Category: Pew Sheet

Evangelism, It’s not a dirty word. 

I’m sure that at times you get sick to the back teeth of me going on about evangelism. Or rather, you get sick of me writing, preaching and teaching telling you to go out and tell people about Jesus. 

We pray that more people will come to know Him every day at mass, but we also have to DO it. Pray, then do – that’s how we build the church and in doing so build Christ’s body here on earth. 

I know that talking to people about Jesus can be tough. People don’t want to hear it. They’re quite happy to sit and gossip with you about Doreen down the road who hasn’t washed her front step for two weeks or some other social misdemeanour, but to sit and talk about their eternal life is just a step too far. 

Why? Well because whilst Jesus calls us as we are – exactly as we are – as we get to know Him we are drawn into a relationship that compels us to become more like Him, rather than more like us… and who wants to be told that!?

We are called to change. It’s not a case of being told that what we are doing or how we are living is wrong, it’s a case of discovering that there’s a much, much better way of living and that a life lived following Jesus is a life that results in an eternal life beyond imagining. A life that lifts us from whatever the world throws at us and raises our gaze heavenwards.

So try to talk to some friends about Jesus this week, be like St. Luke the Evangelist. A disciple of Jesus who called people to Him by showing them the amazing life that awaited them. 

Fr. Matthew

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Did you know you can support the parish by giving via Direct Debit? It’s super easy to set up and you can control it over the phone or via the website. It has a HUGE upside for the church as it means we automatically collect the Gift Aid on it (at no cost or fuss to you, the money comes direct from the Government). There are currently only 4 of us set up for Parish Giving but that brought in over £600 in additional Gift Aid last year, imagine if we were all doing this!

You can set it up by calling 0333 002 1271 and giving them our Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503 

Envelopes are still also available – please do speak to David if you don’t have a giving envelope and would like to help fund our mission.

We’re currently planning services for Christmas, if you have any requests or ideas please do speak to Susan, Fr. Matthew or Fr. Josiah. 

Morning Prayer & Mass return to their usual times this week and streaming of those services resumes. 

We have a new Priest!

What a joy it is to be growing. 

Last Sunday – as many of you who were here will be aware – Bishop Jonathan Licensed our new Mission Priest, Fr. Josiah.

It was a joyous event and I feel draws to a close just over two years of hard work in the parish by everyone to get us on the right path.

Two years ago we could’t pay our electricity bill. We couldn’t afford to put the heating on and the church was to all intents and purposes closed, open for only a few hours on a Sunday.

Now, the church is open every single day, we can pay our bills and our growth and the love of Christ is so strong here that we’ve been sent a helper for the harvest.

The mission now is to explode out of St. Anselm and into the parish. To fulfil the mission Jesus himself gave to us, to reach out to those who need His love the most – the sinners and most broken of Hayes.

This will mean more hard work, it will mean feeling uncomfortable, it will mean reaching deep and providing the resources to make things happen. 

It will mean more love, more labour in the fields, more generosity… but, the rewards in Heaven will be worth it!

Fr. Matthew

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Did you know you can support the parish by giving via Direct Debit? It’s super easy to set up and you can control it over the phone or via the website. It has a HUGE upside for the church as it means we automatically collect the Gift Aid on it (at no cost or fuss to you, the money comes direct from the Government). There are currently only 4 of us set up for Parish Giving but that brought in over £600 in additional Gift Aid last year, imagine if we were all doing this!

You can set it up by calling 0333 002 1271 and giving them our Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503 

Envelopes are still also available – please do speak to David if you don’t have a giving envelope and would like to help fund our mission.

We’re currently planning services for Christmas, if you have any requests or ideas please do speak to Susan, Fr. Matthew or Fr. Josiah. 

Morning Prayer & Mass will not be streamed this week – Evening Prayer will be available online as usual. 

Welcome! This week we welcome Fr. Josiah and his wonderful family.

It is a rare thing to be able to welcome a new Priest into a parish – never mind a parish that already has a Priest!

But the Hillingdon Deanery, the Diocese of London and the people of this parish have worked hard to build on the tiny flame of hope and love that they see burning in Hayes. Fr. Josiah (and additional cash investment) is our attempt at fanning that tiny flame into a burning inferno. 

Fr. Josiah will join Susan, myself and you in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in Hayes – in word and in deed. 

