Dear Friends
Sing, Dance, and Act!
Let’s get behind Sing, Dance, and Act!, a creative and new event (for St Nicolas), in prayer. Making use of her gifts and prior experience, as well as those of a friend, Helena, Charlotte is offering this event to those who may enjoy a Musical Theatre experience but who may not be able to afford the more usual prices for this type of event. Of course, being in a church and offered by the church, it will include a faith-based reflection at the end.
Mission: How can we be ambitious with the gospel?
This Sunday we come to the final sermon in our series of sermons from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. This week we’ll consider how, although we may not believe ourselves called to be an evangelist like Paul, we can nevertheless show genuine love, hospitality and care to the people God puts in our lives and pray for opportunities. Please do take time to read Paul’s letter, in particular chapters 15 and 16 which provide the wider context for this Sunday’s sermon. If you happen to miss a Sunday in church, a recording of the sermon from the previous Sunday 10 o’clock service is available online along with the Bible readings, intercessions and any special items.
Increasing our capacity to take forward the mission of the church (Church Development Plan Priority 3)
The first Specific Action Point of Priority 3 of our Church Development Plan is “To take a good look at everything we do with a view to prioritising the ministries most critical to our mission.” Concerning progress to date, Amanda Rowloand writes, “The groundwork for this action point has now been completed. This involved a consideration of all our activities and lots of conversation. It is plain that if we wish to continue as we are then there is little or no scope to ‘take anything away’. Rather, many of the areas we regard as critical to our mission are under-resourced, and so it is more a question of those with the appropriate gifts coming forward to serve in those areas.”
Announcing our new Outward Giving Charities
Every four years we review the mission organisations we support. As the current season ends on 31 December, we have reviewed which charities we’ll support in the period 2026-29. And so for the coming season, the charities we’ll support are:
We will not only donate to these organisations, but will pray for them regularly, post news on the church noticeboard, and invite speakers to tell us more about their work. Each charity requires two links. As we still have vacancies for some of the links, please contact Gill Caldwell (gill.caldwell@stnicolasbookham.org.uk) if you would be willing to help.
Keeping up to date
Our weekly notice sheet is available online (click here) and in church. Our November magazine is also now available, both online (click here) and in church.
And finally…
As part of my ongoing training and development as a Training Incumbent, I was enriched yesterday morning by a session led by Bishop Peter Hancock on the subject of ‘The Prayer Life of the Leader’. I found the following particularly thought-provoking:
Your prayer is therefore not so much a duty as a privilege,
a gift rather than a problem or the result of your own efforts.
So don't tire yourself out looking for beautiful thoughts or words,
but stay attentive before God in humility and expectation,
in desire and purity of heart, full of joy and hope.
Your prayer will take countless forms
because it is the echo of your life,
and a reflection of the inexhaustible light in which God dwells.
(From the Rule for a New Brother, Brakkenstein Community of Blessed Sacrament Fathers, Holland. Translated by the Benedictine nuns of Cockfosters.)
Wishing you much joy and peace.
Alan
Alan Jenkins
Rector
