At our Patronal Festival, on 11th June, we commemorated our Patron Saint Barnabas, and celebrated Father William Obedoza's 10th Anniversary as Parish Priest / Vicar of the Parish of Woodford Green, and his 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood. The Patronal Mass was followed by Barbecue in the Quiet Garden and concluded by Benediction in the Church. It was a blessed and lovely day of thanksgiving and celebrations. The Preacher and Concelebrant was Fr Reg Bushau SSC, and Fr David Simpson Vicar of St Edward the Confessor Romford served as Deacon. In attendance were the Philippine Embassy Consul Ana Marie L. Hernando, the Deputy Lieutenant Chan and his wife, and the Deputy Mayor of Redbridge and her Consort. Members of the congregation presented their Vicar with a big handmade card signed by them with the drawing of the Parish Church by the late Peter Luscombe. Father William was touched by the attention to details like the Anniversary Cake decorated with well-crafted flags of the Philippines (the country of his origin) and the UK. Thank you very much to all who have contributed and worked so hard to make the event a great success to the glory of God.
The Quiet Garden of St Barnabas Church Woodford was inspired by the Quiet Garden Movement core values of Hospitality, Reflection and Re-Connection with the Healing powers of Nature. The Lord Jesus used to withdraw to natural places to pray and invited his disciples to "go to a quiet place and rest (Mark 6:31).St Barnabas' Quiet Garden was created out of a derelict site next to the Church Hall. For many years the site, albeit out of view, was an ‘eyesore’ filled with weeds and rubbish. No one visited the site save for a colony of wasps and the occasional vagrant.In 2018 the Parochial Church Council agreed to transform the site into a proper garden for local people to enjoy. Inspired by the Quiet Garden Movement core values, it was decided that a Quiet Garden should be created for outreach and spiritual well-being purposes. In May 2019, work started on clearing the thick undergrowth and pests, landscaping, re-turfing and planting plants attractive to wildlife.
