11th December: Christmas Celebration 19th December: Christmas Messy Church 24th December: Children’s Nativity 18th February: Quiz Evening

Newsletter of Bromley Common Methodist Church

Bromley Common Methodist Church, Bloomfield Road, Bromley BR2 9RZ Minister: Revd. Alex Terrett, tel: 020 3237 1084 Website: www.bcmc.org.uk

Editors: Christine Bate and Andrew Dykes Email: cgeditor@bcmc.org.uk

Special Days

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Christmas as you get older seems to be constantly upon us, we seem to spend all year deciding what we will buy who, where we’ll eat Christmas dinner and particularly over the past few weeks, who bought their Christmas cards the earliest. This year much to my surprise and I think a few others, I am getting married! Kevin proposed during the summer and when we arrived home from holiday we decided that the invitations should go out sooner, rather than later. On the bottom of the card were the four letters RSVP. Those four letters ask people to

indicate their acceptance of the invitation or otherwise. It’s, I suppose, a polite way of saying don’t put the invitation away and forget about it, or delay the reply until the last minute, but respond as soon as possible. RSVP maybe should be included in our Christmas story and celebration. Mary was asked to respond to God’s message brought by Gabriel, she responded swiftly and totally saying ‘I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me just as you say.’ Next was Joseph, who was challenged to think again about breaking off his engagement and his response was equally fast, ‘After waking from his sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had instructed, taking Mary as his wife.’ Then it was the shepherds: told that a saviour had been born in Bethlehem, they too got up and moved quickly ‘they made haste and found Mary and Joseph and with them the baby lying in a manger.’ And finally there were the wise men, seeing the star in the East and immediately following it. ‘They knelt down and paid him homage. Then opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.’ Sometimes I wonder if we know the story so well that we almost take it for granted, instead of being amazed that God sent his only son to save us all.

The coming of Christ on that first Christmas was an invitation that called the people to respond and it is an invitation that God continues to extend today - to you, to me, to everyone. It’s no good just receiving that invite and putting it away in a draw somewhere, it’s no good thinking we can put off a decision until some other time, for God is asking you as he’s asked so many all those years ago and has asked so many since: RSVP. Alex

Please note that Alex will not normally be available on Fridays.

Should you require a Minister during this time,

please contact Rev. David Gillman on 01689 825129,

or our Senior Steward, Monica Killpack, on 01689 857490.

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Our Bubbles Group and the

Bumps & Babies Group will

have their Christmas

parties on 12th December

and then take a break until

Monday 16th January.

Just a reminder: Bubbles

(for toddlers and their carers) meets on Mondays from

10am to 12 noon. Bumps & Babies (for pregnant mums and carers with pre-walking babies) meets on Mondays from 10am to 11.15am.

We wish you all a happy Christmas and look forward

to seeing you in the New Year.

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We returned after a lovely summer break when we welcomed a new member Arin and his family. The first week back we talked about our holidays and how they were all different. We made our own travel brochure. We made sea shakers which are a bit like rain sticks but sound like the sea. We spoke about the different types of accommodation from hotels, caravans, tents etc. We made suitcase bags in which we put "dressing dolls" to think about the clothes we would take with us. Whether they would be clothes for a summer holiday or a winter holiday. The section discussed what they liked to do on their holidays to keep them occupied, so we made a travel game of noughts and crosses. Finally, how do we remember holidays? The section made photo frames to put their photographs in. I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Sue, Penny, Alex and Ceri and my usual helpers Rebecca, Alex and Joe for stepping in whilst I enjoyed my holiday.

Over the next few weeks we will be doing our Christmas project of "Lights of Christmas" based on the book of Teddy Horsley, where he walks along the high street and sees all the decorations and lights, then enters a church and sees different lights. Of course, talking about the LIGHT of Christmas - Jesus. Then, ultimately, how Jesus wants us to shine too. This section is now reducing in size as we say good luck to some of the older children who are moving to the junior sections. They include: Rosie, Katie, Kitty, Maya, Izzie, Brodie, Annie, Phoebe and Arin. If you know of any young children who would like to join please let me know. As you can see this will make the Junior Girls Section double in size and Sue will really need some extra help. Two of the mums have agreed to help on an ad-hoc basis as and when they can. So if you can add your name to the list of helpers, we would be really grateful. We end our term with a trip to the Pavilion for a bowling session with all the groups together. Meanwhile, have a lovely Christmas and Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year. Maggie.

