Harvest is the season when we celebrate the abundance of good things in our lives… when I look around Grove Park, I’m so thankful for this community, this inspiring place to live with the river and parks, and for our church who gather to celebrate and give thanks to God throughout the week.
If like me, you use this season as a time to plan and take stock, then I hope your reflections are going well. We have an ambitious year ahead where we aim to hold more activities for children, to expand how we care for each other in the community and to increase the courses and events we run where we can come and discuss life and faith and the big questions we have.
At our recent Harvest Festival, we heard from 3 members of our congregation who are involved in sharing and celebrating food either professionally or in their daily lives. Cathy Morgan runs our after-service coffee, she wants our church to send a clear message that it’s place of welcome and acceptance for all people. Marian Armitage taught domestic science locally and is involved in promoting and celebrating locally produced food on the Shetland Islands. She celebrated with us a sense of the enjoyment food brings. And Stephanie White who supports families who are seeking asylum in our local area, shared inspiring stories of the generosity or the people she knows and significance of preparing and eating food together in any culture.
I’m delighted to let you know that we have been awarded a grant from the Fidelity Foundation to help refurbish our hall and kitchen. We are also applying for a grant from Hounslow Council to improve the layout and facilities in the garden. And you might notice as you walk past that our roof is being fixed to prevent long term damage to the interior of the church.
Thank you for all you are doing to contribute to the life of our church, both for the practical and financial support you give. If you haven’t managed to join the Parish Giving Scheme and are wondering how best to support us financially, please have a look. It’s straightforward to set up and doesn’t have any administration costs for us. You can access St Paul’s giving page by scrolling down to the bottom of this page.
A prayer from the Celtic Daily Prayer book for the season of autumn:
Generosity of God, spilling over into creation,
we bless you for flowers and their wealth of beauty,
for creatures and their glorious variety,
for seas and seasons and scents.
May we, too, reflect something of your glorious generosity.
Amen
All blessings,
Caroline
Our church is in Grove Park, Chiswick, just a stone's throw from the Thames. It has been used for Christian worship since 1872 and we would be delighted if you joined us. Christians of all denominations are welcome here, as are those searching for God and indeed the simply curious. We have one Eucharist Service a week, on Sundays at 10am and coffee is served afterwards at the back of the church. On Mondays the Meditation Group meet in church at 6:45pm for about half an hour and a quiet celebration of communion often follows this. On Fridays in church, we have a Stay and Play group for parents, babies and toddlers from 9:30-11:30am, a Coffee Club from 10:45am to 12 noon and a short Welcome Service taken by our Lay Minister Simon Surtees from 12-12:30pm.
Our vicar is Rev'd Caroline Halmshaw who can be
contacted on 07742 738660.
A Prayer for the Holy Land
From St Martin’s-in-the-Fields
Broken hearted God,
your ways are the ways of gentleness and all your paths are perfect.
Speak to the hearts of those intent on hatred and extermination.
Open the borders that aid may reach the most desperate.
Visit the thirsty, hungry, injured and terrified
with the transforming grace of your Holy Spirit.
Uphold all who have experienced horror and fear worse to come.
Empower the international community
that it may bring reason and understanding
to all amid grief and loss.
Make of this crisis a moment of truth,
that in devastation people may resolve on a different path
and in despair people may find a new hope.
Change the souls of us all
that we might see though our enemy our only path to you.
In Christ who was broken that we might be made whole.
Amen
AUTUMN SERVICES AND EVENTS
Friday 11 October
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 13 October
10am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 13 October 4:30-6pm
Youth Group
The St Paul's Youth Group meets every fortnight, in the vicarage. The group is for ages 11-18 and all are
most welcome.
Sunday 13 October 6:30pm
Taize Service
Wednesday 16 October 10:30am - 12 noon
Pilgrim Course exploring The Lord's Prayer
The Pilgrim courses have been written by a team of writers and theologians from across the Church of England. They aim to help every local church create a place where
people can explore the Christian faith together and see how it can be lived out each day. The course approaches the great issues of faith not through persuasion, but participation in a pattern of
contemplation and discussion with a group of fellow travellers. In this course we will explore one of the greatest Christian treasures, The Lord's Prayer, taking time to reflect on the meaning and
application of the different elements that make up this well known and loved prayer.
