The Holy Family
The Parish embarked upon a mission in October 2001 entitled ‘Fan the Flame’. Fan the Flame teaching weeks were designed by Bishop Lindsay Urwin.
The statue of the Holy Family in memory of Fr Brown was blessed by the Bishop at Petertide in 2001.
Fr David set up Lookout. The aim of Lookout was to provide full regular pastoral care for all members of the congregation. All regular worshippers were put into groups with a leader whose responsibility it was to make regular contact and liaise with Fr David.
From 2002 the Happy Child Nursery began to lease the hall, greatly helping the finances of St Mary’s.
Fr John Metivier became an Honorary Assistant Priest in November 2001. Before his retirement he was Vicar in Tokyington.
The Bishop of London was invited to the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Parish on 2 July 2002. Fr Anastasios, of St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church presented an Icon of Our Lady.
It was recorded at the 2004-2005 APCM that the PCC considered and made a unanimous decision in favour of renewing Resolution C. ‘This PCC having reviewed the working of the arrangements for Episcopal oversight resolves to continue the arrangements for a further five years’.
Stand Up For Jesus
Saturday 9 April 2005 was the conclusion of the week of Thanksgiving and Celebration for the priests who are privileged to belong to Societas Sanctæ Crucis (SSC), the Society of the Holy Cross, to celebrate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Society. The Society was founded by a group of Oxford Movement Priests under the leadership of Fr Lowder, who was working in the Docklands area of London’s East End at that time. Five thousand plus people, including a small group from St Mary’s, packed the Royal Albert Hall to join with members of the Society in a wonderful day of glorious singing, Bible study, talk on the Mission of Christ, Devotional address, Benediction and a meditation by Bishop Lindsay Urwin, who many will know from when he ran St Mary’s ‘Open to Love’ mission in 1992. There were 700 robed priests, it took four hymns and an anthem for them and 26 robed bishops, including the Bishop of London,to process in.