SILENT PRAYER

On scheduled Mondays through the year those who wish to explore silence before God gather in the Lady Chapel. The time together, from 6.10 to 7.00 pm, begins and ends with a short vocal prayer together. A cross or icon or the reserved Sacrament is sometimes placed on the altar as a devotional focus. Each participant then has the time to him- or herself.To be directed to a contact person, please ring the Church Office.

Schedule: Winter-Summer 2010

ST. HELEN’S JUSTICE and PEACE GROUP

The St. Helen’s Justice and Peace Group are members of St. Helen’s church who share a commitment and common concern for justice and peace. They meet on the first Monday of every month in the church centre to share in fellowship and to discuss issues of local, national and international concern with the aim of widening knowledge and raising awareness.

In the past, meetings have covered matters such as:
- the homeless in our community,
- the relationship between the Anglican church and Parliament,
- the plight of Sierra Leone,
- the abolition of slavery,
- the Church’s response to climate change, and
- sex trafficking in Europe.

Earlier this year the Group helped organise a Sunday service dedicated to climate change and the protection of the environment enlisting the support of local businesses. As part of the Make Poverty History campaign the Group wrote to the Prime Minister and all the visiting heads of government from the G8 countries and some members took part in the various marches around the country.

From time to time guest speakers are invited to address the meetings. Recent speakers have included representatives from The Abingdon Bridge Project, Amnesty International and CHASTE (Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking in Europe).

Details of forthcoming meetings are publicised in the church bulletin. Anyone is most welcome to attend. If you are interested, please contact the Group’s secretary, Pam Stuart, on telephone number 01235 550179, or just come along.

DESIRING LIFE READING GROUP

Spring 2010

Sister Wendy on Prayer:

“There seems to be a universal certainty that there is some secret about prayer that can be taught....but prayer is essentially simple. Prayer is for all of us. No one is fully human who has not some sort of relationship with God, even an anonymous relationship. A sense of the mystery in which we live (why are we here? who are we? what is the meaning of being me rather than you?) is integral to the human consciousness and it is to this awareness that I would give the name of prayer.”

So writes Wendy Becket in the introduction to her book “Sister Wendy on Prayer” which the Desiring Life Reading Group will be reading this spring. The recent publication “Prayer – a simple guide” by the Bishop of Oxford, which is intended to help us in “Sustaining the Sacred Centre” of ourselves and our churches is a timely reminder of the importance of prayer in our relationship with God and hence our lives, and will help inform us as we journey together in deepening and nourishing our prayer lives.

Session information: The group will meet on the following Tuesdays from the beginning of January to the beginning of March.

• Session 1 – January 12th: The Practice of prayer
• Session 2 – January 26th: Do you want to pray?
• Session 3 – February 9th: Do you need organised religion?
• Session 4 – February 23rd: Why aren’t Christians better people?
• Session 5 – March 9th: The fullness of life to forgiveness
• Session 6 –March 23rd: Deadly sins to Holiness

Time: 2.30pm – 3.45pm followed by refreshments

Facilitators: The Rector and others

Call the church office 01235 520144 and tell the Administrator of your interest. You may purchase your own copy of the book ISBN 978 0 8264 8389 8 for £9.99 but a number of books have been purchased at a discounted price of £6.50, and are available from the office.

If you have further practical questions please direct them to the Rector Revd Dr Charles Miller or Susan Scott 01235 522960

FAITH & PRACTICE

Purpose: This group aims to present the shape and content of mature Christian discipleship as lived within the frame-work of Anglican church life. It will be useful for those who have followed the Alpha course and now wish to deepen their understanding of life in the church, for those who seek Baptism and/or Confirmation, and for those who simply want a ‘refresher’ in aspects of the faith and Christian life.

With the richness of the Anglican tradition for orientation, topics will include: the foundations of the faith (the Apostles’ Creed), the sacraments, the spiritual disciplines, worship, the liturgical year, and the church and its structure.

More information on the current programme can be found here.

Leader: The Rector, The Revd Dr Charles Miller

Venue: Rector’s Office in the Church Centre (entrance by the door in St Helen’s Court).