Emmanuel Church, West Hampstead

Dear all

Autumnal greetings !

As I write the first leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and autumn is upon us with its promise of beautiful hues of russet and gold all around us.  The ongoing cycle of nature continues to provide us with a living parable of the new life, decay and harvest which is at the heart of our faith.

Here at Emmanuel October provides us with a slightly different pattern to our life together and worship.  This coming Sunday will be a regular Sung Eucharist, during which we celebrate the joy of our monthly baptisms, recalling our own baptismal promises and celebrating the new life and vitality with which God is always breaking into his creation.  There will be no Evensong this month as we move to a pattern of having this beautiful choral service slightly less regularly in the hope of drawing bigger congregations and as we await the appointment of a new Director of Music.

Harvest Festival – Sunday 9 October 2011
The following Sunday we celebrate Harvest Festival at the 10 o’clock Sung Eucharist when we warmly welcome children, staff and governors from Emmanuel School.  This is a tangible demonstration of the creative and collaborative relationship between Church and School in the service of the wider community of West Hampstead and as we eagerly await the opening of the new building in 2012.  Once again this joyful occasion will include the children’s performance of the Harvest Samba as we praise God for the abundant gifts of his creation and pray for a more just and equitable distribution of the world’s resources.

Confirmation Preparation 2011
Bishop Peter will be coming to Emmanuel for our annual service of Confirmation on Sunday 4 December 2011, when he will confirm both children and adults.  Confirmation preparation will begin after the October half term.  If you are interested in Confirmation – either for yourself or for your child – please don’t hesitate to speak to Mother Alysoun or myself.  We’d love to have you in this year’s Confirmation group.

Mother Annette
It was lovely to see so many people at Mother Annette’s Licensing last week, as she becomes more formally part of the clergy team here at Emmanuel, working together with me and Mothers Alysoun and Claire.  I am fortunate in having such a wonderful team of colleagues to share in ministry in West Hampstead – all of whom give their time and their great talents to Emmanuel for free.

All Souls Day – Wednesday 2 November 2011
November is very much a month of remembrance and once again we shall be having a Sung Requiem for All Souls’ Day on Wednesday 2 November at 8 pm. The All Souls’ Requiem Eucharist gives us a special opportunity each year of remembering all our loved ones who have gone before us, who have helped us on our own life’s pilgrimage and reflected God’s gift of life and love to us.  If you would like a loved one remembered at this service a list will shortly be available at the back of Church.

Vicarage & Grounds Clearing Day – Thanks!
Many thanks to all those who came and helped on the Vicarage and grounds clearing day.  Much preparatory work was done in advance of a new lawn being laid behind the Vicarage and essential landscaping carried out, transforming it from a rough and craggy wilderness into a garden of Eden at the heart of the Metropolis.  I much look forward to using the garden very much more in the social life of the parish and in our outreach to the local community.

Church Floor & Building Development Project
As I write, we will be moving forward in obtaining the final designs and seeking professional tenders for the work to be done.  This is going to be a major project and for which we will need to undertake major fundraising.  The project will not only correct the undulating floor of the Church, but enable the Church to be used much more by the wider local community in the new rooms and facilities which we will have.  It is a core value of our Mission Action Plan (MAP) that we should be an incarnational presence at the heart of the wider local community, as we live out the life of Christ who came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Ongoing Housekeeping & Stewardship
Equally as important as the building project is our ongoing housekeeping and stewardship of the every day things at Emmanuel.  Unfortunately the wherewithal for this does not descend like manna from heaven and we have to raise locally ALL our funds for the ongoing life and mission of the Church.  This includes everything from electricity and gas bills, insurance premiums, the upkeep of services, tuning and maintenance of the organ and pianos, Director of Music’s honorarium and my stipend, amongst many other things.  I hope you think it’s worth it!  Once again Marco Mongiello (our Treasurer) and the Stewardship team will be embarking on our annual awareness campaign.  We are so grateful for all that you all so generously give us which makes the abundant life, ministry and mission of Emmanuel possible.

As we embark upon the autumn our overwhelming response to God continues to be one of gratitude and thanksgiving – for the life and vitality of our parish, itself a reflection of the abundant life and love which flows from the heart of God himself.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

SCHOOL’S BACK

I hope that by the time you read this emailing you will all have had a good and restful summer and, if you have remained in the UK, have enjoyed what sun there has been in another traditional British summer!  As I write, schools, colleges and universities are preparing for the new term.  We warmly welcome all the new children to reception and other classes at Emmanuel School and we wish all those who left school last term every blessing and happiness in their new schools.

St Benedict (c 480 – 543), the father of monasticism, once famously referred to the monastery – and by extension the whole Church – as a “school of the Lord’s service”.  Our common endeavour is always to grow in our knowledge and love of God and of one another.  Here at Emmanuel it has been a great blessing to welcome so many new people to the Church in recent months, so a very warm welcome to you if you are reading one of Emmanuel’s emailings for the first time.  Emmanuel Church very much depends on each and every one of us as members of the family of God here and your regular attendance at worship on Sundays and in all our other activities is very much appreciated.  We depend on you to ensure that Emmanuel remains strong and healthy and a lively witness of God’s love and hope for many generations to come.

