DATES FOR YOUR DIARY GROWING TOGETHER Sunday Services - 10.00 and 18.30 Please join us for our Easter celebrations this This Spring we’ll be year and for other events in the months ahead running our popular Wednesday Service - 11.30 Marriage Course, Maundy Thursday - 24 March - 19.00 hosted this year by Eating, worshipping and praying together Kate and Alwyn Webb. It’s based on Good Friday - 25 March - 10.00 Christian principles, CORNERSTONE Edition 8 - Easter 2016 Morning Service but you don’t have to be a Christian or have a church background to benefit from Good Friday - 25 March - 12.00 these evenings. Topics will include building strong foundations; Sheen Park, Richmond, TW9 1UP | 020 8404 1112 | [email protected] | Vicar - Rev. Trevor Patterson The Passion Richmond (Richmond Riverside) the art of communication; resolving conflict; the power of forgiveness; the impact of family past and present; intimacy

Easter Sunday - 27 March - 10.00 and love in action. It’s a safe environment, so do not fear - All Age Holy Communion - celebrate with us! there will be no group discussion and no requirement to BEING OTHERLY LIFE IN BARNES disclose anything about your relationship to anyone else! At the start of each year we spend But if you return to me and obey my commands, Easter Sunday - 27 March - 18.30 a Sunday thinking about our then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, Evening Service Join us on Thursdays at 19.45 (coffee and pudding) evenings church’s vision. We believe God I will gather them from there and bring them to the place from 21 April to learn how to build an even stronger marriage. has called us to be a church with I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name Friday 15 - Sunday 17 April an open door, reaching out with Nehemiah 1:9 Men’s Weekend Away God’s love and power, and THE LAST WORD FROM TREVOR helping one another live for is over three years old as a church plant from HTR, and as Wednesday 20 April - 20.00 A hope that does not disappoint Jesus. This year we sense He is one of our churchwardens said a while back, looking around at everyone Joint Churches Evening calling us to focus especially on gathered for our Sunday worship, ‘I think we can now call ourselves a church.’ (St Stephen’s ) “After some time he felt for his pipe. It was the one another part of this - being otherly. The book of Nehemiah begins with heartfelt prayer, and so it was for us when Sunday 24 April - 10.00 not broken, and that was something. Then he felt for his pouch, and there was some we asked for God to use us to bring a fresh start for HT Barnes and its mission Annual Church Meeting to this community. I recall being asked when I was interviewed by a panel prior tobacco in it, and that was something more. Then he felt for matches and he could not to the plant ‘How is the church going to grow?’ I am not sure I mustered a very Saturday 30 April - 10.00 complicated answer in replying ‘We’re going to tell people about Jesus.’ And so Women’s Refresher Morning find any at all, and that shattered his hopes completely.” it has been.