Dates for your diaries: Sunday 4 December Christmas Parade led by Bromley Common Brigades Thursday 15 December No BB/GB, due to bowling evening on 16th December Friday 16 December Bromley Common Brigades Bowling Evening Thursday/Friday 5/6 January BB/ GB Returns after Christmas Saturday 28 January Boys' Brigade Battalion Swimming Gala Saturday 18 February Friends of Brigades Quiz Evening

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The girls have now completed their Stewardship badge. This involved looking at what Stewardship means to us, being responsible and not spoiling or wasting the world God has given us. The first week we looked at recycling and the girls made outfits out of recycled newspaper and held a fashion show. I think we have one or two fashion designers in the making! We made sure that at the end of the evening all the paper was put back into the recycling bin.

While I was away on my travels Alex Terrett spent two Thursday evenings with the girls looking at the story of Adam and Eve which is the bible story linked to this badge. They made serpent prayers and finger puppets which I hope you had the opportunity to see on display at the Harvest Festival. Another week the girls made vegetable soup which was delicious. We talked about not wasting food and how you can use up leftovers, older or less attractive items in dishes like this. We also planted bulbs and talked about looking after them and their responsibility to look after the world.

The week before half term we held a Girls’ Brigade Bake Off. Most of you I am sure are familiar with the programme ‘The Great British Bake Off ‘ on television. The girls completed a technical bake making pizzas from scratch and a showstopper challenge to decorate a chocolate cake. They completed the challenges in pairs and their bakes were judged by our very own Mary Berry (Maggie Draper) and Paul Hollywood

(Joe Terrett). The eventual winners were Ruby and Victoria but all the girls did well and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Since Half Term the girls have joined with the Junior boys to make firework pictures with paint and glitter. I have never seen so much glitter, with most of it ending up on the floor! We also went outside and all the children had a sparkler to celebrate bonfire night. The following week they all made paper plate poppies which were displayed outside the front of the church on Remembrance Sunday. They also made paper leeks to remember those who died at the Aberfan disaster fifty years ago. Over the last few weeks of this term the girls will be starting their next badge, making Christmas bits and preparing for the Brigade Service on Sunday December 4th. We also hope to take all sections of the Brigade bowling during the last week of term.

Sue Luxford, GB Leader

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Gift Service and Parade

This takes place on Sunday 4th December. I hope as many boys, girls and parents can be present to support our young people who will be leading the service. During the service gifts of non-perishable food items will be collected. The gifts received during the service will be going to support the Bromley Food Bank. The items which they have the greatest need for at the moment are: pasta sauce, squash (small bottles), rice (500g), UHT milk (1 litre), deodorants, sugar, long life fruit juice, size 5/6 nappies and washing powder.

Activities All sections will be going bowling on the last meeting night before Christmas. This will be on Friday 16th December.

Brigades Quiz Night This will take place on Saturday 18th February, 2017. Why not get together with a group of friends to make a table, or come along and you would be welcome to join an existing table. The money raised during this evening will be split equally between the Brigades and the Cardiac Unit at Kings College Hospital. This is in recognition of the enormous support Graham Bate gave to the Brigades over many years.

John Bayes, Captain

Over the last few weeks we have been enjoying a varied program of badgework including making poppies for Remembrance Sunday, Firework artwork and everyone enjoyed a sparkler whilst learning the importance of firework safety. We have also learnt about the Aberfan disaster from 50 years ago. The boys are currently learning a recorder piece and will be preparing for the Christmas Parade over the next few weeks. Finally, the session will close with a Bowling night at Bromley Bowl on Friday 16 December.

Andy Butler | Leader brigades@bcmc.org.uk

Ready for

fencing during the

indoor camp on 8/9th October.