THIS COMING SUNDAY
This coming Sunday is the first Family Eucharist of the new term when our 10 o’clock Eucharist will be especially geared to the children, with them reading, leading the prayers, serving at the altar and there will be a talk especially for them around the theme of new beginnings.  In the evening at 6.30 pm we will have our traditional service of Choral Evensong from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.  It would be lovely to increase the size of this congregation, so please do come along and bring your neighbours and friends.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR
During the Family Eucharist our children’s choir will be singing and Ben would like to have a rehearsal with them at 9 o’clock on Sunday morning in the choir room upstairs above the Sunday School room.  New members are always welcome in the children’s choir.  If you would like to find out more about the children’s choir, or specifically about this coming Sunday, please feel free to contact Ben at benlsmith320@gmail.com

SUNDAY SCHOOL
Our growing Sunday School will resume after the summer holidays on 11th September.  We are so grateful to all those who volunteer to lead and help in Sunday School.  We are always looking for more volunteers to help so that we can continue to expand this ministry still further.  I am delighted that Claire Hammett has now taken on the role of Sunday School co-ordinator.  Claire and I are working on the new Sunday School rota at the moment – If you would like to help with Sunday School we’d love to hear from you – either by contacting me or Claire at clairehammett74@btinternet.com

CHURCH AND GROUNDS WORKING DAY
On Saturday 10th September from 11 am we will be having one of our regular church and grounds working parties as we ensure that the outside of the Church continues to be a beacon of welcome to all who pass by.  We will also be working on the grounds behind the Church and Vicarage as we seek use them for far more Church and community activities.  We would love to see as many as possible for this – many hands make light work – and we will be serving soup, bread cheese and even the fruit of the vine for all those able to come!

MOTHER ANNETTE FRITZE-SHANKS
Over the past few years Mother Annette has become a much loved member of the clergy team here at Emmanuel and we all greatly value her pastoral care, wisdom and sacramental ministry.  Hitherto Mother Annette has been been authorised to be here simply by a diocesan wide permission to officiate.  I am delighted to say that Bishop Peter has agreed to license Mother Annette formally to the parish and he will be coming to Emmanuel on Monday 19th September at 7 pm to preside at the Eucharist and to license her.  I am conscious that weekday evenings are not always the best time for members of Emmanuel with young families, but I do hope that as many of you as possible will make every effort to be with us to support Mother Annette and to celebrate with us this important occasion in our parish life together.

PRAYER AND STUDY GROUPS
During the coming months we will be beginning two new groups at Emmanuel.  Mother Annette will be starting a new prayer group, which will meet regularly to undergird all that we do at Emmanuel in prayer and to pray especially for people and concerns in the wider community and further afield.  We would also like to start some sort of regular study or book group which will meet regularly and informally.  Watch this space and the pew sheet for further details as to when these will begin.

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION
After the autumn half term we will be commencing Confirmation preparation for the Bishop Peter’s Advent visit to Emmanuel in December.  A children’s class will be meeting at the school during the school day, but if there are other children not at Emmanuel School who would like to be confirmed, we will also run another class at a different time.  Adult preparation classes will be on a weekday evening.  If you would like to find out more about Confirmation, please don’t hesitate to speak to me or one of my clergy colleagues.  It would be lovely to have a large Confirmation group again this year.

TEA AND COFFEE ROTA
We all love the opportunity we have to meet over tea and coffee after the Sunday morning liturgy.  To enable this to happen we very much depend on our faithful rota of volunteers, although we are always looking for more volunteers to add to the rota.  If you feel that you are able to help your Church in this way Casey Hammett would love to hear from you at cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk

EMMANUEL SCHOOL
All who come in a several mile radius of West Hampstead cannot fail to see the large crane over the site of the new school on Mill Lane as work continues to build our new, state-of-the-art, building.  As I write, deep piling has taken place, the foundations laid, and the deep level of the plant room and the new hall at the front put into place.  If you pass the site on Mill Lane you will notice perspex viewing windows – at both child and adult height – have been put into the perimeter fencing so that you can see the work as it progresses.  As we begin the new term we look forward to seeing the new school go up throughout the year in readiness for its opening in September 2012.

BEN LEWIS-SMITH
It has been great having Ben with us since last September and he has done so much to develop the choir and expand the music at Emmanuel.  Sadly, Ben, will be moving on at the end of September and has been appointed to a post at St Columba’s Church of Scotland Church in Knightsbridge.  As some of you may know, Ben travels all the way from Clapham to Emmanuel and this has sometimes been quite a long and complex journey for him, so he has, understandably, accepted a post nearer home.  We thank Ben most sincerely for all that he has done with us during his time at Emmanuel.  We are in the process of searching for a new Director of Music, but in the short intervening period after September, our music will be covered by a couple of visiting organists.

There is so much happening at Emmanuel as September begins and our life together is characterised by its usual vibrancy.  It is a great place to serve as your Parish Priest and I and my clergy colleagues are most grateful for all that each and every one of you does for the life of our community.  It is very much appreciated.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

Summer greetings to you all !

I hope that wherever the summer finds you, at home or on holiday, it will be for you a time of rest and relaxation in preparation for all that is to come in the autumn.

The past month or so have been full and memorable for us at Emmanuel.  At the end of June Mother Alysoun was ordained to the priesthood at Hampstead Parish Church, alongside Mothers Emma Smith and Christine Cargill.  The following Sunday we celebrated our patronal festival of Corpus Christi, which was also the occasion on which Mother Alysoun presided at the Eucharist for the first time.  It was lovely to see such a full Church for this happy occasion.  Thank you so much to everyone who worked so hard to make the weekend go so smoothly and for it to be such a celebration of the full and rich life of the people of God here.

During August when so many are away on holiday things move to a slightly slower pace at the Church, although the worship of almighty God never ceases!  The first Sunday of August will be an ordinary sung celebration of the Eucharist and there will be no Evensong.  We very much look forward to our next Family Eucharist and Choral Evensong on the first Sunday in September.  It is wonderful that so many of our children want to play a full part in our liturgy, doing the readings, leading the prayers, serving at the altar and singing in the choir.  People sometimes refer to children as the future of the Church, but they are also very much the present of the Church, alongside people of every age, all of whose presence we value and celebrate.

OVER 50s FELLOWSHIP
We very much value the older and senior members of our congregation, whose wisdom and prayerfulness contributes so much to our life of prayer, witness and service.  As usual our over 50s Fellowship meets for the Eucharist and lunch on Wednesday 10th August at 1230.  Please do come along and bring your friends and neighbours.

