This Sunday the season of Epiphany continues as we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of Christ. Like the visit of the Magi when Christ was revealed to the people of the world, so at Christ’s Baptism there is a revelation of the Holy Trinity, as the Son is Baptised, the Father speaks, and the Spirit descends upon Christ. It is also an occasion to give thanks for our Baptism and membership of the Church, the Body of Christ. The current circumstances mean that many of us are not able to be together in church for worship, but this celebration of our Baptism reminds us of our unity in faith as God’s people. Despite the understandable fear and anxiety at this time, let us take comfort in God’s words at Christ’s Baptism – ‘this is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased’ – which may be understood as also speaking to each one of us as his beloved children.
SERVICES THIS SUNDAY – Second Sunday of Christmastide (10th January)
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person
10.00am Sung Mass – in person and livestreamed on Facebook and You Tube
6.00pm Epiphany Carols – ONLINE ONLY (see info below)
You can access livestreamed services by clicking on either of these links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTExOrxD97ng8MF8LKSg9CQ
https://www.facebook.com/saintmichaelbarnes/videos
EPIPHANY LETTER – please read
Dear friends, many of you will have received by email my Epiphany Letter which can be found here. Please read this carefully as it describes how we are responding to the corona virus pandemic and lockdown at this time. Please note the change to Epiphany Carols tomorrow evening.
EPIPHANY CAROL SERVICE – Sunday 10th January, 6.00pm
We have made the decision to hold this service ONLINE ONLY as it is normally very popular and involves an expanded choir. The service will take place in church with only clergy, choir, readers and servers present and we invite you to watch the service from home via the Facebook and You Tube (links above). The order of service will also be available on the website so that you can sing along to the beautiful Epiphany hymns!
EPIPHANY CHALK – available for collection from church or delivery
Those of you who have been Epiphany services at St Michael’s before will know that we continue the custom of blessing chalk for us in blessing our homes for the New Year – something that seems even more appropriate than ever as we spend so much time at home at the moment! Envelopes of Epiphany Chalk with instructions enclosed can be picked up from the back of church – if you would like it delivered, just let us know and we will see to it.
ZOOM COFFEE RETURNS! Sundays 11.30am-12Noon
The popular Zoom Coffee returns for the new lockdown with a guest speaker each week. Schools are currently much in the news and this week we are pleased to welcome our very own Hannah Childs as both a member of staff at Barnes Primary School and a parent herself to talk about what things are like in education at the moment and how she and other parents are finding this lockdown. Do join us with a cup of coffee and greet one another online.
Topic: St Michael’s Zoom Coffee
Time: This is a recurring meeting (same link works every week)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81480421749
Meeting ID: 814 8042 1749
I am also particularly interested to hear from you about subjects and themes that you would like the clergy to consider preaching about in the year ahead. It is very useful for us to know what issues you are interested in, thinking about or which are challenging you so that we can shape our preaching accordingly and help you in your faith. Please do drop an email to me on vicar@stmichaelbarnes.org with any comments you might have.
CANDLEMAS CHRISTINGLE SERVICE – Sunday 31st January, 11.30am by Zoom
We are planning to hold an online Children’s Service as we keep the feast of Candlemas (properly known as the presentation of Christ in the Temple) with the ever-popular Christingles! You might like to begin getting together the necessary ingredients – a red ribbon, an orange, small piece of aluminium foil, cocktail sticks (four for each orange) and some soft sweets – we will provide a candle either to be picked up at church or delivered to your home. Details of the Zoom meeting are below.
Fr Stephen Stavrou is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Candlemas Christingle Service
Time: Jan 31, 2021 11:30 AM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87800037125
Meeting ID: 878 0003 7125
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – 18th – 25th January
This year we have decided not to have a physical gathering together in worship in Barnes to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Unity. However we do intend to together in worship online and it is an opportunity to reconnect and encourage one another during this new lockdown. So do please make a date in your diary to join us on Sunday 24th January, 4pm for a short service based on the theme of Abiding in Christ (drawing on Jesus’s words in John 15:1-17).
Abiding in Christ: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Barnes service
Time: Jan 24, 2021 04:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6509659502?pwd=Q09SRWJqSGJpZituaDd4cjAvZ3hQdz09
Meeting ID: 650 965 9502
Passcode: 465270
EPIPHANY OFFERINGS
The gifts of the Magi to the infant Christ make this a season of thanksgiving and offering, and I am aware that many of you were unable to join us for worship at Christmas and make your customary offerings in the collection for the mission and ministry of St Michael’s. I would therefore like to invite you to consider making a special Epiphany donation. To this end we will send out further information and Blue Envelopes very soon but, in the meantime, you would be welcome to pick up a Blue Envelope from church or make a direct bank transfer using the following bank details below:
St Michael & All Angels Church
Barclays Bank
Account no.10774065
Sort code: 20-72-33
I realise this is a difficult time for many of us, but if you are in a position to make a donation please keep St Michael’s in mind because much of our usual income from collections and rentals is currently impossible.
ENGAGEMENT CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations are due to James Black, longstanding member of St Michael’s and PCC member on his engagement to Elli Hill. We wish them all the best as they prepare for their marriage in the future.
SERVICES NEXT WEEK
Monday 11th
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person or via Zoom (see link below)
7.00pm Holy Hour: Silent Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament – in person
Tuesday 12th
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person or via Zoom (see link below)
Wednesday 13th
9.00am Morning Prayer– in person or via Zoom (see link below)
12.00pm Mass – in person and livestreamed on Facebook and You Tube
Thursday 14th
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person or via Zoom (see link below)
Saturday 15th
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person or via Zoom (see link below)
9.30am Mass– in person and livestreamed on Facebook and You Tube
Sunday 16th Second Sunday of Epiphanytide
9.00am Morning Prayer – in person
10.00am Sung Mass – in person and livestreamed on Facebook and You Tube
6.00pm Evening Prayer – in person
REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS
Sick: Frances Harman, Rosalyn Fletcher, Tina Wilkinson, Jon Campbell, Susannah Shakespeare, Dennis Chalker, Iain McPherson, Ali Adams,
Dinah Garrett
Recently Died: Phylis Kirkland
Anniversary of Death: George Pelton Herbert, Clare Ingram, Linda Collier, Olive Frost, Grace Pratt, Heather Downey, John Hill, Joan van Emden, Peter Colt, Betty Cordel, Dick Crockford, Evelyn Halfrod, Margay Lee, Christopher Evans Tipping