He will enable us to work and concentrate in specific areas of need – like the Red Brick Estate – and to show people that there is a home for them here at St. Anselm’s. 

He will bring a new perspective, new energy, and new ideas. We must be ready to listen to him and what the Holy Spirit is saying through him.

We must be ready to be challenged.

You’ll see changes to the daily and weekly schedule in the coming weeks (the most obvious being the launch of our weekly 8am BCP Mass). So take a fresh look at how you engage with church and listen afresh to God and what He is calling you to.

Fr. Matthew

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No 10am Parish Mass this Sunday as we will be coming together at 4pm to celebrate and welcome our new Priest!

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan & Bishop Lusa. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to provide food and help.

This Sunday we start a new 8am Book of Common Prayer Mass. It’s a beautiful spoken service with no hymns – just the beautiful language and prayer of the Prayer Book. We’ll be looking to make this a regular service (along with Evening Prayer & Benediction) as Fr. Josiah gets more settled.

With our new organist starting we need to look to our giving.  Strictly speaking we can’t afford Alexander, but we step out in faith and I know that you will look to increase your weekly giving to enjoy his amazing music here at St. Anselm. A small increase of £2.50 will enable us to continue to have live music on a Sunday morning.

Rooted in the parish, in scripture & sacrament and a love of proclaiming Christ.

When I first arrived in the parish just over two years ago it was clear that we needed to focus on the most important things in our life as a community of Christians. 

I told you that we should be rooted in the parish, rooted in scripture & sacrament and rooted in a love of proclaiming Christ.

As we have journeyed together we have kept to this simple vision and everything we have done has been rooted in either parish, scripture & sacrament or evangelism. 

Through these very simple things we have seen our congregation grow – quite significantly over COVID – then shrink as the omicron variant came for us – and now grow again as we step out in faith once more.

We have attracted new people not because we have a new flashy building or because have new flashing initiates or a new flashy Priest! 

No, we have grown because we have kept to the simple love of Christ around us, concentrated on the parish, concentrated on our bibles & our daily prayers and mass and concentrated on simply telling people how amazing a relationship with Jesus is. 

As we step forward into the next phase of our life together, as we welcome a second Priest and look to the future we must not lose site of these simple truths.

We are a growing and loving family of Christians who care for one another and those around us because Jesus calls us to do so. It’s that simple.

Fr. Matthew

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Next Sunday there will be no 10am Mass in order to give you an opportunity to come to the 4pm Evening Prayer & Benediction service for Fr. Josiah. There will be an 8am BCP Mass in the Lady Chapel.

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan. I’d like to throw a huge party for him afterwards – Can you please sign up to help provide food on the sheet at the back of church or let Fr. Matthew or Susan know what you can do to help.

Please make sure you’ve given Susan your photo and a short description of who you are for the book she is preparing for Fr. Josiah. 

With our new organist starting we need to look to our giving.  Strictly speaking we can’t afford Alexander, but we step out in faith and I know that you will look to increase your weekly giving to enjoy his amazing music here at St. Anselm. A small increase of £2.50 will enable us to continue to have live music on a Sunday morning.

Keep an eye on weekday services this week as they’ve moved around a little.

Death claims us all. But has no power over us.

It has been a very difficult week for many.

Our Queen has died and that seemed impossible. Her Majesty had somehow claimed immortal status in many of our minds. So her death has caused shock and a great sense of sadness and loss. 

I have seen it in the hundreds of people who have come into church this week to light a candle, say a prayer and watch the live stream of Her Majesty lying in state in Westminster Hall. 

For many it has reminded us that death is a reality that none of us can avoid. 

As a great wit once said, ‘there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes’!

But the thing about the reality of death is that as Christians we know – for certain – that it has no power over us. 

Yes we will leave this earthly life, but in doing so we will make our way to the heavenly life (we pray).

That is why it is so vital that we pray for the souls of the dead. 

We pray that when they face the final judgment they will be held in the infinite mercy of God our Father and enter His kingdom.

Her Majesty may have left this kingdom, but an even greater one awaits.

Death, hopelessness, despair – they all share the same root – BUT – we destroy them, they have no power over us because we believe in Jesus Christ and in Him we are saved.

Fr. Matthew

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Alexander will be returning to church this Sunday (and indeed for the coming Sundays) as our new organist. Please do make him feel welcome and get those singing voices in tune!

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan. I’d like to throw a huge party for him afterwards – Can you please sign up to help provide food on the sheet at the back of church or let Fr. Matthew or Susan know what you can do to help.

