I wonder if Mary Magdalene ever looked into the night sky and wondered about that white blob we now call the moon? She, whom some scholars have taken to be some kind of lunatic – someone from whom seven kinds of demon were cast out. The word lunatic comes from the idea that someone who was mad, was somehow affected … Read More
Allegedly in the 1980s you could go to the bus station in Istanbul and catch a red double-decker bus to Beijing. That’s over 4000 miles, and it took several weeks. Quite an adventure though – through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and the steppes of Central Asia. Or perhaps it simply isn’t true, no matter how much we might want it to … Read More
Luke 9.51-62 May I speak in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. We are familiar with the concept of being a follower. Men and women follow football teams; or politicians. Bands, film stars, soap operas and even shops have their followers. Most people have heroes whom they follow. Christians over the centuries have become ‘followers’ of … Read More
Dear friends, It really began in the spring of 2017 when my nephew brought his fiancé to meet the family at my sister’s home in Berkshire. They told us that they planned to marry in May 2019 in Bali and they would be delighted (made up) if any of the family could be there. This got Malcolm and I thinking. … Read More
Organ events at St Mary Magdalene Church We will be celebrating the completion of our organ rebuild over our Patronal weekend (20 & 21 July) in style! Saturday 20 July We will be kicking off the weekend at 6:00pm on Saturday 20th with a very special ‘Organ Spectacular’. This is a free concert and not to be missed. Featuring varied … Read More
On Saturday 15 June we held a Tea Dance with a cream tea in the hall. Thirty of us gathered to sip a glass or two of Prosecco, drink tea (and Coffee) and eat a wide selection of home made sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and delicious, mouth watering cakes! We were entertained by the sounds of Frank Sinatra … Read More
Well, we’ve arrived – we have reached the destination of Trinity Sunday! As summer approaches – so we’re told! – we arrive at the theological and liturgical summit of Trinity Sunday, from which we look back at the receding Easter season, which has culminated with Ascensiontide and Pentecost, but we also see ahead. The grass may not be greener on … Read More
Welcome to the New Jerusalem! We are not in the Middle East, 14 miles north-west of the Dead Sea and 33 miles east of the Mediterranean, 2500 feet above sea level on the five hills that define the mile and a half wide city. But rather we are in the heavenly city – the holy city Jerusalem coming down out … Read More
Dear Friends, There isn’t much room for me in this month’s packed magazine! I don’t mind – as the American Composer John Cage once said, ‘I have nothing to say and I am saying it’! To be serious, we congratulate and welcome Annaliese Fenwick on her election as new Churchwarden and, for the second time and thank Alison Reeve for … Read More
Dear Friends, There isn’t much room for me in this month’s packed magazine! I don’t mind – as the American Composer John Cage once said, ‘I have nothing to say and I am saying it’! To be serious, we congratulate and welcome Annaliese Fenwick on her election as new Churchwarden and, for the second time and thank Alison Reeve for … Read More
How do we find our way around today? How does this compare with the past (and not too distant past either!)? The Rev’d Dr Gordon Giles looks at the way we find our way today. This sermon was preached during a Family Service and is available in audio only. Please excuse the quality at the beginning of the audio The … Read More
John 21:1-19 The eighteenth-century French Philosopher Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1828), wrote a treatise called La Physiologie de goût which is known in English as ‘The Philosopher in the Kitchen’. He writes this: “The pleasure of eating is the actual and direct sensation of a need being satisfied. The pleasures of the table are considered sensations born of the various circumstances of … Read More
Dear friends, Happy Easter! You will know that we have been spending time and money on the organ, and while we had hoped it would be ready for Easter Day, it wasn’t quite ready, but it very soon will be. The weekend of 18/19 May will be the time to celebrate its inauguration, and we have a free concert and … Read More
Dear friends, Happy Easter! You will know that we have been spending time and money on the organ, and while we had hoped it would be ready for Easter Day, it wasn’t quite ready, but it very soon will be. The weekend of 18/19 May will be the time to celebrate its inauguration, and we have a free concert and … Read More
Significant progress has been made in securing a September 2020 start for Wren Academy Enfield. However, opening at this time does depend on securing planning permission for the initial temporary buildings and then being granted a funding agreement by the Department for Education (DFE). Very shortly, a formal consultation exercise will be held in advance of submitting a planning application … Read More
High up on the southern facade of St Paul’s Cathedral is the statue of a phoenix rising from the ashes, a symbol of resurrection. Christopher Wren had it put there after it was recovered from the ashes of the cathedral destroyed by the Great Fire of London in September 1666. Underneath it the word ‘resurgam’ (‘I rise’), makes Wren’s rebuilding … Read More
We began the Palm Sunday service by meeting in the Hall where we were each given palm leaves and palm crosses to carry, in procession, around the church to the West door and so into Church. This year we were joined by members of the Grand Priory of England and The Priory of Wales of The Order of The Knights … Read More
Latest news The organ will not now be ready for our organ spectacular, so this has been postponed to a later date. It’s been a long wait, but things are finally looking up! The Village Workshop have been busy over the past few months rebuilding our organ. The photo above shows the Organ Manuals ready to be fitted in place. … Read More
30, The Ridgeway Dear friends, We must congratulate the ladies on the choir, who have now been singing with us for a hundred years! In the Parish magazine of April 1919, our predecessors reported: “An innovation has been introduced into the services at S.Mary’s by the admission of ladies into the choir in place of boys, and we are very … Read More
Dear friends, We must congratulate the ladies on the choir, who have now been singing with us for a hundred years! In the Parish magazine of April 1919, our predecessors reported: “An innovation has been introduced into the services at S.Mary’s by the admission of ladies into the choir in place of boys, and we are very pleased to say … Read More
