school places for the Borough and specifically for the people of West Hampstead. It is intended to be a local neighbourhood school where walking to school is greatly and warmly encouraged. Thank you all for your support at the conclusion of this second stage of the consultation.

EMMANUEL CHURCH HALL, BROOMSLEIGH STREET

For many years Emmanuel Church Hall in Broomsleigh Street has been leased to the local authority to provide a base for much need community groups and associations in the local area. The Hall now needs a large amount of work to bring it up to the standard of a 21^st century community building to serve the needs of current times, including the installation of a lift and many other modifications. At this present time Camden has capital funds to undertake all this work on the hall, but to enable them to do so they have made an offer to buy the freehold of the hall, which the Parochial Church Council (PCC) in its meeting on 29^th June after much deliberation has accepted.

In so doing the PCC of Emmanuel believe that this is the best way for thehall to continue to be the much needed community resource that it is in an area where there is little other community provision. The proceeds from the sale of the hall will be used to support the ongoing ministry and mission of Emmanuel Church as we seek for the Church to continue to be the great and wonderful place of worship and community resource that it is. Emmanuel is not a wealthy church and so the sale of the hall with provide an endowment for the continued presence and witness of the Church for many generations to come. During the expansion of Emmanuel School it is the Council’s intention that Sington Nursery be housed temporarily in the hall, pending the development of new permanent premises in Fortune Green and we at the Church are working as closely as possible with local community organizations to find and provide locations for much needed community organizations and activities.

Commenting of the acquisition of the hall, local councilor Keith Moffitt said, “I’m delighted that the Parish Church Council has agreed to accept Camden’s offer, which means that this popular community space will continue to be available to local people of all ages and from all walks of life.”

EMMA RETURNS…

At the end of July Emma Smith, our much loved ordinand and reader will be returning to Emmanuel, having completed her placement at Hampstead Parish Church as part of her training for ordination. We much look forward to having Emma back with us and to hear her reflections on her placement at the Parish Church. Emma is due to be ordained as deacon at Peter-tide this time next year and so we pray for her and for Bishop Peter as he discerns where God is calling her to serve her curacy.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ORDINANDS

Bishop Peter has asked me to take on the role of Assistant Director of Ordinands in the Edmonton Episcopal Area of the Diocese of London in addition to being Priest in Charge of Emmanuel. A number of clergy in today’s church have an extra portfolio in addition to their parish duties and in this work I shall be assisting the Director of Ordinands, Jonathan Trigg, who is Vicar of St Michael’s, Highgate. The work involves the recruitment and selection of ordinands for the future ordained ministry of the Church, the preparation of them for national selection panels and the overseeing of them during their time at theological college. London has an above average number of potential ordinands coming forward and so there is a team of us working across London in this vital work.

HOLIDAY MONTHS

Over the coming weeks a number of you will be going on much need and well-earned holidays. For this reason Churches often become quieter at the end of July and during August. In September parish life will return to its usual and welcome pace as we begin to prepare both children and adults for the sacrament of Confirmation in December. If you are interested in Confirmation, either for yourself or your child, or simply finding our more about the Christian faith please speak to Emma, Mother Annette or me. We’d love to hear from you. I will write more about Confirmation and forthcoming activities for the autumn in the next E-mailing, which will be produced for the beginning of September.

I hope that wherever July and August find you, that it will be a time of rest and recreation for you. May I thank each and every one of you for your presence here at Emmanuel and all that you bring to our life together. Without each and every one of you Emmanuel would not be the wonderfully diverse and inclusive community that it is.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the beginning of June already.  I hope that you are all enjoying the beautiful summer weather we’ve been having recently.  We very much value your friendship and support of Emmanuel and our conscious desire, stemming from our inclusive vision, is that all our members, young or old, from whatever walk of life should feel as fully valued and part of things as possible.  It is a vision in which every member matters and we are so grateful to you all for all that you bring to the life of Emmanuel.