With our new organist starting we need to look to our giving.  Strictly speaking we can’t afford Alexander, but we step out in faith and I know that you will look to increase your weekly giving to enjoy his amazing music here at St. Anselm. A small increase of £2.50 will enable us to continue to have live music on a Sunday morning. 

A special mass following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Following the heartbreaking news of the death of our dear Lady Queen Elizabeth II our service this Sunday will be a special Holy Communion remembering her life and work, her dedication and service and above all things – her faith.

We will hold her and her family before Almighty God and pray for peace and comfort.

We are happy that an organist will be with us and we will be able to celebrate together with live music. Please do make a special effort to attend in person.

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We will be welcoming Alexander to church this Sunday. He is coming to play the organ and see if this may be somewhere he’d like to play more regularly. I know we’ll give him a wonderful welcome.

A message from +Jonathan:

The sung mass for Holy Cross Day at St Andrew Holborn on Wednesday 14^th September will be replaced by a Sung Mass of Requiem; you are all warmly invited to join me and to bring any of your congregations who may wish to attend. Refreshments will be simple.

Please note Rosary will be on Thursday evening this week.  

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan. I’d like to throw a huge party for him afterwards – can you please let me know if you’d like to help organise it – it would be great to have a huge spread and make him and his family feel really really welcome. 

Back to school.

We work from rest, not rest from work.

Earlier this week I went to St. Edmund’s to pick up some crates of food for our foodbank. St. Edmund’s have always been huge supporters of our church larder and foodbank and without them we’d really struggle. 

Week in week out I meet with Fr. Peter and he, Edmund, and I load food into the back of the car and bring it into church for those most in need.

I really enjoy my visits – not just because of the brilliant help and support Fr. Peter offers but because each time I go he always has something profound and helpful to say.

This week I was talking about how restful we’ve found August and that the reduced service times have really allowed for a time of rest and reset and has sparked all sorts of new ideas for the next term.

He nodded sagely (as he always does) and reminded me that we work from rest, and we should not simply rest from work.

Humans were created on the sixth day and on the seventh God rested. The first day of our week is a day of rest – not a day of work.

So, as I look to the next term and the exciting times ahead (Fr. Josiah joining us, our first church plant out into the community, a new coffee stand open during the week, the renewal and re-planting of our outdoor space, parent and toddler group 2.0… to name just a few) I am encouraged and refreshed – and I hope that you feel the same too. 

Find some time as the children return to school for some peace and be ready for this next exciting phase at St. Anselm.

Fr. Matthew

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We are very grateful for the continued support of St. Edmund’s and the Southall West Sai Centre with the foodbank. As Autumn and Winter appear the demand is expected to rise and now is the time to build up stock for the most in need.

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan. I’d like to throw a huge party for him afterwards – can you please let me know if you’d like to help organise it – it would be great to have a huge spread and make him and his family fell really really welcome. 

We return to a more usual patter of worship this week with Mass each day, a return of evening prayer & rosary and Tuesday evening prayer. Our online streaming schedule also returns to normal. 

The prayer list has been refreshed this week, if you’ve spotted someone who should be on it, or someone who can come off it, please speak to Susan. 

St. Monica

Sometimes praying for one person to come to know Jesus is the most powerful prayer there is.

As I sit to write this weeks newsletter we celebrate the life and work of St. Monica. She is one of the lesser know saints – which is a huge shame because the example of her life and her prayers are vital to our understanding of what being a christian is all about.

She was born in Africa to a Christian family and married quite young to non-Christian family. She retained her faith and had several children. One of those children was called Augustine. 

Augustine was a very intelligent child, but as he grew his morals came more from his father than his mother. He was… shall we say… wayward. 

Monica watched her son and cried for him. Through those tears she prayed that her son would come to know Jesus and would leave his wayward life behind. 

She didn’t just pray for a short while. She didn’t pray for him during lent or advent. She didn’t offer a novena for him. She prayed for him each and every day, several times a day every day of his life.

Shortly before she died Augustine came to her and offered himself to Jesus. He converted to Christianity on her deathbed and in that moment her prayers were answered. 

Thanks to her unceasing prayer for the conversion of one man The Church was given one of its greatest thinkers, theologians and apologists. Without her love for her son and her faith in prayer we would be so much poorer. 

Who are you praying for?

