WHAT’S ON
SUNDAY 🌍 EARTH DAY 🌍
Morning worship : Ascension : 12nn (prayer @ 11:15)
Evening worship : Evelyn Community Centre : 6pm
(meal + worship, food prep @ 4pm)
MONDAY
Bear cubs : Leander Centre : 9:30-11:30am
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Bear cubs : outdoor play / Leander centre : 10-11:30am / 1-3pm
Cooking with English : The Bear : 11:30am-1pm
FRIDAY
Bear cubs : Leander centre : 9:30-11:30am
SATURDAY
DNXFFF screening of 'Flow': The Bear : 4pm
Abundance exhibition opening : The Bear : 5:30pm
THROUGH-OUT THE WEEK
Early morning prayer : zoom : 7am Mon-Fri
COMING UP
Abundance exhibition : the exhibition opens at The Bear on Saturday 25 April, following the New Cross Deptford Free Film Festival screening of 'Flow'. There are over 13 artists who have contributed works to the exhibition. For the next Gather on Monday 27 April the evening will be for prayer inspired by the art. Later in May there will be a wine reception, date TBC.
New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival : The festival starts on Friday 24 April and this year The Bear will be screening 'Flow' on Saturday 25 April at 4pm. If you'd like to support by setting up, welcoming, serving snacks, clearing up or all of the above please contact tessa@thebear.tv. Full festival programme available here and poster attached. We will be showing the trailer for 'Flow' during the morning service this Sunday to whet your appetite!
Annual General Meeting : Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 26th April during the morning service. The AGM is an important time for us to reflect on the past year, review our finances, and look ahead to where God is leading us as a community. You can view the Annual Report 2024-2025 here, published with the Charity Commission this spring. If you have any questions or items you would like to raise, please contact bex@thebear.tv.
IN OUR COMMUNITY
Evening service call out : If you have ever thought about volunteering for the evening service, now is the time! You can check out the roles here or speak with Mel on Sunday or on sundayevenings@thebear.tv.
Great funding news : We have been awarded a further £50,000 from The Laing Family Trust. They generously donated to the bricks and mortar of the new building and this new grant will go towards the fit-out of the auditorium.
A Meal Lift Train! : We'd like to bless Lily following her recent accident which resulted in a broken knee. If you are available during the day on a Wednesday and you drive a car that isn't too difficult for a woman with crutches to get into, maybe you could help give Lily a lift to Lewisham Hospital and back home to Brockley? The hospital appointments are usually every other week.
Job Opportunity with The Bear : We're looking for an organised and hospitable individual to help run the new Neighbourhood Connect Hub that we will open with Age UK Lewisham and Southwark and Lewisham Local (funded by Lewisham's main grants programme). The partnership will create community-centred approaches to connect people with non-clinical support and activities that reduce loneliness, support mental health, address social needs and improve overall wellbeing. You will play a key role in ensuring the weekly drop-in service becomes a welcoming, vibrant, inclusive and well-used community resource. You will oversee with project partners the weekly drop-in service, build relationships with local organisations, support promotion across the neighbourhood, and develop strong referral networks. For more details, please see the attached job description. To apply email your C.V. and a cover letter to bex@thebear.tv by 4th May. Interviews 7th and 12th May.
CLASSIFIEDS
Mother House Studios Open Day : Mother House Studios: Lewisham is a community for artist parents, providing integrated care and studio spaces. On April 19 12-4pm they will open up the space for anyone who would like to see the community in action and check out the artists' work.
‘Healing from Conflict’ conference : A joint conference of Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Pax Christi UK, Christian International Peace Service (CHIPS) and Church and Peace. This conference runs over the 24-26 April 2026 and invites speakers and participants to explore this vital question together. Over a weekend of learning, reflection, and connection, we will consider how genuine healing can pave the way for communities to flourish in peace, justice, and hope. You can find out more information here.
Ada runs the London Marathon : Ada will be a supporter runner for her friend Eliza, who is a wheelchair user, to complete the full length of the marathon. Ada will be one of three support runners and Eliza will also roll some of the way. Eliza will be raising money for Doctors Without Borders, so if you are able to donate, please check out their donate page here.
ESSENTIAL RECOMMENDS…
🙈 to see : Pilgrimage on BBC2
🙉 to hear : The Bear's 2026 Tenebrae service playlist
🙊 to read : the planet is doomed by Sun Ra (suggested by Owen)