June is definitely the month of party and festival and there are a number of events and activities which I hope as many of you as possible will be able to join us for.

Sunday 7 June – TRINITY SUNDAY
The first Sunday in June is Trinity Sunday when we celebrate the mystery and wonder of God’s awesome love, revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God’s whole being is one of perfect community and mutual love and that is why God’s very nature is a pattern and template for what all communities should seek to be.

Being the first Sunday of the month our 10 o’clock Eucharist will be an all age Family Eucharist with our children and young people playing a full part in the service – reading, leading the prayers, serving at the altar and singing – as we come together as the family of God in this place.  In the evening at 6.30 we will have our regular service of Choral Evensong from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, as we celebrate the Trinity in a more reflective and musical way.  We shall welcome as our preacher in the evening Fr Ross Hutchison, who kindly presided and preached at the many of the Sunday Eucharists in the interregnum before I arrived.

Sunday 14 June – CORPUS CHRISTI – Our Patronal Festival
Every Church has a special day of celebration called its ‘Patronal Festival’.  In Churches named after a particular Saint, that Saint’s day is the day of Patronal Festival. At Emmanuel we are not named after any particular Saint, but rather after Jesus himself – who is ‘Emmanuel – God-with-us’.  Christmas Day is not the best day for a Patronal Festival with so much else going on, and so Emmanuel has for many years celebrated its Festival on Corpus Christi (literally the feast of the Body of Christ).  In the Eucharist, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we believe that Jesus is as really present for us as he was for those who first witnessed his life and his love two thousand years ago.  What a wonderful day, then, to have for our Patronal Festival when we celebrated the Eucharistic presence of Jesus, whom the prophet Isaiah foretold as ‘Emmanuel – God is with us’.

As usual we shall be having our bring and share celebration lunch after the 10 o’clock Eucharist.  There is a list at the back of Church for kind offers of food or drink, but at the moment there is not very much on it at all.  Not having the divine capacity of Jesus himself to feed 5,000 from a few loaves and fishes, we very much depend on the generosity of our members to bring something for this special day of celebration.

The catering arrangements are being co-ordinated by Casey Hammett, who would love to hear from you if you are able to bring food or drink for the lunch. She can be contacted on cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk and will ensure that we don’t have fifty quiches or a thousand vol au vents!  Many thanks in advance for all that you will bring for this day of special celebration.

WEEKDAY EUCHARISTS
Since we rejoice in Corpus Christi’s celebration of the institution of the Eucharist so we rejoice in the fact that the Eucharist is celebrated at Emmanuel not only Sunday by Sunday but throughout the week as well.  The amazing thing about the Eucharist is that God’s presence and self-giving love in it is as real as whether it is celebrated with all the ceremony, colour and majesty of Sunday morning or quietly and reflectively throughout the week.  As such the Eucharist is the seed bed of all our life together at Emmanuel, from which all else springs and which ensures that all we seek to be and to do is rooted in prayer.  I do hope that from time to time you will consider joining us at one of the quieter, more reflective weekday celebrations which are at the following times:

Monday            8 pm
Tuesday            8 am
Wednesday       12.30 pm
Thursday           9 am            (School Eucharist continues as a said service out of term time).

EVERY MEMBER MATTERS
We are very keen to ensure that at our worship all our members are able to participate as fully, as prayerfully and as rejoicingly as possible – and especially on Sundays.  Thanks to the acquisition of the new rooms as the East End of the Church to accommodate Sunday School and our older children, this now frees up the Community Room for use by our toddlers who are as much a part of our Church family as anyone else.  Each Sunday there will be tables and activities for children under 4, which are now stored in cupboards in the room. The service is piped into the room through a speaker system and we will be installing a toughened glass window at the end of the room to ensure visibility of the service, so parents accompanying children in the room will be able to participate as fully in the service as possible.  In all of this we are aiming for provision at our worship to be as inclusive and all-embracing as possible.

