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to print this on A4 as a handy guide to St Michael's click on File and then on Print
A warm welcome to you from St Michael’s church, where you will find a congregation that worships God by aiming to lead Christian lives at work, home and church, and by loving and serving one another, guided by the Bible. We believe that prayer is essential to our growth and wellbeing. We want to serve the community we live in and the ones we work in. We seek to be a supportive, caring and committed church that values each member of the congregation and encourages them to discover the particular gifts God has given them. We have two full time clergy. The vicar, Sandy Christie, who is married to Catherine and they have a young son, Ethan. Our curate, Marian Curtis is married to Ian and they have three children. We also enjoy a full-time youth worker, Leah Philbrick, and currently have an additional youth worker, Kelly Mtotha, who is here from Malawi on a one year internship. Our administrator is Marion Lane, who works three days a week. SOME AIMS We aim to be a place where people can come and think through the issues of life and find space to ask questions and reflect on spiritual matters. We recommend joining a home group as a good way to get to know people, and explore faith. We also run regular social events such as walks, quiz nights, barn dances, international food evenings etc, and there are many opportunities to help in different ways (e.g. serving coffee, delivering our parish magazine The Messenger, being a sidesperson / welcomer, reading in services, operating the sound system, gardening etc). CHURCH SERVICES Our services include both traditional hymns and liturgy and the best of modern music and informal worship. Our main service is at 10.30 a.m. On the 1 st Sunday of the month this is an All Age service lasting 50-60 minutes. Other morning services are about 75 minutes, with the children in church for the first 15 minutes before leaving for their activities in the Halls. Communion is included on the 2 nd Sunday of the month. Evening services are at 6.30 p.m. normally attracting 20-30 people, with communion on the 1 st and 3 rd Sundays of the month, and other Sundays often including a discussion rather than a sermon. There are also Communion Services on the 4 th Sunday of the month at 9.00am and on the 3 rd Wednesday of the month at 11.00am. SERVING St Michael’s is going through a period of change, with new people joining and new activities starting. We are seeking new ways to serve the area around us, and build a community that genuinely cares for and supports one another amid all the pressures of life. CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE Our children and young people have a key part in our activities, and we employ a full-time staff member for this ministry. We run different Sunday School groups from 3-14 years, led by teams of enthusiastic teachers. We have a strong commitment to child protection. Our goal is to provide opportunities for young people to grow and serve in all aspects of church life. PASTORAL CARE We seek to provide appropriate care and support for one another through the different events of life. Sandy Christie and Marian Curtis are available to visit you and to offer help where needed. Please call them to arrange a visit, or talk with a churchwarden if you prefer. HOME GROUPS In a church the size of St Michael’s joining a small group is the best way to start to get to know people and feel involved in the life of the church. Each group meets fortnightly in someone’s home, and provides a chance to explore the issues of faith informally, to ask questions and to share with others the joys and struggles of Christian belief. Groups meet on different days of the week in the evenings: talk to Marian Curtis about which group might suit you best. Usually a programme of topics is prepared by the organiser, but ideas are always welcome for future study. SOCIAL PROGRAMME There are lots of different social activities to suit all ages and stages. These include all age extravangazas like our summer Fete, Stars in Your Eyes Event, our International Evening, and our Harvest Suppers, as well as Quizzes, Men’s Curry Nights, “Women of a Certain Age” evenings, Young Mums Suppers, Club Tropicana for those in their 20s and 30’s, Lunch Bunch, and various picnics, walks and friendly matches on the Heath. See also our Eleven O’Clock Club social programme. PRAYER Prayer is an important part of our life as individuals and as a church. We offer regular opportunities to pray and to be prayed for; and if you would like someone to pray with you please speak to one of the leaders at the end of any service. We hold a monthly prayer meeting on the first Thursday of the month, at 8.15pm in the Musa Room of the Halls, to pray for St Michael’s, our community, and the wider world. CHURCH LEADERS SO WHAT GOES ON IN ST MICHAEL’S? [alphabetically] Coffee Rota We serve coffee and tea after every 10.30 a.m. service, in the Halls. This is a good chance to get to know people, and if you would like to help please Contact: Marian Lane 8852 1205 Church Halls Our Halls are used extensively by the community during the week for regular meetings including a nursery school, and for one-off bookings, such as children’s parties. A small group manages the Halls. Our Administrator manages Hall bookings and can provide information on activities that take place there. Contact: Marion Lane 8852 1205 Drake Court This is a local Old People’s Home on Brooklands Park and we organise a weekly service there on Sundays at 9.45 a.m. We would welcome others to