A very warm welcome to you from all of us at St Paul's Church, Warwick.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Due to the Coronavirus and guidelines issued by the government and Church of England, St Paul's has had to take the very difficult and sad decision to shut the building. There will be no further church services here in the building until further notice.
We realise it will be a very difficult time - lonely for many and isolating - and we have no idea how long this will go on for. To that end if anyone feels they need to speak to Jonathan please call him on 07919 145361.
Although the building will be closed you can stay connected via Twitter and Facebook as well as this website - we will endeavour to update as and when. The office phone is not working at the moment and there is no one in to monitor it so please call Jonathan on 07919 145361 if you need to speak to someone urgently.
Jonathan will be providing regular updates, thoughts and prayers. The latests one will be below but archive ones will be on the Newsletter section of the website. Please keep visiting!
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Due to the Coronavirus and guidelines issued by the government and Church of England, St Paul's has had to take the very difficult and sad decision to shut the building. There will be no further church services here in the building until further notice.
We realise it will be a very difficult time - lonely for many and isolating - and we have no idea how long this will go on for. To that end if anyone feels they need to speak to Jonathan please call him on 07919 145361.
Although the building will be closed you can stay connected via Twitter and Facebook as well as this website - we will endeavour to update as and when. The office phone is not working at the moment and there is no one in to monitor it so please call Jonathan on 07919 145361 if you need to speak to someone urgently.
Jonathan will be providing regular updates, thoughts and prayers. The latests one will be below but archive ones will be on the Newsletter section of the website. Please keep visiting!
Message from Jonathan
Sunday 29th March Passion Sunday
Dear friends
A lot has happened in a week and things have moved very fast. We are having to adjust to a very different way of life than the one we are used to. I don’t know about you but I’m not finding it as easy as I would like and some aspect are quite challenging – I’m trying / having to learn new skills to keep up with the changes being imposed on us. But all in the cause of trying to help the health service cope.
I know that some people are finding it very hard that the church building is shut – but it is important to remember that The Church is not the Building but the People and God is wherever His people are.
Today is Passion Sunday and it marks a turning point in Lent when we begin to look toward Easter. The readings for Passion Sunday are;
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The valley of the dry bones. God asks Ezekiel if these bones
can live and over the course of this short passage they do as
the breath of God came into them.
Romans 8:6-11
Here Paul talks of the choice we can make of either
setting our mind on the flesh – which is death –
or to set them on the Spirit which is life and peace.
It’s a choice, but who in their rightful mind wouldn’t really want
to choose life and peace?
John 11:1-45
This long passage is about the serious illness of Lazarus that
leads to his death. But for Jesus this is the opportunity to
demonstrate God’s glory as he restores Lazarus back to life.
It’s also a foretaste of His own death and resurrection a little
while after - which we will celebrate in two weeks time with
Holy Week and Easter. Unfortunately this year we will not be
able to celebrate it as we would normally do.
But the whole Passion is the story of how God ends up bringing amazing good out of appalling tragedy. Its a story that, if we let it, can speak into our own trying times.
I’ve also been reminded of the passage in Acts (8:1b) where again another apparent disastrous situation disperses the earlier followers of Jesus from their usual gathering places.
We usually meet as a “gathered” community of Jesus’ followers in church. Today, like many of brothers and sisters we will not be able to do that. Instead we will be amongst the “scattered” community of disciples meeting in our homes. Use the experience for a moment to reflect on our persecuted brothers and sisters who may regularly be “scattered” as their buildings are raided, closed or destroyed. Or for those who can never gather together because they don’t know who else believes what they do and they can only every meet in their own homes or even discretely in their own homes because their families might not share their belief. Be thankful our “scattering” is not due to persecution; but ask God to help you, in some way, identify with those of our brothers and sisters who are – what must it be like?
If you join with me this morning you might like to read the passages and this short thought. And instead of relying on someone else to lead the prayers as we usually do in church, why not talk to God about what’s on your own heart. You might even like to pray for your neighbours – taking and imaginary journey along your road and asking God to bless each and every home with His Peace and Presence at this time of uncertainty and for some perhaps even fear – or to use the words of Ezekiel “to breathe” His breath, His Spirit upon them. It might be that through our prayers on this Passion Sunday as a “scattered” church we will be able to bring many more people within our wider community before our loving Father than we ever do as a “gathered” church.
