Annual Services and Events

Advent Sunday

Is the first Sunday in December and marks the start of the Church of England Year. Often referred to as the Church’s birthday it should be no surprise that there is a celebration after the Service.

Christmas

We celebrate God’s gift to the world of his new-born son. We have several services which help us to do this:

• Christingle – where we remember Jesus as Light of the world, the fruits of creation and the sacrifice Jesus made for us all.
• Lessons and Carols – a special service, usually in conjunction with Churches Together in New Eltham, so all your favourite carols and readings which tell the story of Christ’s birth
• Christmas Eve -Midnight Mass – the celebration of the birth of Christ. We join with Christians throughout the world thanking God for the amazing gift of his son. We share the first communion of Christmas together and pray for peace in all the world.
• Christmas Day – the world celebrates Jesus birth by sharing gifts and feasting. We remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves by sharing what we have with them

Epiphany (nearest Sunday to 6th January)

Meaning ‘revelation’ is when Christ is revealed to those who are outside Israel and hailed as king to each and every one of us. The Magi (wise men) visit the child with symbolic gifts: Gold (kingship); Frankincense (priesthood); and Myrrh (healing and dying)

Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

• Ash Wednesday – marks the beginning of Lent, a season of preparation and penitence before the Feast of Easter. Ashes are a symbol of our sorrow and pain.
  We give up rich foods and ‘extras’ like chocolate and alcohol as an outward sign of the spiritual stripping back of our lives. It is a time  o reflect on our relationship with God and with each other, and to strive to be better.
• Palm Sunday – is the day when Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem with Palms and shouts of Hosanna. He rode on a donkey to fulfil the prophecy of Daniel. We celebrate by waving palms , sharing crosses of palm and singing hosanna to the son of David.
• Maundy Thursday – commemorates the Last Supper on the Thursday before Easter as we remember the beginning of the last week of Jesus, with the story of the foot-washing and of the watching in the Garden of Gethsemane. We share communion, wash each other’s feet, and watch together as a symbol of these acts.
• Good Friday – is the day we remember Jesus Christ’s death. At 10.00 am we walk from Clare Corner to the Methodist Church in New Eltham carrying a wooden cross, singing hymns and recounting the story of this day.
  We also have a service at 2pm where we reflect on the last hour of Christ’s life and the great sacrifice he made for us all.
• Holy Saturday – late at night on the eve of Easter we meet together to reveal Christ Light in the World. We begin with a bonfire from which we light our Paschal Candle (a special candle for Easter), we sing of God’s people and hear of the history of God’s relationship with the world. This is the oldest service we hold which dates back to the first century BC.
• Easter Day – the day when we celebrate Christ is risen from the dead. Traditionally we exchange chocolate eggs as signs of new life. Lamb is a traditional Sunday lunch for this day representing Jesus ‘the lamb of God’

Ascension Day

Where we mark the occasion of Jesus last sighting on earth and his ascension into heaven.

Pentecost

Penticost is the last Sunday of the Easter season, previously known as Whitsun (short for Whit Sunday). We celebrate and everyone is asked to wear something red for the service.

Harvest

We come together to give thanks to God for his generosity and to share what we have been given with others around the world.