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Over the weekend of 8th and 9th October the Junior Section of the Boys' Brigade and n:gage of the Girls' Brigade enjoyed an indoor camp in the Church Hall. The main activity on Saturday was an opportunity for them to do some fencing. The session was led by Bromley Fencing Club Foil Coach, Mike Wilson (pictured right). He was a superb coach for our novices and having kitted them out in all the safety gear they all had the opportunity to 'travel', 'lunge', 'parry' and 'riposte'. After 2 hours of work, they were all very tired but they all participated in a mini competition and well done to Thomas (bronze), Shaunte (silver) and Victoria (gold). Once everyone was out of their kit it was time to start dinner. Cheese needed grating, apples needed peeling and the crumble mix was made from scratch with flour, sugar and butter. Everyone mucked in with the work and produced their own French bread pizza bread (starter) followed by cheesy pasta bake (main) followed by apple crumble and custard (pudding). After dinner we made fairy lanterns that glowed in the dark and did create a wonderful sight in the church. We then pitched all the tents indoors and got the roll mats and sleeping bags out with everyone in their PJ's to watch Despicable Me with popcorn and there was hot chocolate before bed! So it was everyone to bed by midnight - although some decided to talk through for a while longer before Mr Bayes' best teacher voice brought silence to the hall! Whilst John and I were on the floor, Sue and Ceri slept on the giant crash mat. I have to say the floor has never felt so hard... Sunday morning was a slower affair. The children prepared their reading for Church Parade (see photo right) and were ready, dressed in uniform before the congregation arrived (some of them even cleaned their teeth). My thanks to the breakfast ladies for a full cooked breakky that was very welcome. I believe all the children enjoyed the weekend and thanks to John, Sue and Ceri who were great throughout but especially Rebekkah who worked so hard on the Saturday.

Andy Butler

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Many thanks to those who have contributed towards the printing costs of ‘Common Ground’. Should you wish to contribute, please send a cheque (made out to Bromley Common Methodist Church) to The Editor at BCMC, Bloomfield Rd Bromley BR2 9RZ

Finance and Property Committee Report I have been asked to give a brief report for inclusion in the winter 2016 edition of Common Ground. For the year ended August 2016, income from weekly giving continued to gradually decrease and that of rental income increase. Expenditure is being closely monitored and we were able broadly to balance expenditure and income over the same period. In the last year, we have had new windows fitted in the lounge entirely funded by donations specific for this purpose. To maintain and improve our rental income, we need to smarten up the premises and, for financial reasons, this will involve working parties. Our first working party is scheduled to commence at 9.30am on Saturday 4th February 2017 for painting in the lounge. This is a good opportunity to assist the Church and if you are able to help in any way, please can you let Paul Smith or Andrew Dykes know. Even if you can spare only a few hours, this will contribute greatly. There are also some exciting changes in the pipeline which will provide opportunities for the congregation and those associated with the Church to use their skills for mutual benefit. We should be grateful for and thank our Treasurer Gordon Chapman, Property Steward Paul Smith and our Lettings Officer Lynn Curtis for all the hard work that they put in week after week. We are also grateful too for Graham Bate’s contribution to the committee’s work, including this report.

Mike Killpack, November 2016

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COME AND ENJOY BREAKFAST WITH US COME AND ENJOY BREAKFAST WITH US on the following Sunday mornings from on the following Sunday mornings from

9.30am before the all age or Parade services.9.30am before the all age or Parade services.

If you would like a hot cooked breakfast, please be at the church by 9.30am. If you prefer something lighter, you will be welcome at 9.30am, but we can also serve you if

you wish to come later. Cooked breakfast costs £1 per child and £2 per adult.

Everyone is welcome

Harvest Festival Service We celebrated our Harvest Festival on 9th October, with a joyous service led by our minister, Alex. This was also a Brigades annual enrolment service, and followed the Brigades overnight camp in the church hall and breakfast served in the hall for all those who wanted it. There was a good attendance at the service and a substantial number of gifts for the Bromley Borough Foodbank were donated. Thank you to all the groups and individuals who decorated the church for this service.

They included the Girls’ and Boys’ Brigades, the Thursday group, Bubbles Group and Badminton Group, as well as Connie Hawley, and Sheila Dykes. Some of the results are pictured here. All their efforts were greatly

appreciated and enhanced the service. Thank you, too, to all those who donated gifts for Foodbank.

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You will be welcome at any or all of our services held throughout

December in celebration of Advent and Christmas, as well as any

of our services held throughout the year.

Sunday 4th December at 10.30amSunday 4th December at 10.30amSunday 4th December at 10.30am This service will be led by the boys, girls and leaders of our Brigades. We have very creative people in our Brigades and this service is normally lively and good fun for all the family.

Sunday 11th December at 4pmSunday 11th December at 4pmSunday 11th December at 4pm This is a Carol service with a difference. Raglan Road Primary School Choir will be joining us to take part in this service.

