News and notices for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday 23rd August 2020)

Jesus asks his disciples in the Gospel reading for this Sunday one of the most important questions in the New Testament: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Many different answers come back, but it is Peter who hits the nail not he head: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus rewards Peter’s faith by speaking about him as the rock on which the Church will be built. Jesus gives to Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven so that he might bind and loose.

Our gospel reading this week prompts us to ask who we think Jesus is. Do we always live as though he reigns as Christ in our hearts? And do we trust that the “gates of the underworld can never never hold out against” the Church of which we form a part? Let us ponder this mystery as we seek to encounter the Lord in the words of scripture this Sunday.

Fr Nigel
It was announced recently that upon completion of his curacy, Fr Nigel will be moving to be the assistant curate at St Michael’s, Croydon. Fr Nigel’s last Sunday with us will be Sunday 20^th September. Please make an effort to attend Mass on that occasion so we can bid Fr Nigel farewell. We wish him well and assure him of our prayers for this next stage in his ministry.

Online Theology Seminars
Because of the continuing Coronavirus crisis, and the high likelihood that Covid restrictions may be in place for much of the autumn, our programme of Christian formation in the second half of 2020 will take the form of a series of online Zoom seminars. This means that they can take place whether people are able to meet physically or not.

Each seminar will begin at 6.00 pm be no more than an hour long, and will be led by Fr Peter. There will be a presentation, followed by a time for questions, and then discussion. In order to participate, simply be in touch with Fr Peter to get the password needed to access the Zoom meeting.  Topics to be covered include:

“What is Anglo-Catholicism?”
Wednesday 16^th September

“Reflecting theologically on lockdown through literature”
Thursday 8^th October

“What do Christians believe happens when we die?”
Tuesday 3^rd November

“What do the gospels tell us about the birth of Jesus?”
Thursday 3^rd December

For full details of topics and dates to be covered, see the relevant pages on our website, under the section, “Online Theology Seminars.”

Theology Book Club
In addition, there will also be a theology book club organised through the autumn. The purpose of the St Benet’s Book Club will be to offer a forum for theological reflection, debate in the light of a book that we agree to read together. The Theology Book club will also meet by Zoom.

The idea is that a book is discussed each time we meet at 7.30 pm on a Tuesday evening. It would be ideal to have read the book before the seminar, but if you are still half way through or just starting, don’t let that stop you joining us. The books we will look at this autumn include, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, (Tuesday 22^nd September); Ghost Ship: Institutional Racism and the Church of England by A.D.A. France-Williams (Tuesday 27^th October); and The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (Tuesday 24^th November).

It is expected that participants acquire their own copies of the texts to be discussed. All of the books proposed are currently in print as paperbacks and can be obtained cheaply on Amazon.

For full details of topics and dates to be covered, see the relevant pages on our website, under the section, “Theology Book Club.”

Monthly Mass in German
A new worshipping community of German speakers meets once a month to celebrate the Mass in German at St Benet’s, Kentish Town. This usually takes place at 4.00 pm on the first Sunday of each month.

Our usual pattern is to have an Anglican Eucharist at 4.00 pm celebrated entirely in German. This is a short said service, which always includes a sermon in German. We frequently have guest speakers and preachers. After the Mass we then gather for “Kaffee und Kuchen,” and conversation in German.

The presence of the Coronavirus makes carrying on in our usual pattern a little difficult. Through the Autumn, therefore, we will try to keep our German Mass going, but with a few alterations to make our worship and fellowship Covid secure.

On Sunday 6^th September, if the weather permits, we will have a time of conversation and fellowship in our church garden. Modest refreshments will be served in a Covid safe way. We will follow whatever the government advice is at the time.

For Sunday 4^th October and Sunday 1^st November, our German Mass will simply be turned into a celebration of Evening Prayer in German online by Zoom. This removes the need for us to worry about how refreshments will take place as we will all be in the warmth of our own homes tuning in!

We will attempt to celebrate our annual Advent Carol Service in German on Sunday 6th December in person in St Benet’s Church. We will try to have a much music a possible at this, but it is unlikely this will include congregational singing. This event will almost certainly have to be ticketed, to avoid overcrowding in our church. A verdict on whether this service is possible will be take closer to the time depending on public health guidelines issued by the government.

Confirmation classes   
Confirmation classes will begin again in September for a confirmation on Sunday 13^th December. These will be a mixture of Zoom classes and meeting in person. Details to follow, but if you would like your child to be confirmed, please let Fr Peter know.

Services for the week beginning 23rd August 2020