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'A Time to Dance, A Time to Mourn'
We enjoyed another incredible performance in November when members of the Cardiff Methodist Community Choir visited the church as part of a new initiative funded by the Methodist Connexion. They were exploring how song and music could be used to challenge and inspire us all to engage more deeply with the wider Church's commitment to Justice, Dignity and Inclusion (JDI). As well as a stirring performance on the Saturday night, the choir members, all of whom came from the Cardiff area, joined the congregation for morning worship on the Sunday. They performed several pieces, including a very moving rendition of 'It is well with my soul', which had everyone singing along. The performance was part of a service on the theme of diversity and inclusivity.
'A Time to Dance, A Time to Mourn'
What an incredible night we had on Sunday, 20 October when the incredibly talented Springs Dance Company brought their new production, 'A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance' to the Church. Inspired by the famous verses from Ecclesiastes 3, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens", the show was a deeply personal response to the human need to mourn. Created after the pandemic, the performance challenged us to reflect on grief, human connection and joy. It was ultimately a celebration of life itself.
Everyone who attended felt that they had been taken on a journey deep into the human condition. The Church looked incredible and it was great to welcome so many people to our beautiful building. We were very grateful to the Richmond & Hounslow Methodist Circuit for generously supporting the cost of the performance, allowing us to offer free admission.
The harvest is here
It was good to celebrate God's harvest once again this September. At a special service, followed by a community lunch, we recalled how God calls us both to 'Praise and Protest'. To praise God for the wonders of creation, and to protest at the injustice in our world which denies a fair sharing of God's bounty. As usual, we made a collection of food items for Wandsworth Foodbank, which has an outlet at Roehampton Methodist Church. It was also lovely to be joined later in the week by staff and pupils from Hurlingham Nursery to share the celebration.
Congratulations!
It was a great joy to celebrate the wedding of Newton and Dan at the Church at the end of August. It was wonderful to welcome friends and family from across the globe as we marked the start of this new chapter in their lives. It was also a very special occasion for us as a church, as this was the first same-sex wedding we had been able to celebrate since the national Methodist Church made the momentous decision to affirm that 'Love is Love' and broaden its definition of marriage. We wish the new couple every joy.
Messy Church fun
The monthly Messy Church at Putney has had two lovely sessions to finish off the academic year. In June, the children finished looking at the life of Paul and were inspired to write their own letters of encouragement, using quills and ink! (They really got into it and we may have some new scribes among us.) In July, with the Olympics fast approaching, the children and helpers had a really fun session reflecting on ‘Running the race with perseverance’ (Hebrews 12). This was a great opportunity for lots of running round and games - as well as a medal ceremony that celebrated everyone’s achievements. The team are taking a break in August but are looking forward to seeing old and new families on Sunday, 15 September.
A fresh look
We have been having a bit of a makeover in the last few weeks. The painters have been in, giving it a fresh new look. The work required the erection of scaffolding to reach the very top of the building - one of the decorators said the dust up there looked like it was older than him! Several areas of plaster had to be repaired owing to the ingress of water over the years but everything is looking a lot better now. The congregation is very much looking forward to having the space back to themselves soon.
Thank you to Allison
We had a wonderful celebration of the ministry of Rev'd Allison Waterhouse at Putney on Sunday, 23 June. Allison has served the Methodist Church for over 25 years as an ordained minister, with much of her time being spent as a prison chaplain. She continues to be an active member of the church at Putney and to preach regularly round the Circuit, but it was time for her to formally ’sit down’ - the process by which Methodist ministers retire. This special service marked that occasion and it was good to celebrate her lengthy service with friends and family. The preacher was Rev'd Gordon Newton, who shared in her ministry to prisons, and Rev'd Nigel Cowgill, our District Chair, who led the prayers. We even had a special video message from Rev’d Naomi Oates, who now serves as a trustee on the charity that Allison helped set up, Change for Good, which helps support those leaving prison.
Christian Aid Week 2024
Putney Methodist Church once again pulled out all the stops for Christian Aid this year. As usual, the congregation organised an all day cake sale in aid of the charity. The parents and children at the neighbouring Hurlingham School baked some delicious cakes, which were sold alongside those from church members. It was good to welcome many passers-by from the local community who were keen to support and visit the Church, and there was a lovely atmosphere all day.
