Easter 2

It was wonderful to journey through Holy Week together and participate in the joyful celebrations of Christ's resurrection last weekend at both St Andrew's Church and Church on the Corner. 

I wonder where you have experienced the risen Jesus this week?  Perhaps noticing the bountiful tree-blossom during the beautiful spring weather, or in children's play and laughter in this school holiday week, or through the awe-inspiring pictures of earth and moon from the Artemis II spacecraft, or as relief at the last-minute cease-fire agreement, however tenuous, in the Middle-East. 

As we continue to travel through the season of Easter, until Pentecost on 24 May, can I encourage you to keep open to encounters with our Living Lord, who may surprise us with his presence, as he did those first women and men who met him before his ascension. And let us keep earnestly praying for lasting peace across God's world.    

Holy Week and Easter

As I am writing this, I have just come back from a reflective evening named 'Silent Space' at Church on the Corner.  It happens on the first Wednesday of the month.  During Holy Week, it offered a very valuable chance to reflect.  I was drawn to contemplate the story of Jesus' journey towards his death; 'a man of sorrows acquainted with grief'. Others will have had their own private reflections.  On Maundy Thursday evening, at 7pm, we meet at St Andrew's to partake in holy communion, around a meal; and, on Good Friday, we enter into the day on which Christ died.  Our great celebrations are reserved for Easter Day itself, when we sing our Alleluias. Christ is risen, he is risen indeed.  Let us make this a very memorable Holy Week and Easter.     

We are delighted to go public with some great news!

We can now tell you that we have secured grants which will save our spire. Historic England’s grant of £431,804 will kickstart the repair project which is also being funded by £249,950 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and an additional £103,000 from Islington charity, Cloudesley. 

Reverend Caroline Titley, Rector of St Andrew’s Church Thornhill Square, said: 

“We are delighted that Historic England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and local Islington charity Cloudesley, have included us in their grant-funding. This is a turning point in our campaign to save the spire at St Andrew’s Church, Thornhill Square. The spire is a backdrop to everyday life in this part of Islington and can even be seen on landing and take-off from City airport. But the spire is also integral to the church building; its deterioration threatened a great community asset, used by thousands of people. We can now look forward to continuing our campaign, to restore and renew St Andrew’s Church for this vibrant and diverse community.”

Melanie Griffiths, Director, Cloudesley Independent Charitable Trust, said: 

“Cloudesley is pleased to be able to support the spire project at St Andrew's Thornhill Square. As a funder of Church of England churches in Islington, we have worked with St Andrew’s for many years and seen the work that has been required to reach this point. Congratulations to St Andrew's for being able to start the works to save the spire.”

Palm Sunday Services- Sunday, 29 March

Please join us for joyful Palm Sunday services at 9am and 10.30am, with refreshments after the later service to celebrate the starting of the spire works. It would be a good opportunity to invite friends and neighbours who do not usually attend church, but who will be grateful that the spire is being saved. 

Celebration after our 10.30am Palm Sunday service, 29 March.

Please note that the clocks go forward the night before!

In addition to the news carried on the BBC London website, there is a nice article on page 4 of the Islington Tribune today. Islington South and Finsbury MP, Dame Emily Thornberry, said she was "so, so pleased" to hear that the church now had "some proper funding that will make a difference and secure this church for the future". The article also includes reference to the Barnsbury Book Festival, which will run from 17-19 April, and will raise money for the St Andrew's Building Fund. This will be a wonderful event in our neighbourhood, with St Andrew's playing host to some famous authors.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Please join us for our Mothering Sunday services on 15 March. It is lovely to celebrate this day together in church and to receive flowers.  As war spreads and human suffering increases, it is good to remember that Christ came to show us compassion and mercy. The church also knows this day as Refreshment Sunday. It is nice to have the opportunity to relax the lenten disciplines and then to resume them until Easter Day.  

Third Sunday of Lent

I should be very pleased to see you tomorrow at the special Open Church event to help those who have suffered as a result of the recent water burst on Caledonian Road. Please see the details immediately below. 

This Sunday, we shall continue our worship during the season of Lent with our two services of Holy Communion. I do hope that your Lenten observances are going well and that your faith is developing and growing during this time of reflection. 

*THIS SATURDAY*

SOUP, SPARKLE AND SUPPORT

Open Church- Saturday, 7 March- 11am-1pm

Open Church this Saturday, 7 March, has been expanded to be a SUPPORT session for families affected by the Cally Flood. The planned soup and sparkle event - when our more blingy clothes would be for sale at very reasonable prices, accompanied by Chanel's famous chicken soup served at 12pm - has been expanded into a cake and coffee morning to raise money for families displaced by the Cally Flood on Tuesday, 24 February. PLEASE POP IN, EVEN IF YOU DON'T USUALLY COME TO OPEN CHURCH. 