SOUND SYSTEM
Our sound system has been surveyed this week as we try to make our services as audible and accessible for our people as possible.  We are waiting on a proposal from Cunnings Sound Systems which will include an entire servicing of the system, the resetting of the settings on the radio microphones and the replacing of tie microphone equipment with ‘Madonna microphones’ and the re-sighting of the antennae so there is not the problem of the sound cutting out at the font.  We are confident that this will rectify the recent problems that there have been with audibility in the Church.

THIS IS HOLY GROUND…
Congregational members and visitors to Emmanuel cannot help but notice that the holy ground of the floor of the Church is far from level and has shifted significantly over the years.  Whilst we are assured that the structure of the Church building is sound, the Victorian technology for laying the floors has meant that over the years there has been some movement.  In the coming months two small ‘test areas’ will be excavated to be sure of the necessary remedial work under the supervision of our architect, Francis Maude.  The safety of all our members is paramount and at all times these small areas (which won’t be deep) will be properly and safely covered.  When we are aware of the causes we will then be beginning  a period of fund-raising so that the holy ground of Emmanuel will be on the level for many generations to come!

CREDIT CRUNCH
On Wednesday 17 June Hampstead Parish Church are hosting an evening from 8 to 9.30 pm entitled ‘After the Credit Crunch – a moral future for capitalism’.  A distinguished panel of speakers will be chaired by Dr Janet Soskice of Cambridge University Divinity Faculty and will include the Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Ann Pettifor (Director of Advocacy International), Robert Chote (Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies) and Bryan Sanderson (Former Director of BP and Interim Chairman of Northern Rock). It promises to be a fascinating evening to which all are welcome.  Further information can be found on www.hampsteadparishchurch.org.uk <http://www.hampsteadparishchurch.org.uk> or by calling 020 7794 5808.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL
As we enter the second half of term we are conscious of those pupils of Emmanuel School who will be going onto Secondary School and all those new members who will be starting next term in reception.  We value our links with the school very much in this creative partnership.  At the end of term we will be bidding farewell to Michael Larkin who has been interim head for the past two years.  At the beginning of the new term we much look forward to welcoming a new leadership team with Sheila McCalla Gordon as Executive Head of Emmanuel and Ss Mary & Pancras School who will be joined by Tracey Kilkenny as Deputy Head/Head of School (coming to us from Kentish Town Parochial School) and Melanie Miller as Assistant Head (coming to us from Holy Trinity, Finchley Road School).

We are now in the second period of consultation for the School’s proposed expansion, which we hope all our members will wish to support as wholeheartedly as possible.  There is to be a public meeting on 24th June.  John Ward, Chair of Governors writes:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Parents, friends and neighbours

The Governors would like to invite you to a public meeting on Wednesday 24 June 2009 at 7pm in the hall at school to discuss our development project.

There will be a chance to meet our architects, discuss some further early ideas we have had about possible designs for the new building and ask questions about what is happening.

We will be holding a similar meeting in September as well.

I very much look forward to welcoming you to the meeting.  You do not need to book, just turn up.

John Ward

---

These are exciting times for both Church and School as we seek to serve our local community as fully as we can.  Thank you for your part in enabling Emmanuel to reflect God’s inclusive and self-giving love to the people of West Hampstead.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

I am writing this E-mailing just after our Annual Meeting for 2009.  Annual meetings do not often feature highly in the excitement stakes, but what they are at best is a celebration of life lived in abundance – and this is something clearly and abundantly present at Emmanuel.  The really good news is that our Electoral Roll has risen to 142 as we seek to ensure that Emmanuel continues to be a beacon of light and God’s all-inclusive love in this community of West Hampstead.  At the bottom of this E-mailing you will find the text of my report at the Annual meeting as I reflected on this abundance of life at Emmanuel on Sunday.