MOTHER ANNETTE FRITZE-SHANKS
Over the past few years Mother Annette has become a much loved member of the clergy team here at Emmanuel and we all greatly value her pastoral care, wisdom and sacramental ministry.  Hitherto Mother Annette has been been authorised to be here simply by a diocesan wide permission to officiate.  I am delighted to say that Bishop Peter has agreed to license Mother Annette formally to the parish and he will be coming to Emmanuel on Monday 19th September at 7 pm to preside at the Eucharist and to license her.  I am conscious that weekday evenings are not always the best time for members of Emmanuel with young families, but I do hope that as many of you as possible will make every effort to be with us to support Mother Annette and to celebrate with us this important occasion in our parish life together.

SUNDAY SCHOOL
Our growing Sunday School has now broken up for the summer holidays, but will be beginning again in September.  We are so grateful to all those who volunteer to lead and help in Sunday School.  We are always looking for more volunteers to help so that we can continue to expand this ministry still further.  I am delighted that Claire Hammett has now taken on the role of Sunday School co-ordinator.  If you would like to help with Sunday School we’d love to hear from you – either by contacting me or Claire at clairehammett74@btinternet.com

TEA AND COFFEE ROTA
We all love the opportunity we have to meet over tea and coffee after the Sunday morning liturgy.  To enable this to happen we very much depend on our faithful rota of volunteers, although we are always looking for more volunteers to add to the rota.  If you feel that you are able to help your Church in this way Casey Hammett would love to hear from you at cemcdh@yahoo.co.uk

CHURCHYARD & BUILDINGS WORKING GROUP
At Emmanuel we are starting a new group which we are calling the Guild of St Joseph the Carpenter who will work periodically to ensure that our lovely Church building and grounds remain in good order.  Our next working party will be on Saturday 10 September from 11 am onwards, when refreshments and a light lunch will also be served.  Do put the date in your diaries and come along if you possibly can.  Many hands make light work.

WEBSITE
We apologise for the break in transmission of the website which had been “phished”, corrupting its contents to those who visited on line.  Many thanks to Sukey for helping rectify this and the many hours she spent cleaning it and getting it back on line.  I am delighted to say that Enitan Williams has agreed to take on the role of webmaster as we develop this vital form of electronic communication into the future.

THE SCHOOL
All who come in a several mile radius of West Hampstead cannot fail to see the large crane over the site of the new school on Mill Lane as work continues to build our new, state-of-the-art, building.  As I write, deep piling has taken place, the foundations laid, and the deep level of the plant room and the new hall at the front put into place.  If you pass the site on Mill Lane you will notice perspex viewing windows – at both child and adult height – have been put into the perimeter fencing so that you can see the work as it progresses.  At the end of term we said farewell not only to our leaving children but also to Joyce Gregory, Diane Laherty and Katrina Dinzer who have been teaching assistants over many years.  We thank them most sincerely for everything that they have contributed to the school over the years and wish them every blessing for the future.

As we enjoy the warm, lengthy days of summer there is so much for which to give thanks at both Church and School.  Thank you so much for everything that each and every one of you does for the life of our parish.

It is a privilege and honour to serve as your parish priest.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

HAPPY EASTER – all 50 days of it!

It was lovely to celebrate Easter, both at the Vigil on Saturday night and on Sunday morning which such full a church.  This is the first time we have celebrated the Easter Vigil here at Emmanuel and the rich symbolism of lighting the new fire in the dimming light of the evening and bringing the Easter Candle as the only light into the darkened Church was deeply evident.  Making the first celebration of Easter the Vigil on the Saturday night comes from the tradition of the earliest Christians (taken over from their Jewish antecedents) that the new day commences at sundown the previous day (cf the accounts of creation in Genesis Chapter 1 – “evening came and morning, the first, second… day).  Many thanks to all who worked so hard throughout the whole of Holy Week as we kept pace with our Lord in his final earthly journey.  Especial thanks to all who took part in our liturgies: our altar servers, our readers and Ben and our choir who excelled in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Parry’s “I was glad” on Easter Day and all those who cleaned the Church and arranged the flowers on Holy Saturday.

But of course Easter is not just one day but a full FIFTY days leading up to and including the great festival of Pentecost (this year 12 June) as the coming of the Holy Spirit is the fulfilment of the promises of Easter and God’s presence in the world, until Christ comes again in glory.

There is lots to look forward to in the coming weeks and months:

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK begins this year on Sunday 15th May and we much look forward to welcoming as our speaker at the 10 o’clock Sung Eucharist Stephanie Hubbard from the London area office of Christian Aid.  Stephanie will be talking about the ecumenical and international work of Christian Aid in bringing relief and aid to the poorest and most deprived communities of the world.  In giving as generously as we can to Christian Aid we express our solidarity with our brothers and sisters throughout the world in some very challenging situations.  It would be lovely to have as full a Church as possible for this important fundraising occasion.

That same afternoon, Mozaik Voices of Belgium and Rudsabee Company of Singers will perform here at Emmanuel.  Free admission with a retiring collection and all proceeds going to Emmanuel Church funds.  This is part of the London Sangerstevne organised by Philip Norman Music Services.  For further details please see www.sangerstevne.org.uk

MOTHER ALYSOUN’S ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD & FIRST CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
It’s hard to believe that Mother Alysoun has now been with us for very nearly a year, following her ordination as deacon in St Paul’s Cathedral and she has become a much loved part of Emmanuel’s family.  As her deacon’s year is complete, Mother Alysoun will be ordained priest by Bishop Richard Harries, alongside Emma Smith (formerly our Reader here at Emmanuel) and Christine Cargill (from Ss Mary and James) on Friday 24 June at 7 pm in St John-at-Hampstead. This venue has been chosen as it is the largest church of our three parishes so that as many as possible can attend this happy occasion.

