Week Beginning Sunday 1 December 2024

''...and the Life was Light to live by'

John 1:1-5

The Final Analysis - this is the very last Bear Essentials from me! Big thanks to you all for receiving, maybe even reading, these emails for all the years I've been sending them. I am still working for Bear Cubs, monitoring data and running parenting courses, and can be reached at tessa@thebear.tv but if it's info you want, then I am no longer your woman. From December, Larry Hopwood will become info@thebear,tv and 'the producer of the emails'. Welcome Larry (and Owen and Tanya) and goodbye from me (Tessa)

Home and Away - our Digital Media Officer (and all-round lovely person) Ada will be leaving next week for sunnier climes, but will be continuing to work remotely as ada@thebear.tv 

Sunday Morning Service - at the Ascension. 11.15am for prayer, 11.45 for tea and coffee, 12pm for worship service. Groups for kids, older youth and adults of any age. 

Sunday Evening Service - at Evelyn from 6pm. Please sign up here for December:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ccsNLURWTUbVmxjheJm7Gpl3IC2RVC-q6CojEwRAN5I/edit?usp=sharing

Early Morning Prayer - open to all, just switch on and join in Monday to Friday on Zoom from 7-7.30am

The Bear Social Media - we need videos! (ideally selfie, must be portrait orientation) answering this question 'what does The Bear mean to you?' in ONE word (although it can be edited if longer). Children, youth and adults all welcome to give this a go. Please send them to ada@thebear.tv 

DRSA - will be supporting the Winter Warmer event at Creekside Discovery Centre on Friday 6 December from 3.30pm. Please contact katharine@deptfordraggedschoolarchive.org.uk if you can help

Bake Sale - after the Ascension service on Sunday 8 December. Make the cake, bring the cake, buy the cake, eat the cake. All proceeds to The Ragged Project

Bear Cubs Christmas Parties - week beginning Monday 9 December. Must be pre-booked. Contact bearcubs@thebear.tv   Also, Bear Cubs have signed up to the following fundraising inititiative. Check it out here: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bear-cubs/

Christmas at The Bear - our service on the weekend of 21/22 December will be on Saturday afternoon at 3.30pm in Giffin Square. NO services on Sunday 22nd or 29th. 

Active Bystander Training - we have been offered this training again. Our morning in April was so useful for all who were there - so, the question is - are there people who would like to do this, or re-do it if we had another opportunity? Contact info@thebear.tv to register your interest

Summer 2025 - join The Bear at the Greenbelt Festival next August 21-24th. More details to follow, but check out the Festival and book in at www.greenbelt.org.uk (lowest prices available before Christmas)

The Bear Church Instagram - follow at @thebearchurch 

 

The Bear WhatsApp Broadcast Group - for weekly updates and more (but not much more), add The Bear Church 07707 524977 to your contacts, then message the number and ask to join the group. 

 

Safeguarding - the email address for our Designated Safeguarding Lead is safeguarding@thebear.tv

Giving - is part of our worship. Please see the recent email for a financial update. For any money-related questions, contact Tracy at finance@thebear.tv 

 

The Ragged Project

Bake Sale - see above

Trolly Coins - perfect stocking fillers from Bear Cubs (picture sent on WhatsApp). Available to buy at Ascension on Sundays. £2 each - all proceeds to the Project

Give Us Your Money - contact emily@thebear.tv if you have spare change/holiday coins to give, or bring to Ascension on Sundays

Sung Worship - download or stream Dave's songs and raise money for the Project: https://linktr.ee/davidwinter

This week at The Bear

Sunday 

11.15am Prayer at Ascension

11.45am Tea and Coffee

12pm Advent Service

4pm Food preparation at Evelyn

6pm Evening meal

7pm Evening service


Monday 

7am Early Morning Prayer

9.30am Bear Cubs

Tuesday

7 am Early Morning Prayer

1.30pm Women's Bible Study

Wednesday 

7 am Early Morning Prayer

Thursday

7am Early Morning Prayer

10am/1pm Bear Cubs

8pm Small Groups

Friday

7am Early Morning Prayer

9.30am Bear Cubs

1.30pm English Fridays

3.30pm DRSA Winter Event 

Notices and Classifieds

New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival - the next planning meeting will be on Monday 2 December at 7pm in Deptford Lounge. More details from nxdfilmfest@gmail.com

Building National Resilience After the Riots: Addressing the Root Causes - from 5-6:30pm on Wednesday 4 December in Committee Room 10, Palace of Westminster. Please RSVP to Protection Approaches here.

Ignite in Advent - iNet will be hosting a prayer evening on Thursday 5 December, 7:30pm at Here for Good, 17 Sydenham Road, SE26 5EX. The evening will start with some international refreshments. More details from www.inet-trust.org

Stag Beetle Loggery Day - on Saturday 7 December in the Deptford Park Orchard. Starts at 10.30am. More details from lewis@theorchardproject.org.uk

Places of Peace - starting Saturday 7 December, Soul Community Choir (Salvation Army) are running a festival celebrating art, music and the theme of peace across eight venues in Deptford. More details from soulcommunitysa on Instagram

Journey of the Magi - Springs Dance Company will be performing their festive offering at Crofton Park Baptist Church on Thursday 19 December. Tickets from www.springsdancecompany.org.uk


Contact Larry at info@thebear.tv if you want to run a classified ad. Please note that these are included as a courtesy and do not necessarily reflect The Bear Leadership or employees' views or beliefs.