WARDENS PAST
At the meeting both Jeremy and Lydia completed the end of their time as Churchwardens.  Jeremy has served as Churchwarden from the AGM of 2003 until now and he has been most noticeably present in his ministry of welcome at the Church door and his work with the ever-growing crèche at Emmanuel.  He has seen very much as his vocation and calling in recent years.  Lydia’s Churchwarden-ship is in many ways a continuation from Alun’s which ran from 2002 to the end of 2007, as she assumed the role at the beginning of 2008, just as Fr Peter was announcing his move.  Lydia, Alun and Jeremy have been exemplary in their service of Emmanuel in the midst of busy lives and careers and so we very much look forward to making a small presentation to them after the Family Eucharist this coming Sunday – 3rd May when I hope as many of you as possible will be present.  I am glad to say that Lydia will now be serving as one of our Deanery Synod representatives and in an advisory capacity as honorary deputy warden.

EMMA - ORDINAND AND READER
As you know Emma is well on in the first year of her course of training for ordination on the mixed mode course at Cuddesdon and her course requires her to undertake a three month placement in a parish other than her home parish.  For that reason she and Jeremy will be away from Emmanuel for three months – but they will be returning in August!  We much look forward to hearing about their experiences and reflections on their return.

WARDENS AND OFFICERS PRESENT
Welcome to our newly elected Churchwardens William Davis and Don Shields who will bring their own distinct gifts and talents to the role of Warden.  I much look forward to sharing with them collaboratively in the pastoral care and leadership of the people of Emmanuel.  Welcome, too, to Joanne Hutchings who has just joined the PCC and has kindly agreed to act as PCC Secretary.

YOUR PCC
Your PCC is thus made up of me and Mother Annette, Emma Smith, William Davis & Don Shields(Churchwardens), Jude Chin (Treasurer), Joanna Hutchings (Secretary), Casey Hammett, Diana Malzer, Susan Redward, Carrie Reiners (Electoral Roll Officer), Nishi Shirley, Lydia Parker, Sukey Parnell, Richard Stamp (Deanary Synod Representatives) and John Ward (ex officio through his membership of General Synod).  We are your representatives – please speak to any of us about any matter of church and parish life.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADERS…  YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU
Our growing and thriving Sunday School started again yesterday, but we are always on the look out for new leaders to join the rota.  Both Mo Annette and I have joined the rota and Nishi Shirley would love to hear from you if you can help.

EMMANUEL’S E-MAILING LIST
Hitherto Emma has maintained the ever-growing email list of all the friends and supporters of Emmanuel.   That is why the electronic ‘sender’ of E-mailings has borne her name.  Particularly as she begins her placement Emma would like to hand that list over to me.  If Emma does not hear from you by the end of next week, may we assume that you are content to remain on our list of friends and supporters of Emmanuel?  If you know of anyone else who should be on it, please do not hesitate to let us know.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT… BUT IS IT ORANGE..?
As we look to the future, it seems that Emmanuel is in a good and encouraging place.  Thanks be to God for that.  We must, however, never been complacent as we seek to grow both in strength and in number and in our knowledge and love of God.

Thank you for all that you bring to the life of Emmanuel. 

It is very much appreciated.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

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FR JONATHAN’S REPORT AT THE ANNUAL MEETING – 26 APRIL 2009

An Annual meeting, far from being a dull, litigious affair should rather be an occasion for celebration of life – of life lived in all its abundance.  For much of the period that this meeting covers, I wasn’t yet the Priest in Charge of Emmanuel, but as soon as I arrived here I realised that Emmanuel is a place of life, lived in all its abundance.  I was licensed here by the Bishop of Edmonton on the tenth of the tenth last year and, if you look at verse 10 of chapter 10 of St John’s Gospel you will find the words of Jesus, ‘I have come that you might have life, and life in all its abundance’.  What better motto could there be for our life together in this place.

