Christmas Eve

At 5pm the Manger at Bethelehem service will feature carols, poems, readings and festive music, all followed by something equally festive to drink and nibble at our reception. Join us amidst the twinkling candlelight as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Advent 2

Sunday 5th December 2010 at our 10am service we will be lighting the second candle on our Advent Wreath. This year's wreath features 3 purple candles, 1 pink one (symbolising Mary) and a central ivory pillar candle which will be lit on Christmas morning. Why not come and join us and see the second candle lit this weekend.

Advent Sunday 2010

Sunday 28th November is Advent Sunday and marks the start of a new year in the church. For St. Stephen's, this will be one of the busiest days of the year. We have our usual 10.00am Eucharist with the lighting of the first candle on the Advent Wreath. In the afternoon at 4.00pm we have a service of music and readings suited to this season of preparation. This will be followed by our Candlelit Advent Supper at 6.30pm. We look forward to welcoming you to one of these events.

Christ the King - 21st November 2010

On Sunday 21st November at our 10.00am service we will be marking the festival of Christ the King. Joining us will be the Archdeacon of Middlesex, the Venerable Stephan Welch. This will be the Revd Welch's first visit to St Stephen's so please come along to meet him and make him welcome.

Remembrance Sunday - 14th November 2010

Our Remembrance Sunday service will start at 9:55am to allow plenty of time following Communion to move out to the memorial for our act of remembrance and 2 minutes silence.

Advent Supper - 28th November 2010

We will be holding a Candlelit Advent Supper at 6.30pm on Sunday 28th November 2010 following on from our afternoon carol service. Tickets are £10 and include a glass of wine. The menu will be Winter Vegetable Soup, a choice of cold lemon chicken or cold baked salmon served with jacket potatoes and salad, followed by Fruit Crumble. Book your tickets after tomorrow morning's service!

Harvest Celebrations - Tomorrow - 26th September 2010

10.00am Parish Eucharist when we will be giving money as our harvest thanksgiving towards Mildmay, the organisation that works to treat those with HIV/Aids and carries out research into the disease.

4.00pm Organ Recital given by Andrew Scott. There will be tea afterwards and a retiring collection also going towards Mildmay.

Jesus through Art - 22nd September 2010

Our new Study Group focusing on Jesus through Art will commence on Wednesday 22^nd September at 2.30 pm. For more information, please contact the Vicar. This promises to be an exciting and stimulating series.

Harvest Celebrations on the Organ

26th September 2010, 4.00pm, Andrew Scott will be returning to give this Harvest recital. There will be a retiring collection in support of the Mildmay HIV-AIDS Hospice which is about to undergo a major rebuilding programme. More details of this will be available in the October Parish Magazine.

Organ Recital - 15th August 2010

Sunday 15th August, 4.00pm, Anthony Caldicott will be given an organ recital in celebration of the festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A reception will follow in the church grounds. Retiring collection will be in aid of Mildmay, a specialist charity helping those suffering from HIV+ AIDS.

Sunday Club tea - 18th July 2010

Members of the Sunday Club invite you to tea at 4.00pm in the church grounds this coming Sunday - 18th July 2010. Do come along and support the younger members of our church and enjoy some tea and cake!

Sea Sunday - 11th July 2010

Sea Sunday - 11th July 2010 - 10am Eucharist will mark this day when we remember all those who work at sea, often in difficult circumstances, and the work of the Mission to Seafarers in supporting them. Find out more about this important work on the Mission's website.

Poetry & Pimms success!

Our Poetry & Pimms event last Sunday was a great success and raised at least £160 towards church funds. Thanks to all who contributed to this event.

Poetry & Pimms - 4th July

Poetry and Pimms - with a transatlantic flavor! Sunday 4th July, 4pm in the Church. A celebration of American literature, music, freedom and independence followed by a glug of something summery! Do join us. £5.00.

June Parish Magazine

June Parish Magazine now available! Read Fr Raymond's letter here:

Having been through a lengthy narration of John’s prosaic account of the passion and resurrection appearances of Jesus we now return to St. Luke’s vibrant and authoritative version of the Jesus story.

