Parish Profile 2021 - St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Church Walthamstow - Chelmsford Diocese
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St Barnabas
with St James the Greater
Parish Church
Walthamstow
Parish Profile 2021
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 1
Mission Statement
The Parish of St Barnabas and St James
the Greater will provide and address the
spiritual needs of its growing multi-ethnic
congregation while openly reaching out
to the wider community. The parish will
achieve this goal by its Worship of God
through prayer and the Holy Sacraments
and in its service to its parishioners.
Church
accommodation
The church building is a beautiful Grade II* listed
building designed by William Douglas Caröe. We also
have 2 Halls: the Foster
Hall (also listed) which is
used by Early Buds Nursery
during the week, and also offers evening dance, yoga and
martial arts classes; and the Stafford Hall – the former Iron
Church building that has for many years been the home to the
Amateur Walthamstow Cine Club, but hidden from the rest of
the world - we are gradually opening it up to the wider
community for use, and
constantly thinking of new ways
to raise funds to develop it.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 2
The local area
We are situated close to Walthamstow
Central and Queen’s Road stations, in a
leafy quiet residential street. The local
demographics have gradually changed
over the last 10 years, and we are still a
very diverse community with people living in
the Parish from many parts of the world, and from a variety of
backgrounds.
Since 2012 we have worked closely with our local
community group – QBC (Queen’s Boundary
Community) This group was set up to bring our neighbours closer
together, it is a secular, non-religious and non-political community, which is non-profit
making and whose sole aim is to bring local residents together.
We have enjoyed many social activities together, some organised by the PCC and some QBC;
summer street parties; parties in the local park; barn dances; quiz nights; the annual St
Barnabas Christmas Fayre; pop up cafes in the park; gardening to
create a greener and more pleasant local
area; the annual jumble trail; the Big Iftah;
and not forgetting our extremely popular
“St Barnabas Arms” pop-up pubs in our
Stafford Hall. The aim of QBC is to bring
the community together through shared
experience.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 3
We are also proud to be the home of St Barnabas Sunday Concerts. Two local residents, Tom Randall and Gillian Keith, professional opera singers, started up these bi-monthly concerts to raise money for local charities and to enable the local community to hear live music for free, or a small charitable donation. St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 4
Our Worship
We celebrate Holy communion twice weekly:
Sunday mass every Sunday at 11am
Midweek Mass every Thursday at 12 noon
We are a friendly, multi-cultural community committed to
sharing God’s love with all. We worship in the Anglo-Catholic
tradition
We are an inclusive church, which accepts the ministry of women priests and women bishops,
with specialist ministries welcoming migrants and LGBT people. Our church is proudly “a
home away from home” for many parishioners and migrants in the community.
Our relaxed style means that people of various ages and church backgrounds feel at home here. We have a
small children’s area inside the main church that young children and their parents and carers can relax during
the service.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 5
Our Children
Young Barnabarians
During term time our children meet in the Foster Hall during
Sunday mass. They learn about the bible and enjoy being able
to play, create and discover
together.
Hot chocolate anyone?
A new initiative, lead by Donna Gwilliams, to talk to young local people. Thursdays 3-4pm
outside the church – giving away hot chocolate and a chat
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 6
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 7
Companion Relationship with
the Episcopal Diocese of the
Northern Philippines (EDNP)
St Barnabas Church, being the spiritual home of Filipino Anglicans in the UK,
enriched its ministry overseas when it forged a companion relationship with
the EDNP, which recognises the need to maintain contact with its former parishioners.
The purpose of the programme is to enhance the spiritual relationship of the members
from each “companion” through sharing and working collaboratively in different projects.
The programme and activities identified include:
• The proclamation and application of the Gospel
• theological reflections
• intercession and worship
• Exchange of information and sharing of ecumenical experiences
Through the programme, the EDNP bishop and his wife were able to visit us in Walthamstow, along with
three priests from his diocese and are now in the process of providing a programme for families of migrant
workers. An exchange visit by Fr Steven Saxby, our former Parish priest took place as well as a student of
Anthropology, who came to London as part of her degree.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 8
Waltham Forest Citizens Alliance We are committed members of the Waltham Forest Citizens alliance, which has 11 organisations in membership is a total membership of 12,000 people. We have been members of TELCO for over 10 years and are members of Waltham Forest Citizens. WF Citizens is an alliance of 11 organisations across faith and education. We have worked alongside 12,000 members to hold campaigns that work for the common good. St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 9
Walthamstow Voices Community Choir
We sponsor Walthamstow Voices, a new community choir for children and adults that meets every
Thursday (during term time).
Walthamstow Voices started in September 2019, led by Tom Fawkes, our choirmaster and organist. We
held a successful Nine Lessons and Carols in December 2019. During the 2020 Lockdown we sadly had to
cancel our summer concert, despite continuing to practise in our homes and whenever possible in the
church. However, we have been able to sing, socially distanced, in some services, and at Christmas 2020,
bringing music to our Sunday worship.
The Guitar Group
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 10Pilgrimage
Every year, we head off to a different destination for our annual pilgrimage, from
Walsingham to Canterbury, St Albans, Norwich and Birmingham, this is a popular part of our
church life and one that we very much look forward to each year.
Mission and Ministry Units –
MMU
Within the geographical area, as defined by the Diocese, St
Barnabas Church is linked with St Saviour’s, Emmanuel
Parish Church and St. Michael’s to form a mission and
ministry unit. The Parishes retain their legal status, so it
remains an informal MMU. The parishes foster a sharing of
resources, a collaboration of ministry and a wonderful
support system.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 11Waltham Forest Migrant Action (WFMA)
(formerly Walthamstow Migrant
Action Group)
St Barnabas church is one of the support groups that
helped to develop this volunteer-led organisation, of which
some of its members subsequently became members and
trustees. The organisation’s aim is to support migrants
within Waltham Forest, promoting integration between
both migrant and non-migrant inhabitants in the borough
and challenging the negative image of migrants in politics
and the media
The centre opens on Friday mornings, providing free advice on immigration, directing
people to other organisations, offering; food bank referrals; free English lessons for women;
craft classes. Its partner RAMFREL (Refuge and Migrant Forum of Essex and London)
provides advice on housing and welfare issues.
The centre also offers free refreshment and a very warm welcome!
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 12Memory Café On Thursdays we hold a café for the older members of our community after the mid-week mass. FareShare, Eat or Heat, the Hornbeam and Pl84U-Al Suffa (Plate for you) – food banks We partner with FareShare to redistribute food products from Tesco and ASDA. We have surplus food available, for anyone, no questions asked, every Sunday after mass. Also, every first Thursday after midweek morning prayer. We also are a collection point for our local food banks – mainly Eat or Heat. St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 13
Igorot UK
Igorot UK is an
organisation of
peoples from the
Cordillera Region of
Northern Philippines
working and residing
in the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland. The Anglican
members of Igorot UK who
migrated from the Philippines
consider St Barnabas Church as their 'spiritual' home, and 'home away from home'.
Members of Igorot UK help fundraise towards various church
projects such as the purchase of chairs for the Foster Hall. Members
also devout their time and talents in service to the church and local
Waltham Forest community.
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 14St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 15
Welcome
to St.
Barnabas!
St Barnabas with St James the Greater Parish Profile 2020-2021 16You can also read