Wednesday 18 May - 20.00 Like Bilbo Baggins in this wonderful quote from The Hobbit , we all face disappointments in life! People let us down and We gather on Sundays at 10.00 and now Joint Churches Evening have a number of different Community situations don’t turn out as we had hoped. That is why the Our church is a wonderful message of Easter is such good news! Paul says in his letter Groups meeting in homes during the week. Sunday 12 June community to be part of. But this We run Alpha every term in a local café Picnic after the Morning Service to the Church in Rome that ‘hope does not disappoint us…’ year we want to strength further The hope that God brings is not a vague aspiration. It is a and, thus far, we have always had a few our sense of being God’s family people coming to us with questions about Sunday 19 June glorious confidence that lasts forever. God loves us so much as we walk together in faith and that in Jesus He came to live on earth as one of us; by dying the Christian faith. This remains the main Gift Day life. So we’d love you to consider way into church life for those joining us. and rising again he rescued us forever from the deathly the part you can play in this … consequences of our sin and selfishness. Saturday 25 June - 09.00 We are so thankful to God for all He has Men’s breakfast We pray together … how and People let us down but God never will. In Jesus, God removed done in and through us that was enabled by HTR through their amazing where can I do this? generosity in sending both people and resources to Barnes. Please pray for yet Saturday 2 July - 09.00 forever the barrier that human sin had created. A holy and We serve together … what part loving God bore the brunt of your mess so that you might come more blessing on us in the months and years ahead. Recently, we have needed Women’s Breakfast does God have for me to play? to buy more chairs which, as we reflect, is a very happy problem to have! home to Him. We learn together … how can I However, as we are always aware - it’s all grace. Sunday 10 July learn this year? Barbecue after the Morning Service If you put your trust in Jesus you will enter into life in all its We eat together … who can I fullness forever, something that the apostle Peter says ‘can David Cooke invite? never perish, spoil or fade. We weep together … how can I VERSES TO LIVE BY stand alongside others practically GIVING IT AWAY and in prayer when life is tough? For the Spirit God gave us does not make us WELCOME TO HTR We grow together … how can I Did you realise that last year we gave away over £50,000 to timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. share my life to include others in support other people and organisations carrying out God’s (2 Timothy 1:7) We’d love you to join us at any of our work? Locally this included Kick London, Riverbank Trust, events. If you’re free on a Wednesday, our church family? Richmond Street Pastors and Prison Fellowship (running This verse has been important to me since I was why not come along to our Morning Sycamore Tree courses in Feltham Youth Offender Institution). Service and lunch? Or how about our God wants to build His church, a teenager, and I believe God directed me and we see this happening towards it soon after I became a Christian due to Marriage Course? - it might just change Further afield in the UK we supported Central London Vineyard the rest of your life. And there’s always already in some wonderfully me lacking self-confidence and caring too much diverse ways. But with our God Grace Church and church planting work through the Urban Action Trust. about what other people thought about me. Sundays, morning or evening. Overseas, in Uganda we were able to support both the ministry of Karis Kids there’s always more - more to Through this verse God helps me to be confident discover of his grace and mercy and a building project at our link church of St Peter’s Wandegeya. Elsewhere we about who I am, and it encourages me to be the provided funds for the work of Open Doors, Interserve, the International Justice to us, and more ways to show His person God is calling me to be. love to others because of His love Mission and Wycliffe Bible Translators. Call 020 8404 1112 or go to www.htrichmond.org.uk @church_htr HTR - for us. So join us this year on this Mark Anderson exciting journey! Thank you for your tremendous generosity in making this possible!

LIFE FOR REAL YEEHAW! RIVERBANK SUNDAY THE RELUCTANT GOVERNOR

Life Groups are a great place to discover The last Saturday evening more about being otherly. Most meet on in January saw our My biggest concern on becoming a Governor at Holy Trinity Primary weekday evenings, although there is a church transformed for a School was whether I would have anything useful to contribute. A Tuesday afternoon group and one for large group of adults and background in media and communication hardly seemed a good fit with women (Oasis) on Friday mornings. Every children to enjoy a riotous responsibilities like “holding the head teacher to account,” “setting the group is different, but common to all are Barn Dance. Anything the ethos, vision and strategic direction” and “overseeing the financial learning, worshipping, praying, supporting dancing may have lacked performance” of the school “to ensure money is well spent.” For someone and encouraging, with food and laughter in terms of finesse was with little knowledge about teaching and learning beyond the children’s Mothering Sunday is a very special school reports and my own vague memories, as well as a fairly cavalier featuring highly! more than compensated time for the Riverbank family, as we for by energy and attitude to credit card spending, I reckoned I would serve out my four-year thank God for the wonderful mums term and quietly sidle away. We’d love everyone to be part of a group enthusiasm, and the that we support, and as we reflect like this. To join one or find out more, do church was filled with the on all He is doing on the Riverbank. Of course, “He knows us far better than we know ourselves” (Romans 8: get in touch with us. joyful sounds of people One of our favourite ways to do this enjoying a really fun time 27, The Message Bible). I found myself sitting on interesting sub- is to share our heart and vision with committees, attending professional training courses and reading every Here’s a flavour of Mark and Mandie together. our 'Mother' church, Holy Trinity, Lambert’s group: news article I could find on education. Next thing I knew I was chairing a which we were privileged to do committee, overseeing an area of the curriculum (humanities in fact, so Our caller, Joe Fahey, returning after a once again on Mothering Sunday We meet at 20.00 on the 2nd and 4th similar event three years ago, was very nothing too crucial like maths or English!), writing the School’s 5-year morning! vision and running the School newspaper with a team of Year 6 editors. Wednesday of each month, and normally patient and helpful in his instructions, even kick off with a tea/coffee and a catch-up though time and time again we couldn’t tell natter … personal/family or church news. our left from our right, or spent more time Now approaching the end of my second four-year term, I’ve been elected We are enthusiastic Bible studiers and crashing into each other than gliding vice chair of Governors, so I guess there’s no quiet sidling away for a while usually study a book through to completion gracefully across the floor. yet! As Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean - we take turns in preparing and leading the not on your own understanding.” sessions, which usually take about 40 As always, the success of events like this depends on minutes. We always finish with prayer - people who give their time so generously. Thank you Michèle Marcus This year our theme was 'home', a health/family, whatever’s on our hearts. It’s especially to those who decorated the church so concept that deepens for us year by personal stuff … and of course what comes attractively, provided such wonderful food, swept up year as we have the joy of seeing WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY up at Homegroup stays at Homegroup. the remains of the straw bales and put the church God build a precious and safe back together in time for our Sunday Services! home amongst our community here I’m writing this knowing our secret will be out once you read this! You may It’s great to look back and see how God for those facing very difficult and not have heard, but our midweek Service is amazing. Either Morning answers our prayers - big and little. We’ve isolating situations. We were thrilled Prayer or Communion, it provides a place for thoughtful reflection. We grown together and it’s a privilege to be a MEN’S BREAKFAST to share our hope and vision for a meet in the intimate setting of the chancel and it is a haven of peace! The part of each other’s lives and to care for Riverbank 'home', a physical place Service gives older folk particularly a chance to contribute, speaking, and encourage each other. in our community where mums and praying, encouraging and doing the reading.