In the afternoon, Lesley Murray organised a wonderful concert led by the PMC Singers, with additional contributions from other members of the church. They performed pieces by Purcell, Chopin and others. There were also incredible performances from younger members, including the premiere performance of the Kelly family band, with every member playing or singing! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful music.
As ever, Geoff and Allison Waterhouse put in a huge amount of effort to make the day a success, and a huge thank you to all those who gave up their time and talents for this great cause. In total, we raised over £1,500 for Christian Aid’s work among the poorest in our world.
And here is a link to a film of the concert on our YouTube page:
Return visit by the London Tamil Church
Putney was delighted to welcome back some old friends in May, when members of the London Tamil Christian Congregation (LTCC) came to the Church for a special thanksgiving service. The LTCC is also known as the 'Putney Church’, after it began meeting at the Methodist site in May, 1972. It was established to provide a place where people could worship in the Tamil language and meet together in fellowship. The then minister of the Methodist Church, Rev’d George Farmer, was delighted to offer the group a home.
Over time, the fellowship grew dramatically, drawing in large numbers of Sri Lankans who were living, working and studying in London. It included people from a wide range of denominational backgrounds and the ‘Putney church’ became famous throughout the world as a centre of worship and hospitality. It also helped parent a number of other similar fellowship groups in other countries.
The service was led by the Church’s current minister, Rev'd Jessie Anand, and her husband, Revd S A Asir Anand, with members of the congregation. Rev’d Geoffrey Farrar was delighted to preach and spoke about the Faith, Hope and Love that united the life and mission of the two communities. During the service, many memories of worship at Putney were shared, especially the carol and Watchnight services, when the church was full to capacity. Many children were baptised there and long-lasting relationship and friendships established.
The fellowship now meets at Rivercourt Methodist Church, Hammersmith. This was a wonderful occasion and a reminder of both the importance of providing hospitality to fellow Christians and of our part in the global church.
Easter 2024 at Putney Methodist
had an empty tomb and a wonderful banner made by our Messy Church children and families, and the cross was beautifully decorated as usual by Allison. Geoffrey led our worship with members of the PMC Singers providing much joy with their music. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a lusty rendition of ‘Low in the grave he lay’ outside the Church, followed by an Easter egg hunt and a delicious slice of simmnel cake.
Lent talks: 'To be a pilgrim'
We were delighted to host the Churches Together in Putney & Roehampton series of Lent talks this year. The theme was 'Pilgrimage' and we heard about all sorts of different journeys and what they meant to those involved. This included traditional pilgrimages, such as to the Holy Land or Lourdes, and personal pilgrimages. We were especially delighted that Chris and Denise Arthur gave their very powerful testimony about their own 'pilgrimage of hope', following a tragic accident. The season concluded with a special session led by the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Rev'd Christoper Chessun, who spoke about our journey with Christ through life. It was really wonderful to spend time together as Christians from different denominations, reflecting in this special season and all that unite us. We all left the series with a great deal to think about. A huge thank you to all those who gave so freely of their time.
Spring in our Peace Garden
We are very grateful to those who have worked so hard to turn a neglected part of our church grounds into a beautiful new space. It's taken a lot of time and effort but the results are really special. The aim is to create a new Peace Garden, where people may be able to sit and reflect amid the busyness of the Upper Richmond Road. It's looking especially beautiful at the minute as the new bulbs spring into life.
Christmas at Putney
Christmas at Putney this year was a truly joyous occasion. In addition to the wonderful production of 'Shepherds Arise', we were delighted to welcome Hurlingham School, Noddy's Nursery and Hotham School for their usual end of term carol services and concerts. (Hotham School in full voice are shown below.) We also had another lovely carol service with members of Putney & Wimbledon Brass Band, and our usual round of festive services, where we were delighted to welcome so many visitors. Over Christmas, we also raised £500 for the British Red Cross Gaza appeal, £250 for Action for Children and £100 for the Trussell Trust. Thank you to all who gave so generously.
Shepherds Arise
We were delighted to to be able to stage 'Shepherds Arise' on 2 December, 2023. This new folk opera was written and produced by Jessica Dalton and James Naylor, the same creative team who brought us Noye's Fludde and Love Abounds. It was a celebration of the Nativity story, retold in song, dance and poetry, following Mary on her journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The show involved numerous folks from our congregation and community, and several other local churches. Members of the PMC Singers were heavily involved. There were two performances (afternoon and evening), which were both well attended. Those attending found it a deeply moving and powerful experience.
