Hearts THE BRIDGE on Fire The Diocese of Southwark Newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark Vol.23 No.10 Christmas/New Year 2018 Inside Southwark Cathedral hosts THE BRIDGE ‘violent crimes summit’ ...this month Over 250 people from churches across London gathered at Southwark Cathedral on Tuesday 13 November for a summit on the increasing violence in ‘On Christmas the capital. night all Christians Recognising that this is not an issue for London alone, those sing...’The present sought to fi nd ways history of carols of working to seek to halt the and some of violence and killing. your favourites... The Revd Les Isaac During the event, the pages 10-11 and Mercia Perin delegates heard about the administrative, church, youth, school and police viewpoints ‘Lest we from guest speakers. The Revd Les Isaac, CEO of Ascension Trust, called for an young person’s viewpoint. She to a close delegates heard London, the Rt Revd Dame forget...’ end to the killings in months, reminded people of the African feedback from the workshops, Sarah Mullally DBE, and the The Diocese rather than the years it has proverb: ‘It takes a village to culminating in a declaration Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Revd remembers been suggested it might take, raise a child’ but went on to from the Bishops present Jonathan Clark. the fallen... and spoke of the need “to say “but if that child doesn’t who committed to working Refl ecting on the event pages... 6&7 get out and understand what feel part of the village, they with each other, ecumenical Bishop Jonathan said: “Those young people need and what will burn it down to feel its partners, the wider community who were present committed can help them to move away warmth”. and young people to pilot new themselves to working PLUS pages of from violence”. The speakers were followed initiatives in three Boroughs individually, with their news from the Mercia Perin, a former by a series of workshops across London, which will congregations and, as churches Cathedral and Mentor with XLP, got the looking at how churches can report back in a year’s time. across the whole of London, to the parishes biggest reaction of the day be a part of the solution to The event ended with make peacebuilding a major when she spoke from the this problem. As the day drew worship led by the Bishop of part of our life together”. Garages ADVENTure starts the build Page 19 The Editorial up to Christmas in Sanderstead Board and the Over 200 people be open. The theme for 2018 Bridge team is the ADVENTure Ark. A wish all our descended on Mike and different animal will feature Anne Fixter’s drive on in the displays each night. contributors, 1 December to launch Refreshments are available advertisers, this year’s ADVENTure and each night the display will distributors and be different. An ADVENTure readers a blessed in Sanderstead - and to map can be downloaded from Advent, a joyful meet the reindeer. https://bit.ly/2Pe5TqN The event is sponsored Christmas and a Back by popular demand, happy, peaceful each night of Advent (from by Southwark Diocese, All 6-7pm) until Christmas Saints’ Church Sanderstead New Year. Eve, a different garage or and Churches Together in location in Sanderstead will Sanderstead. The ADVENTure Ark Follow the Diocesan Blog:lih ‘Hearts on Fire – sharingidd God’s Good News in Southwark Diocese’ - http://southwarkcofe.tumblr.com/ 2 THE BRIDGE... Christmas/New Year 2018 Discovering Christmas anew When Christmas journeying to the place where of Christ is the outpouring of As we re-order our relations comes, year after year, they can worship the new born God’s love for us - God’s great with the European Union may when all the trappings king. gift to us of his beloved Son we fi nd the language of peace are stripped away, the Seeing Christmas and who himself ultimately gives and goodwill in our public wonderful thing is to Epiphany as a season of gifts his life for us, opening the door discourse and engagement with for us to share in eternal life this great issue of the day. discover anew that starts with our thanksgiving for the gift of life itself - or as through him. Whatever our individual we are celebrating the General Thanksgiving puts So In this season of gifts convictions, strong as they may the birth of the Christ it, thanks for ‘our creation and the exchange of gifts let be, we have an opportunity child. preservation and all the us remember not to neglect to show and above all to pray In the birth of a child blessings of this life’. those things that come from for courtesy and much needed parents and onlookers The Magi brought gifts of the heart. And when we move respect in our dealings with our glimpse the miracle of gold, frankincense and myrrh into the new year, let us also fellow countrymen and women. creation. The truth about and in the famous Carol ‘In remember the song of the With my prayers and good life, which at other times the bleak mid-winter’ the fi nal angels, as witnessed by those wishes for Peace and Joy we may doubt, is so much verse encourages us to ask shepherds tending their sheep, and Goodwill this Christmas more clear: that our very the question, ‘What can I give ‘Peace on Earth and goodwill to and throughout the coming life itself is God’s gift and all people’. him, poor as I am? If I were a year. blessing. shepherd I will bring a lamb; if I With the birth of Jesus were a wise man I would do my Christ this is supremely part; yet what I can I give him - so. In the Gospels we give my heart.’ hear of shepherds leaving The Christian faith rests on their sheep and wise men our understanding that the birth Southwark celebrates the life and work of former Provost, David Edwards OBE Bishops, Deans, clergy, emphasising his skills as a family and friends gathered theologian. He ended with the in Southwark Cathedral on words: “Loving God, we thank Tuesday 27 November to you for the wisdom and the celebrate the life and work insight that David brought to of the Very Revd Dr David the church, for his courage in Edwards OBE, Provost of the publishing and in preaching, Cathedral from 1983 until his his dedication to study, his retirement in 1994. ability to stretch minds and David was a prolifi c writer challenge complacencies. We and contributor to the Church thank you for his books, for Times and during his tenure his sermons, for his lectures as editor at SCM Press they and for all the ways in which published Bishop John he broadened, deepened and Robinson’s ‘Honest to God’. challenged our understanding Tributes to his gifts as and love of you”. scholar, teacher, priest, pastor Photos - (left) the and friend were paid by Paul congregation led by David Handley, Editor of the Church Edwards’ family and (right) Times, the Rt Revd Peter Price, Bishops Jonathan Clark former Bishop of Kingston (and and Peter Price with Dean Bath & Wells) and Baroness Andrew Nunn Perry of Southwark. One of the more unusual A professional sound tributes saw David’s son Martin read a list of the 62 and AV installa on and books that David had written hire company serving or contributed to between the the south east of England late 1950s and 2006. - approved in 3 dioceses The FEBRUARY edition The Dean of Southwark with installa ons in over is due to be printed on gave the sermon in which he 250 churches THE BRIDGE 24 JANUARY and in your talks of all of David’s gifts, parish from the following Sunday. 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