WHAT’S ON
SUNDAY
Morning worship : Ascension : 12nn (prayer @ 11:15)
NO EVENING SERVICE
MONDAY
Bear cubs : Leander Centre : 9:30-11:30am
Gather : The Bear : 7:30pm
TUESDAY
Women's Bible Study : The Albany : 1:30pm
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Bear cubs : outdoor play / Leander centre : 10-11:30am / 1-3pm
FRIDAY
Bear cubs : The Bear : 9:30-11:30am
SATURDAY
THROUGH-OUT THE WEEK
Early morning prayer : zoom : 7am Mon-Fri
IN OUR COMMUNITY
Update from Iain on our Global projects:
"For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land....I will make a covenant of peace with them." - Ezekiel 34
On Thursday I was at an iNet prayer day, and we were asked which countries we felt connected to as we began to gather. When it was my turn, I said the usual countries, then paused and added, "And Iran". I felt an intake of breath from many people in the room, aware that we were just beginning to hear of the thousands of protestors who had been killed by the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard) and how the possibility of change and hope for the people of Iran had been seemingly destroyed once again. I began to use the words from Ezekiel (above) to pray for Iran and its people, crying out for the 'scattered sheep', meaning both Iranians inside and outside the country, and for God to be their shepherd.
I believe God hears the cry of the Iranian people as they suffer, and answers these cries and the prayers of His people as we call on Him. Lord, may they know Shalom, both peace and justice.
For some updates from another Global project we support, please see the attached "Rachel's Ramblings".
CLASSIFIEDS
Thanksgiving service : an open invitation for supporters of Lewisham Foodbank to gather to worship, hear stories, give thanks for what God has done and pray for current needs and challenges. The service will take place at St Lawrence Church in Bromley on Thursday January 26th at 7pm. See flyer attached for more details.
Job Opportunity with The Bear : we're looking for an organised individual to help co-ordinate our Sunday evening community meal. You will help with administrative tasks, food shopping, volunteer coordination, church-wide communication and running of the Sunday Evening Service. For more details, please see the attached job description. To apply email your C.V. and a cover letter to bex@thebear.tv by 2nd February.
Creative retreats at Penhurst Retreat Centre : for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of faith, spirituality &, art & creativity, the following retreats might be right up your street:
Return of the Prodigal Son - 6th-8th February
Building an Ark: Creativity in Extraordinary Times - 24th-26th July
Reigniting Your Creative Spark - 18th-20th September
All hosted at the beautiful Penhurst Retreat Centre in East Sussex, they are led by Val and Dan Freeman.
Stories for Restorative Practise & Process : A day-long course on Thursday 26th March at St Ethelberga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace for anyone working in reparative or community settings, especially those engaged in restorative practice and mediation, to explore creative ways in which sharing simple traditional stories can support:
· Self-reflection and self-tending
· Having difficult conversations
· Finding compassion and understanding across divides
For more information, visit here.
‘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.
ESSENTIAL RECOMMENDS…
🙈 to see : Flee, an animated documentary available on Curzon Home Cinema
🙉 to hear : Inverse podcast: ICE, Minneapolis & the Resistance of Good with Doug Pagitt
🙊 to read : Everyday Utopia by Kristen Ghodsee