help, particularly musicians. Contact: Jonathan Causer 8852 8226 Electoral Roll This is the list of the names and addresses of everyone who can vote at the Annual Church Meeting. To be on the Roll you should be baptised and at least 16 years old and either live in the parish or have worshipped here regularly for at least 6 months. The Roll is revised prior to the Annual Church Meeting. You can have your name put on it at any time. Contact: Pete Moss 8852 9326 [Note however that anyone on the local electoral register in the parish can vote for churchwardens] Eleven o’clock Club This club meets the first Wednesday of each month starting at 11.00am with an entertaining talk (topics have ranged from the mounted police, the Trinity School of Music, The Crown Jewels, Western Films, a Play, Cooking In Small Quantities, Working in Developing Countries) followed by lunch in the church halls. Typically 40-50 people attend. Newcomers always welcome. Contact: Stuart Herdon via 8852 1205 Fabric Committee The churchwardens with the PCC are responsible for maintaining the fabric of the church, the Halls, the bungalow, and the grounds. We are fortunate that the fabric is in generally good condition. Come and help with maintenance and upkeep if you have skills you can offer. Contact: John Allen 8318 6830 Flower Arrangers They provide flowers for the church each Sunday and for special festivals and events. They welcome newcomers to join them. Contact: Celia Herdon 8318 3515 Friday Morning Mums This group of mums and young children meets weekly 9.30–11.00 am in the Musa Room of the Halls during term-time. They meet for Bible study, prayer and fellowship while the children play around them. Come along to a meeting or Contact: Marion Lane 8852 1205 Giving At St Michael's we are entirely dependent financially on the generous giving of our members. What is given pays for our own vicar and youth worker, helps to support churches in poorer districts of Southwark Diocese, and helps the work and mission of our bishops. It also helps Christian friends in Morocco, Russia and Africa, as well as Crosslinks, The Bible Society, London City Mission and other charities. There are several different ways of giving to St Michael's, including those that allow us to reclaim tax at no extra cost to the individual donor. If you would like to discuss any aspect of your giving please speak to our Treasurer. Contact: Sarah Burnard 8463 0128 Holiday Club This is a fun time and nurtures the development of faith of children and young people in our community. We have games, songs, crafts, Bible stories, drama and excitement. It provides a memorable week for about 120 children aged 4 –11 and helpers. It takes place in and outside the Halls at the end of July. If you would like your child to attend, or are interested in helping, please Contact: Leah Philbrick 8852 9564 Home Groups - see HOME GROUPS in previous section. Contact: Marian Curtis 8319 0111 but after 11/3/07 - 8318 6880 The Messenger Our parish magazine This is delivered monthly to each of the homes in the parish and is available to all members of the congregation who live outside the parish. The editor always welcomes articles and deliverers. Contact: Jonathan Causer 8852 8226 (articles) Marion Lane 8852 1205 (deliveries) Mission We have a long history of commitment to mission at home and abroad. We support 8 groups and have a monthly news update in the church service. Contact: Stephen Hingston 8852 3063 Music Group This meets regularly to plan and practise for services. They always welcome singers and musicians of all ages. A larger choir is formed at Christmas and on other special occasions. Contact: Frank Allen via 8852 1205 PCC (Parochial Church Council) This is the body elected by and from people on the Electoral Roll, plus the Churchwardens. It provides vision and leadership and supports the vicar in making decisions on the future direction of the church. It has the legal responsibility for managing the finances and fabric of the church. Members are elected at the Annual Church Meeting in April. Contacts: Sandy Christie 8852 5287 Stephen Hingston 8852 3063 John Allen 8318 6830 Prayer Meetings - see PRAYER in previous section. Contact: Marian Curtis 8319 0111 but after 11/3/07 - 8318 6880 Sound System We obtained permission for and recently installed a new sound and visual system which greatly improves the sound quality in the church and provides a visual capacity for the first time. A small team run this during services and would welcome new helpers. Contact: David Tozer 8852 5028 Sunday School Most Sundays all our children and young people are in church for the first part of the service and then go out to their groups. We register new children when they first attend. There is a team of teachers. At the All Age service on the first Sunday of the month, children are in church throughout the service. The different groups are:- Thursday Fellowship This group for older people meets weekly in a member’s home between 3.00–4.00 p.m. to study the Bible, to pray and to enjoy fellowship. Contact: Joy Weller 8852 0764 Young People Groups Also :- The following groups for boys & girls meet weekly in the Halls:- The following groups for girls meet weekly at Brooklands School in Medebourne Close:- Welcoming We ask people to share in assisting the churchwardens at services by meeting and greeting, distributing books, and generally helping to ensure that services run smoothly. We always welcome new members for this team which forms such an important part of St Michael’s life. Contacts: Stephen Hingston 8852 3063 John Allen 8318 6830
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