Dear all,
As we move towards the new month of November, so the season of the Church also changes. From All Saints’ Day on 1st November until Advent Sunday on 29th November, we will be in the Kingdom Season. This brings the liturgical year to a close. Kingdom Season is a relatively recent addition to the Church’s calendar. It is a time when our readings are full of references to the idea of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God speaks of a time when God’s purposes are fully realised, and we live our lives in complete alignment with God’s will for us. We celebrate the values to which God draws us – values of peace, justice, equality, and loving inclusion. It is, however, also a time of tension. On the one hand, we know what the values of the Kingdom of God are through our faith in Christ. On the other hand, we are all too aware that these values are still some way to being fulfilled. We can see the final destination, but there is still much travelling in front of us. We are reminded that there is still a lot of work to be done.
In parish life, I am delighted that Beth Lewis has now been licensed as our Team Vicar. I am sure that we are all looking forward to working with Beth in our mission to build the Kingdom of God in and around our community here in Cheam. Her contact details are below and I hope that everyone will do their upmost to make her feel welcome.
Despite moving to the Tier 2 Covid alert level, we are still allowed to keep our churches open for worship. In November, therefore, we will continue to offer a similar pattern of worship across our three churches to what we offered in September and October. I am very grateful to everyone for helping to stick to our Covid measures in the parish. For all the measures we have in place, they are only effective with your co-operation. I remind you all of the need to:
· sanitize your hands on entering our buildings and before receiving communion;
· wear a face covering inside (unless you are exempt from doing so);
· maintain a two-metre distance from those not in your household group or bubble; and
· avoid mingling before and after church with those not in your household group of bubble.
With love and prayers to you all,
The Reverend Dr Nicholas Peacock
Team Rector, Cheam Team Ministry
NOTICES
Worship in November
Sunday 1st November – All Saints’ Day
· St Dunstan’s: 9.30am Eucharist (this will not be streamed on YouTube)
· St Oswald’s: 10.00am Service of the Word
· St Alban’s: 10.45am Eucharist
Monday 2nd November – All Souls’ Day
· St Dunstan’s: 7.30pm Eucharist and Commemoration of the Departed
Wednesday 4th November
· St Dunstan’s: 11.00am Eucharist
Sunday 8th November – Remembrance Sunday
· St Dunstan’s: 9.30am Eucharist (also streamed on YouTube)
10.55am Act of Remembrance (also streamed on YouTube)
· St Oswald’s: 9.15am Eucharist with Act of Remembrance
· St Alban’s: 10.30am Open for Prayer
10.55am Act of Remembrance
Wednesday 11th November
· St Dunstan’s: 11.00am Eucharist
Sunday 15th November – Second Sunday Before Advent
· St Dunstan’s: 9.30am Eucharist (also streamed on YouTube)
11.15am Family Service
· St Oswald’s: 10.00am Service of the Word
· St Alban’s: 10.45am Eucharist
Wednesday 18th November
· St Dunstan’s: 11.00am Eucharist
Sunday 22nd November – Christ the King
· St Dunstan’s: 9.30am Eucharist (also streamed on YouTube)
· St Oswald’s: 9.15am Eucharist
· St Alban’s: 10.30am Open for Prayer
Wednesday 25th November
· St Dunstan’s: 11.00am Eucharist
Sunday 29th November – Advent Sunday
· St Dunstan’s: 9.30am Eucharist (also streamed on YouTube)
· St Oswald’s: 10.00am Service of the Word
· St Alban’s: 10.45am Eucharist
The 9.30am Sunday service at St Dunstan’s will be streamed on the parish YouTube channel each week, with the exception of Sunday 1st November.
We continue to have to limit our capacity at all three churches. We do not want to have to turn people away, so if you would like to be sure of a place at one of our services, please contact us as follows:
· St Dunstan’s: please contact our Parish Administrator, Louise (Tel: 07928 833324 or Email: office@cheamparish.org.uk). Bookings for Sunday services should be made by midday on the previous Friday.
· St Oswald’s: please contact Bryan Hopper, churchwarden (Text: 07787 755142 or Email: bryan.hopper@btinternet.com).
· St Alban’s: please contact John and Carol Adams (Tel: 07504 442279).
Beth Lewis
It was with great joy that we welcomed Beth Lewis as our Team Vicar at her licensing service on 15th October. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this as good an occasion as we possibly could in the circumstances. Beth’s first service at St Alban’s was on Sunday 18th October. She will be at St Oswald’s on Sunday 25th October and St Dunstan’s on Sunday 1st November.
Unfortunately, the move to Tier 2 Covid restrictions mean that getting to know people is going to be particularly challenging! If you would like to get in touch with Beth, her telephone number is 07842 590582 and her email address is beth@cheamparish.org.uk. Please make her feel welcome.
All Souls’
We will be holding a Eucharist for All Souls’ Day at St Dunstan’s at 7.30pm on Monday 2nd November. As is usual, this service will include a Commemoration of the Departed, during which the names of those who have died and we would like to be remembered are read out.
If you would like to attend this service and/or would like to give the name of someone you would like to be remembered, please contact the Parish Office (Tel: 07928 833324 or Email: office@cheamparish.org.uk).
Remembrance Sunday – 8th November
Sadly, we are unable to hold our usual Act of Remembrance at the Cheam War Memorial. Instead, we will be offering Acts of Remembrance at each of our churches and livestreaming the service from St Dunstan’s. Please see the above list of services for November for more information and get in touch with the contacts for each church to be sure of a place.
Remembrance Poppy Face Coverings
Melody Thorpe has been making face coverings in aid of the ME Association. She is now offering limited edition poppy face coverings also in aid of the Royal British Legion at a cost of £10 each. Her website can be found at www.lifechangeswithme.com.
Refuge Clothing
Our Mothers’ Union has supported our nearest women’s refuge for some years. We have had a special request in particular for warm coats for girls aged 2-3 and 5-6, as well as other warm pyjamas and clothes. If you have anything to donate, please contact Sally Steele through the Parish Office.
Prayers
If you would like us to pray for someone or something, please email the office (office@cheamparish.org.uk) and Louise will compile a weekly prayer list to be used at our services.
For reasons of privacy, we will use first names only and the person for whom you are asking us to pray should be happy for you to do this.