The following Sunday – 26 June – will see Mother Alysoun presiding at the Holy Eucharist for the first time.  The first occasion at which a newly ordained priest presides at the Eucharist is a deeply significant and happy occasion in that priest’s life and the life of the parish in which they serve.  By happy coincidence Mother Alysoun’s first Eucharist will also be our Patronal festival of CORPUS CHRISTI, so it will be even more extra special for us at Emmanuel!  As usual we shall be having our customary parish lunch after the Eucharist, but I do hope everyone at Emmanuel will make every effort to be present for this milestone in Mother Alysoun’s life and vocation and the life of our parish.

NEWS FROM EMMANUEL SCHOOL
As I write, a large candle celebrating Christ the light of the world has been received by Emmanuel School and then passed on to St Mary’s School, Kilburn.  This candle celebrates the 200th anniversary of the founding of the National Society by Joshua Watson in 1811, which provided the equal opportunity for an education for all children, irrespective of wealth or social status.  The candle is slowly travelling around the 150 Church of England Schools in the Diocese of London and we received it in turn from All Saints School in Childs Hill.  It was lovely to welcome many parents and guests from the local community at our celebration this morning on the first day of term.  Emmanuel School was founded in 1845 and has the lovely inscription over the door of “Early will I seek thee”.  As we look to the future, pile driving has now begun at the site of the new school and we eagerly anticipate our expanded school opening in September 2012.  In preparation for this we will be taking a full form entry at reception this autumn, as the reception classroom is the statutory size for a full class.  This eases the pressure on places Borough-wide and we much look forward to the new children starting in September.

DEPUTY LIEUTENANT – congratulations!
Many congratulations to our Executive Head – Sheila McCalla-Gordon – who has been appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for London by Her Majesty the Queen.  This is a great honour for Sheila and we offer her our warmest congratulations.

As Christians our primary vocation is to give thanks to God for his amazing and wonderful generosity.  This Easter there is much for which to give thanks.  Our Electoral Roll at the Annual Meeting rose to 257 – we give thanks for this great growth in number and in our knowledge and love of God and one another as we seek to grow still further for the future.

Emmanuel is a great place in which to serve as your parish priest.  Thank you for your ongoing generosity and support of our community.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

THIS GREATEST OF WEEKS @ EMMANUEL

This coming Sunday is PALM SUNDAY and marks the beginning of HOLY WEEK – the week in the Church’s calendar when we walk most closely of all with our Lord.  On PALM SUNDAY we shall celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey with our children’s palm procession and when we shall hear his passion according to St Matthew dramatically proclaimed.  During the first three days of Holy Week we shall wait patiently with him, pondering his divine love in simple celebrations of the Eucharist (with devotional addresses by the clergy) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8 pm.

After the Chrism Eucharist in St Paul’s Cathedral on MAUNDY THURSDAY at 10.30 am when the clergy of the diocese renew their ordination promises and the Bishop of London blesses the holy oils for the coming year, we gather in Church at 8 pm for the SUNG EUCHARIST OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. This is the beginning of the ‘PASCHAL TRIDUUM’ (or great three days) leading up to Easter.  They are essentially ONE liturgy, each ending on an unresolved chord until we get to the great climax and crescendo of Easter.  On Maundy Thursday we recall Christ’s new commandment that we are to love one another as he has loved us (powerfully demonstrated in his washing the disciples feet) and the institution of the Holy Eucharist.  At the end of the Eucharist we move to the altar of repose in the south aisle, beautifully decorated with candles and flowers symbolising the Garden of Gethsemane, whilst the high altar and sanctuary are dramatically stripped of their hangings, calling to mind the desolation of the Cross.

GOOD FRIDAY begins with our STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR CHILDREN at 10.30 am as we walk the fourteen stations of Christ’s last journey with him.  This service lasts about half an hour at the end of which we will serve hot cross buns and juice.  In the afternoon we at 2 pm we have LITURGY OF THE LORD”S PASSION AND DEATH, veneration of the Cross and holy communion from the sacrament consecrated on Maundy Thursday and reserved at the altar of repose.

HOLY SATURDAY begins with Church cleaning at 10 am as we get the Church ready to welcome our risen Lord.  Many hands make light work and all help will be very gratefully received.

For the first time at Emmanuel we will be celebrating the traditional EASTER VIGIL on Holy Saturday evening at 8 pm.  The liturgy starts outside the Church in darkness as we light the new fire, symbolising Christ’s resurrection from the dead and from that new fire we light the large Paschal (or Easter) Candle which is dramatically brought into the darkened Church as we hear the ‘exultet’ in praise of the resurrection and hear a short and beautiful sequence of readings starting with the creation of the word, through the Exodus from Egypt, leading through to the resurrection.  This is quintessentially the Easter Liturgy like no other and it would be lovely if as many of you could join us for this which will be followed by Easter bubbly and a party.

On EASTER DAY after the quiet 8 o’clock Eucharist, we gather for our FESTAL FAMILY EUCHARIST at 10 am.  Ben and the Choir have been working really hard to learn the Mozart “Coronation Mass” for this special Easter Festal Eucharist.

I very much look forward to celebrating this greatest of weeks with you.  My clergy colleagues join me in wishing you and all those you love a very happy Easter.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

SPRINGTIME GREETINGS

I hope that this finds you well.  All around us plants are springing up from the dark cold of the ground below as spring (at last) gets underway.  It seems that nature itself is a powerful parable of the cycle of new life which eternally springs from darkness and death.  Jesus himself reflects on this when he says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

With the late date of Easter this year, Lent begins in the second week of March.  The word “Lent” is derived from and old English word for “the springtime of the year” or, quite literally, “the lengthening of days”.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (March 9th) when there will be two Eucharists celebrated at Emmanuel – a School Eucharist at 2.30 pm (which parents and any members of the parish are very welcome to attend) and a Sung Eucharist at 8 pm.  Central to the Eucharist of Ash Wednesday is the imposition of a small cross in ash on our foreheads, powerfully recalling our mortality and our utter dependence on God, the source and origin of all life and love.  It would be lovely to have a large congregation (especially in the evening) as we get Lent off to a good start.

