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Sunday Services: Holy Communion 8am | Parish Eucharist 10am | Evening Prayer 6.30pm
Christ Church, West Wimbledon
Sharing God's Love
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Sunday Services: Holy Communion 8am | Parish Eucharist 10am | Evening Prayer 6.30pm
A huge thank you to John Lyon for making our new bat box and our two exotic bird boxes – have you seen them in the garden? A big thank you also to Bill Petch for installing all the boxes and organising a swift box which is installed on the back of the hall. Let’s keep watch for birds and bats using the boxes. This is part of our care for all God’s creation.
Sunday 25 January
As part of our Eco Church commitment we took part in this national survey of garden birds. Thank you to those who helped. For most of the hour, we were serenaded by a robin. We counted 10 species of bird which is a little more than other years except for the boom during the 2021 Covid lockdown.
The Christ Church Eco Group lead the congregation towards greater celebration of God’s Creation. Caring for the environment and love for our neighbours near and far, is a fundamental part of our Christian faith. We’re responding to the climate crisis by reducing our carbon footprint and playing our part in the Church of England’s target to become carbon ‘net zero’ by 2030.
1. Worship and teaching
2. Management of church buildings
3. Management of church land
4. Community and global engagement
5. Lifestyle
• Insulated and secondary glazed the hall and parish office.
• Switched to low-energy lighting.
• Reduced waste such as single-use plastic and increased recycling.
• Made our gardens more wildlife-friendly with bird feeders, bird and bat boxes, insect hotels and wildflower planting.
• Contributed to the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch.
• Established an annual Creation tide display in church.
• Held Creation Tide and Harvest services with environmental themes.
• Partnered in prayer with A Rocha Kenya – a Christian conservation charity.
• Run environment awareness activities for Junior Church, Stepping Up and KFH youth group.
• Twinned all the toilets in our church hall through Tearfund’s Toilet Twinning Campaign.
• Encouraged church members and the public to enjoy our gardens for recreation and prayer.
• Taken part in the inaugural Churches Count on Nature survey of wildlife in our garden.
• Produced planners for Lenten Fasts.
• Creation for the congregation to follow.
• Held Lent Groups on creation and care for the environment.
• Established an annual communal Christmas card.
• Focused on the role of Christians in the care of God’s Creation in our parish magazine
To show our care for God’s creation and our concern about the current and future effects of climate change, we’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint year on year. The biggest challenge is how to reduce or replace gas used to heat the church. The refurbishment of the hall means that most of its heating is from renewable electricity which is great.
In 2023 we paid Christian charity Climate Stewards to offset our carbon footprint. They use the money to fund projects that reduce carbon dioxide production by the same amount as we produced.
Have you calculated your carbon footprint yet? Try this quiz or this for a more detailed footprint calculator.
Thank you everyone who contributed to our wonderful Creationtide display, thoughtfully put together by Lucy Christie. The 10am service on 31 August celebrated God’s creation in all its glory – a fun all-age service led by our wonderful eco team leaders and featuring Camilla the Camel! The display will be up until the beginning of October so please come and take a look and add your prayer to the prayer footprint display.
Including…
Writing implements – all pens, felt tips, highlighters, markers, fountain pens, correction fluid/tape. mechanical pencils, eraser pens. No wooden pencils or chalks.
Silica gel sachets – from electronics, shoes, lateral flow test.
Recently we enjoyed a delightful outing to Kew Gardens. Under the expert guidance of Edeltka Davey, we explored rare and endangered plant species, learning so much about the beauty and fragility of God’s creation. A huge thank you to John and Edeltka Davey for organizing such a fantastic day out.
The Christ Church Vegan and Vegetarian Recipe Book is OUT NOW! An Eco Church project, the book is full of delicious and nutritious recipes, all rubber-stamped by the congregation. Pick up your copy at the back of church.
Suggested donation of £3.50
Thank you to all the children and adults who helped with this year’s national survey of flora and fauna species in church gardens. We had fun counting them all and submitted almost 100 species to the National Biodiversity Network Atlas – which is amazing! Our records will help the Church of England care for, and increase, biodiversity.
We were blessed on Sunday 29 September to have Sue Bucknall, Conservator of Wimbledon & Putney Common, speak to us about her work. We are so lucky to have a part of nature’s kingdom on our doorstep, yet Wimbledon Common could have been lost forever had it not been for the efforts of a small group of men called ‘The Commons Preservation Society’ back in the 1850s. You can read Sue’s fascinating talk here.
On 24 February 2024 a group of us from Christ Church joined Bishop Martin of Kingston on a seven-mile Lent Pilgrimage. With regular stops along the way for prayer, we had lunch at St John the Baptist, Kingston Vale and finished at Christ Church for with tea, cake and a short act of worship, led by Christ Church’s Eco Church Group.
In June 2023, the Church of England’s Commissioners and Pensions Board announced the historic decision to divest from all oil and gas companies. This was in reaction to them failing to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement on combatting climate change and transitioning to renewable energy.
And so have we at Christ Church! In May this year, the PCC of Christ Church declared that they do not hold any fossil fuel investments and will not invest in fossil fuels in the future. At least 23 Church of England dioceses have made a commitment and the Southwark Diocesan Synod have also just voted to divest from fossil fuels.
FILM • DISCUSSION • REFRESHMENTS
A film by Raj Patel & Zak Piper
To save her home in Malawi from extreme weather, Anita Chitaya faces her greatest challenge… persuading Americans that climate change is real.