The course began on Wednesday 11th September and will run at the same time for 6 weeks. All are welcome to come and join us, and if you can only make a few of the sessions, that’s absolutely fine
too. Please follow up with Rev'd Caroline Halmshaw if you would like to attend or find out more.
Friday 18 October
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 20 October
10am Parish Eucharist
Friday 25 October
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 27 October
10am Parish Eucharist
Friday 1 November
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 3 November
10am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 3 November 6pm: All Souls Service
We will read the names of people we would like to remember during the service. If there are people you would like us to include in our time of remembrance please email Rev'd Caroline vicar@stpaulsgrovepark.com. Or write their names on the sheet of paper at the entrance of the church.
Friday 8 November
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Remembrance Sunday 10 November 10am
Eucharist Service 10am with the act of Rembrance at 11am.
Sunday 10 November 4:30-6:30
Youth Group
The St Paul's Youth Group meets every fortnight, in the vicarage. The group is for ages 11-18 and all are
most welcome.
Thursday 14th November
Britten Sinfonia Concert
Friday 15 November
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Saturday 16th November
Confirmation at St. Paul's Cathedral
Saturday 16 November 7:30pm
Hounslow Symphony Orchestra 70th Anniversary Concert
Tickets from the HSO website here
Sunday 17 November
10am Parish Eucharist
Friday 22 November
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Saturday 23 November 7:30pm
An Evening with Mike Reed and Friends
Mike has conducted over 20 West End Shows, including Phantom of the Opera, Barnum, Aspects of Love, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Singin’ in the Rain and Bat out of Hell as well as most of the leading orchestras in the UK. He also contributes regularly to BBC Radio 2. This evening is a rare opportunity to hear him talking at the piano about his life in musical theatre and sharing his favourite melodies. After the interval, he will be joined by some of his musical friends, for what is certain to be a splendid performance of some stellar highlights from his glittering career. This is highly likely to sell out fast, so get your tickets from Eventbrite now! https://aneveningwithmikereed.eventbrite.co.uk/
Sunday 24 November
10am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 24 November 4:30-6pm
Youth Group
The St Paul's Youth Group meets every fortnight, in the vicarage. The group is for ages 11-18 and all are
most welcome.
Sunday 24th November 6:30pm
Taizé Service
Friday 29 November
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 1 December
10am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 1st December 6pm
Advent Carol Service at St Nicholas Church Chiswick Mall
This carol service is a join venture for St Paul's, St Michaels in Elmwood Road and St Nicholas. The music will be from singers from the choirs of all three churches.
Wednesday 4th December Morning
Advent Course
Friday 6 December
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 8 December
10am Parish Eucharist
Wednesday 11th December Morning
Advent Course
Thursday 12th December
Grove Park Group Christmas Party – TBC
Friday 13 December
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Sunday 15 December
10am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 15th December
Kew Sinfonia Christmas Concert
Wednesday 18th December Morning
Advent Course
Friday 20 December
9:30-11:30am Stay and Play
10:45am to 12 noon Coffee Club
12-12:30pm Welcome Service
Saturday 21st December 4pm
Christingle Service
Saturday 21st December
Christmas Concert
Sunday 22 December
10am Parish Eucharist
Monday 23rd December 8pm
Longest Night Service
Tuesday 24th December Christmas Eve
4pm: Crib Service
11:30pm: Midnight Mass
Wednesday 25th December Christmas Day
10am – Family Communion
Sunday 29th December 6:30pm
Taizé Service
PARISH GIVING SCHEME
St Paul's is part of the Parish Giving Scheme, which is an easier way for us to collect financial donations, whether they are from regular giving or one-off contibutions. You can find out more about the finances of St Pauls. by reading the 2023 Accounts and Report, which are available to download below.
Give to St Paul's by going to the GIVING page of this website or by pressing the DONATE TO ST PAUL'S button. Thank you!
St Paul's Annual Report 2023.pdf
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