Luke, throughout his account, shows Jesus as the one to whom the ‘outcasts’ –the causalities of society - were drawn. There are many accounts of encounters and healings, which are simply omitted from the other gospels.

Luke has sympathy with those who feel neglected and cast aside by mainstream religion. Religiosity was rife whereas faith was less evident within the established religion. Jesus is seen to go out of his way to be with those who longed to see him and come closer to God.

Most of those that Jesus healed in one way or another remain anonymous which allows us to place ourselves in their position. This is good writing where we have to think and role-play ourselves and exercise our mind.

Luke also sees Jesus not only as Son of God, the living God, but also as the Saviour of the world and Son of Man. His account makes a good summer read. Try it.

Ascension Day - Thursday 13th May

8.oopm on Thursday evening we will be holding our Ascension Day eucharist. Join us to celebrate this important day in the church's year and to mark the official end of the Easter season. There will be a reception following the service - in the grounds if the weather permits and isn't too chilly!

Easter 6 - Sunday 9th May

Parish Eucharist at 10am as the season of Easter continues. Our reading from Acts chapter 16 follows Paul to Macedonia and the baptism of Lydia.

May Parish Magazine

May edition of the Parish Magazine - now available! Fr. Raymond's letter looks to the future:

Bishop Richard wore dusty pink and cream, the other bishops donned apricot and cream. Prebendaries arrayed in crimson and gold – a lovely sight to behold under the dome of the cathedral. Clergy arrayed in cassock and surplice with an assortment of starry stoles and fine lace. Amid all this ‘pomp’ Bishop Richard’s homily to us Priests was stimulating and encouraging. This was the Sung Eucharist and Blessing of Oils at the cathedral church of Saint Paul on Maundy Thursday.

Reminding us of Jesus divesting himself of his garments at that final meal, he began to wash the disciples feet – an example to us all. He did not wash the multitude’s feet, only those close to him. And we too need to support and encourage one another if we are to continue the work that Jesus has called us to. We have a vision and a commitment to serve. Of course this is a call to the Christian church also.

The task facing the London Church is enormous, yet we are confident in moving forward. We need the support and love of our colleagues and congregations in order that together we may share the gospel message and in ways which are appropriate to the communities we minister to.

This is true for us at St. Stephen’s – a fresh vision and understanding of the years ahead. We must ensure that the church does not become a relic of past memories but an ensign to the living Spirit of God working through us NOW. We can no longer expect people to ‘come in and join us’, rather, we need to meet them where they are. Again this was demonstrated with the enormous success of the Residents Concert last month.

We need to find new ways, new expressions of our faith yet ensuring the integrity of Christian worship is not compromised. Come and join us as we forge ahead.

Residents' Association fund raiser success

Concert Success - The recent concert held in church and organised by the St Stephen's Road Residents' Association was a huge success. A packed church, varied programme of music and poetry, led to a grand total of £800 being raised towards the refurbishment of the church porch. Congratulations to all involved who made this such a success.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of St Stephen's Parish Church will take place tomorrow, Sunday 11th April, at the end of the Parish Eucharist service. Please be there to help ensure the smooth running of the church for another year.

Flower Festival - St Mary's Convent, Chiswick

St Stephen's is delighted to be supporting this weekend's Flower Festival at St. Mary's Convent in Chiswick which marks the 150th anniversary of its foundation.

Easter Sunday

Easter Day
‘may the light of Christ, rising in glory
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds’.

The Parish Eucharist at 10.00 amMusic, readings, homily and the lighting of the Easter Candle

As we ponder on many of the great works of art this Eastertide we are taken back to the beginning of our faith – the moment when the power of darkness and sin is broken down; this Christ has conquered all and invites us forward into a new world.

This is demonstrated clearly with a Piero della Francesca mural where he has chosen subtle colours to reflect the warmth and beauty of this event. The risen Christ steps out into our time and space and gazes at us motivating us into thought and question. His torso is alive and vibrant; his face framed by the glow of daybreak.