Sometime God needs to shake up His Church and shake it out of its comfort zone so that it can rediscover what it means to be His Church – ready to do His Will and to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. I wonder if that is what He is wanting to do in and through this current pandemic. Perhaps this is reflected in the Romans reading – we have a choice as to how we respond to what’s happening – choose to set our minds on the Spirit and experience “life and peace”.
On a slightly different note, but I think still related, I am grateful to Christine Booth for sharing another song that she is reminded of at this time. It’s by Graham Kendrick called “O Lord the Clouds Are Gathering”. Christine says “I feel the song is relevant in that we are calling on God to forgive us and have mercy when everything seems to be going wrong across the nations and I love the lyric so full of hope “Your glorious cross shall tower triumphant in this land”.”
If you would like to listen to it here’s the link. https://youtu.be/Xfv9OI59_7o
O Lord, the clouds are gathering
The fire of judgment burns
How we have fallen!
O Lord, you stand appalled to see
Your laws of love so scorned
And lives so broken
Have mercy, Lord, (Men)
Have mercy, Lord, (Women)
Forgive us, Lord, (Men)
Forgive us, Lord (Women)
Restore us, Lord (All)
Revive your church again
Let justice flow (Men)
Let justice flow (Women)
Like rivers (Men)
Like rivers (Women)
And righteousness like a never failing stream (All)
O Lord, over the nations now
Where is the dove of peace?
Her wings are broken
O Lord, while precious children starve
The tools of war increase
Their bread is stolen
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
O Lord, dark powers are poised to flood
Our streets with hate and fear
We must awaken!
O Lord, let love reclaim the lives
That sin would sweep away
And let your kingdom come
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
Yet, O Lord, your glorious cross shall tower
Triumphant in this land
Evil confounding
Through the fire your suffering church display
The glories of her Christ
Praises resounding!
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
It’s a song that picks up on the theme from 2 Chronicles 7:14 that I’ve quoted before “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves …..” It acknowledges how far we have moved from God and reflects in the 2nd verse the global nature of that abandonment of God’s laws. As God’s people may we accept the current pandemic as an opportunity to call out to God on behalf of His Church, this nation and the world and His Creation.
And again if you are able and willing to continue to pray the Lord’s Prayer and us Coventry Litany of Reconciliation on a daily basis during the week please do so.
Take care and every blessing.
Jonathan
Dear friends
A lot has happened in a week and things have moved very fast. We are having to adjust to a very different way of life than the one we are used to. I don’t know about you but I’m not finding it as easy as I would like and some aspect are quite challenging – I’m trying / having to learn new skills to keep up with the changes being imposed on us. But all in the cause of trying to help the health service cope.
I know that some people are finding it very hard that the church building is shut – but it is important to remember that The Church is not the Building but the People and God is wherever His people are.
Today is Passion Sunday and it marks a turning point in Lent when we begin to look toward Easter. The readings for Passion Sunday are;
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The valley of the dry bones. God asks Ezekiel if these bones
can live and over the course of this short passage they do as
the breath of God came into them.
Romans 8:6-11
Here Paul talks of the choice we can make of either
setting our mind on the flesh – which is death –
or to set them on the Spirit which is life and peace.
It’s a choice, but who in their rightful mind wouldn’t really want
to choose life and peace?
John 11:1-45
This long passage is about the serious illness of Lazarus that
leads to his death. But for Jesus this is the opportunity to
demonstrate God’s glory as he restores Lazarus back to life.
It’s also a foretaste of His own death and resurrection a little
while after - which we will celebrate in two weeks time with
Holy Week and Easter. Unfortunately this year we will not be
able to celebrate it as we would normally do.
But the whole Passion is the story of how God ends up bringing amazing good out of appalling tragedy. Its a story that, if we let it, can speak into our own trying times.
I’ve also been reminded of the passage in Acts (8:1b) where again another apparent disastrous situation disperses the earlier followers of Jesus from their usual gathering places.
We usually meet as a “gathered” community of Jesus’ followers in church. Today, like many of brothers and sisters we will not be able to do that. Instead we will be amongst the “scattered” community of disciples meeting in our homes. Use the experience for a moment to reflect on our persecuted brothers and sisters who may regularly be “scattered” as their buildings are raided, closed or destroyed. Or for those who can never gather together because they don’t know who else believes what they do and they can only every meet in their own homes or even discretely in their own homes because their families might not share their belief. Be thankful our “scattering” is not due to persecution; but ask God to help you, in some way, identify with those of our brothers and sisters who are – what must it be like?
