Tuesday 10th January 2023

I hope you’ve all had a good start to the new year and my prayer is that 2023 will be a time when we all grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord.  There is much to give thanks for as you will see below.
 
On Sunday we thought about the Epiphany (the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus).  I am grateful to the Revd Jeremy Hyde (part of the team at St Mellitus Hanwell) who came to lead our Communion services while Caroline and I were away.  Ruth Robinson preached about the Epiphany – if you missed it you can catch up here.
 
Thank you to all those who came on Saturday to meet with Bishop Lusa as part of his Pilgrimage across the Area and to those who joined him in walking between different churches.
 
Thanks to everyone who donated to our Christmas appeal for the Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter and Tear Fund – nearly £1,700 was collected which will be used to help many in need, both in Ealing and across the world. 
 
A final thanks to all those in groups who gave to our CAP Hampers.  Mark Dishley the CAP organiser has written to thank us and says ‘what a difference the hampers made, to real people, who were struggling with unmanageable debt and overwhelming circumstances at the end of last year. For some, this literally made their Christmas, for others it offered them a tangible sense of hope and an expression of love.  Thank you so much, on behalf of the many clients and their children who received these wonderful hampers.’
 
After the festivities of recent weeks our church life has returned to its usual pattern of Sunday morning and mid week services and our lives are getting back into routine.  Can I encourage you to make worshipping together each week a part of that routine as we journey together especially at our Sunday services - 9am and 10.30am each week.
 
I hope you have a good week and the return to ‘normality’ goes well.
 
With my love

Steve