Parish News July 2018
Message from Rev Sue Bull:
Why I am leaving the St Barnabas worshipping community?
The story begins long ago when I first encountered the Risen Jesus and gave my life to Him. I had a passion to introduce everyone to Him and realised that most of my work would therefore be outside the church, which is where most people are.
And so I came to St Barnabas as a part-time non-stipendiary (not paid) Curate, spending the rest of my week working in London. The church was different to how it is now. The altar and lectern were censed during the service, and tea and coffee were served from urns in what is now the front of the Narthex. The front door, which was half way in to the current Narthex, was solid and had two frosted glass windows on either side.
The church had been having on-going conversations about what it would mean to be a church in the 21stC and that process continued. At one meeting all of those present expressed a desire to have a nave altar in some or all of the services. At another time, as people waited silently on the Lord in the stillness of the Lady Chapel, the word 'healing' came. And of course, on 21 July 1999 the prophecy from Haggai was given. This reading now hangs in the atrium.
A re-ordering committee was set up to consider how the building, people and worship could more fully reflect the glory and love of God. Flexibility seemed to be important, to create an open and welcoming environment for all. But at the heart of every discussion was how to enable the worship of God.
There was a great deal of work, much consultation and discussion and even more work. During that time my continuing sense of call to Epsom was confirmed and I began work as Epsom Mental Health Chaplain. The transformed building worked and a great diversity of events and worship took place ......... and yet nothing disturbed the underlying sense of the peace of God held in the building.
The mental health work at St Barnabas had begun when the Care in the Community Act led to the closure of the Epsom Cluster psychiatric hospitals and to a number of people being re-homed in the community and making their way to St Barnabas for the Wednesday morning Communion and Coffee. A weekly drop in was due to close at the Brickfield Centre, due to funding cuts, and members of St Barnabas went along to the Centre to learn how a drop in may run. This led to the creation of the Monday drop in which has now been running for 12 years.
A small group of people discussed how stigma about mental distress could be removed and a recognition that we are all on a spectrum of mental health be developed. A couple of conferences were held; the Love Me - Love My Mind Charity developed; and 10 years ago the first Epsom Mental Health Week was held.
After all these years I now have a sense that the Lord is calling me in a new direction to study for a PhD exploring how other churches approach worship and mental health care. This is taking me away from both my regular NHS Chaplaincy work and being part of the worshipping community at St Barnabas. You will still be seeing me around with my work for LMLMM and EMHW which continues at St Barnabas. It is not an easy thing to say 'goodbye'. I have received so very much during the last 20 years and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and pray God's blessing on you and the community that is St Barnabas.
With love and thanks. Sue.
July Events
Sunday 1st 8.00am Holy Communion
10.15am All Age Worship
2nd-5th No Morning Prayer
Thursday 5th 11.00am Coffee Morning
Friday 6th 8.00pm Epsom Male Voice Choir
Saturday 7th 9.30am Morning Prayer
Sunday 8th 8.00am Holy Communion
10.15am Parish Eucharist
10.30am Sunday School
Monday 9th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Tuesday 10th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Wed. 11th 9.00am Morning Prayer
9.30am Holy Communion
10.00am Drop In Coffee
Thursday 12th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Saturday 14th 9.30am Morning Prayer
Sunday 15th 8.00am Holy Communion
10.15am 3 on 3 Service
Monday 16th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Tuesday 17th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Wed. 18th 9.00am Morning Prayer
9.30am Holy Communion
7.30pm Holy Communion
Thursday 19th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Friday 20th 2.00pm Knit & Natter
Saturday 21st 9.30am Morning Prayer
Sunday 22nd 8.00am Holy Communion
10.15am Parish Eucharist
12.30pm Baptism
Monday 23rd 9.00am Morning Prayer
Tuesday 24th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Wed. 25th 9.00am Morning Prayer
9.30am Holy Communion
10.00am Drop In Coffee
Sunday 29th 8.00am Holy Communion
10.15am Celtic Eucharist
12.30pm Baptism
Monday 30th 9.00am Morning Prayer
Tuesday 31st 9.00am Morning Prayer
Notices
Epsom Male Voice Choir Concert: Friday 6th July at 8pm in the church. Tickets are on sale at £10. We hope you will support this event as we are extremely privileged to have the choir fitting us in to their very busy schedule.
