Click here to go back to Deanery homepageDeanery Exchange Issue no 12

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Contagious Christianity - A course in personal bridge building

This course, arranged by the Deanery Synod for 3 consecutive Wednesday evenings in Advent, lived up to expectations. Revd David McDougall‚ was, as promised, an enthusiastic, dynamic speaker who gave confidence to his audience that they too could be evangelists, each in their own way peculiar to themselves. God gives each Christian their role to play in passing on the faith.

David gave examples of the different ways Jesus drew his followers to him and their various styles of evangelism in telling others:

David asked us to look to these examples and consider how we are equipped to hand on our faith. We thought of places contact could be made with people in easy, natural and non-threatening ways and David urged us not to miss opportunities. In conclusion a thought from the course:- over 70% of those worshipping in churches today are there because someone once invited and brought them along.

If you weren't there, you missed three inspiring, enlightening meetings that were also good fun, but for sure there will be more to inspire us as this year

Margaret‚ Lauder St Ethelreda with St Clement

Deanery Service at St Paul

Hammersmith & Fulham were well and truly prayed for at the Deanery Service of Prayer and Commissioning for London Bridges at St Paul's Hammersmith on Sunday evening 17th January 1999.

Bishop Michael and Area Dean Jonathan led us in Evening Prayer, and Christ Church Fulham provided musicians to lead our joyful noises. The Bishop of Kensington's Officer for Evangelism, the Rev. Robert Gillion encouraged us in his sermon to build all the London Bridges we could think of towards our neighbours and friends, in order to commend to them the Lord Jesus, as we approach the Millennium at the end of this year.

The Service culminated in a time of prayer for all the different parishes in the Deanery. The Area Dean took us all to the back of St Paul's, where he had laid out on the floor a diagrammatic map of the Deanery, with each parish named, in roughly our right geographical relationships with each other. Jonathan led us in prayer for the particular needs of each parish in turn, and we ended with the London Bridges Prayer.

In conclusion the Area Dean started us all off lighting our candles from the Paschal Candle by the Font, and then from each other's candles. A very twinkly warm climax to an inspiring evening. Our only sadness was that Archdeacon Malcolm‚ was off sick and unable to be with us.

Peter Makower St Mary's

It's all happening at St Matthew's

The development of St Matthew's Church site in Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, has been chewed over for about 30 years. But it's only in the last few years that the possibility of building a new church has become a reality. In January everything came together and contracts were signed to build 9 houses and a new church. We then faced the task of clearing the church in only 2 weeks. The organ has gone to the Zion Chapel in Carmarthen‚ and the sale of stained glass, furniture and fittings will help us to furnish the new building. We have been greatly blessed by the welcome from Our Lady's Roman Catholic Church, where we now meet on Sunday mornings. They even altered the time of one of their services so that we could hold ours. We have also experienced a stronger sense of unity in our congregation. Our evening services are held in the close fellowship of the Vicarage Room, a small hall next door to the vicarage. Demolition of the church hall and church should be completed by the end of March. We hope the workmen might find the time capsule a bottle containing documents buried in 1895, but we have no idea where it is!

The new building will be much smaller and easier to maintain and, we hope, have no draughts! Rebuilding should be completed by Christmas so do plan to visit us in the Millennium year.

Sue Pierson St Matthew's Fulham

Position Vacant

Administrative Secretary required at St Mary's Church, Edith Rd, West Kensington. 4 days per week, £6,760 per annum.
Details from Revd Roger Curl, 0171 602 1996

Deanery Dates 1999

11-19 March Bishop & Archdeacon's Walk through the Deanery
Fri 19 March Bishop of London's Supper at Holy Innocents Church
29 April Licensing of Revd Jack Maple as Priest in Charge St Alban's with St Augustine's
10th May Standing Committee
Wed 16 June 1st meeting of new Synod including election of officers
6 July Standing Committee
4 Oct Synod
Wed 3 November Treasurers' meeting
22 November Standing Committee
Weds 22 Dec Carol Service at Fulham Football Ground

Mission at Parsons Green

What do you do when you've planned a week of mission events for April 99, then learn that the renovation work on your Mission Hall won't be complete until the end of May? Go to the pub!... and the local school, and various other places in the parish, to hold your mission events there!

A local pub is providing their Billiard room and serving up a full English breakfast for members of the congregation and their guests, as they hear a presentation of the gospel. One of the primary schools in the parish is the venue for a Barn Dance.

Members of the congregation are also holding coffee mornings and supper parties for their friends and neighbours to meet with local Christians at St Dionis Parsons Green 11-18 April. Elsewhere we are holding a mock courtroom scene, to present the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

Please join in praying for us as we seek to make Christ known in Parsons Green.

Mick‚ Hough‚ St Dionis Parsons Green

Next Issue

We welcome items for the next edition of Deanery Exchange to be produced in the summer, including:- Please contact the Deanery Secretary:- Mrs Rose Wrigley, 63 Lionel Rd, Brentford‚ TW8 9QZ.‚ Tel. 0181 232 8640.