Stepping into Autumn
Dear Friends,
SEPTEMBER 2020
As many amongst us face a ‘new term’ in these challenging times, the psalms invite us to ‘Sing to the Lord a new song…’
Sunday worship has now resumed in church with A Service of the Word – 45 minutes of seasonal prayers, readings and reflections – with live music provided by a mix of local professional musicians and solo members of St Peter’s Choir. Little ones are welcome to bring quiet playthings to church. Activity sheets will be provided for older children. Noisy Church will hopefully relaunch next spring.
Save the Music is a new scheme set up by St Peter’s to support local professional musicians by employing them to offer a short recital to enrich Sunday worship – donations are needed to keep going through the winter season.
Home Worship will continue to be offered weekly. The Sunday service will be posted online on Saturday afternoon to connect those still shielding or to be downloaded whenever convenient. To receive this by email or by post – contact Vivette Ferguson.
Thanks to all the volunteers who keep church open for private prayer on Wednesdays 9-11am and Sundays 3-5pm. These hours could be extended with more volunteers to church watch for 1-2 hours.
Harvest Festival will be celebrated on Sunday 4 October with a collection for local food banks – check Hackney Foodbank updates on what’s needed. St Peter’s is delighted to be able to host this Harvestide entries for the De Beauvoir pets and wildlife exhibition on the church railings.
The Annual Parish Council Meeting will take place after church on Sunday 4 October. Everyone on St Peter’s electoral roll is invited to elect churchwardens and PCC members. This will be an opportunity to review St Peter’s Plan 2019-22 and to map out the year ahead.
This will be my last Harvest as Vicar of St Peter’s. After 18 fruitful years, the time is coming for me to hand over to a new priest. I am hoping to ‘retire’ next spring. I have worked/lived around De Beauvoir Town for 35 years, since I started at the Geffrye Museum as an Assistant Curator in the mid 1980s.
I am looking forward to some time to explore urban/rural connections in the Welsh border town of Hay-on-Wye and developing church arts/faith tourism projects. I hope there will be many criss-crossing paths in the years ahead. See photo above!
In all the turbulence and uncertainty of these times, the rhythm of the seasons remind us of a deeper changelessness in the world. There is a beautiful collect traditionally said at Night Prayer (Compline)
Be present, O merciful God,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied
by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
With blessings for a fruitful season,
Julia
Rev’d Julia Porter-Pryce
St Peter De Beauvoir
Listen to Julia’s recent sermon, 6th September, 2020:
