St Thomas's annual Good Friday devotional performance this year was 'Messiah', and with an augmented choir and chamber orchestra, the packed church was treated to an exciting and moving event.  The orchestra and some of the soloists were again drawn from the Royal Academy, with a couple of local exceptions!  We have indeed been very fortunate to have enjoyed the expertise James Murray has brought to us during his two years here, and will watch his continuing career as a conductor, for which he leaves us at the end of April.

The Bishop of London visited St Thomas’ Church in Oakwood on Sunday (22^nd April) to rededicate the new church spire, alongside the Mayor of Enfield and a congregation of over 150 members. Church goers and the local community helped to raise over £40,000 to have the new spire made, after the original became structurally unstable after 40 years, and had to be taken down in January last year.

Dear Beloved in the Lord,

Farewell and Welcome

After two years as our Director of Music, James Murray has decided to step down, to devote more of his time to conducting. Coming up to Oakwood from central London every Friday night and Sunday morning is a big call, and there have been growing demands on his time, as both a school music teacher and a peripatetic conductor. We have been greatly enriched in the last few months, by two ‘Concerts for the Spire’: James gathered volunteer musicians from the Royal Academy and they have performed in St Thomas’s two Beethoven symphonies, the Bach double violin concerto and the double horn concerto by Haydn. James says he may come back to do more of these concerts with us.

There was a wonderful family feeling at the confirmation on Sunday morning, at which four young people publicly declared their faith.  And it wasn't just the families and friends of the candidates who packed the church, but we were very grateful to Bishop David Pytches, brother of our own church member Preb. Peter Pytches, for standing in at the last minute for Bishop Sandy Millar who was unwell.  His sermon was encouraging, helpful, and illuminated by personal stories, as it explained the significance of some of the great mile-stones of Anglican Christian practice: baptism, confirmation, holy communion, prayer and bible reading.  You can listen again in the Sermons section of our web site.