Join us tomorrow for the next Diocesan Inter Faith Network (DIFN) Zoom meeting - all are welcome!
📅 Weds 11 February
🕟 4:30–5:30pm
🔗 For the Zoom link, please email the Revd Alec Corio: rector@stmaryseastbarnet.org
Hope to see you there.
This is a really important article about declining church attendance in London.
In the light of what's often believed about church growth in the 2000s in the diocese of London, & what's now being said about 'quiet revival' I'm amazed it hasn't had more attention.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
St Mary's is advertising for a new director of music and a children's worker.
If you know anyone who might be suitable, and you think they are foolish enough to want to work with me, then please pass on the news about these excellent posts.
stmaryseastbarnet.org/jobs/
"Jim brought remarkable gifts to his ministry — including insight, commitment, forbearance, and good humour"
#obituaries
The Diocese of St Albans is inviting anyone with experiences or knowledge of abuse or harmful behaviour connected to St Andrew’s, Chorleywood (1980s–2000s) to come forward. This is a voluntary, survivor-centred process.
Read further: buff.ly/gL9XZ9z
Jesus Christ is always at the centre of Christmas. And everyone's invited to experience it with us.
Come and celebrate Christmas at a church near you.
Find services and events in your local community at AChurchNearYou.com/christmas.
Barnet Collective, who work in partnership with St Mary's, were at St Albans Abbey on Monday to showcase their work serving our community for Inter Faith week.
I was there as well, but hiding at the back of the photo!
🌍 Continuing with our stories for Interfaith Week, we hear from a brilliant initiative called The Barnet Collective, run by St Mary's Church, East Barnet.
👉 Read the story here: buff.ly/r9vSw2q
#InterfaithWeek #Community #FaithInAction
You can hear more about the partnership between St Mary's and Barnet Collective in this special post for Inter Faith Week
www.stalbansdiocese.org/news/barnet-...
The @bmfforum.bsky.social's Interfaith Gardening and Green Food picnic last weekend, as part of the @london.gov.uk's #MayorsCommunityWeekend, was such an enjoyable day 😍
I loved sharing plants from Incredible Edible Barnet with people from across Barnet and beyond. And the food was delicious too 😋
We're preparing a great green interfaith event at St Mary's in @stalbansdiocese.org with our partners at @bmfforum.bsky.social and @incediblebarnet.bsky.social
This is part of the mayor's community week end @mayoroflondon.bsky.social
Register now to come along
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inter-fait...
... How the concert got in my dressing gown, I shall never know ...
For anyone preaching on the Good Samaritan this Sunday, and not planning to just talk about Donaghue vs Stevenson, this is a must listen: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Nick at the Barnet Society has done a fabulous job, yet again!, telling everyone who didn't come to our Cool Beans event earlier this week what they missed out on. Thanks Nick!
An impeccably (2 bottle) orthodox sermon is ready for Sunday.
Well done, subeditor.
It was a privilege to lead today's very successful Wesley Day pilgrimage, from Wesley's Chapel to St Paul's cathedral.
Involving @methodist.org.uk @stalbansdiocese.org @dioceseoflondon.bsky.social @stpaulscathedral.bsky.social
And we even arrived in time for Evensong.
It's been an honour to prepare the material for the Wesley Day pilgrimage this Saturday.
We'll walk from Wesley's Chapel to @stpaulscathedral.bsky.social with friends from @methodist.org.uk and Barnet deaneries in @dioceseoflondon.bsky.social and @stalbansdiocese.org
Let's hope for good weather!
When the Son of Man comes in glory ... he will say ... "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" ... Then the righteous will answer him ... “when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you?” ... And the king will answer ... "just as you did to one of the least of these ... you did to me.”
Congratulations to the sub editor or writer for that title.
On what it measn to be fully alive, at Easter and a time of complexity and hate.
stmaryseastbarnet.org/2025/04/you-...
A corporal of sacristans?
It was great to show Bishop Jane @stalbansdiocese.org some of the wonderful mission and ministry that is shared between St Mary's Church and School, and to have her preside at the termly school Eucharist we've introduced in this inclusive setting.
stmarysen4-barnet.co.uk/bishop-janes...
I got through a whole lot of ash on Ash Wednesday at St Mary's, our wonderful church school in East Barnet
stmarysen4-barnet.co.uk/ash-wednesday/
It's time for my annual liturgy lecture to those training for ministry to the ERMC on which Common Worship volumes are which, and which of them are actually useful.
Truly, liturgical texts exist in their thousands, but different editions and volumes of Common Worship in their tens of thousands.
I've found it's worth investing in a metal dog bowl to do this, and having a quick chemistry lesson in what different accelerants to use to get the palms burning well, and what happens if you mistakenly mix ash with water (rather than) oil before imposition.
I've been burning last year's palm crosses to create some more ashes before Ash Wednesday.
They'll have cooled down before they are offered then, mixed with a little olive oil, to make the sign of the cross on the forehead of any who wish it.
I got a phishing email this morning from a Mr Jean Calvin.
He must have known I was not destined to click on the link though.
Our churches routinely offer gluten-free bread or non-alcoholic wine at Communion.
Read more at cofe.io/Communion.
I was at St Mary's School talking with reception about what 'goes into' making a church good for the wider community.
The food redistribution work we do with Barnet Collective is a shining example of that. Look at this box - one of about 70 sent out this week - overflowing with generosity.