Sunday 18th December at 10.30amSunday 18th December at 10.30amSunday 18th December at 10.30am Many people enjoy the traditional form of worship and this service is typical of the Nine Lessons and Carols services held in many other churches.

God never gives someone a gift they are not capable God never gives someone a gift they are not capable

of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas, it is of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas, it is

because we all have the ability to understand and because we all have the ability to understand and

receive it.receive it. Pope FrancisPope Francis

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Monday 19th December

from 4-6pm Come and Celebrate Christmas with us!

Messy Church provides hospitality and friendship through fun and food.

Messy Church exists for the whole family, young and old, to enjoy together. And with a Christmas theme, it’s sure to be a fun afternoon.

Saturday 24th December at 4.30pmSaturday 24th December at 4.30pmSaturday 24th December at 4.30pm This is a very informal service, where children enjoy dressing up to act out the story of the nativity. All ages Welcome!

Sunday 25th December at 10.30amSunday 25th December at 10.30amSunday 25th December at 10.30am Come and celebrate the birth of Jesus at our Christmas morning service. Bring along your Christmas presents to show, relax and enjoy.

Sunday 1st January 2017 at 10.30am Sunday 1st January 2017 at 10.30am Sunday 1st January 2017 at 10.30am A short, informal service to look forward to the New Year.

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Can you spot the eleven differences between the two pictures?

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Find all the words in the grid - up down and diagonally!

INN ANGEL

JOSEPH GIFT SON

WISE MEN GOD

JESUS FRANKINCENSE

MARY NATIVITY

GOLD MANGER STABLE MYRRH STRAW

ANIMALS STAR

DONKEY BETHLEHEM

Name that song answers: 1 Little Drummer

Boy 2 Silent Night 3 Let It Snow 4 Joy To The

World 5 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

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Badminton Club We are in need of a few more members. It is non-competitive and social: ability not important, regular attendance not necessary. We meet on Tuesday evenings in the church hall from 7.45pm to 9.30pm. If you are interested, please speak to Jackie Burton or myself. Mike Killpack

BIBLE STUDY GROUP meets on Mondays at 2.15pm

The Bible Study Group is a friendly group and and everyone is welcome to join. Please listen out for relevant dates given out during services.

This is the date for our next

Friends of Brigades Quiz Evening. As those of you who have attended previously will know, this is likely to be a relaxed and light-hearted evening. Jacket potatoes, cheese and chilli con carne will be served in the interval, along with soft drinks. The quiz will begin promptly at

7:30pm, so please start arriving from 7:15pm. Bring your own team or join one when you arrive. Tickets are £7 for adults and £5 for children— get yours from a Brigades Officer or on the door on the night. Half of the funds raised will go to the Brigades, the other half will be donated to Kings College Cardiac Unit in memory of Graham Bate, who gave enormous support to our Brigades over many years.

Let us look for Christ wherever we go Let us never stop seeking

Believing that there is a light that shines in the darkness

Which the darkness shall not overcome

And may the love of the Creator, the joy of the Spirit and the peace of the Christ-child

be with you this New Year, and evermore. Amen

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Well done to the members of our Thursday Group. They held a very successful coffee afternoon in September to raise funds for Macmillan Nurses. They made plenty of delicious cakes to go with the

coffee and tea and attracted a good attendance. It was a very happy event, and raised £190 for Macmillan. We asked you to come along and raise a record amount - and you did! Thank you to Thursday Group members and to all those who contributed to this record total.

An early notice for Talents Festival Day which will be

Saturday 4th March, 2017.

This is a very happy and interesting day. Refreshments will

be available from 11am. Please come along to Shirley

Methodist Church, Eldon Avenue, Croydon, CR0 8SD from

10am onwards and support those from our church who

have put in entries.

Joan Ungemuth

Harvest Family Evening In the evening of Saturday 15th October a Harvest Family evening was held. This consisted of a ‘Bring and Share’ meal and a Beetle Drive. Those who came enjoyed tucking into the spread of food that had been brought to share. The Beetle Drive rounds were fast and furious and Jackie Burton and her grandchildren gave the rest of us a lesson in how to play and win. We were delighted to be joined by friends from Swingfield Court who joined in with great enthusiasm with the game. A Harvest well celebrated! Thanks to those people who helped set and clear up and who made hot drinks.