families would be able to visit us at

any time of the day, and where we As I have got to know those who attend, it makes me very grateful to many CHRISTMAS 2015 would be able to provide care and of our older folk who have given so much to our church in a whole variety support to more families. We are of ways over the years, and add depth and wisdom to our life together as Also back in January, some of the men in our church shared breakfast excited to see what God has in the Body of Christ. These lovely ‘Elderberries’ are prayer warriors, faithfully together and welcomed Tony Jarrett as their speaker. Tony is a store for us over the next year and praying their way through our Church Bulletin event by event! former hurdler, Olympic athlete and winner of two World are so thankful to Holy Trinity for all Championship silver medals, who now mentors young students in their continued support, love and Afterwards we gather for lunch, a lifeline for older folk in particular, who East London one-to-one, including motivating them to reach their full prayers! often sit alone for lunch. A hot meal of some kind has been amazingly potential. He also coaches accomplished sports professionals in provided every week throughout winter months by a small number of sprint and endurance conditioning. Ellie Hughes chefs, a real blessing. At the Wednesday Christmas Carol Service, featuring the children from Holy Trinity School, thirty people shared an Tony shared stories of growing up and family life, and the realisation excellent Christmas Lunch. he could become a great athlete. He recalled sporting memories THE PROMISE OF which many of us could remember, and spoke with great humour BLESSING … It’s wonderful to see friendships formed over lunch, taking away the about his keen rivalry with fellow hurdler isolation many folk feel when they live alone and family isn’t close by. Lifts It seems ages ago now, but during Colin Jackson, which spurred him on to … has indeed been a blessing to are provided to and from the Service, along with occasional spare food to December Holy Trinity was buzzing with achieve more than he otherwise would. many people. Kate Patterson’s first take home, or someone to pop to the shop for that forgotten milk! activity! Apart from our own Nativity And he told us how all his success still book has been so popular that it Service, Wednesday and Sunday Carol left him feeling something was missing has had to be reprinted! You can I love to watch how the Wednesday community bursts into life around the Services and Christingle Service, we in life, and how meeting Jesus changed still buy a copy at church for lunch table, where the ‘word’ for the day is discussed, along with gardening hosted five events for local schools, which this. yourself or friends. tips, who is on holiday next and catching up on the whereabouts of old often saw queues at the door, the Worship friends. There is even a Birthday cake or two! The community is growing Area packed full and people standing in the He left us with the challenge that among and includes some folk from other churches and many others who have Trinity Room. It was great to share all the blessings we enjoy in life we made the Wednesday service their church. Do come and join us for this Christmas with local people in this way, shouldn’t forget the blesser, the life- uplifting gathering. and to share something of the hope we changing God who can inspire and have in Jesus our Saviour. equip us all. Sheena Marx