LENTEN STUDY
As the sacred springtime of the year, Lent is especially a time when we seek renewal and refreshment in the joy of our faith.  This year our parish Lent course will be exploring the tangible ways in which we live out our faith, following a short booklet called: “Guidelines for Christian Living”.  The group, which will involve informal discussion is pen to everyone and will meet for five Wednesday evenings in the Vicarage at 8 pm beginning March 16th.

LENTEN APPEAL
Once again during Lent we will be supporting the Bishop of London’s Lent appeal for our partner Anglican Dioceses of Angola and Mozambique, which have seen remarkable Church growth, in the context of great material poverty.  This year’s appeal is called “Training God’s People” and, once again, we shall be having our annual Lenten lunch in support of the appeal on Sunday 27th March after the Sung Eucharist.  For further details of the appeal, please see the display at the back of Church or click on http://www.almalink.org.

LENTEN THANKS
Thank you to all of you who have completed Gift Aid and Standing Order forms which are still coming in.  The results have been very encouraging and we are most grateful to you all for your generosity.  It is still not too late to complete a standing order form or a gift aid form (available at the back of Church).  Further information can be gained from our parish treasurer, Marco Mongiello on m.mongiello@imperial.ac.uk.

LENTEN OUTREACH
The begin our Lent this year finds us revising our Mission Action Plan (last done in 2008) and doing some focused thinking about how we might connect more fully with the wider local community of West Hampstead.  As we move forward with the plans for the interior of the Church, we are looking at ways in which we might be a more servant-hearted community, making our resources available to more community groups and enabling more community activity to take place in the Church.  On your behalf the PCC is conscious of the biblical teaching “Those to whom much is given much will be required” (Luke 12:48) and how we might make some of the proceeds from the sale of the hall in Broomsleigh Street available for the Church redevelopment.  It was the vision of our forebears, in building the hall in Broosmleigh Street, for it to be primarily a community resource.  We are exploring how we might honour that vision by using some of those resources to create more community space at the Church, whilst retaining a significant amount of them for an ongoing source of investment income to those who come after us.

ELECTORAL ROLL REVISION
A reminder that we are in the midst of our Electoral Roll revision.  Our Church electoral roll is the formal membership list of all those over 16 who are members of Emmanuel Church.  A large electoral roll is a healthy and vibrant church.  If you are not yet on our electoral roll we’d love to have you on it.  Forms are available at the back of Church and.  Further information can be gained from our Electoral Roll Officer Carrie Reiners on creiners60657@yahoo.com

ANNUAL MEETING AND NEW PCC MEMBERS WANTED…
Our Annual Meeting this year follows he Sung Eucharist on Sunday 10th April.  This is the time when the accounts for the year are presented and the Churchwardens, Parochial Church Council (PCC) members and officers are elected for the coming year.  An APCM, far from being a dull and dreary meeting is a celebration of Church life.  We are looking for more members to join the PCC as the elected members of the congregation.  If you’d like to consider being on the PCC and participating in the decision making surrounding the exciting  development and growth of Emmanuel in the year to come, we’d love to hear from you.

As the springtime begins, the signs of new life and growth are clearly evident in our Church family.  Thank you to each and every one of you for the part you play in making our church community the vibrant and special place that it is.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

THANK YOU

I hope this finds you well in the chilly cold of early February.  Thankfully the warmth and vitality of our Church family here at Emmanuel keeps us well insulated whatever the weather.  We are most grateful to you for commitment and support, both by your presence with us and your tangible support through your giving.  Like every other Anglican Church up and down the country we are entirely dependent on our members for the £1700 each week that we need to run Emmanuel Church.

Thank you to all of you who have completed Gift Aid and Standing Order forms. The scheme of Gift Aid allows the Church to claim back from tax an extra 25% on your gift at no extra cost to yourself and greatly helps us at the Church.  Giving by Standing Order allows your giving to made automatically and saves you the worry when you come out of your house on a Sunday morning of cash for the collection. It also helps us in planning and budgeting for the year ahead.  There is still time to complete either or both forms which are available at the back of Church.  Please be assured that all giving is entirely and properly confidential to our Church giving officer.  If you have any queries about this please don’t hesitate to contact our treasurer, Marco Mongiello on m.mongiello@imperial.ac.uk

ELECTORAL ROLL
A Church’s Electoral Roll is the formal membership list of all those over the age of sixteen who are members of a local Church. It is a bit like a family photograph – and a large and healthy electoral roll is a sign of healthy and dynamic Church.  If you are not yet on our electoral roll we’d love to have you on it. Forms are available at the back of Church,  which may be brought back to Church at any time in the coming weeks.  If you have any queries about the electoral roll, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of the clergy or our electoral roll secretary Carrie Reiners on creiners60657@yahoo.com

WE LOVE CHILDREN…  AND SOFT TOYS…
We love the fact that Emmanuel Church is so full of children every Sunday morning.  Few Churches are able to enjoy, as we do, more than a third of every Sunday morning congregation being children.  The acoustics of the Church are such, that even with our very good sound system, some people are having trouble hearing some parts of the service, especially the sermon.  I wonder whether we might encourage you when you come to Church to bring soft toys rather than hard or metallic ones.  Please be assured that soft giraffes, zebras, monkeys, lions will be as warmly welcome as you are…

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Over the coming weeks and months we shall be exploring a collaborative partnership with Sington nursery, so that Sington may be kept at the heart of the community of West Hampstead and so that we might make the resources of our Church more available to the wider community in all its diversity.  It is central to our core values at the Church  that we connect more fully with the local community in our inclusive and incarnational vision.