A relatively modest amount is being aimed at helping people buy carpeting, toys and food supplies. It's also a show of local love and concern.

See you Saturday, 11am to 1pm at St Andrew's Church.

Enjoy delicious cake and company and make a donation to help flooded families.

Second Sunday of Lent

1 March 2026

This Sunday we continue our journey through Lent with our service of Holy Communion at 9am and All Age worship at 10.30am.  It is good to see people trying different ways of worshipping God in Lent, including new faces at our service of Morning Prayer at Church on the Corner on Thursday mornings at 9.15am.  We also had a good start to our study of 'Jesus the Fringe Dweller' when Jonny Baker came to speak to us last Sunday; and I look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday.

St Andrew's receives a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to restore the church building

St Andrew’s Church, Thornhill Square has received a £94,535 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the restoration of the church building, it was announced today. Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to lay the solid foundations that will underpin St Andrew’s long-term future by putting in place a professional team to oversee the next phase of project development. Additionally, the project will engage local people including school pupils, university students, residents from local estates and local business owners to share and celebrate the local heritage by collaborating in a community exhibition at St Andrew’s Church.

The project will ensure the future of St Andrew’s is planned in a robust, sustainable way, as well as providing members of the local community with fun, relevant, creative and rewarding ways to learn about, feel part of, and contribute to their local history. Creative workshops will provide participants with practical new skills in heritage research, exhibition creation, mixed media art and photography, with volunteers given training so they can help care for the resulting exhibition.

St Andrew’s church building is set within an impressive urban landscape, Thornhill Square, the largest, best preserved early Victorian square in Islington. The Neo-Gothic, Grade II-listed church was consecrated in 1854, and has been used for worship, community activities and social action over the years.

Commenting on the award, the Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell, said: “St Andrew's, Thornhill Square has stood at the heart of Islington for over 150 years, providing a safe, welcoming space for the local community to come together, worship and support one another. Today's news of a grant from the The National Lottery Heritage Fund is very welcome, and will help safeguard St Andrew's future for many more years to come.”

Institution and Induction of the Revd Caroline Titley as Rector of the Parish of Barnsbury

We’re delighted that on Sunday 8 October, the Revd Caroline Titley will be instituted by the Right Reverend Dr Joanne Woolway Grenfell, Bishop of Stepney, and inducted by the Venerable Peter Farley-Moore, Archdeacon of Hackney, as the Rector of the Parish of Barnsbury. This follows the parish reorganisation and the establishment of a newly-elected PCC for St Andrew’s and Church on the Corner.

All are very welcome to join us for the celebrations at our 10.30am service that morning, followed by refreshments. We would be glad if you could come, and look forward to seeing you there!

Please note that the 9am service will not be running on Sunday 8 October, but will resume as normal on Sunday 15 October.

Restoring St Andrew's

We’re opening a new chapter in the life of the church! We want to:

  • Repair the building’s exterior, safeguarding it for generations to come

  • Update the interior space, making it more accessible and flexible

  • Create more opportunities to serve our amazing community

Your support can make the world of difference.

There are many ways to get involved. To find out how, please contact us at standrewschurchislington@gmail.com or on 020 7607 4552.

New Priest in Charge appointed

Announcement from the Bishop of Stepney:

"I’m pleased to be able to let you know that we have been able to make an appointment to the post of priest-in-charge of Barnsbury, to be incumbent of the proposed new parish. It is announced that the Revd Caroline Titley will be taking up the role in the new year.

"Caroline is curate of Wilton, in Salisbury Diocese, and has had a varied career before ordination, including being Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Homes for ten years. She’s also had extensive lay involvement in church and community, with experience of a large building project. She will be moving in January, along with her husband Robert, who until now has been Canon Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral. I have every confidence that she will be an excellent vicar and has the leadership skills and experience to encourage every member of St Andrew’s and Church on the Corner, to help you develop a vision for mission in Barnsbury to help you grow, and to tackle the building issues at St Andrew’s.

"I hope that you will join me in praying for Caroline as she prepares to take up the role, and please know that you are all in my prayers too"

Copenhagen Street Foodbank wins Civic Award

We are thrilled that the Copenhagen Foodbank which is supported by donations and volunteers from St Andrew’s Church has been awarded a Civic Award by Islington Council. St Andrew’s collects donations for the foodbank on a weekly basis and has a number of volunteers who help with the distribution of the food to those in need. Well done everyone! Please see below for the article in the Islington Gazette

https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/islington-council-s-2021-civic-award-winners-7903288?fbclid=IwAR0QNvpZmWV9-rlgqd8zzR5vQsYe9t8TkCfXdhdGfeXZzuk_R-u1DUyORRI