If you join with me this morning you might like to read the passages and this short thought. And instead of relying on someone else to lead the prayers as we usually do in church, why not talk to God about what’s on your own heart. You might even like to pray for your neighbours – taking and imaginary journey along your road and asking God to bless each and every home with His Peace and Presence at this time of uncertainty and for some perhaps even fear – or to use the words of Ezekiel “to breathe” His breath, His Spirit upon them. It might be that through our prayers on this Passion Sunday as a “scattered” church we will be able to bring many more people within our wider community before our loving Father than we ever do as a “gathered” church.
Sometime God needs to shake up His Church and shake it out of its comfort zone so that it can rediscover what it means to be His Church – ready to do His Will and to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. I wonder if that is what He is wanting to do in and through this current pandemic. Perhaps this is reflected in the Romans reading – we have a choice as to how we respond to what’s happening – choose to set our minds on the Spirit and experience “life and peace”.
On a slightly different note, but I think still related, I am grateful to Christine Booth for sharing another song that she is reminded of at this time. It’s by Graham Kendrick called “O Lord the Clouds Are Gathering”. Christine says “I feel the song is relevant in that we are calling on God to forgive us and have mercy when everything seems to be going wrong across the nations and I love the lyric so full of hope “Your glorious cross shall tower triumphant in this land”.”
If you would like to listen to it here’s the link. https://youtu.be/Xfv9OI59_7o
O Lord, the clouds are gathering
The fire of judgment burns
How we have fallen!
O Lord, you stand appalled to see
Your laws of love so scorned
And lives so broken
Have mercy, Lord, (Men)
Have mercy, Lord, (Women)
Forgive us, Lord, (Men)
Forgive us, Lord (Women)
Restore us, Lord (All)
Revive your church again
Let justice flow (Men)
Let justice flow (Women)
Like rivers (Men)
Like rivers (Women)
And righteousness like a never failing stream (All)
O Lord, over the nations now
Where is the dove of peace?
Her wings are broken
O Lord, while precious children starve
The tools of war increase
Their bread is stolen
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
O Lord, dark powers are poised to flood
Our streets with hate and fear
We must awaken!
O Lord, let love reclaim the lives
That sin would sweep away
And let your kingdom come
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
Yet, O Lord, your glorious cross shall tower
Triumphant in this land
Evil confounding
Through the fire your suffering church display
The glories of her Christ
Praises resounding!
Have mercy, Lord, (Men) …..
It’s a song that picks up on the theme from 2 Chronicles 7:14 that I’ve quoted before “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves …..” It acknowledges how far we have moved from God and reflects in the 2nd verse the global nature of that abandonment of God’s laws. As God’s people may we accept the current pandemic as an opportunity to call out to God on behalf of His Church, this nation and the world and His Creation.
And again if you are able and willing to continue to pray the Lord’s Prayer and us Coventry Litany of Reconciliation on a daily basis during the week please do so.
Take care and every blessing.
Jonathan
SAFEGUARDING:
The Parish Church of St Paul's is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and that anyone who enters our doors feels valued, welcome and safe.
St Paul's Church's Safeguarding policy can be viewed via the page in the link above or by clicking on the link below.
If you wish to report a safeguarding concern or allegation please contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer - Pat Kibbler on: 01926 496552
or the Team Vicar - Jonathan Hearn on 01926 419814
or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team on 024 7652 1345 (this is a 24-hour phone number)
or the Police on 999
Our safeguarding policy can be viewed here: safeguarding_policy.pdf
The Parish Church of St Paul's is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and that anyone who enters our doors feels valued, welcome and safe.
St Paul's Church's Safeguarding policy can be viewed via the page in the link above or by clicking on the link below.
If you wish to report a safeguarding concern or allegation please contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer - Pat Kibbler on: 01926 496552
or the Team Vicar - Jonathan Hearn on 01926 419814
or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team on 024 7652 1345 (this is a 24-hour phone number)
or the Police on 999
Our safeguarding policy can be viewed here: safeguarding_policy.pdf
St Paul's Church is part of www.dioceseofcoventry.org/ within the www.churchofengland.org
St Paul's is also part of Churches Together in Warwick (CTW) of which there are 10 member churches. CTW meets at 7.30am on the first Saturday in the month for a Prayer Breakfast. It is held at a different member church each time. Please see our latest newsletter for details on where the next event is. Or visit the CTW website www.ctwarwick.org.uk/ for details.