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Early last Christmas season I sent Dad a new computer program. I wanted to give a gift that would make life easier for him. The program would allow him to send emails with attachments easily straight from his computer. I sent it proudly, confident that I was helping him ease into the world of technology, and the wonder of computers. After a couple of weeks I still hadn’t received an email of thanks so I called him. “So, Dad, have you sent any emails lately?”

“No, actually son I can’t seem to get the thing to work.” “What? (incredulously) Aren’t there instructions?” (of course there were.) “Yes, they are right here” (patiently) “Aren’t there help files?” (like I was speaking to a child) “Yes, several.” (he spoke to his child) “So what’s the problem?” “I guess I just needed you to come with it.” I hung up, muttering about computer illiterate elders - my giving spirit dampened. I decided I was content to let him remain in his state of computer frustration. Next year he’d get a tie. Looking back I realise this was a lesson about giving. Sometimes instructions wrapped in cellophane and help files just don’t get the job done. Dad didn’t need more advice or another manual with the gift - he needed his son. It was a timely message. We too need help. Not to manage desktops, but to manage life. Not to figure out how to send emails but how to obtain forgiveness. God knew what we needed. We needed salvation. We needed help. So God sent us a gift. We celebrate that gift each Christmas season. We celebrate because the gift did not come as a manual (we couldn’t have figured it out), it didn’t come as another command (rules couldn’t contain this gift!), another bad example wouldn’t do. No, God in his wisdom sent you and me the gift we needed wrapped in his only Son. The Father’s love was not sent priority-post, air-mail or even e-mail. It was sent via his Son - as a baby, born in a barn. Christmas reminds us that God will do whatever it takes to give the gift. He travelled from heavenly realms to earthly depths and worked through a teenager and carpenter to wrap his only Son in flesh, all so that by Jesus’ living, dying and rising, you and I could receive THE gift. Wow! That is reason to celebrate!

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And now for some really good news:

Alex and Kevin will be married on Christmas Eve!

Revd. Alex Terrett and Kevin Fisher will be married at Mottingham Methodist Church

at 2pm on 24th December. Everyone is welcome to come and share in the marriage service; the reception is for close family only.

We are delighted at this news, and offer our congratulations to Alex and Kevin , together with our love, prayers and best wishes that they, and their family, will have a very happy future together. NB Alex is not planning to change her name; she will remain as Revd. Alex Terrett.

All our friends who are further afield and unable to be with us this Christmas. These include Andrew & Jacky Fenlon & their family in Australia, Paul and Rachel Killpack and their family, who are in New Zealand and the Nakamura family in Japan. The Fenn family in Norfolk, Mike and Pam Lewis in Essex, Jeanette Richardson and Phil Stott in Devon, Paul Hulme in Godalming, Jenny Dalmaine in Scotland, Jo Thornton and her children, Marilyn and Brian Jones in Sussex, Michael Thair and family in Sittingbourne, and Robin and Hilda Burnhams in Ireland.

All our friends who are unable to be with us in church this Christmas, either because they are unwell, are too far away, or have other commitments.

We send our love and our prayers to you all, together with our wishes that you have a joyful Christmas and that the next year brings you

good health and happiness.

Christmas Greetings to:

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Our love is with, and our prayers are for:

Alan Goldsworthy and his family, following the death of Alan’s brother Norman. Alan was close to his brother and we offer him our sympathy, love and prayers. Joyce Horne, who has had a fall and suffered an injury. We hope that she will be fully recovered soon. John Scrivens, who continues with his recovery. Alex and Kevin on their special day and their life together.

All those who are unable to be with their friends and families during this Christmas. All our members and friends who are facing problems or difficulties at this time. May God be with you all.