Baptism and Confirmation
We were delighted to welcome three new members into the family of the Church this October. One member was received by adult baptism and confirmation, and two others have come to us from other churches across the country. It was wonderful to welcome them all.
Harvest 2023
We celebrated our Harvest Festival this year on 24 September. It was good to see the church, so beautifully decorated with fruit, vegetable and flowers, and to welcome new and familiar faces to the congregation. The theme of the service was 'sowing bountifully'.
We collected food and cash donations towards the vital work of Wandsworth foodbank and you can see a specially-recorded video about the Foodbank's work, featuring Deacon Kathy on Youtube here. Together with our neighbours at Hurlingham Nursery School, we collected over 100 kgs of food, which the Foodbank estimates will help provide up to 241 meals for those in need. Thank you to everyone involved.
Messy Church returns
Messy Church returned in September with lots of blood and gore! We were reflecting on the story of The Good Samaritan and the children had great fun making fake wounds and being bandaged like the poor man on the road to Jericho in Jesus’ famous parable. We used the Godly Play figures to re-tell the story, with an additional Lego inn made by one of our attendees! Our next sessions are on 15 October and 19 November, when we shall look at the story of Joseph.
A new look
We are enjoying a new look to the church after the carpets were renewed over the summer. The project has been long planned and proved quite logistically challenging owing to the amount of work that needed to be done. During the renovation, the workers discovered newspapers from the last carpet fitters in 1994, so it has worn well! Everyone is now enjoying the smart new look and looking forward to welcoming many more visitors.
Love is love
We were delighted to celebrate a special communion service in July to mark London Pride weekend. The theme of the service was 'Love is Love' and we reflected on how the Bible teaches us that when we encounter true acts of loving kindness, we encounter God. This is part of the national Methodist Church's renewed commitment to 'Justice for All' and follows our decision to celebrate same-sex marriages last year.
Christian Aid Week 2023
Putney Methodist once agin opened its doors for an all-day cafe this May in aid of Christian Aid. Friends and members of the community dropped in throughout the day, which culminated in a wonderful concert led by the PMC Singers. The audience was treated to a wide variety of music by a number of performers, including some of the younger members of the congregation. All in all, the church raised over £1,000 for Christian Aid. Well done to all involved!
Looking to the future
At its Annual Church Meeting in April, we re-confirmed our commitment to the future of our mission. The meeting agreed to the renewal of some church furniture and fittings, which were beginning to look tired, and more importantly to proceeding with the redevelopment of its entrance, which has long been unsuitable for people with any sort of mobility impairment. The congregation has now appointed an architect, who will begin developing plans to make the building truly accessible for all and open up further missional opportunities. It is going to be a long journey but we are all excited about the next steps.
Easter at Putney
It was good to welcome familiar and new faces to the church this Lent and Easter to mark this most important season of the Christian year. We followed the theme of 'Jesus the Enigma' during Lent, exploring what it meant for Jesus to be a healer, a rabbi, a liberator and much more. During Holy Week, we gathered for a simple meal on Maundy Thursday followed by a powerful Tenebrae service, where we slowly extinguished the lights in the church to remember the gathering sense of threat and danger at the first Easter. We then met for worship on Good Friday and celebrated the resurrection together on Easter Sunday, when we were joined by the PMC Singers who sang splendidly.
O come all ye faithful!
At our Carol Service this year (2022), we once again welcomed members of the Putney & Wimbledon Brass Band, who led our music. It was great to be back in the church again after Covid, and to welcome so many friends and neighbours. Over the Christmas period, we also raised £600 in donations for charity: £300 for Glass Door and £300 for Action for Children.
Back to normal
It was wonderful to have a more normal Christmas this year after all the disruption caused by the pandemic. It was especially good to welcome back the local schools and nurseries who use the church for their nativity plays, including Hotham School who had their end of term Carol Service at the church for the first time in three years. The singing and readers were excellent!
There IS Room
Putney joined with the rest of the Methodist Church in Britain this Advent with its campaign 'There IS Room'. This sought to encourage all churches to be open, welcoming and inclusive places for all. On Advent Sunday, we marked the start of this campaign with our young people. We challenged them to make a shelter where there was really room for us all - and they did not disappoint! At the end of the service we prayed for everyone who was feeling left out and excluded in our world.