Our charity number is 1127224
St Paul's is also part of Churches Together in Warwick (CTW) of which there are 10 member churches. CTW meets at 7.30am on the first Saturday in the month for a Prayer Breakfast. It is held at a different member church each time. Please see our latest newsletter for details on where the next event is. Or visit the CTW website www.ctwarwick.org.uk/ for details.
Our charity number is 1127224
Worship
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1st Sunday
10am - Holy Communion (Common Worship) |
2nd Sunday
10am - Cafe Church
6pm - Holy Communion 7.30pm - In His Presence |
3rd Sunday
10am - Holy Communion
(Common Worship) 7.30pm - In His Presence |
4th Sunday
10am - Whole Life Worship
(No Communion) 6pm - Evensong 7.30pm - In His Presence |
Cafe Church
The church is transformed as we begin with refreshments around tables on the second Sunday of each month.
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There’s often a theme around encounters with Jesus and the opportunity to share our own reflections and experiences as well as listening to others. So it doesn't matter if you're not used to church. There are always activities for families and children to take part in.
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Community
We are proud to serve the people of Warwick, working in schools and holding clubs in our hall. Here are a few of the activities and events we host.
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Seniors' Club
If you are over 50 why not join us for a social evening between 7.30 - 9.00pm on the last Saturday of the month for food and fellowship. We have a varied programme of entertainers – speakers – activities – quizzes and more. Lifts can be arranged, for more information contact Pat Kibbler 01926 496552 or email kibblere@aol.com.
Open Church
Our church is open on Thursday mornings each week from 10am to 12 noon. Drop in for a complimentary drink, a chat, a look around our beautiful building or just to enjoy a quiet moment.
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Sunday Club & Creche
Children of all ages are welcome at St Paul’s. There’s a Sunday Club for Primary age children and Creche facilities for babies and toddlers. However they’re welcome to stay with parents in church if they wish.
TANGO
TANGO, which stands for Together As Neighbours Giving Out, is our community shop. We open in church on the second Monday of the month (except Bank Holidays) from 10.30am – 12.00pm. We sell clothes, toys, books, household items and much more and everything is just 50p! Free tea and coffee available. We hope to see you there.
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Charities
St Paul's has long standing relationships with a range of local and international charities.
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Operation Christmas Child
St Paul's has been involved with Operation Christmas Child for several years now and every year in September we start collecting boxes. We organise different events culminating in a service in November with Churches together in Warwick. Our biggest total so far has been over 1000 boxes!
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Warwick Foodbank
We support our local Foodbank which is at Saltisford Church in Albert Street, Warwick. We have a collection box by the office for items to go towards our local Foodbank. Please put any toiletries and/or dry, non-perishable food in the box.
If you need a voucher please collect one from the office between 9am and 12noon on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Warwick’s Foodbank is open each Friday between 1pm and 3pm at Saltisford Church in Albert Street, Warwick.
We support our local Foodbank which is at Saltisford Church in Albert Street, Warwick. We have a collection box by the office for items to go towards our local Foodbank. Please put any toiletries and/or dry, non-perishable food in the box.
If you need a voucher please collect one from the office between 9am and 12noon on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Warwick’s Foodbank is open each Friday between 1pm and 3pm at Saltisford Church in Albert Street, Warwick.
Church Team
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Reverand Jonathan Hearn
Although I grew up in a Christian home it was only in my 20s that I really encountered Jesus through the presence of His Holy Spirit and that faith became alive. My desire is to see people encounter the living Lord and grow as a disciple of Christ, going on a journey from perhaps only knowing about Him to knowing Him personally and experience His transformative power in their lives.
- Jonathan |
PCC Members
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A Brief History
A part of Warwick life from 1824
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The population of Warwick grew rapidly in the early 1800s when the opening of the canal enabled many new industries to develop in the local area.
The work-force was housed in the newly-erected streets in the western parts of the town, such as Crompton Street, Woodhouse Street, and Queen's Square. As the population grew, the churchyards of St Mary and St Nicholas became full and in 1823 both churches petitioned the Bishop of Worcester for extra burial space. The Coventry diocese was only created in 1918. |
As a result, on 23rd July 1824 ground was consecrated in Friars Street and later in the same year a cemetery chapel was built. This was known as St Mary's Episcopal Chapel, being served by St Mary's, and was used exclusively for burials. Then in 1842 it was proposed that a new Free Church should be built.
In 1844 the Parish of St Paul's was formed out of the western part of St Mary's Parish. The church was completed in the same year and consecrated on 26th July 1844 by the Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Revd Henry Pepys. |
