Faith

The annual Christmas fair at Christ Church in Hanworth Road raised £2,000 on Saturday November 28.

Money raised at the event, which was organised by the joint fund raising committee of St.Dunstan's and the United Free Church, will be shared between the two churches for their general upkeep.

A Christmas bazaar will be held at Christ Church in Feltham on Saturday November 28.

The event at the Hanworth Road church will take place between 10.30am and 2pm and will feature stalls, a tombola, raffle and refreshments. Admission costs 30p.

The Mayor Councillor Paul Lynch, Deputy Mayor Councillor Barbara Harris and Lord Bilimoria, Deputy Lieutenant of Hounslow will attend a service of dedication at the War Memorial, with a parade starting at 2.30pm in Victoria Road, Feltham.

The former Bishop of Truro was a special guest at the Christ Church centenary dinner last week.

Rev Bill Ind, who grew up in Feltham and was later a curate at St Dunstan's Church, met new Methodist pastor Mark Conlon at the meal to celebrate the Hanworth Road church's 100th anniversary.

Then on Sunday October 17th he gave an address at a re-dedication service for the Ecumenical Parish of Feltham.

Two Feltham churches are welcoming new leaders to the town.

Mark Conlon held his first service as lay pastor at Christ Church in Hanworth Road last Thursday, while Father Chris Vipers took over at St Lawrence's RC Church in the Green last weekend.

Mr Conlon, 45, who was born in Hertfordshire, is a keen chef and was previously based in Essex, was given a warm welcome by a large crowd at his first service.

Father Gerry Burke retired from St Lawrence's Church in Feltham this week after 12 years as parish priest.

Fr Burke, who has served as a priest for over 50 years, has suffered several heart attacks and had heart surgery last year, so stepped down for health reasons.

He studied for the priesthood with former Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in Rome and, although originally from London, served the church all over the world.

An international evening at St Lawrence's School brought together people from all corners of the globe on Saturday.

About 65 people attended the event, which was organised by St Lawrence's Church at the school in Victoria Road, Feltham, and countries represented included Ireland, England, Nigeria, Portugal and St Lucia.

Guests donned colourful costumes and traditional national dress and cooked up cuisine from their own background for fellow revellers to enjoy.

Former uniformed group members are being asked to revisit their youth at Christ Church in Feltham on Saturday.

Anyone who attended Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides, Boys Brigade, Sunday School or the Unit 3 Youth Club at the Hanworth Road church is invited to roll back the years between 7pm and 10.30pm.

A special dinner to celebrate the centenary of Christ Church in Feltham will be held on Saturday October 10.

A traditional menu cooked by chef John Hall from the Three Horseshoes will be available at the showpiece event of the Hanworth Road church's year of celebrations.

Tickets cost £15 and are available from Joyce Griffiths on 020 88901978 or Mark Savage on 020 8890255.

Feltham churches have stopped serving communion wine in an effort to halt the spread of swine flu.

Christ Church, Southville Methodist Church and St Dunstan's Church announced in a newsletter last week that they would be following advice from church leaders not to pass around the wine chalice.

The letter said: "At Holy Communion we will be following the advice to the whole Church of England not to share the chalice at present because of concern about spreading the swine flu virus."