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  1. Hackney Winter Night Shelter at St Mary's

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    Hackney Winter Night Shelter is a project run by volunteers that provides basic accommodation in church halls around Hackney for up to 25 homeless people during the coldest months of the year. We aim to provide a warm welcome, a hot evening meal, a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning for our homeless guests. In addition, the Night Shelter employs workers to help our guests find more long-term accommodation. The Shelter will open on the 2nd November this year. Many volunteers, both church members and from the wider community, will help to run the shelter. Our contribution at St Mary’s is to host the Shelter in our church rooms each Wednesday night from late December to the end of March. We need volunteers in various roles: to help set up the shelter, cook and serve supper, stay overnight, and to cook breakfast and clear up in the morning. Could you help? If you are interested, please get in touch with our volunteer team coordinator, Jonathan Gebbie at [email protected] or on 07949-169583. We particularly need people who could help in the morning or volunteer to occasionally do an overnight shift.

    There are also opportunities to help at other Shelter venues around Hackney on other nights of the week from the beginning of November - please get in touch if you’re interested. There is more information about the Night Shelter on the web site here.

  3. Pickles, Harvest and Funds

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    Many thanks to Jane Pryce! Her sale of pickles over the last two weeks or so have raised a total of £202.41 for St Mary's. And thanks to all who bought some!

    Our Harvest collection raised £307 for the Africa Educational Trust - many thanks to all who generously gave.

    And finally... the Bishop of Stepney's Discretionary Fund grew by £294 during the Confirmation service last week.

  5. Christmas Fair

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    An 'Arts, Crafts, Christmas Produce Fair' is being considered for 28th November to raise money for St Mary's. If you want to get involved in the planning of this event please come along to the Rose & Crown at 8pm on Wednesday 14th October.

  6. Celebrating with the Alevi community.

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    20151004_170641_resizedHere's Dilly speaking at the Hackney Alevi Centre in Ridley Road, joining with them in celebrating the British Alevi Foundation being granted charitable status. This is something they've been working hard towards for a number of years.

    Politicians and community and religious leaders were there to celebrate with them.

    As always, the afternoon ended with true Alevi hospitality and a delicious spread of food. 

     

  7. Celebrations on Sunday morning!

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    Even more celebrations than usual this morning at St Mary's! Bishop Adrian led a service of Holy Communion with baptism, confirmation and reception into the Church of England.

    Congratulations to Daniel, Sakir and Samantha who Bishop Adrian baptised and confirmed; Joanna, Jade, Alexandra and Michelle who he confirmed and Kaarina who was received into the Church of England.

    Almighty and ever-living God,
    you have given these your servants new birth
    in baptism by water and the Spirit,
    and have forgiven them all their sins.
    Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them:
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding;
    the Spirit of counsel and inward strength;
    the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness;
    and let their delight be in the fear of the Lord.

  8. Canto Da Alma - A Singing Concert

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    img_0106A wonderful evening of classical, folk, jazz, musical theatre and music hall tunes last night in The Old Church.

    Sarah Warren's voice, Iwan Davies' piano and Sam Elwin's guitar combined to raise money for ALMA and the Church of the Epiphany in Tete, Mozambique.

    St Mary's has a long relationship with the Church of the Epiphany in Tete and has helped them to build a new church that was completed this year with some St Mary's folk visiting Mozambique for the dedication ceremony. Funds will also assist in their outreach and community work.

    Many thanks to Sarah, Iwan and Sam for a great evening's entertainment!

  9. Plaggy Bags

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    Wondering what to do with the scores of plastic carrier bags you have stuffed in a draw or hanging on the back of your kitchen door? Feel bad throwing them away? Want to see them used again?

    The Hackney Migrant Centre give away a significant amount of donated food to users of the centre each week and they need carrier bags to put it in. Supermarkets will soon be charging 5p for each carrier bag (which is a great way of encouraging recycling) but that means HMC need to start collecting donated bags.

    If you have bags you can donate then please bring them to the church office during the week or give them to Matt on a Sunday morning.

  10. Hackney Migrant Centre - Volunteers Needed

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    Hackney Migrant Centre need local volunteers! This is a great way to support migrants from across London and beyond.

    Food collectors:

    People who have a car to help with food donations on Tuesday evenings. This involves collecting food from Wholefood on Stoke Newington Church Street at 9.30pm and then bringing the collected food to St Marys New Church Rooms at 9am the following day.

    Volunteers are also needed to help with collections on Wednesday morning, this involves doing some food shopping locally, collecting food from Growing Communities at 9.15am and dropping everything off at St Marys New Church Rooms for 9.30am.

    If you are available to volunteer please email [email protected]

    Sessional setting-up volunteers:

    HMC are also looking for people who could help set up the session on a Wednesday by putting out tables and chairs, setting up the laptops etc and help to pack away at the end. If you are free on a Wednesday between 9.30am - 10.45am and/or 4pm-5pm.

    Please email [email protected]