Lighting up for Advent
During Advent this year (2022), we will not only be lighting candles on our Advent wreath to mark the progress to Christmas. You can also join in the countdown with our new floodlights. Each Sunday, one more window on the side of the building will be lit up. Please keep an eye out for this new way of marking the season as you pass the church at night.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Nick and Ipek who were married at Putney in November. Ipek was baptised at the church in October. It was a wonderful day and we wish them all the very best for their future life together.
Harvest 2022
The Church was once again beautifully decorated for our Harvest Festival in September this year. We again made a collection of much-needed needed food items for Wandsworth Foodbank. After the service, the church family enjoyed a hearty lunch of homemade soup.
Supporting Ukraine
During Lent, the congregation held a weekly collection to support those affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Like everyone else, we have been appalled by the violence and destruction that is being inflicted upon the innocent people of Ukraine and join with people of all faiths in praying for peace. Together with support from our church funds we raised £1,000, which we will be sending to the Disasters Emergency Committee. We pray that it may be a small help in this desperate situation.
Love Abounds
The highlight of our Easter celebrations this year was the production of 'Love Abounds', which took place on the evening of Good Friday. This was a new re-telling of the Passion story in words and music, specially written for Putney by Jessica Dalton and James Naylor. Singers and performers from a number of local churches had been rehearsing hard for months on this project. Drawing on the medieval tradition of the mystery plays, it brought the story to vivid life once more. It was good to welcome so many people to this special occasion and to hear how touched people had been by the power of the story. You can see an amateur recording of the event here on YouTube.
Holy Week at Putney Methodist
It was very good to be able to celebrate Holy Week this year far more 'normally' than has been possible since the start of the pandemic. We marked this very special time of year by opening the church up for private and prayer and reflection each morning. We gathered for a meal and a simple service of Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday evening and then held our Good Friday service outside, to witness to the good news of what God did for us on the cross of Christ. Finally, we gathered round the cross once more on Easter Sunday, but this time one decked with flowers to celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus. It was wonderful to see the church so full again and to see old friends and new gathered together to praise God.
World Day of Prayer
It was a great pleasure to host one of this year's World Day of Prayer services on Friday, 4 March. The material was put together by women from England, Wales and Northern Ireland under the theme of 'I have plans to prosper and not to harm you'. It was an especial pleasure to welcome our local MP, Fleur Anderson, to the evening event, as well as friends from many local churches.
Three baptisms and a confirmation!
We were delighted to host not one but three baptisms and a confirmation at the church on Sunday, 13 February. One baby, a child and an adult were received into the church by baptism, and the adult was also confirmed. In what we believe is an historic first for the church, two of the baptisms were conducted by total immersion. This required erecting a special pool in the church, which made a dramatic centrepiece for the occasion - and required a lot of hard work to empty afterwards! It was a wonderful day and we pray God's blessing upon those baptised.
An historic decision: Putney Methodist Church affirms same-sex marriage
At a special Church Council meeting on Sunday, 6 February, Putney Methodist Church took the historic decision to register its building for the celebration of same-sex marriages. The decision was taken unanimously after prayerful consideration, and an honest and open discussion. The church will become the first place of worship in Putney to register for such marriages.
The discussion followed the Methodist Church of Great Britain’s decision last year to adopt the recommendations of the God in Love Unites Us Report. This report examined all aspects of relationships, including same-sex marriage and cohabitation. It considered how Christians could live faithfully in all relationships, and reflected on developments in the law of the land and changes in understanding on many issues. It recognised the faithful witness and painful experiences of many LGBT people, inside and outside the Church. It concluded that the Church needed to enable people of the same sex to commit themselves to each other in Christian marriage, if it was to "remain true to the God of justice and love”. It recommended that individual congregations be then given the authority to register their buildings for same-sex marriages, if they felt so called.
The minister of the church, Rev’d Geoffrey Farrar, who was a member of the group that produced the report, said: “This is a very important decision in the 150 year history of our church here in Putney. We have been considering these issues nationally for decades and it has often produced great hurt and division. The discussion we had here, though, was a deeply moving one, and people spoke with great honesty and courage from their own experiences. Many of those who spoke wished to affirm all those who have worshipped with us over the years and to offer a true welcome to every member of our community here in Putney. I was delighted that we were able to make the decision unanimously and so harmoniously.”
The church will now formally register the building for same-sex marriages with Wandsworth Council. Anyone who wishes to be married in the building is warmly invited to contact the church here.