First of all, then, I want to thank you most sincerely for the really warm welcome that you have given me since my arrival here from East London in the autumn.  Ilford and West Hampstead couldn’t be more different places – but West Hampstead is a great place to live and Emmanuel is a great church to serve as a priest.

Thank you so much to all of you who gave so generously for the garage / study conversion into my beautiful new office, from which I can sit at my desk under the window and see so much of West Hampstead life go by.  The new study has enabled the former Vicarage study and upstairs bedroom to revert to Church use – upstairs as a dedicated choir and music room and downstairs as an all purpose room for Sunday School and other meetings for young and old.  This has given us so much more greatly needed space in the Church and gives us so much more flexibility and potential for the future.

Fr Peter’s last service here at Emmanuel was on the festival of Candlemas in February last year from which time until my arrival Emmanuel was without its own full time priest.  During that period much of the weight of the day to day running fell on the very capable shoulders of Emma, who took care of everything from ensuring that each Sunday’s services were covered to ensuring the pastoral care and well-being of all the people of Emmanuel. 

Many parishes struggle quite considerably during an interregnum, but Emma has ensured that this was not the case here at Emmanuel and parish life continued to thrive and to be lived in all its abundance.   In a list duties which Emma carried out during the interregnum which was complied for her first year training report it is clear to me just how much she has done and continues to do for the parish.  Since my arrival here she has been an invaluable source of support, advice and encouragement and she has that wonderful capacity for having an encyclopaedic knowledge of names of the many, many adults, children and babies which make up the family of Emmanuel.

In September Emma began her training for ordination on the mixed mode course at Ripon College, Cuddesdon and it has been great to share with her some of her reflections on her studies.  I’m sure I speak for all of us here in thanking Emma most sincerely and from the bottom of our hearts for all she has done for Emmanuel.

The annual report contains the names of those priests who covered during the interregnum for which we were very grateful, but the wonderful news was that the Bishop agreed that one of those priests, Mo Annette, should join us at Emmanuel as our honorary assistant priest.  Mo Annette, it has been great to have you join us a colleague, a friend and a pastor – thank you for all that you are bringing to our life together.

The word for the main body of the Church where the people sit is the ‘nave’ derived for the Latin word meaning a boat or a ship.  Well any boat or ship needs leading people at it’s helm - and in the life of the Church such people are the Churchwardens.  Over the past year Jeremy and Lydia have served the parish unstintingly in the midst of busy lives and careers.  Lydia, as you know, took over the reins from Alan mid-year and so we have to thank both Parkers for all that they have done over the years.  Jeremy has served as Churchwarden for the full six years that the church law allows someone to be a warden.  Both Wardens are standing down this year and we will have the opportunity of making presentations to them next Sunday morning, but for now I would like to record the heart-felt thanks of all at Emmanuel to Lydia, Alun and Jeremy.

In thanking them I like to warmly welcome William and Don as our new Churchwardens, both of whom make me feel very old indeed.  Welcome, guys, and thank you in anticipation for all that you will do.  Is our next meeting in the Lion or the Alliance?!

Thank you to William for all that he has done as PCC Secretary and, without wanting to preclude the meeting of the first meeting of the PCC at the end of this, welcome to Joanne Hutchings who has kindly agreed to be PCC Secretary.

Thank you to Jude for all the he continues to do for the accounts and financial management of Emmanuel, ably assisted by Diana Malzer and Mary Shepherd.  We look forward to Jude’s presentation of the accounts in a few moments time.

At the heart of all we seek to do together is our life of worship and prayer, not only Sunday by Sunday but throughout the week as well.  It’s been really good to expand the provision of our worship at Emmanuel, so that the Eucharist is also celebrated in a quieter and more meditative way on three days (and soon to be four days) throughout the week.  Do support us in those if you possibly can as we seek to root all that we are and all that aspire to do in prayer and in the eternal present of God’s redemptive and creative love.

