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.