In the foreground soldiers represent a sleeping world unaware of the unparalleled nature of this moment. Being un-helmeted they emphasise that this Christ emerging from the sarcophagus is indeed ‘Lord of a Kingdom not of this world’. Piero is a supreme master and appears to infuse his work with spirituality, which is infectious.

We are invited to be part of this now risen and Lord of all. Easter is about new birth and a journey that we can all join at any time.

Do join us at our Easter Eucharist and continue the journey of faith throughout your daily life.

Passiontide and Palm Sunday

Passion Sunday - 21st March when our thoughts begin to turn towards Jesus' final days. Our crosses in church will be covered. Join us for Parish Eucharist at 10.00am.

Palm Sunday - 28th March - our Parish Eucharist at 10.00am will begin traditionally with a parade of palms around the church grounds as we sing 'All Glory Laud and Honour'. The sermon will be replaced by the narrative reading of the Passion from Luke's gospel.

Lent Reflection

Tuesday 23rd March, 8.00pm at St Stephen's. Churches Together will be holding a joint service of reflection and contemplation for this Lenten season.

Mothering Sunday

Parish Eucharist tomorrow (14th March) at 10.00am when we will be celebrating our mother Church.

Lent Meeting - Tuesday 9th March

For our Lenten Study this year, we are joining together with other churches in Hounslow for two meetings. The first is this coming Tuesday, 9th March, at 8.00pm when we are meeting at St Mary the Virgin on Worton Road.

The second meeting will be a joint service of reflection to be held at St Stephen's on Tuesday 23rd March also at 8.00pm.

March 2010 Parish Magazine

The March 2010 edition of our Parish Magazine is now available. This month's Vicar's Letter focuses on Charles Darwin:

The journey of the young Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle during the years 1831-36, is one of the best known and most neatly mythologised episodes in the history of science. During this voyage of the Beagle, he reflected upon the various cultures, peoples, politics that he encountered as well as science. As a seasoned naturalist and weary of travel he sailed home a changed man.

As a young intellectual he had a yearning to engage in profitable discussion and debate. To seek to understand mankind and the world in which he lived. He had grown up as a scholar and an Anglican, and earlier had considered taking orders. However, although he believed in God, he was unable to accept the opening chapters of the biblical narrative as being true. For him there was an impenetrable gulf. He truly believed in free speech and sought to encourage Christians to think through their faith in an intelligent way, rather than merely accept what the ‘bible’ stated. Much of those early chapters of Genesis, seen as ‘mythological’ seek to describe the incomprehensible. Indeed within most civilizations there is a form of Creation narrative.

Darwin saw his quest not to discredit Christians but to encourage them to think through their faith in order to give an intelligent answer to those who question. Evolution and Creation are not different ways of interpreting the phenomena of ‘beginnings’, rather two aspects of a process of creating life. Whilst our ancestors were primitive wanderers, humanity was created as a different species from the animal kingdom.

I have no problem with seeing Darwin’s theory fitting into the creation narrative as recorded in scripture. And I do not believe that Darwin intended his thoughts to encourage atheism, rather to be a catalyst for discussion and to rejoice in the rich diversity of our life.

And in the end we believe in a God who cares and sustains life in all its richness.

Lent 1

Parish Eucharist at 10.00am tomorrow (Sunday 21st Feb). First Sunday in Lent.

Imposition of Ashes

Last year's palm crosses are burnt to create ash for this year's Ash Wednesday service to enable the Imposition of Ashes. This is when your forehead is marked with the sign of the cross in ash.

Ash Wednesday - 17th February 2010

Ash Wednesday - Parish Eucharist at 10.00am with the Imposition of Ashes for those who wish to receive them. Join us to mark the start of the Lent season.

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday today - why not try the pancake receipe in the February edition of our Parish Magazine?

Palms for Lent

Palm Crosses - Don't forget to bring them back so that we can burn them ready for Ash Wednesday.

Welcome!

Welcome to St Stephen's Church, Hounslow. We are part of the Church of England and are an Inclusive Congregation worshipping in a traditional form. We hope to use this blog to publicise our services and events and to show that the church is thriving in Hounslow.