A note from David
The sign-up sheet for Dinner at the Vicarage is now live! Hannah and I would love to invite you all to have dinner with us so we can get to know you better and you us. Here is a link to a Google doc to sign up for dates between now and Easter. We hope many of you would love to join us, so we will add more dates as necessary for after Easter. We also know that evenings can be tricky, especially with young children, so we plan to host some open house mornings on some Saturdays particularly aimed at those with young children. If anyone feels able to offer babysitting to enable people to come to the dinners, that would be a real blessing - please do let us know. Spaces are limited to 6 people per evening (purely because that's how many chairs we have!). Please email Hannah with any dietary requirements or any other questions at revdhannahbaylor@gmail.com.
On a separate note, some of you will have been following General Synod this week, particularly the debates around safeguarding. The stories and messages coming from the Church of England's national governing body have been moving and challenging. One came from a friend of mine - himself a survivor of church-based abuse - who spoke with profound courage and skill, offering a direct challenge to the Church's most senior leaders.
At this point, I simply want to reiterate my message from a couple of weeks ago, giving thanks for all at St Stephen's who take safeguarding so seriously, and recognising that for some of us, this week's debates at Synod may have been particularly distressing or triggering. If that is you, please do contact me or Ruth and we will gladly meet with you for pastoral support. Alternatively, please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team (safeguarding@london.anglican.org, 020 7932 1224) or Safe Spaces (safespaces@firstlight.org.uk, 0300 303 1056).
With love in Christ,
David
Roadworks
As you may be aware there are some major gas works currently being undertaken around the St Stephen's roundabout. This extends to the entrance to our carpark. We are still open but this does mean that there is a traffic light system and half of the parking bays round the roundabout are blocked off. Please leave plenty of time to find space if you need to drive to work or better yet, if you are able, please walk to church. These works will be on-going for at least two more weeks.
Families Lunch
On Sunday 2nd March at 12:30pm we will be holding a bring and share lunch for families of St Stephen's with children aged 0-11 years. You can sign up here or in church on Sunday. We will have time to chat and get to know each other better as well as a magician!
Foodbank
As we approach Lent, Foodbank ask for your prayers for the foodbank and for their community, especially those who are struggling the most. To help you to pray for our borough, they've prepared a very simple weekly reading and prayer resource.
Support Staff vacancy at Twyford CE Academies Trust
Please click here to see the current staff vacancies at Twyford Academies Trust.
Parish Prayer
This fortnight we are praying for the area to the west of our parish, where some church members live please do pray for all who live there and for people to come to know Jesus.
Prayer for the Week
Eternal God,
whose Son went among the crowds
and brought healing with his touch:
help us to show his love,
in your Church as we gather together,
and by our lives as they are transformed
into the image of Christ our Lord. Amen.