Could you be a Server?
We have an urgent need for a couple of servers, particularly to help during the holiday time, but also on an ongoing basis. Could you please have a think about it? It is an enormous privilege to be able to assist and prepare the altar for the service and help the Clergy prior to communion. You would not have to be a chalice assistant, (offer the wine during communion), but you would need to be available to help clear the alar after the service too. If you think that you may be able to help in this way or know more about it, please do speak to Sarah or Helen.
Readers and Intercessors: The new July-September list is in the narthex. We need both readers and intercessors so please sign up if you are able to assist. Thank you.
Birthdays this month: 2nd Joseph Dyke
3rd Marlene Mey
8th Graham Lawrence
17th Helen Dyke
Cream Tea: The cream tea was a resounding success enjoyed by all. The road was crowded with people to wave to the Queen as she drove past. £256 was raised – thanks to Michael, Kathy and Janice for all their hard work and also to all the supporters.
Confirmation: Travis and Adam were confirmed by Bishop Andrew at Ruxley Lane Church on Sunday 10th June. It was a lovely service and well supported by members of St Barnabas.
St Barnabas Patronal: It was a beautiful service and the church looked resplendent with its flower arrangements. Afterwards we had a bring and share lunch in the hall which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Baptism: Lara Belle Oulaghan was baptised on Sunday 17th June. Family from New Zealand and Germany were there to celebrate the event.
Sue’s Farewell Event: This was a lovely affair of friends gathering together to wish Sue farewell but knowing that she will still be working in our midst. In appreciation of all her hard work for St Barnabas she was presented with a variety of gifts.
Christian Aid
Many thanks for everyone’s hard work to raise money for Christian Aid. Our final total was :
Events, i.e. Soup and plants sales etc. : £414.35
Envelopes (available only in the church) £247.36
Total: £663.71
Parish Prayer Chain:
Together We Can Make a Difference
Please sign up to prayer triplets – list in the narthex.
Please continue to pray for Hossein as his appeal hearing to remain in the UK, has been postponed.
Sick List: We continue to pray for Doreen throughout her treatment. We also include in our prayers Allen, Stella, Stephanie, Charlie and Rosa Slater.
Holidays: Holiday season is upon us. To those already on holiday we hope you are having a glorious time. To those ready to go, we wish you a safe journey and return feeling rejuvenated and ready to face the world!
Time For a Laugh!
At Sunday School they were learning how God created everything, including human beings. Johnny was especially intent when the teacher told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, "Johnny, what is the matter?" Johnny responded, "I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."
An engineer dies and reports to the Pearly Gates. Saint Peter checks his dossier and not seeing his name there, accidentally sends him to Hell. It doesn't take long before the engineer becomes rather dissatisfied with the level of comfort in Hell.
He soon begins to design and build improvements. Shortly thereafter, Hell has air conditioning, flush toilets and escalators. Needless to say, the engineer is a pretty popular guy. One day, God calls Satan and says: "So, how are things in Hell?"
Satan replies: "Hey, things are going great. We've got air conditioning, flush toilets, and escalators. And there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next."
"What!" God exclaims: "You've got an engineer? That's a mistake - he should never have been sent to Hell. Send him to me."
"Not a chance," Satan replies: "I like having an engineer on the staff, and I'm keeping him!" God insists: "Send him back or I'll sue." Satan laughs uproariously and answers: "Yeah, right. And where are you going to get a lawyer”.
Visiting his grandparents, a small boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out. He picked it up and found that it was an old leaf that had been pressed flat between the pages. "Mama, look what I found," he called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked." With astonishment in his voice, the boy answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"
The Sunday School teacher was describing that when Lot's wife looked back at Sodom she turned into a pillar of salt, when Bobby interrupted. "My mommy looked back once while she was driving," he announced, "and she turned into a telephone pole."
Another Sunday School teacher said to her children, "We have been learning about how powerful the kings and queens were in Biblical times. But there is a higher power. Who can tell me what it is?" Tommy blurted out, "I know, Aces."
After explaining the commandment to honour your father and mother, a Sunday School teacher asked her class if there was a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters. One boy, the oldest in his family, immediately answered, "Thou shalt not kill."
A father was reading Bible stories to his young son. He read, "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.” His son asked, "What happened to the flea?
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