Search for a new Vicar!

We begin 2021 with the good news that we are starting the search for a new Vicar for St.Andrew’s Church, a role which we hope will become Team Rector for Barnsbury Parish after a team reorganisation. 

Your Church Council will be working on a document called a Parish Profile which is an information pack for any applicants, a showcase for the work of the Parish and our hopes and aspirations for the future.  

It is vital that we hear from you so this document reflects the views of the whole Church community. We’re asking you 6 short questions to help us understand:

• What you think is important in the life of our churches and community

• What you’d like to see in the future in our parish

• What you think we should look for in a new Vicar. 

How to participate: 

1. You can fill out the questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/57THF3Z

2. Please ensure this is completed by Sunday 7th February. 

FAQS & Further Information:

Changes to the Barnsbury Team: 

The position of Team Rector has traditionally been for the Barnsbury Team Ministry which is made up of St. Andrews, All Saints and Church on the Corner.  The outcome of discussions in the last year is that All Saints will no longer be part of the Team Ministry and a parish reorganisation will be necessary. 

The good news is that we can start the recruitment process now and it is anticipated that the Vicar will become Team Rector once the reorganisation has been completed by the Bishop of Stepney and Archdeacon. 

We wish All Saints all the best and continue to pray for them as they discern their future outside of the Barnsbury team. 

How long will it take to get a new Priest in Charge:

As with any recruitment there are no guarantees but the Church Councils are planning to complete the Parish profile and job advert by Easter so that we can start interviewing in early summer.

The earliest we could expect to have someone in post is September 2021 but it’s early days and we’ll keep you posted as things progress. 

Lockdown Closure

As England went into Lockdown again earlier in January the DCC made the very difficult decision to close for Public Worship until further notice. Our services will be pre recorded and go live on our Facebook page at 10am every Sunday. You do not need to have an account to view this.

https://www.facebook.com/standrewschurchthornhillsquare

Archbishops and Bishops Statement - 23rd March 2020

The Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England have urged everyone to follow the instructions given by the Prime Minister to stay in their homes in a national effort to limit the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

But they called on the Church to “continue to pray, to love, to care for the vulnerable”.

It follows the announcement by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson of sweeping restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.

It means all Church of England churches will close with immediate effect in line with the Government’s instructions. There will also be no Church weddings or baptisms.

Funerals at the graveside or in crematoriums can still take place, but only in line with the Prime minister’s Statement.

In a joint statement the bishops said: “In the light of the Government’s measures, announced by the Prime Minister this evening, we urge everyone to follow the instructions given. 

“We will give a fuller statement of advice as soon as possible. Let us continue to pray, to love, to care for the vulnerable, and build our communities, even while separated.”

Public Worship is Suspended

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have today announced that Church public worship must be suspended as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus. This has never happened before, and we are still coming to terms with the implications. 

This means that there will be no services at church on Sundays, which is going to be tremendously challenging for all of us. However it is essential that we continue to be Church for one another and for our Parish, with a particular concern for the vulnerable and those who live alone. We must remain a community that is prayerful and committed to serving and proclaim the good news of the faithful love of God. 

If you have access to the internet we are exploring lots of ways of staying in touch, and joining in prayer and worship at facebook.com/barnsburyparish

Join us by placing a Candle in your window each evening as a sign of the light of Christ in the darkness.

Quite how long this is going to last, we simply cannot tell right now. But we can say with confidence that God is faithful, he has never failed those who seek him, and he can bring good even out of something as bleak as this. 

A prayer for such a time as this

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Guidance

The outbreak of COVID-19 is being closely monitored by St Andrew’s Church. Following advice from Public Health England, NHS and the Church of England, we are taking steps to ensure we keep our congregations and volunteers as safe as we can.

Services

We are currently planning to go ahead with all our services taking place this coming Sunday, however we will be closely monitoring advice from Public Health England. Any updates will be published here and emailed to the church family.

For the time being, please take a look through the general advice that we have collated below, and what we are going to be doing practically in response.

What you can do:

• Please DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH if you are in a period of self, or mandated isolation.

• Follow Government advice regarding self isolation: Currently the request is that you stay at home for a period of 7 days if you have either a high temperature or a new, continuous cough. This NHS guide to taking your temperature may be of use.

• Let us know, and tell others in the community if you are in isolation so we can support you in your whatever ways we can.

• If you travel via public transport to St Andrew’s please thoroughly wash your hands on arrival at church. Please aim to have a personal supply of hand sanitiser.

• If you have recently returned from abroad, or are planning travel, please ensure that you are following all FCO advice. 

What we are doing:

• We want to support those affected by the outbreak and will be praying regularly for those we know are suffering in our community. In addition we want to do the utmost when it comes to tending to the practical needs of those affected. Please do let us know if you or another member of the community is in need so we can try to help.

• A change in how we take communion is already taking place at St Andrew’s : it is being taken ‘in one Kind’. This means we will be receiving bread only during Holy Communion.

• We have also suspended teas and coffee’s after our services.

Tales from the Crypt – can you help curate an exhibition?

The Diocese of London continues with its exciting heritage project exploring the lives of the first parishioners of Holy Trinity Church in Barnsbury, Islington.  A group of volunteers are undertaking historical research into the ‘Tales from the Crypt’, focusing on people buried in the crypt from 1829 to 1854, linking them to the surrounding houses, streets and businesses to build a vivid picture of life in the neighbourhood. We are now seeking ten additional volunteers to help take these stories to create a fascinating and unique public exhibition, to be held at Islington Museum next spring.

Tales from the Crypt exhibition

The stories emerging from the research are both poignant and moving. Over a third of the individuals buried in the crypt were children, including three children of the Reverend Hunter Francis Fell, the first Vicar of Holy Trinity Church. Susan Skedd, Volunteer Co-ordinator, commented that:

‘The volunteers’ diligent research is yielding intriguing insights into the personal lives, homes and occupations of these early residents which we look forward to sharing with the wider community’.

Anyone interested in volunteering as a curator for the exhibition at Islington Museum should send an email with the subject Cloudesley Centre Volunteer to cloudesleyvolunteers@gmail.com.  We will be hosting three training and development workshops in October, November and December to support the exhibition, so please do get in touch if you wish to learn more.

Built in 1826-29 to a design by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the Houses of Parliament, Holy Trinity Church in Barnsbury is a handsome neo-gothic church that forms the focal point of one of the best-preserved squares in the Barnsbury Conservation Area.

The wider project

The Diocese has been awarded £46,700 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for ‘The Place Where We Live’, a volunteer-led project that will animate the history of Holy Trinity, now known as the Cloudesley Centre, through a series of free walks, talks, an art project at New River College Primary School and the exhibition at Islington Museum. Funding from Groundworks UK to support the art workshops has also been awarded.

Running from Spring 2019 for two years, the project forms part of plans to restore this architecturally significant Grade II* listed building to public use and has been made possible by money raised by National Lottery players.

This project will be carried out with the assistance of Islington Heritage (Archive and Museum); Art and Christianity, Islington Walks; New River College Primary, Cloudesley Residents’ Association; and Barnsbury Parish.

Commenting on the award, Kevin Rogers, Head of Parish Property Support at the Diocese of London said:

‘We are thrilled to unearth the Tales from the Crypt thanks to support received from National Lottery players and are confident the project will help bring together diverse local communities to understand and celebrate the heritage of this important building.’