The Christian Community in Forest Row Programme for November, 2019 - March 2020

Programme for No- vember, 2019 - March 2020

Hartfi eld Road , Forest Row, East , RH18 5DZ | (01342) 323205 | thechristiancommunityinforestrow.org COMMUNION SERVICE THE ACT OF CONSECRATION OF MAN

During the Holy Nights: 25th December: Midnight, 8am and 10am 26th December until 6th January at 10am

Sundays ...... 10am Thursdays ...... 9am not on 9th January; 2nd April Fridays ...... 9am not on 10th January; 3rd April. Saturdays ...... 9am not on 11th January; 4th April

THE SUNDAY SERVICE FOR CHILDREN Sundays at 9.10am for 7 - 14 year olds. We (children, parents, and priest) meet in the Community Room at 09:10 am to practise the song. Then we all meet again in the Community Room after the service, to hear a story. December: 1st,15th, 25th (at th th th nd rd st 11.30) and 29 ; January: 5 , 26 ; February 2 , 23 ; March 1 . Christmas day at 11.30am EVENING SERVICES dedicated to those who have died. First Saturday of the month at 6pm (but not on 4th January, th 4 March) preceded by Reading for those who have died at 4.30pm.

Dear members and friends of The Christian Community in Forest Row, Welcome to our programme covering events over the winter period of the year. Winter with its cold and dark can feel an uninviting time of year. Nature seems to go its own way. It is as if nature declares herself exhausted, and now goes into retreat, in order to replenish herself and we are left to make the best of the scarce resources that she leaves us. Just in this time when nature leaves us to our own resources, the festivals can make this time of year all the more special. These festivals aim to provide warmth, light and community whilst nature is holding back. We can even have the feeling that nature withholds her glory to make space for what we are going to develop.' The gifts of the festivals of the Winter: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany (also known as Three Kings) are truly an enhancement to our lives on earth. They hold us and keep us warm throughout the cold days; and when they come to a conclusion with Three Kings, we may feel as if the wisdom of the Magi has been entrusted to us - that we may now carry in our hearts for the coming year their reverential recognition of the child. And we can hold that question in our hearts all year round: ‘what gift can I bring?’ And how can we give it to the world at the right time, in the right place, in the right measure? Every year, the celebration of the winter festivals can teach us to find warmth when all about is cold; to find light when all about is dark and to find the gift within with which we might enhance the world. Perhaps nature, in spite of all her wise magnificence, looks upon this and ponders it in awe. With warm wishes,

Luke Barr Tom Ravetz Update: Monika Knight’s medical condition means that she will be unable to take up her role as congregational priest in the period covered by this programme. As always, our thoughts and prayers are with her. She is grateful for all cards and messages. PS if you shop online, you can contribute to us via thegivingmachine.co.uk Just go to that address and search for The Christian Community, Forest Row REGULAR EVENTS Tuesdays Conversation Group. 10.30am following coffee from 10am. Wednesdays Eurythmy – 8.50 – 9.50am Newcomers with some experience welcome. Contact Glenys Waters (01342) 824141. £8 per session. Summer break until half September. Thursdays Open Conversation Group– 10-11am On religious, spiritual and general topics followed by coffee. Choir Rehearsals – 7.15 – 8pm most Thursdays Contact Simon Blaxland de Lange (01342) 810965 for details. Summer break until half September Open Conversation on Art – The Gospel Study Group– 8pm. Currently, we are working on the Gospel of John. Appletree Parent and Child Groups Thursday & Fridays 9:30 - 11:30 Contact: Katherine Small: 07811 342 082 email: [email protected] These groups are for families with children aged birth to 3 years. They are a perfect place to make friends and feel supported in a nurturing and gentle Steiner/Waldorf setting. We celebrate the seasons with beautiful crafts, stories, festivals and songs. Katherine and Thora your group facilitators look forward to welcoming you and your little ones. Gathering for pre-school children in the Children's Room before the Children’s Service Primarily, for age group 1-6 and families. A short 15 minute gathering once a month including story, verse, music and song. Afterwards, a Children's Service will take place for the older children (age 7-14). Saturday Club for families once a month, 10:30- 12 Noon. Activities, crafts, games, singing and story. With Luke Barr, Arthur Dyer, Mike & Katherine Small, Hannah Roberts & Thora Wendland Calendar of Events Saturday, 30th November 6pm ‘Becoming’ Close of Day with sermon on the eve of Advent Sunday, 1st December 11.30am Concert by Pupils of Angela Campbell Bach A minor violin concerto; Haydn G major violin concerto; Beethoven Spring sonata; Brahms A major sonata; Kabelevsky C major concerto. Ella Doyle, Alice Friedmann and Daphne Delfas – violin; Irina Lyakhobskaya – piano Sunday, 8th December 9am Little Ones’ Gathering 11.30am A Pilgrimage on the trail of Mary and Michael Talk by Ken Gibson Friday, 13th December 8pm Raphael’s Madonna Pictures Presentation by Luke Barr Saturday, 14th December 10.30am Saturday Club Activities, games, singing, stories and service for children. Sunday, 15th December 11.30am Christmas Card-writing Event for prisoners of conscience together with Amnesty International Sunday, 22nd December 11.30am The Christmas Epistles Presentation by Pearl Goodwin Tuesday, 24th December 3pm Nativity Play Wednesday, 25th December midnight The Act of Consecration of Man 8am The Act of Consecration of Man 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.30am The Christmas Service for Children 12pm Christmas Tree Festival Thursday, 26th December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man Friday, 27th December-Monday, 30th December Ascending the Heavenly Ladder Presentations on the Spiritual Hierarchies with Artistic Eurythmy, Exercises and Discussion around the Christmas Tree. Led by Tom Ravetz Friday, 27th December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.15am Ascending the Heavenly Ladder I Saturday, 28th December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.15am Ascending the Heavenly Ladder II Sunday, 29th December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.30am Ascending the Heavenly Ladder III Monday, 30th December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.15am Ascending the Heavenly Ladder IV Tuesday, 31st December 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 6pm New Beginnings are often disguised as painful endings. - Lao Tsu Sermon for the New Year by Luke Barr 7pm New Year’s Party More details to be announced nearer the time.

