The G46 Scouts meet on Friday evenings, in their HQ behind the Church Hall. For further details, please see the attachment below.
Family Communion for the Baptism of Christ: celebrant the Revd Tola Badejo.
First reading: Isaiah 42. 1–9
Gospel: Matthew 3. 13–17
The Baptism of Christ is depicted in our own lovely West window, which illuminates the font (see attached file). In times when visual depictions of biblical stories were the main way people received them, the Baptism seems to have been an immensely popular subject: the image above was painted around 1500 by the anonymous artist known as the Master of the St Bartholomew Altarpiece.
After the excitement of Christmas and Epiphany, it is easy to overlook the importance of the Baptism. In Mark's Gospel it comes almost at the beginning, because it represents the start of Christ's earthly ministry and the pivotal point between prophecy and the fulfilment of prophecy. Matthew's is the most detailed account, including a brief dialogue between John and Jesus in which John questions Jesus's need for baptism, and Jesus answers 'to fulfil all righteousness'. These words open up one of the many ways in which we can understand the Baptism: just as a devout Jew would have purified himself before bringing a sacrifice to the Temple, so must Jesus, as the Lamb of God, undergo a ritual of purification before he offers himself as the sacrifice.
'Fireflies', our Sunday evening youth club, is suitable for young people in school year 6 and above. All in that age group are very welcome.
Normally fortnightly during term time - Sunday 25 January is the date of our children and young people's party.
The Cub and Beaver sections of our G46 Scout Group meet on Tuesday evenings: for details, please see the attachment below. The Group's HQ is behind the Church Hall.
In Junior Church we aim to provide fun, faith-centred activities for primary school age children, while 'older' young people help with leadership. Junior Church generally takes place on alternate Sundays during school terms; the young people join us in church for Communion and share some of their activities with the congregation before the Blessing and Dismissal.
