Each month one of our wonderful Church Wardens Alison writes a news article about St Clements Church. Please download the PDF document or read the article below.
News from St Clement of Alexandria Green Lane,
Castle Bromwich known locally as St Clements Church
"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out" Walter Winchall
Forgiveness and Kindness: Friendship is grounded in treating others with the same love, kindness, and forgiveness that Jesus showed (John 15:12).
Spring reminds us of the resurrection of Jesus, of his love for us all, and as we emerge from the grip of winter it is the promise of life after death; a “second chance” after the grip of winter. Life is worth living in the small things: a smile, a cup of tea with a friend, or just sitting and listening to the birdsong in a world that can sometimes be so cruel. BE KIND.
On the 13th April, the Mary Bridgeman Tea and Coffee Lounge at St Clements (known as the Café) was once again assessed (this takes place every 2 years) to make sure we were compliant with all aspects of food safety. We come under SMBC, and after answering questions on allergens, making sure our weekly diary was up to date, reviewing cleaning routines and handwashing, and even how we dispose of food waste and recycling, we were again awarded GRADE 5. Not one of our volunteers worked in catering, so what a learning curve this has been, and we often wonder what Dorothy Cotterill would say today about what we have achieved. It was her idea, after all! All our volunteers have Food Hygiene Level 2, which is renewed every 3 years, and will be undertaking a separate e-learning course on allergens, which is now a requirement whether working as a volunteer or in employment in catering.
Our café opens on Mondays during term time from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm when we welcome members of the community to our Church building. We also use the café for our Forget Me Not Memory Café, which we hold every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month (during term time) from 1 to 2.30 pm. Access to the café is through the Church (we no longer hire this space) and is set up ready for the next service. Although St Clements was built in the early 1960s and does not have stained glass windows or even a steeple, we do have some wonderful hangings created and made by Sally Sycner, which, when the school children visit, allow us to encourage questions about their meanings. Alma Spink left us with a cross-stitched picture of “The Last Supper,” which hangs in the Church, and the kneelers still in use today, restored in recent years, were all hand-made by members of the Church—Olive Payne certainly left her mark. All around the Church and Chapel are reminders of those members who gave their time and talents, and a reminder that on the “shoulders of those that went before we stand.
” St Clements will be going to Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 18th July, leaving at 9 am for our annual church outing, and if anyone is interested in joining us, please don’t hesitate to give us a ring for more details. A coach has been booked!
Rehearsals for our joint Summer Concert are taking place each Thursday from 8 pm to 9.30 pm at St Clements. Daniel will be performed on Sunday 7th September by members of St Mary and St Margaret, and St Clements Churches. If you came to the Christmas Concert, you are certainly in for a treat. If you love to sing or play an instrument, just pop along on Thursday evenings. I know the conductor Stuart Jeffs and all the members would welcome you. Go on, give it a go, and you even get a cup of tea or coffee, and maybe a biscuit—that’s Thursday evening sorted!
The bus pass for the elderly opens the doors to many adventures: taking the 94 or X12 into Birmingham and then the tram to Wolverhampton or West Bromwich. Some members of our Church ventured to Tamworth—yes, on the bus, six in total: three there and three back. You can’t say our Church members are not up for an adventure. Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Coventry by bus and then train, and even Stratford are in reach—nothing is impossible; you just have to step outside and get that bus. Don’t want to go too far? Take the X12 or even 94 and walk a couple of roads, get off at Arden Hall on Thursday to get a coffee and play bingo, or you can just visit the Garden of Memory and sit and reflect.
If you want to more about St Clement’s, our Services, how to arrange a baptism or wedding, our work in the community or events, you can get in touch in the usual way by:
Phone: 0121 274 7120
A Church Near You: www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7248/
Church Website: www.stclementschurchcb.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stclementschurchcastlebromwich
Email: [email protected]