Kintsugi Hope – Honesty Over Silence

Honesty Over Silence - Kintsugi Hope
Sunday 24 November @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

It's OK not to be OK!

Would you like to be able to have open conversations around topics such as trusting in God when life is painful, dealing with anxiety and depression, learning to look after ourselves, developing our character, and living with thankful hearts even in tough seasons?

In an evening of live music and performances opening up the themes of honesty, faith and hope, Diane and Patrick Regan (former founder of XLP) will host an event. We hope you will join us and invite friends to this exciting evening at Christ Church.

Tickets cost £5 and can be purchased from www.ticketsource.co.uk/christ-church-gipsy-hill

Big Questions – Church Weekend Away Autumn 2019

Church Weekend Away

FRIDAY 13TH TO SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER
ASHBURNHAM PLACE, EAST SUSSEX

The church weekend away is an unmissable opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and to learn more about the Christian life. The theme for the weekend is ‘Big Questions!’ We do hope you can come.

As well as the teaching sessions, there will be lots of other activities, including prayer, worship, sports, entertainment...

Groups are able to enjoy campfires, lake swimming, woodland walks, the stillness of the prayer garden and even a spot of fishing. There is also the Orangery Tea Room.

We have planned the programme so that there will be time to relax and enjoy each other’s company as well as to learn and be inspired by our main speaker for the weekend, Rev Mark Thomas.

Over the weekend we will be exploring some of the challenging questions we face up to in our Christian faith - can we really know God? What about science? And other religions? Why do we trust the Bible? How do we deepen our confidence in what we believe so we can share it with others?

Big questions require thoughtful exploration and we are delighted that our teaching will be led by Rev Mark Thomas, who works with the church planting team at Holy Trinity Brompton. A former colleague of our new curate, Emma Lowth, Mark is a physicist and prior to HTB, he was Associate Vicar at St Mark’s Battersea Rise.

There are a variety of accommodation options available and the cost includes a meal on Friday night, two nights’ accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner and a number of tea breaks on Saturday, and breakfast, lunch and a number of tea breaks on Sunday. In addition, there will be workshops, activities for children and young people, and Saturday night entertainment.

If you are unable to come for the whole weekend there is some availability for day visitors. Ensuite rooms will be allocated according to need and then on a first come first served basis.

We have subsidised the cost of the weekend, but if it will be a struggle to meet the full cost please speak to Jonathan or Pippa in confidence.

You can find the booking form here. Once completed, please enclose the form along with the deposit in a sealed envelope and put in the weekend away box or hand to Jonathan Croucher or Pippa Evans.

If you feel able to either pay for an extra person to come or to make a donation towards another subsidised place, please complete the section at the bottom of the second page on the form.

Any further questions?
Please contact Pippa Evans on ministry@gipsyhill.org.uk.

Faith, Hope, Love & Lament – Sermon Series 2019

Faith, Hope, Love and Lament

A sermon series for Summer 2019

May

5^th Faith God the Father

12^th Hope Living in the presence of God

19^th Love Compassion

(Speaker from Compassion International)

26^th Lament Finding God in the dark times of life

June

2^nd Faith God the Son

9^th Hope Hope in and for a hopeless world?

16^th Love Love is…

23^rd Lament Facing up to domestic violence

(speaker from Restored)

30^th Love Love in action…

July

7^th Faith God the Holy Spirit

14^th Hope Hope for the future

21^st Lament Wrestling with illness

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Probably one of the most famous passages in the Bible, Paul’s exposition on the nature of love ends with this wonderful verse of encouragement: three elements that are at the heart of our belief in, and encounter with, God.

As we explore those fundamental aspects of our lives as followers of Jesus, we recognise that we do so in a world that remains impacted by sin, and that our faith leads us through both green pastures and the dark valleys of this life.

So this term we are exploring those three - faith, hope and love - alongside lament: how we hold on to the promises of God as we journey through dark and difficult times.

As well as our regular team of speakers, including our new curate Emma Lowth, we have guest speakers from Compassion International, working with children in poverty across the world, and Restored, a charity that encourages the church to support those facing domestic violence.

I hope together we will continue to build confidence in our faith, and not shy away from difficult questions, as we seek to work out what it means to seek the Kingdom of God, and follow Jesus day by day.

Jonathan

Easter at Christchurch 2019

Easter at Christ Church 2019!

We would love to see you at Christ Church over our Holy Week and Easter celebrations.

In the first week of the Easter holidays, bring your children to our successful holiday club for primary age children, Alive and Kicking! Each morning, from Wednesday to Friday (10^th to 12^thApril), there will be songs, drama, games and bible stories on the main stage and sports and craft activities for kids from reception to year 6. Grab a form from the church office (email ministry@gipsyhill.org.uk) and register your children as soon as you can.

The following week, beginning with Palm Sunday on the 14^th, sees us mark the final days of Lent towards the wonderful celebration of Jesus resurrection on Easter Day.

Monday to Wednesday (15^th-17^th) we have evening reflections on Jesus’s last days, and on Maundy Thursday 7.30pm, we will share in a meal together that reflects on the Jewish Passover and its significance for Christians today.

Good Friday takes us on a journey to the cross, as we gather to walk around the parish for prayer before joining Churches Together in Crystal Palace for a collective service on the green outside Sainsbury’s at 11am. And at 2pm, we gather in church for an hour of meditation and reflection, in words and music.

On the Saturday before Easter, we are inviting all children in the area to join us for our Easter funday, where there will be crafts, games, songs and the building of our Easter garden.

And finally, we celebrate with great joy the wonder of Easter on Easter Sunday, with communion at both our 9am and 10.30 am services.