On 9 Sep we had a lively and thought provoking discussion after the film – many of us pledging to tread more lightly on God’s earth. We heartily encourage you to watch the film.
For more information email ecochurchccww@gmail.com
The 12 th Wimbledon Brownies meet on Wednesdays at the Scout Hut on the corner of Cottenham Park Road and Oakwood Road. We welcome all girls aged 7-10 from all schools and all denominations but those who live locally and those who attend Christ Church are particularly welcome. Contact is Elisabeth Bingham ccparishoffice@yahoo.co.uk
The 12th Wimbledon Guides meet on Tuesday evenings, at the Scout Hut on the corner of Cottenham Park Road and Oakwood Road. We welcome all girls aged 10-14 from all schools and all denominations regardless of whether or not they have been Brownies. Please contact us. Contact Nicolette Ewers ccparishoffice@yahoo.co.uk
Raynes Park Bereavement was set up by Christ Church as part of its outreach programme in 2014. There are 12 volunteers who meet with people who have been bereaved on a one-to- one basis. The service receives most of its referrals (about 60 per year) from local GP surgeries. If you (or anyone you know who lives in the area) would like to make use of our service, please call 07914 263420 or email raynesparkbereavement@gmail.com
Vicar
The Reverend Lotwina Farodoye
ccww.vicar@gmail.com
Church Wardens
Two people elected represent the congregation.
Tish Mousell ccww.churchwarden1@gmail.com
There is a vacancy for a second Warden
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) 2024-2025
Elected to serve until May 2025
Stefan Bown
Elected to serve until May 2025
Jane Simpson
John Davey (Hon Treasurer)
Ron Barnett
Sally Edmunds
Elected to serve until May 2026
Lynda Coleman
Sarah Hannaford
Chris Larkman
Elected to serve until May 2027
Chica Nwokoye*
Julie Grainger*
Julie Ashbee*
Ian Christie*
Debbie Morley (Hon Secretary)*
Merton Deanery Synod Members 2017-2026
(Ex officio on PCC)
Pat Spencer
Mair Rabagliati
*Eligible to stand for a further 3-year term
Our stall is open every Sunday run by members of the congregation.
Fair Trade is business with a commitment to justice for the world’s poor. Fair Trade is based on long-term partnerships with producers in the global south, guaranteeing suppliers a fair price for their products so that they can earn enough to support their families and communities.
Traidcraft run programmes in developing countries, supporting poor and vulnerable people to get a better deal from trade. They often focus on small, marginalised groups, creating long term partnerships and they also campaign to transform the way trade works.
For a wider range of products there is a Traidcraft catalogue and you can also order online at www.traidcraftshop.co.uk
We have special collections throughout the year and there are specific charities that we donate to.
Currently we are supporting:
1. South London Refugee Association https://www.slr-a.org.uk
2. Church Mission Society https://churchmissionsociety.org
3. Christian Aid https://www.christianaid.org.uk
4. A Rocha Kenya https://www.arocha.or.ke
5. Children’s Society, https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk
6. Faith in Action https://www.faithinaction.co.uk
7. Christian CARE Association https://www.christiancaremerton.org.uk
We also collect for emergency appeals for example we recently held a collection for Ukraine.
Christ Church Hall, 2a Cottenham Park Road, London, SW20 0RZ
Christ Church hall is a separate building next to the Church which was fully refurbished in 2019. The sprung wooden floor makes it an ideal venue for ballet and dance classes as well as yoga and pilates. With the modernised kitchen it is also brilliant for children’s parties. Hire rate is £35 per hour. For enquiries about hiring the hall please contact: ccsw20hall@gmail.com
• Seats 120 (100 at table)
• Hall dimensions: approx 50ft x 30 ft / 15m x 9m excluding stage area
• Disabled access toilets
• On-site parking for 6 cars
• Wi-Fi
• New heating and air-cooling system
• Fully equipped kitchen including automatic water boiler
We are here to help you if you would like to hold a funeral service in church for your loved one. It is not necessary for the deceased or their family to have been church goers. We can also conduct a full funeral service at a crematorium for those who live in the parish of Christ Church. It is usual for the funeral director to make direct contact with us but please contact the Parish Office
if you have any queries.
We are always pleased to discuss marriage with those who live in the parish of Christ Church or who can establish a Qualifying Connection with Christ Church. It may also be possible to be married at Christ Church where either or both parties have been divorced. Please contact the Parish Office at ccparishoffice@yahoo.co.uk to arrange a time to discuss marriage.
We are willing to consider preparing children to receive Holy Communion from about the age of 7-8 and subsequently we encourage young people to wait until they are at least 11-years-old before making the ‘adult’ step into church life at confirmation. Confirmation groups also run each year for adults who would like to make a commitment to church
life. Please contact the Parish Office ccparishoffice@yahoo.co.uk to discuss.
Baptisms are conducted on Sunday mornings either during the 10am service on the first Sunday of the month or at 12 noon on a convenient Sunday. We are always pleased to discuss baptism for those who live in the parish of Christ Church. Visit www.achurchnearyou.com to see if you live in the parish. Please contact the Parish Office at ccparishoffice@yahoo.co.uk for more details.
Bringing Holy Communion to those who are housebound is always a deeply meaningful part of ministry. If you or someone you know is unable to attend church for a period of time due to ill health, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, for prayers, a visit, or simply a listening ear.
