Starting out at St Pauls Goodmayes
Blessing of Palm Crosses at Westwood Recreation Ground
With Fr. Ben and Charlie the donkey in Westwood Recreation Ground
Processing along Meads Lane
The procession was greeted by the congregation of the United Free ChurchPalm Sunday in Seven Kings saw a congregation of 130 process from St Pauls Goodmayes to St Johns Seven Kings accompanied by a donkey and children dressed as disciples.
This Palm Sunday procession was the first in a series of events organised by St Pauls and St Johns as part of the Deanery Vision for Redbridge which sees neighbouring parishes sharing more closely together in future.
The two congregations gathered at St Pauls for the opening part of the service liturgy before lining up to process to Westwood Recreation Ground where palm crosses were blessed and the Gospel read.
The procession was led by the children and Charlie the donkey followed by the joint choirs of St Pauls and St Johns leading hymn singing. Local people came out of homes, shops and churches to see and greet the procession as it passed by.
From Westwood Recreation Ground, the procession moved down Meads Lane to St Johns for Holy Communion and the refreshments which followed the service.
In our press release about the procession I said, “The original Palm Sunday featured a joyful procession as Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a colt and the people praised God and spread cloaks and palms on the ground. The service and procession were a joyful celebration for us and, we hope, a visible act of witness to our community.”
Fr. Benjamin Rutt-Field, parish priest of St Paul's Goodmayes, said, "It reminded me of my 3 month Sabbatical in Japan last year, where the indigenous faiths of Shinto and Buddhism celebrate their festivals with joyful and colorful processions, conveying to the whole multi-faith community, something of what they personally believe in and why it is important to them."
This Palm Sunday procession was the first in a series of events organised by St Pauls and St Johns as part of the Deanery Vision for Redbridge which sees neighbouring parishes sharing more closely together in future.
The two congregations gathered at St Pauls for the opening part of the service liturgy before lining up to process to Westwood Recreation Ground where palm crosses were blessed and the Gospel read.
The procession was led by the children and Charlie the donkey followed by the joint choirs of St Pauls and St Johns leading hymn singing. Local people came out of homes, shops and churches to see and greet the procession as it passed by.
From Westwood Recreation Ground, the procession moved down Meads Lane to St Johns for Holy Communion and the refreshments which followed the service.
In our press release about the procession I said, “The original Palm Sunday featured a joyful procession as Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a colt and the people praised God and spread cloaks and palms on the ground. The service and procession were a joyful celebration for us and, we hope, a visible act of witness to our community.”
Fr. Benjamin Rutt-Field, parish priest of St Paul's Goodmayes, said, "It reminded me of my 3 month Sabbatical in Japan last year, where the indigenous faiths of Shinto and Buddhism celebrate their festivals with joyful and colorful processions, conveying to the whole multi-faith community, something of what they personally believe in and why it is important to them."
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Godspell - Beautiful City.
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