LENT
Lent, as God’s sacred springtime of the year, will soon be upon us.  Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on 9th March and that day there will be a School Eucharist at 9.15 am and a Sung Eucharist in the evening at 8 pm.  This is the time of the year when we receive the imposition of ashes as a sign of our dependence on God, the source and origin of all life and love  - and also calls to mind our mortality.  It would be lovely to have a large congregation in the evening as we begin Lent in earnest.  On the Wednesdays following Ash Wednesday we will have our Lent Course at the Vicarage at 8 pm when we shall be following a course called “Guidelines for Christian Living”, exploring the basics of our life and mission in the world as Christians.  All are most welcome to join this course.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
As I write, the demolition of the houses on Mill Lane has begun in preparation for our exciting School expansion project which will make the wonderful things of Emmanuel School available to far more children of the community of West Hampstead, irrespective of wealth, background or affluence.  In line with our School’s core value of being a sustainable community, the demolition is being carried out very carefully by hand so that the bricks and others resources from the buildings which are coming down can be used in the new build.  This is another tangible means by which both Church and School in partnership serve the wider local community in a way which is environmentally and ecologically aware.  The progress of the school development from initial planning stages until the latest news may be followed on the school website at www.emmanuel.camden.sch.uk

Thank you for all that each and every one of you does for the life of Emmanuel Church and School.  It is a privilege and honour to serve as your Parish Priest.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

As I write the snow has finally reached London, giving everything the appearance of an early winter wonderland.  Advent is here and the Church is draped in the traditional preparation colour of purple.  On Sunday we lit the first of the Advent candles and the travelling crib has begun its journey around the parish, to end up back at Emmanuel on Christmas Day.  Our Confirmation candidates – both adult and children – are in their final period of preparation for the Bishop’s annual visit to Emmanuel on Sunday 12th December at 10 o’clock.  This is one of the great focal points of celebration for Church and School and I would warmly encourage as many of you as possible to come to Church on Sunday 12th to greet Bishop Peter and so that he can see at first hand what a vibrant and healthy community Emmanuel is.

STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL MONTH – YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU
Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the Church’s new year and this year it coincides with our Stewardship Renewal Month.  A new year is traditionally a time for resolutions and what better time than to reflect on just how much our Church means to us and how it is resourced.  It sometimes surprises people to realise that all the costs of the Church have to met locally by the local congregation.  For 2011 it will cost just a little over £1,700 a week to run Emmanuel in a budget which amounts to £7,467 a month and over £80,000 for the year.  By far the greatest cost is the Diocesan Common Fund.  This is not some arbitrary tax imposed by a modern day King Herod, but rather all that enables us to have our clergy, the upkeep of the Vicarage as well as our contribution to the training of ordinands and Diocesan costs.  On top of this there are the ongoing household costs of gas, electricity, insurance as well as our visionary work with children and music.  All this is quite separate from any stand alone fundraising for the Church floor.

Christian giving is grounded in the biblical principal that God is the source of all life and love and in gratitude we give back to him from all that he has given us.  At Christmas we celebrate the greatest gift that God has ever given to the world.  What better time to think about what we give to him in response to his love for us.  As good Anglicans we often fight shy of talking about money as though somehow it were an impolite and un-Anglican thing to do.  Our Evangelical friends are a lot less coy about it than we are. As we celebrate just how much our Church means to us we might want to reflect on our response, compared with our gym or golf-club membership – how much we are able to give compared with our cappucinos locally, our weekday newspapers or a round at the Alice House or the Lion!  Through God’s goodness we have a good quality of life in West Hampstead – let’s do the same for God’s household at Emmanuel.

During this Stewardship month packs have been given out in Church.  We would ask everyone to complete a standard GIFT AID form if they possibly can.  Once you have signed this simple declaration we are able to claim back at no extra cost to yourself a further 25% from the tax you pay on all your future giving. In the mean time the importance of signing and ticking the yellow envelopes on a Sunday morning is absolutely crucial as this also allows us to claim the 25% extra back.  Perhaps the most efficient form of giving of all – and most helpful to Emmanuel Church – is through a bank STANDING ORDER, which saves you from having to think when you get up on a Sunday morning and get the kids ready and out of the house, as to whether you’ve got your wallet or purse with you.

We are of course also conscious that these are financially stringent times for everyone and, indeed, of the teaching of Christ that the widow’s mite is more precious than any other gift but we are grateful to you all for your generosity in all that you can give.  Please be assured that all giving is properly and entirely confidential to our planned giving secretary. Gift Aid and Stewardship forms are available at the back of Church, along with the charts showing our projected expenditure and income needed for the year.  If you are able to complete these and get them back to Church before Christmas we would most grateful.

EMMANUEL CHILDREN’S CHOIR
This coming Saturday (December 4th) Emmanuel Children’s Choir has its first workshop at 10 am, followed by some seasonal refreshments for the children before they sing at Emmanuel School Christmas Fayre.  If your child would like to be involved in this exciting new venture and sing in the Choir it is still not too late to sign up or just come along on Saturday.  Further details from our Director of Music Ben Lewis-Smith on benlsmith320@gmail.com..

EMMANUEL SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAYRE – SATURDAY DECEMBER 4th 12 noon – 3 pm.
The newly expanded PFE has been working really hard to plan for this year’s Christmas Fayre.  Do go along if you possibly can and support this important event in the life of our School.

EMMANUEL OVER 50s FELLOWSHIP – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 8TH at 12.30
Emmanuel seeks to be a truly inclusive community and our ministry and outreach to the older members of our community is as important as any other.  The over 50s Fellowship next meets for lunch after a celebration of the Eucharist at 12.30 on Wednesday 8th December when we shall have an Advent and Christmas theme.  Do please come along to this and bring your friends and neighbours.

KEEP FIT FOR EMMANUEL…
The colour brochure advertising our Advent and Christmas services and activities has been printed and is now available in Church.  We are looking for volunteers to deliver these leaflets to the houses and homes of the parish in the streets of the parish in the next week or so.  If you are able to cover a street (or even a couple of streets) and add to your fitness regime in so doing, there is a list at the back of Church.  Thank you in advance for all your help with this.