Right from its inception Emmanuel has been a supporter of the group ‘Inclusive Church’ as we consciously commit ourselves to welcoming everyone – irrespective of age, ethnicity, way of life or sexual orientation.  We take pride in our tradition of inclusiveness as we aspire to make all worship and all our activities truly inclusive.  In the sphere of worship this means making provision for our more informal family Eucharist on the first Sunday of the month, which is balanced on the evening of that day with a more traditional service of Choral Evensong from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.  We are constantly exploring further ways in which we might make the range of our services and activities more inclusive and we are especially mindful of the need always to include the older members of our congregation, not only in the monthly Wednesday Fellowship Eucharist and lunch, but in everything else that we do.

In worship, music is one of the key constituent parts, remembering the wise words of that great giant of the early church, St Augustine that ‘the one who sings prays twice’.  In Advent of last year we bade farewell to Alyson Denza as she moves onto pastures new and to expand her exciting and developing musical and choral career.  At the time we placed on record our very sincere and deep gratitude to Alyson for her vision and energy in forming the choir here at Emmanuel and for the very sound footing she placed us on for the future.  In the mean time our very grateful thanks are due to Sukey Parnell, Matt Ingleby and Isabel Collins who have run the choir as a triumvirate (?or trinity) as we explore the future growth and development of music at Emmanuel.  But in all of this our most grateful thanks go to Mark Denza who has been organist here at Emmanuel for over fourteen years.

There are so many other people to thank and the great danger in naming them all is inadvertently to leave someone out.  We have committed teams of servers led by our sacristan and head server, those who run our Sunday School and work with our young people, those who clean the church and arrange flowers… the list is endless, but thank you all for all you do.  It is very much appreciated.

A key and much valued relationship for us here at Emmanuel is with our Church School.  The School comes into Church for the Eucharist on Thursday mornings during term time, but outside this it has been great to have got to know many of the staff, children, parents and governors at all sorts of other events.  At the end of term Michael Larkin finishes his time as interim Head Teacher and we thank him for all that he has done for the School in his time with us. 

At the beginning of the new school year Sheila McCalla-Gordon takes over as Executive Head of both Emmanuel School and Ss Mary & Pancras, School in the southern part of the Borough.  This bodes to be an exciting and visionary time for both Schools, but for us and for Sheila it will very much be a homecoming after her earlier time as a teacher and subsequently Head Teacher of Emmanuel in years past. During the coming year, subject to public consultation, planning and other applications we look forward to beginning the process of the expansion of the School, retaining the present buildings, but in the construction also of new buildings on Mill Lane.  Places at Emmanuel School are highly sought after and each year at present the sheer number of applications means that we could fill each place four or five times.  The new school would be a full-form entry school with thirty places, of which two thirds would be church places and one third community places. Do please keep the School and the Governors (of which John Ward is the hard working and committed Chair) very much in your prayers.

So Emmanuel is indeed a place of life, lived in all its abundance.  But what of the future?  It is very much my own aspiration, but an aspiration I hope shared with every one here, that we should do all that we can to place Emmanuel at the heart of this vibrant and excitingly diverse community.  In our new publicity and newly re-vamped website (for which we owe Sukey Parnell a huge debt of gratitude) we have adopted the strap line ‘the Church on the Green’.  West End Green is very much a focal point of West Hampstead, leading onto the hive of activity in West End Lane.  It is wonderful that we sing Carols on the Green each year, to which year on year, greater and greater numbers seem to come.  But in calling ourselves ‘the Church on the Green’ I hope that we will continue to connect more fully with the local community and that the Church may increasingly become a venue for all sorts of community activities, musical, artistic and social. In all of this, I hope, we will be further fulfilling our vocation to be a truly inclusive Church, a Church committed to being a place of warmth and welcome to people from every walk of life imaginable and so that we might truly be disciples of him who taught us

‘I have come that you might have life, life in all its abundance’.