New Year’s Resolutions - a pretty old practice It’s unclear when exactly we began to pledge to ourselves that in the coming year we would lose weight, get our finances in order, or leave behind any one of a number of unsavoury habits. It would appear that New Year's resolutions have existed for quite a long time. A 1671 entry from the diaries of Anne Halkett, a writer and member of the Scottish gentry, contains a number of pledges, typically taken from biblical verses such as “I will not offend any more”. Halkett titled this page “Resolutions”, and wrote them on January 2nd, which would indicate that the practice was in use at the time, even if people did not refer to it as a New Year’s resolution. By the beginning of the 19th century people would make (and fail to keep) such resolutions so that the habit was satirised. An article from Walker’s Hibernian Magazine in 1802 states that “the following personages have begun the year with a string of resolutions, which they all solemnly pledged to keep”, before listing several obviously fictitious resolutions (“Statesmen have resolved to have no other object in view than the good of their country…the physicians have determined to follow nature in her operations, and to prescribe no more than is necessary, and to be very moderate in their fees.”). The full phrase new year resolution is found in the January 1st 1813 issue of a Boston newspaper, in a short article titled “The Friday Lecture”: And yet, I believe there are multitudes of people, accustomed to receive injunctions of new year resolutions, who will sin all the month of December, with a serious determination of beginning the new year with new resolutions and new behaviour, and with the belief that they shall thus expiate and wipe away all their former faults.

We have had New Year’s resolutions for over 200 years, and people in the early 19th century - much like those today - used them as an excuse for misbehaviour up to New Year's Eve. Ammon Shea

(Of course, we shall all keep to our New Year’s resolutions, shan’t we . . .???)

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December 2016 4th Advent service led by Bromley Common Brigades 10.30am 8th Preachers and worship leaders meeting at Chislehurst 8.00pm 11th Christmas Celebration Service, with Raglan Primary School Choir 4.00pm 12th Bubbles and Bumps and Babies Christmas party from 10.00am 17th House Group at 21, The Avenue 8.00pm 18th Service of Nine Lessons and Carols 10.30am 19th Christmas Messy Church 4.00-6.00pm 24th Children’s Nativity Service 4.30pm 25th Christmas Day informal service to celebrate Christ’s birth 10.30am

January 2017 1st Short informal family service in Church lounge 10.30am 15th Last date for entries to Creative classes for Methodist Talents Festival 22nd Circuit Property Meeting, Petts Wood Methodist Church 7.30pm

February 2017 4th Working party to decorate church lounge from 9.30am 18th Friends of Brigades Quiz 7.15pm for 7.30pm 21st House Group at 21, The Avenue 8.00pm

March 2017 4th Talents Festival Day at Shirley Methodist Church from 10.00am 14th Circuit meeting at Chelsfield 7.45pm 21st House Group at 21, The Avenue 8.00pm

(Normally meets 2.30pm)

December 2016 1st Poem and monologues for Christmas - Pat Woodison 8th Tea and mince pies 15th Carol Service

We are pleased to report that Zoe Hayes and Tony Fisher were married in September. Zoe is well loved at BCMC; she is the granddaughter of Michael and Anne Thair, and was formerly our Girls’ Brigade Captain. As you can see from the photo, Granddad Michael was there to enjoy the occasion. We offer Tony and Zoe our congratulations and wish them a happy future together.

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Sunday, 1st January 2017 - Second Sunday of Christmas 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, short and informal service for New Year’s Day 6.30pm No evening service in Circuit Sunday, 8th January - 1st after Epiphany 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, All age Worship, Holy Communion 6.30pm No evening service in Circuit Sunday, 15th January 10.30am Gillian Dodds 6.30pm Service at Orpington, Revd Gillman, Holy Communion Sunday, 22nd January 10.30am Pulpit Exchange - for details please see our website. 6.30pm Service at Orpington, Pulpit Exchange Sunday, 29th January 10.30am David Ball 6.30pm No evening service in Circuit

Sunday, 4th December - Second Sunday of Advent 10.30am Advent Service led by Bromley Common Brigades. 6.30pm Service at Orpington, Prayer, Music, Contemplation Sunday, 11th December - Third Sunday of Advent 10.30am Keith Miller 4.00pm Christmas Celebration Service Sunday, 18th December - Fourth Sunday of Advent 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, Holy Communion 6.30pm Service at Petts Wood - Carol Service Saturday, 24th December - Christmas Eve 4.30pm Children’s Nativity Service Sunday, 25th December - Christmas Day 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, short, informal service to celebrate Christ’s birth

Sunday, 5th February 10.30am Maggie Ayres 6.30pm Service at Orpington, Revd David Gillman, Prayer, Music, Contemplation Sunday, 12th February 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, Parade Service, Pet Service 6.30pm No evening service in Circuit Sunday, 19th February 10.30am Susan Cope 6.30pm Service at Petts Wood, Revd Juliet Ushewokunze, Holy Communion Sunday, 26th February 10.30am Revd Alex Terrett, Holy Communion 6.30pm No evening service in Circuit