CHRISTMAS IN BRIEF
The full list of services is on the colour brochure but can also be accessed via the homepage of the parish website by clicking here

http://www.emmanuelnw6.com/pdf/XmasAdvent2010.pdf

There are a couple of slight changes from previous years, but in so doing we hope we will offer something for everyone.  In brief the Christmas Services are as follows:

Saturday 18th December
4 pm   Carols on the Green
Join us for some lively singing on West End Green followed by a warming drink in Church afterwards.

Sunday 19th December
10.00 am   Sung Eucharist followed by Sunday School Nativity Play
6.00pm   Traditional Carol service for all the family

CHRISTMAS EVE
6.00pm  Christmas Crib Service for all the family
11.00 pm  Midnight Mass

CHRISTMAS DAY
10.00 am  Fifty Minute Family Eucharist.
Children are invited to bring an unopened present to open during the Service as we reflect on Christ, the greatest present of all time.

As Christmas 2010 approaches I personally am reflecting with gratitude on what a special place Emmanuel Church is and what a privilege and honour it is to serve as your Parish Priest.  It has been wonderful to see the growth in our regular congregations during the past year and I would like to thank you all most sincerely for all that each and every one of you does for the life of Emmanuel, which I appreciate very much.

A very Happy Christmas to you all and every blessing for 2011,

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan

All Saints Day greetings to you all!  I hope that this finds you all well and that you have had a good autumnal half-term break.  November with its gorgeous russet hues is the month of both remembrance and celebration – the month of saints and souls.  The month begins on its very first day with the glorious celebration of ALL the saints.  This great celebration is not primarily a celebration of all those saints  who have their own special day in the Church calendar and are depicted in stained glass windows, icons and statues, but rather ALL those holy women and men (known and unknown) who have made the world a brighter and more hopeful place, permeating it with the love and all-embracing generosity of this great and amazing God of ours.

ALL SOULS DAY – TUESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2010
The day after all Saints Day is ALL SOULS DAY when we have the special annual opportunity of remembering all our loved ones who have gone before us in the months and years gone by.  The celebration of All Souls became increasingly popular in the years following the First World War when so many lost so many that they loved.  Here at Emmanuel we are observing All Souls Day ) with the customary REQUIEM EUCHARIST at 8 pm, during which we will remember aloud the names of all those you would like remembered.  There is a list at the back of Church  for names to be remembered which we will be placed on the altar and then read them aloud in the liturgy.  If you have not yet had the opportunity of writing the name of your loved one on the list you are very welcome to email them to be before tomorrow night on frjonathan@mac.com.

For All Souls this year Ben and our Choir have been working very hard to prepare the music of the beautiful FAURE REQUIEM so it would be lovely to have as large a congregation as possible for this special day.  During the liturgy we will be dedicating a new set of purple vestments given in loving memory of the late David Jarrett.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY – SUNDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2010
At the end of the 10 o’clock Sung Eucharist on Sunday 14th November we will observe the traditional act of remembrance for all those who have died in the years of world wars and conflict.  This is a particularly poignant annual occasion in the life of Emmanuel Church family as young and old together gather around the war memorial in the Church in remembering in love and gratitude those who gave so sacrificially of themselves and committing ourselves (and particularly the many children and young people of our parish) to work for a more just and harmonious world in which the precious dignity of all human life in all its many and diverse expressions will be accorded the infinite love, respect and dignity which our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier God gently and insistently calls us to embody.

ARMISTICE DAY – THURSDAY 11TH NOVEMBER AT THE WAR MEMORIAL AT HAMPSTEAD CEMETERY
We are invited to observe Armistice Day itself at both the military and civilian war memorials in Hampstead Cemetery on Thursday 11th November at 10.45 am.

EMMANUEL CHILDREN’S CHOIR – FIRST WORKSHOP – SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2010
Our exciting new Children’s and Youth Choir begins under the direction of our enthusiastic Director of Music, Ben Lewis-Smith, on Saturday 4th December at 10 am.  This will be an enjoyable and inclusive choir for all-comers and for which there will be no audition necessary.  The first worskhop will look at some Advent and Christmas Music which, after some light lunch and refreshments, the children will go on to perform at the School Christmas Fayre that afternoon.  Ben has had much experience in music with children during his time as an organ scholar before University and during his time with the Oxford Youth Choirs whilst at University.  If your child would like to sing in this choir and be part of this exiting new venture or you would like to know more about it, please contact Ben on benlsmith320@gmail.com.

EMMANUEL SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Look out for more details about the Emmanuel School Christmas Fayre which the PFA are organizing for SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER.  If you are able to help in any way Susan Redward would love to hear from you on susanredward@hotmail.com.

EMMANUEL CHURCH & SCHOOL CONFIRMATION – SUNDAY 12TH DECEEMBER at 10 am
Bishop Peter is coming to Emmanuel to Baptize and Confirm both adult and children candidates on Sunday 12th December.  Preparation for this begins in earnest this week – the adults meeting at the Vicarage on THURSDAY 4TH NOVEMBER at 8 pm (and thereafter on WEDNESDAY evenings at the same time) and the children’s preparation in School on THURSDAY lunch times.  It is not too late to put down your name of that of your child for this year’s confirmation.  It is never too late to be Confirmed and especially moving when, following the practice of the early Church family members of several generations are confirmed together.  In my last parish in Ilford I prepared and presented a lady for Confirmation in her mid 80s – although she would shoot me for revealing her age!  Please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or my clergy colleagues if you would like to know more.

GROUNDS & GARDENING DAY THANKS
Many thanks to all those who came to the early October Church grounds and gardening day in early October.  A huge amount was achieved and we are most grateful to all those many people who helped on the day.

HARVEST THANKS
Many thanks also to all who made our Harvest Festival go so well the day after the gardening day.  Thank you to all who brought food, produce and household items which we were able to donate to the Doorstep Homeless Families’ Project just behind Waitrose on the Finchley Road.  Special thanks to Diana Malzer and Casey Hammett who worked to decorate the Church and make it look so beautiful this year and also to the children of Emmanuel School for singing a new piece the Harvest Samba with such a swing!