Do come and join us – for any or all of our services and activities. You will be most welcome.

Christmas at Christchurch 2018

Christmas at Christ Church 2018!

In the midst of the excitement, we hope that over Christmas you will be able to join us to remember, celebrate and give thanks for the birth of Jesus Christ, who is God with us. We know that Christmas is not the easiest time for everyone and whether you want space for reflection, or celebration and activity, there is something for you.

Sunday 9 December
- Christingle, 4pm for crafts & making Christingles
- Christingle service , 5pm

Bring all the family along at 4pm to make a selection of Christmas crafts and prepare a Christingle for the service at 5pm - half an hour of singing, Christmas drama and fun, finishing with a Christmas tea.

Wednesday 12 December
- Friends of St. Christopher's Carol Service, 7.30pm

We are delighted to be hosting at Christ Church the Carol Service for the Dulwich Friends of St Christopher’s. Please come along and enjoy music from the Faith Works Gospel Choir and Julia Desbruslais of the London Mozart Players. And of course join in singing your favourite carols! Mince pies and mulled wine after the service with a retiring collection for the work of the hospice.

Sunday 16 December
- Carol Service, 8pm

Join our service of readings and carols by candlelight, followed by mulled wine and minced pies.

Monday 24 December
- Nativity Service, 4pm

Part of the Christmas tradition for Gipsy Hill - come and join in our nativity for all the family. Dress as your favourite nativity character or come early and borrow some of our dressing up clothes to join in the retelling of the story of the first Christmas. Please stay for tea afterwards as we celebrate Christmas together.

- Holy Communion, 11.30pm

A traditional service of Holy Communion as we celebrate the beginning of Christmas morning.

Tuesday 25 December
- Holy Communion, 10.30am

Come and join the celebration as we engage all ages in a service of Communion to celebrate the good news of 'God with us'.

Autumn Series 2018

Autumn trees

Autumn Series 2018: Speaking our Faith

This November, we will be running a series of evenings looking at core aspects of our faith. The evenings will include time for both teaching and discussion, and we hope they will prove an exciting opportunity for us to explore key elements of our faith as well as building confidence in how we can share the Gospel in the world today.

Our aim is that as many members of the church as possible will be able to join for these evenings, and so we will be running each session twice. The sessions will be staggered, so if you happen to be away for a week, with good planning you could still make each one! If you are part of a small group, the plan will be for your group to come to these sessions together. If you are not part of a small group, you are definitely still welcome and this could be a great way to get involved in deeper study and conversations with others from church.

Each session will run first on a Thursday, before being repeated the following Wednesday. The evenings will begin at 7.45pm with drinks and dessert, with Wednesday sessions being held in the Narthex (back of church), and Thursdays in the upstairs hall. After refreshments, we will begin with a time of worship, and then move into the teaching and discussion.

1. Speaking of God

Thursday 1 November
Wednesday 7 November

2. Speaking of the Cross

Thursday 8 November
Wednesday 14 November

3. Speaking of the Kingdom

Thursday 15 November
Wednesday 21 November

4. Speaking of the World

Thursday 22 November
Wednesday 28 November

5. Speaking our Story

Thursday 29 November
Wednesday 5 December

Mission Rescue Holiday Club

Get excited about our Holiday Club - "Mission Rescue"!

After the success of last year, we will be running another summer holiday club for children of primary school age (ages 4-11y) on the mornings of Monday 23–Wednesday 25 July, from 9:30-12:30pm. We will look at a different Bible story each day in a fun and creative way, and there will be a fab team to lead the events.

There will also be an opportunity for crafts, games, sports, bouncy castle, light refreshments and music!
There is a £10 cost per child.

You can download a booking form here.
Forms should be completed and sent back to the church office - full details are on the form itself.

If you have any further questions, please email ministry@gipsyhill.org.uk.

Christmas at Christ Church 2017

Christmas at Christ Church 2017!

2017 has marked the 150th anniversary of our church - a time of remembering, celebrating, and giving thanks for the life of our church and the local community.

In the midst of the excitement, we hope that over Christmas in this anniversary year you will be able to join us to remember, celebrate and give thanks for the birth of Jesus Christ, who is God with us. We know that Christmas is not the easiest time for everyone and whether you want space for reflection, or celebration and activity, there is something for you.

Saturday 10 December
- Christingle, 4pm for crafts & making Christingles
- Christingle service , 5pm

Sunday 17 December
- Carol Service, 8pm

Join our service of readings and carols by candlelight, followed by mulled wine and minced pies.

Sunday 24 December
- Nativity Service, 4pm

Part of the Christmas tradition for Gipsy Hill - come and join in our nativity for all the family. Dress as your favourite nativity character or come early and borrow some of our dressing up clothes to join in the retelling of the story of the first Christmas. And stay for tea afterwards as we celebrate Christmas together.

- Holy Communion, 11.30pm

A traditional service of Holy Communion as we celebrate the beginning of Christmas morning.

Sunday 25 December
- Holy Communion, 10.30am

Come and join the celebration as we engage all ages in a service of Communion to celebrate the good news of 'God with us'.

The Church on the Hill Concert, Saturday 23rd September

The Church on the Hill

Join us for a celebration of 150 years in the life of Christ Church Gipsy Hill and its local community from its Victorian origins, through wars, fires, and celebrations, into the 21st century.

There will be music from the London Mozart Players and narration from Patrick Lambe.

Sat, September 23, 2017
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

at Christ Church, Gipsy Hill

Tickets at £15 direct from Christ Church or from Eventbrite here!

There is an earlybird price of £10 until August 20th if you buy direct from the church office.

Honesty Over Silence - Kintsugi Hope Sunday 24 November @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm