November News and Notices
- St Bart's Parish Office
- Oct 30
- 8 min read
All Saints & All Souls | Remembrance Sunday | Wicked Waxworks | Christmas Fair
November is the month of remembering, a time when the church invites us to face the reality of death with faith and hope. We begin with All Saints, giving thanks for all those holy men and women who have gone before us, known and unknown. Then, on All Souls’ Day (celebrated that evening), we remember by name those we have loved and see no longer. And, of course, we keep Remembrance Sunday, honouring those who gave their lives in war for the sake of others.
I was recently on holiday abroad and went along to the local service of Holy Communion. The words were unfamiliar (being in Slovenian), but the shape of the worship was familiar, and the moment of sharing bread and wine was not just familiar, it was the same. The same God, the same church, the same communion. It was a powerful reminder that whenever we gather at the altar, we are united not just with those beside us, but with the whole Church throughout the world, and with the saints in glory: the “church triumphant” in heaven.
This November, let us discover that 'remembering' need not be all sorrow and grief, but can also be a joyful celebration that we are always together with saints on earth and in heaven.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8.38-39
Fr Ben
Vicar
November Services at a glance
Sunday 2nd November - All Saints Sunday (All Souls in the evening)
8am Eucharist
9am Bubble Church (see below)
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
12pm Baptism Service
6pm All Souls Requiem Eucharist
Sunday 9th November - Remembrance Sunday
8am Eucharist
9:30am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
11am Act of Remembrance and Remembrance Service (starts at the War Memorial)
Sunday 16th November - The Second Sunday before Advent
8am Eucharist
9am Bubble Church (see below)
10am Sung Eucharist with Baptism with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 23rd November - Christ the King
8am Eucharist
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 30th November - Advent Sunday
8am Eucharist
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Join us on Sunday 2nd November to remember all of God's holy people.
In the morning we will celebrate All Saints, and it is a great privilege that we will be joined by The Very Rev'd Lee Batson, Dean of Newcastle, to be our guest preacher. The Dean is the most senior priest in the Diocese and we are very fortunate to have him with us. Please do come to celebrate this special occasion in the life of the Church.
In the evening we remember those whom we have known personally at a Requiem Eucharist, remembering our lost loved ones. Join us from 5:30pm for refreshments during which time you can add names to the list of souls to be commemorated.
The service is the same pattern as a normal Sunday morning, but after the sermon the names of those who have died are read out and candles are lit for them.
On Remembrance Sunday, 9th November, note that the Sung Eucharist will begin half an hour earlier (at 9:30am) to accommodate a special Remembrance Service. The Act of Remembrance begins at 11am by the War Memorial, with a parade and representatives from the Armed Forces, Emergency Services, and uniformed organisations. Afterwards there is a short service in the church.
Harvest Thanks
Huge thank you to everyone for giving thanks to God and giving back to those who have less than we do. There was a huge load of food and other necessities given to the Food Bank and the People's Kitchen.
Murder Mystery Evening
Our Murder Mystery night was held on Saturday 11 October. Many thanks to all those involved in setting up the hall and providing refreshments. A special thanks to my wonderful cast of characters who are, it seems, very good at telling porky pies all night, which produced much laughter from our audience.
Many have told me what a great night they had. We sold over 90 tickets and, including takings from the raffle and donations for refreshments, raised £600 for the church.
Watch this space for more events!
Junior Church trip to Hexham
On Tuesday 28th October, 10 youngsters traveled by Metro and Train to Hexham. There we walked through the town, played in the park, climbed a huge hill, had our lunch while people did boxing in the bandstand(!), and visited the Abbey. Inside the Abbey we explored the ancient space, including the 7th Century crypt, and turned the museum. The highlight was an exhibition called 'Gaia'.
GAIA is the second in a series of extraordinary large-scale sculptures by renowned artist Luke Jerram. Measuring six metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface – the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, f
loating in three dimensions.
Spotlight is a monthly informal gathering where we can look in depth at areas of scripture, theology, faith or church life. It will be delivered in a similar fashion to the 'We Believe' Lent course.
Our next Spotlight evening will turn to one of the most dramatic and defining moments in church history: The Protestant Reformation in England. We’ll explore how political power, personal conviction, and deep questions of faith collided to change the English Church forever. What really happened in Henry VIII’s break with Rome? How did the English Reformers shape our worship, our theology, and even our national identity? And what legacy of the Reformation still shapes our church life today?
Join us for an engaging evening of discussion, reflection, and insight. Bring your curiosity and your questions, or send them to Fr Ben in advance.
RSVP if you can so we can better prepare.
Spotlight on... The Protestant Reformation in England
Wednesday 19th November, 7:30pm
Wicked Waxworks! or The Mischievous Magic of Mr Wells!
"Grimsby and Gertrude Grice hire the sorcerer John Wellington Wells to bring their waxworks to life, to commit burglaries without leaving fingerprints! After the waxworks kidnap Angelina just as she is about to get married, Edwin (the disappointed groom) summons the police to bring them to justice. Unfortunately, Mr Wells’ famous love potion is going to cause a few complications…"
A fast-moving, funny show with magic, romance and plenty of action, as well as wonderful songs from Gilbert and Sullivan, 'Wicked Waxworks' was written by - and features - Father Fraser! It will be performed on 14th & 15th November at Gosforth Civic Theatre, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets may be purchased at gosforthmusical.org/tickets, or pick up a flyer at the back of the church!
Eco Church
Thank you to everyone who support our e-waste collection. We were able to recycle a lot of unwanted electricals and batteries.
Christmas Fair
Our much-loved Church Christmas Fair is only a few weeks away. Join us for a joyful afternoon of gifts, games, music and festive treats for all ages! Come and soak up the Christmas spirit, enjoy a mince pie (or two!) and some mulled wine, and browse our stalls.
Donations for the raffle and stalls are very welcome. Please bring them to the church or parish office. (No used toys or jumble please.)
Save the date, bring your friends and family, and start the festive season with us!
Advent
November is a long month! Advent begins on the 30th November. St Andrew's Day will be transferred (as is the custom) to the following day where there will a special Eucharist for St Andrew, the patron saint of this church until 1791. More in the next email newsletter.
Bubble Church continues to inspire and entertain our young families (and the helpers of all ages). Bubble Church runs on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9am (coffee and croissants served from 8:45am!)
Even if you regularly attend, please do sign up. It really helps us to prepare.
Remember our fun and informal Junior Church and Crèche run alongside our 10am Service, so children are very welcome to stay for that too, or come along on a week when Bubble Church isn't running.
Sunday 2nd November, 9am
Sunday 16th November, 9am
NB there are 5 Sundays in November. Bubble Church continues on 7th December.
Are you new to church?
Thinking of coming along for the first time? Just go for it!
We know it can feel intimidating not knowing what to do or where to go, but here you’ll find a warm welcome on the door and someone ready to help with everything you need. Our main Sunday services are at 8am (quiet) and 10am (with music), with midweek Holy Communion on Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Wednesdays at 10am, and daily prayer at 9am and 5:30pm. Plus the church is often open for you to sit and pray during the day.
Children are always welcome: we have Junior Church and a crèche at the 10am service, plus Bubble Church for toddlers and young children. We’re fully accessible, and everything in our services is explained; there’s no need to worry about when to sit, stand, or join in, and a friendly neighbour will always be glad to help.
Regularly hearing God's word, praying, praising, and receiving communion will change your life for the better. And we'd love to welcome you.
Giving to St Bart's
Please consider a one-off or regular donation to St Bart's through the Parish Giving Scheme.
The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) is a secure and simple way of giving to St Bart’s. It works by making a Direct Debit from your bank account which is then passed on to us. You can also opt to add Gift Aid which PGS claims on our behalf, at no extra cost to you, passing an additional 25% to us automatically.
There is also an option give regularly, and to automatically increase your gift annually. PGS will write to you and advise you of the new amount in advance, so you can choose to add more or to decrease the amount if you wish. If the majority of our planned givers were to opt for this, it would have a huge, positive impact on our finances.
Find out more by clicking the button below.
Morning and Evening Prayer
The Daily Offices (Morning and Evening Prayer) are the Church’s ancient pattern of prayer that punctuates the day with praise, intercession, and reflection on Scripture. From the earliest centuries, Christians gathered at set hours to pray on behalf of all creation and for the salvation of the world, with morning and evening soon becoming the principal times of prayer.
This tradition continues at St Bart's.
9am Morning Prayer
5:30pm Evening Prayer
These services weave together psalms, Bible readings, and prayers in a rhythm that unites individuals, congregations, and religious communities across time and place.
Whether prayed alone or together with others, the Offices give shape to the day, ensuring that, echoing George Herbert’s words: “seven whole days, not one in seven” are given to the praise of God and the forming of God’s people through word and prayer.
Come along and try it.
NB There are usually no services on Fridays.
Easy Fundraising
Easy Fundraising is a website which gives the church (or any charitable cause) free money. Businesses like Tesco, Argos, and Marks and Spencer pay Easy Fundraising a small commission when they direct you to their website to spend money. They forward that money onto us.
For example, if you buy your groceries online from Morrisons, go to Easy Fundraising first, and click on Morrisons. Then when you checkout, Morrisons gives us £1.30 as a thank you. You will need to make an account and select St Bartholomew's as your cause.
It may sound complicated, but once it's set up it's free money for the church!
Reminder: Home Communions
There are some permanently housebound members of our congregation who are taken Holy Communion to their home. This is bread (and wine) which has been consecrated by a priest at church, and then taken by a member of the Home Communion team to be distributed at home or hospital.
But this is not just available to those who cannot come to church at all. If you have been unwell or for any reason unable to attend for a couple of weeks, get in touch! We will visit you and bring you the sacrament.
Also, if you are unwell, or would like to be added to our prayer list, please tell us. Do not assume we know!