DAY TO DAY LIFE AND FINANCING OUR CHURCH – THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ALL OF OURS
As I indicated in last month’s e-newsletter, here at Emmanuel – along with Churches up and down the land – we have to finance ALL of the ongoing ministry and mission of the Church OURSELVES. This is in addition to our exciting plans to develop the Church building in rectifying the floor and installing the new rooms.  So it is that we have to raise all of the day to day costs of the Church ourselves – gas, electricity, insurance, music, children’s work, the costs of the clergy, outreach etc.  A useful image of the Church is that of SHIP – but one in which ALL are crew members and none are simply passengers.  During the month Marco Mongiello, our treasurer, will be doing a series of short presentations about our support of the ongoing life of our Church.  It is OUR Church and the responsibility is all of ours in creative partnership.

We are most grateful to all of you for your continued support of Emmanuel and we much look forward to all that together we shall do in the future in our continued witness to God’s inclusive and all-embracing love by nurturing and growing the family of God  in prayer and in God’s service, so that the bright beacon of Emmanuel Church grows ever brighter at the heart of our local community.

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

Fr Jonathan

Dear all

I hope that this finds you all well. It certainly seems that autumn is upon us with the damper days and darkness falling earlier in the evenings. How good it is that, even in the midst of such meteorological conditions, Emmanuel Church is such a place of warmth, vibrancy and light, witnessing to the God of liberation and love.

THIS COMING WEEKEND

This coming weekend sees our 50 minute Family Eucharist when the children of our parish will be taking a full part in the liturgy – doing the readings and intercessions, serving at the altar and singing in the choir. There will also be a talk prepared especially for them. Please do come along and bring your neighbours and friends. It will be great to see you.

CHORAL MUSIC AT EMMANUEL

Our new Director of Music, Ben Lewis-Smith, has made a great start at Emmanuel, beginning on the first Sunday of September with the last Family Eucharist and Choral Evensong. It has been wonderful to see the choir stalls so full each Sunday and to hear them singing so beautifully under his direction. The Choir are working hard for this Sunday’s CHORAL EVENSONG and it would be really good to have a large congregation at this traditional choral act of worship from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

NEW CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED… ESPECIALLY MEN..!

As we develop and grow the choral tradition at Emmanuel, we always welcome new choir members… especially men singing tenor and bass. No audition is necessary to join the choir. If you are interested in singing in the choir, please contact Ben on benlsmith320@gmail.com

TEA & COFFEE ROTA

We all enjoy the opportunity for refreshments after the Sunday Eucharist to meet one another socially. We do urgently need more volunteers to join the rota for this. The more we have the better. If you are able to help with this, please contact Stewart Jefferson on stewjeff@mac.com

HARVEST AT EMMANUEL – SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER

We warmly welcome the staff and pupils from Emmanuel School at our Harvest Festival at the 10 am Sung Eucharist on Sunday 10 October. The theme for this year is “Bread for the world”. Once again we will be collecting food and other items for the Doorstep homeless families project for the most needy in our local community. The items the project would like are:

· Tinned meats and fish

· Tinned vegetables and soup

· Rice and pasta

· Cook-in sauces

· Herbs & spices

· Long life milk

· Coffee, Tea, Sugar & Hot chocolate

· Fruit squash

· Biscuits

· Custard

· Tinned Fruit

· Bathroom necessities

As we give thanks for the Harvest and the good things that we enjoy in our daily lives, please give generously. Many thanks.

CHURCH GROUNDS CLEARING DAY – SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER at 10 am

After last year’s very successful Church grounds clearing day we plan to have another such day on Saturday 9th October, beginning at 10 am.  We will be undertaking further work to clear the grounds around the Church to make them more usable for Church and community alike.  We would love as many volunteers as possible and will supply a bread, soup and cheese lunch for everyone – and no doubt a little fruit of the vine later on in the day!  Thank you in advance for your help in this.  Many hands make light work…

ALL SOULS DAY – REQUIEM EUCHARIST – TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER at 8 pm

Once again we shall be having our Sung Requiem Eucharist for All Souls Day. This is the special opportunity that we have each year to remember our loved ones who have gone before us within the beautiful context of the All Souls Day Liturgy. Ben and the choir will be singing parts of the Faure Requiem during this service. There will shortly be a list at the back of Church for names to be remembered.

CONFIRMATION 2010

We will shortly be beginning preparation for children and adults for Confirmation by the Bishop of Edmonton on Sunday 12th December at 10 am. As usual there will be a class at the School from the upper years and also an adult preparation class on a weekday evening (it is never too late to be Confirmed!)  If you are interested in Confirmation either for yourself or your child please do not hesitate to speak to me or Mother Alysoun.  It is a good way of learning more about the Christian faith and publicly marking that through the Sacraments of the Church.

FINANCE

We are most grateful to you all for your faithful support of Emmanuel, both by your presence with us and the wider support you so generously give, not least financially.  Here at Emmanuel we ourselves have to raise ALL the annual funds for the ministry of the clergy of the parish, the ongoing heating, lighting and insurance costs.  This is on top of the quite separate appeal for the church floor and building project and represents the day to day housekeeping of the Church which comes to about £1,500 per week. A small stewardship committee will shortly be producing a brief presentation about the ongoing financial needs to enable Emmanuel to continue at the heart of this community as the Church has done since 1897. These are financially pressing times for everyone personally and also for charities and communities.  Unfortunately these day to day running costs of the parish do not fall ethereally like manna from heaven.  Thank you for all the support you have so generously given us in the past and for all that you continue to give as we look to the future in faith, hope and love.

Emmanuel is a wonderfully vibrant community in which to serve as your Parish Priest.  I very much appreciate all that each and every one of you does for the life of our community.

With my love and prayers, as always,

Fr Jonathan