A very special Carol Service
We had a very unusual Carol Service this year at Putney. For the first time in our 151 year history (we think), we held the service outside! This was to make sure the event was as safe as possible for everyone attending during this time of increased infection. Our music was accompanied by members of the Putney & Wimbledon Brass Band, who made an incredible sound. It was a really joyous occasion, with neighbours and passers-by all joining in. Many of those attending felt the new location made the occasion even more special.
Singing for Putney!
Members of the PMC Singers were delighted to support the Positively Putney Christmas Fair on Upper Richmond Road this year. Along with other local groups, they performed carols, and raised money for the Glass Door Homelessness charity.
Musical delights
It was very good to welcome the Arminian Ensemble back to the church again for their first concert after the end of the last lockdown. The talented group of musicians performed a wide range of music from Bach to Bonfa on Saturday, 6 November. We heard pieces for piano, flute, violin and organ, all beautifully performed. The concert also raised much-needed funds for the Glass Door homeless project.
Harvest donations
We had a splendid Harvest Festival in September, where we celebrated the gift of God's creation. Thank you to everyone who donated so generously to our Harvest collection for the Wandsworth Foodbank. Along with Hurlingham Nursery and our friends at Barnes Methodist, we collected a huge amount, which was very gratefully received. Sadly, the demand for the Foodbank's services show no signs of abating.
Deacon Kathy's Ordination
This summer we celebrated the ordination of Deacon Kathy Johnson into the Diaconal Order of the Methodist Church. Deacon Kathy has served in our Circuit for the last three years as a probationer minister and should have been ordained last year. Owing to COVID, her big day inevitably had to be postponed so it was good finally to celebrate this special occasion in June with her family and fellow ordinands. We rejoice with Kathy in this confirmation of her calling and vocation. (Photo of the COVID-safe service below.)
A great week for Christian Aid
Putney Methodist has always been very pleased to support the charity Christian Aid, especially during its annual fundraising week. Despite COVID, this year was no exception. Working with Churches Together in Putney & Roehampton as usual, the church raised a staggering £1,818.67 through gifts and donations. The highlight of the week was our Coffee and Cake stall, which took place on Saturday, 15 May outside the church. Despite regular rain showers, we had a steady stream of customers, who bought all of the cakes that folks had donated. We were especially grateful to the staff and parents of neighbouring Hurlingham Nursery for their kind donations. Everyone was clearly delighted to be out and meeting up again. We even had a visit from our local MP, Fleur Anderson (pictured right), who gave us great encouragement. Thank you so much to all the volunteers and bakers who helped make this another great year for supporting some of the poorest people in our world. See you next year!
Noye’s Fludde - a year on!
We cannot quite believe it but it's been a year now since our church was full of people and beautiful music for our production of Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde on 8 February, 2020. The opera re-tells the story of the Flood, using the text of a medieval mystery play. Putney’s production was meant to be the start of a year of events to mark the Church’s 150th anniversary but COVID had other ideas!
The piece was directed and organised by Putney member Jessica Dalton, who brought together a wide range of people from across the community, including local churches and schools, to put on a really professional production. Rev’d Nicola Morrison, Chaplain at nearby Southlands College and another worshipper at Putney, co-ordinated much of the music for the show, supported by choral conductor James Naylor, a community music practitioner.
The two performances raised over £1,200 for the two chosen charities Water Aid and the WWF, reflecting the opera’s themes. Here's a special recording of the final hymn from the opera.
Putney 1870-2020 anniversary service
2020 marks the 150th anniversary of Putney Methodist Church, which first opened its door in 1870. We had a whole host of events and activities planned to mark this special year, including a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Easter and a special exhibition. Sadly, however, COVID-19 had other ideas! We hope to stage at least some of these events in the future, when the restrictions are lifted.
We were able to hold an Anniversary Service, though, on Sunday, 15 November, even if most people had to attend via Zoom. Our minister, Rev'd Geoffrey Farrar, led the service along with members of the PMC Singers. A highlight of the service was the dedication of a new lectern frontal, designed and made by church member, Ruth Kelly (see right).
During the service, we also saw a preview of an exhibition about Putney in 1870 that our organist, David Armstrong, has painstakingly researched and put together. When all restrictions have been lifted, it will show a fascinating insight into life in Putney at that time, as well as details of our church's interesting history. David has kindly put together a taster of what we can expect, visible here. We look forward to seeing the whole thing before too long. (For more details of the church's history, see here.)