Brand New Day: Runwell Art Club exhibition
Friday 19 April – Friday 26 July 2024
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AN

‘Brand New Day’ is an exhibition by members of Runwell Art Club.

St Andrew’s is usually open: Sat 9am-12.30pm; Sun 9.30am-12 noon; Mon 2-3.45pm; Tue 1-4.30pm; Wed 10am-12 noon; Fri 10am-1pm.

Exhibition viewing evening at ‘Unveiled’ - Friday 3 May, 7.00 pm.

Its OPEN MIC NIGHT at St Andrews Church, London Road, Wickford on Friday 17th May from 7.30pm. Looking forward to welcoming back friends, musicians old and new for what will be a great evening of live music in very comfortable surroundings. As you can imagine in a Church, acoustics are fantastic. There is a bar available where drinks can be purchased for just a small donation to the Church. Absolutely everybody is welcome so come along, pop your name down or simply spectate. See you there!

Poets including Jonathan Evens and Tim Harrold will share a selection of poetry and prose from their own collections and those of their favourite poets.
Tim Harrold is a poet who creates images of profound challenge and change, of pause and process, of chrysalis and catalyst. His most recent publication is ‘Verses versus Viruses’.
Jonathan Evens is a creative writer whose poems and stories have been published by Amethyst Review, International Times and Stride Magazine.

Prior to Ordination in 1996, Simon had spent 20+ years playing in Christian bands and working for an evangelistic charity, “The Wavelength Trust” mainly
doing outreach in secondary schools; colleges & universities; youth clubs; and prisons.

In 1975 Simon played in the British Youth for Christ band, “Really Free” (with Cliff Bergdahl) and then fronted: “Sea Stone”, “INTRANSIT” and “Fresh Claim”; doing hundreds of gigs across the UK and Europe. All of his musical output is published by Sea Dream Music and released through Plankton Records.

Simon’s first full-time ‘Vicar’s job’ was in Dagenham in 1998 (just after getting
married to Sarah!) before moving to be Rector of Pitsea with Nevendon in 2010.

Currently, Simon is able to play guitar and sing (a lot) in Church (as the
Churches do not have a regular organist), and (prior to the pandemic) was very
active in four primary schools in the Parish. (These opportunities are just
starting to re-emerge now).

However, one very positive result of the pandemic was the coming together of
the “Law Family Band”. Simon’s children Isaac (drums) and Reuben & Salomë
(guitars) started playing with Simon for all the recorded services that were put
out on YouTube when our Churches were closed. (All the filming was done by
another daughter – Lydia – graduate in Film & TV Studies!) The band’s debut
gig was at the Greenbelt Festival (Prospect Farm) in 2021, when the band was
renamed “The Law Family Banned” (owing to the ‘protest’ and ‘Christian’
content of some of the songs). Elements of the band have just played at
Greenbelt 2022.

Recently, a long-lost uncle: the Revd. Dr. Jeremy Law has joined on bass guitar,
and their first gig was in Canterbury in September 2022.

Simon has played solo in Wickford (sometimes joined by his son on a few songs) several times. We hope he may also play with “The Law Family Banned” and be a lot louder (!) in the future.

Depeche Mode: Songs of Faith & Devotion
Friday 12 July, 7.00 pm
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN

Jonathan Evens talks about Christian influences in the music of Basildon band, Depeche Mode.