Fr. Matthew.

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Thanks to everyone who helped with the parish BBQ. We had a lovely afternoon with much food consumed, much conversation, and lots of fun. We’re looking forward to the next one, perhaps a harvest supper?

The prayer list will be refreshed for next Sunday. If you’d like someone to stay on the list or someone you’d like to add, please speak to Susan.

We are very short of plastic bags / paper bags for the foodbank. Can you please bring some in on Sunday. Thank you.

2nd October at 4pm – we will be licensing and commissioning Fr. Josiah into St. Anselm at a special service of Evening Prayer & Benediction with Bishop Jonathan. I’d like to throw a huge party for him afterwards – can you please let me know if you’d like to help organise it – it would be great to have a huge spread and make him and his family feel really really welcome. 

We continue in our light August model as we take a breath ahead of a new term next week. We’ll return to the normal timetable next week alongside the standard streaming schedule. 

St Bartholomew the Apostle. 

When you’re a Priest people always turn to you at that moment in a pub quiz when a question about the bible or history comes up.

Inevitably you have to come up with how many books are in the bible (73 including the apocrypha – but the answer every quiz master wants to hear is 66). Or, you have to list the Disciples in alphabetical order… and that always brings me to St. Bartholomew because I always, without fail, forget him.

I’m not sure why because he was a remarkable man and died a remarkable death in service to the Gospel. 

After the Resurrection and Ascension (which he witnessed) Bartholomew travelled to India and Armenia – where he is credited with bringing Christianity in the 1st Century. 

He wasn’t welcome and ultimately met his death by being skinned alive – and for good measure – beheaded.

St. Bartholomew was a man who travelled widely and taught the faith – there are multiple early writings from India and Armenia from non Christians that tell his story and how diligently he worked to tell people about what he had been taught and what he had seen with his friend and saviour, Jesus.

It always leaves me feeling a little ashamed. I wonder how far I would really go to teach and bring people to Jesus. 

Fortunately it’s not a question I’ve had to answer, but there are so many Christians around the world who do – particularly in India and Armenia. 

I think I need to put more effort into remembering this remarkable Saint and imitating his witness.

Fr. Matthew

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Parish BBQ at the vicarage – this Saturday (20th August) 4pm-7pm. There’ll be burgers and sausages available, please do bring something to drink and a deck chair. Everyone is very welcome indeed. 

Anthony is with us this Sunday! Come and join in with some wonderful hymns – all chosen by you. A nice little note… it was this Sunday last year that Anthony joined us for the first time.

We are very short of plastic bags / paper bags for the foodbank. Can you please bring some in on Sunday. Thank you.

We continue in our light August model as we take a breath ahead of a new term in September.

The Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary 

This Sunday is a very special day indeed. We celebrate the solemnity (a feast day of the highest rank) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the day on which she was bodily taken up into heaven.

In the eastern church this feast is celebrated as the ‘Dormition of the Theotokos’ – the ‘falling asleep of the mother of God’ – which I think is a beautiful way to describe it.

In the western church we teach that Mary was taken fully up into Heaven and that her body was not corrupted by death.

“Having completed the course of her earthly life, [she] was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” 

This teaching is connected with our understanding of Mary as the second Eve. This running parallel to the teaching of Jesus as the second Adam. 

This is the final part of the four-fold teaching on Mary that we hold.

1 – Mary was the Mother of God (Theotokos).

2 – Mary had an immaculate conception.

3 – Mary had perpetual virginity. 

4 – Mary was assumed into Heaven.

These ‘dogmas’ (teachings revealed to the Church by God) form the basis of our veneration of Our Lady. 

We set Mary aside as special because only she can fully comprehend what a relationship with Jesus as fully man, and fully God entails. Through her example we can find a way to deepen and further our own relationship with God.

Mary is special because she takes us to her Son in all things. Ask Her for support when your faith is feeling thin.

Fr. Matthew 

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Parish BBQ at the vicarage – this Saturday (20th August) 4pm-7pm. There’ll be burgers and sausages available, please do bring something to drink and a deck chair. Everyone is very welcome indeed. 

We are very short of plastic bags / paper bags for the foodbank. Can you please bring some in on Sunday. Thank you.

We continue in our light August model as we take a breath ahead of a new term in September.

Next Sunday (21st) Anthony will be with us again playing the organ, if you’ve got a favourite hymn you’d like to request now is the time to do so!