Wednesday, 1st January 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.15am The Dream Song of Olav Åsteson Sung by Simon Blaxland de Lange, with an introduction by Pearl Goodwin Thursday, 2nd January 10am The Act of Consecration of Man Friday, 3rd January 10am The Act of Consecration of Man Saturday, 4th January 10am The Act of Consecration of Man Sunday, 5th January 9am Little Ones Gathering 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 11.30am Raphael’s Cartoons Talk by Pearl Goodwin on Raphael’s masters’ for the tapestries of scenes from the Gospels, which can be seen in the V&A museum in Monday, 6th January 10am The Act of Consecration of Man 4pm Three Kings’ Play Saturday, 18th January 10.30am Saturday Club Activities, games, singing, stories and service for children. Sunday, 19th January 11.30am From ‘it’ to ‘you’ to ‘I’ Presentations and discussion on Prayer and Meditation with Pearl Goodwin and Tom Ravetz Sunday, 26th January 11.30am Members’ Meeting

Sunday, 2nd February 9am Little Ones’ Gathering for Candlemas 11.30am Embryology, Birth and their Christian Significance Presentations and discussion with Pearl Goodwin and Sophia Smith Saturday, 8th February 10.30am The Spiritual Hierarchies in the Act of Consecration of Man Regional Congregational Meeting starting with Act of Consecration Detailed programme on the noticeboard nearer the time Saturday, 15th February 10.30am Saturday Club Activities, games, singing, stories and service for children. 3.30pm Shakespeare’s Herbs A Valentine's presentation with Vanessa Underwood. Herbs will be passed round so that people can rub them with their fingers and inhale the aroma while the lines mentioning the herbs are spoken. Poets inspired by Shakespeare's use of herbs will be included Sunday, 16th February 11.30am Sacramental Consultation and Karma Talk by Luke Barr In this talk, we will explore the relationship between this little-known sacrament and its possibility in aligning us with our true destiny. Sunday, 23rd February 11.30am Open Congregational Meeting Sunday, 1st March 9am Little Ones’ Gathering 11.30am Judas: Betrayal of One’s Self Talk by Luke Barr Of all the disciples of Christ, Judas is the most fascinating to the modern mind. For centuries, his name was taboo. Only since fairly recent times, can we begin to think differently, and ponder for ourselves questions of freedom and determinism. How free was Judas? How justifiable is his destiny? What does this dark protagonist on the stage of the mysteries signify? Sunday, 15th March 11.30am-1pm Annual Congregational Meeting with presentation of annual accounts and reports from priests and congregational council

th rd Monday, 30 March-Friday, 3 April Synod in Hillsdale, New York State Weekday services cancelled

Gospel Readings Advent Sunday, December 1 … Luke 21:25-36 Sunday, December 8 … Luke 21:25-36 Sunday, Dec 15 … Luke 21:25-36 Sunday, Dec 22 … Luke 21:25-36

Christmas Weds, December 25 Midnight … Matthew 1:1-25 Dawn … Luke 2:1-20 Morning … John 21:15-25

Epiphany Monday, January 6 … Matthew 2:1-12 Sunday, January 12 … Matthew 2:1-12 Sunday, January 19 … Luke 2:41-52 Sunday, January 26 John 2:1-11 Sunday, February 2 Matthew 9:1-8

Sunday, February 9 Luke 8:5-18 Sunday, February 16 Matthew 20:1-16 Sunday, February 23 … Luke 18:18-34 Sunday, March 1 … Matthew 4:1-11 Sunday, March 8 … Matthew 17:1-13

Passiontide Sunday, March 15 … Luke 11:14-36

Exhibitions December: 5000 years of Public Speaking; the Potential, the Hindrances and the Expectations. Including a painting of the first speech exercises given 100 years ago by Rudolf and Marie Steiner in Stuttgart. Compiled by Jane Brewer, with newly commissioned works by David Newbatt. January-February: Richard Heys; February-March: Angela Lord Further details to be announced. GENERAL ENQUIRIES Call the church during the opening times on 01342 825436

OPENING TIMES Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 1pm Tuesday – Friday 3pm – 5pm Subject to alteration Closed on Mondays

CONGREGATIONAL PRIESTS Reverend Luke Barr 01342 823135 / 07787 826131 [email protected] Reverend Tom Ravetz 01342 458132 / 07749 662 717 (Regional coordinator) [email protected] Reverend Pearl Goodwin 01342 825701 (in active retirement) [email protected]

Cover image: Raphael, Christ’s Charge to St Peter (V&A, London)

Hartfield Road/School Lane, Forest Row, RH18 5DZ www.thechristiancommunityinforestrow.org email: [email protected] phone: 01342 825436 The Christian Community is financed entirely by the donations of members and friends. We warmly thank those who generously enable our work through their donations, regular contributions and legacies. Lloyds Bank: Sort Code 309292, A/C No. 00012363 Registered Office: 65 Carter Lane, EC4V 5HE Company Reg No 2191195 in and Wales. Reg Charity No 210029