Coffee Mornings for Senior Citizens
On the first Wednesday of each month there is a coffee morning from 11am-12noon for the elderly. Please see Parish Newsletter for further details.
First Saturday Devotions Prayer Group
This prayer group meets in the Lady Chapel after the 9.30am Mass on the first Saturday of each month.
Children’s Choir
Does your child like to sing? Join the St Francis of Assisi Treble Choir for children aged 8 and up. No experience required. Learn how to sing – make friends – have fun. The Choir sings at the 10am Sunday Mass on Sundays with a brief rehearsal at 9:30am during term time and other services throughout the year. The choir rehearses on Friday afternoons during term time, 4:30-6:30pm in the Parish hall to prepare for singing for Mass on Sundays. Regular attendance at Friday rehearsals is expected, however, flexible Sunday attendance can be arranged. Rehearsals include a short break with a snack. Please bring water, voice and smiles. Where: Parish Centre. If you have any further questions or to register your interest, please contact the Director of Music james.dixon@iinet.net.au
Parish Choir
Do you like to sing? Join the Parish choir. The Choir sings at the 11:30am Sunday Mass on Sundays with a brief rehearsal at 11:00am during term time and other services throughout the year. The choir will explore a variety of liturgical music. The choir rehearses on Friday evenings during term time, 7:00pm-8:15pm in the Upper Room (entrance by the gate of the courtyard in front of the church) to prepare for singing for Mass on Sundays. If you have any further questions or would like a short audition for entry into the choir, please contact the Director of Music james.dixon@iinet.net.au
Altar Servers
Altar Serving involves the ministry of assisting the celebrating Priest during Mass. Altar servers must approach the ministry with the required reverence and may be in primary or secondary school.
Cleaning
Teams are responsible for cleaning the Church. This ensures the Church is prepared for the hundreds of people who come to our church each week. If you would like to help with cleaning, please contact the Parish Priest or the Parish Administrator.
Mary’s Meals
MARY’S MEALS is a charity that raises funds to serve nutritious school meals in schools to children in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. Mary’s Meals provides over 2.4 million children with one good meal every day at school in over 16 countries. Because of the charity’s low costs – assisted by the parish providing them with an office in our parish centre – they can do this for as little as £10.60 per child per year! Mary’s Meals is a no-frills charity committed to spending 93p in every £1 received on its charitable activities with only 6p spent on Fundraising and 1p on Governance. As well as holding an annual collection of clothes and two second collections after Sunday Masses for this charity every year, parishioners from St Francis volunteer to help with the administration and appeals of Mary’s Meals in the London area. The London office of Mary’s Meals is based in the Parish Centre. To find out more about Mary’s Meals and to volunteer to help please see www.marysmeals.org.uk
Kensington & Chelsea Foodbank
Since its foundation, parishioners have actively supported this initiative as volunteers or by donating goods to this Foodbank that is organized by Notting Hill Methodist Church. Here is a list of items that the Foodbank needs most:
Long-life milk, long-life juice, tinned meats, tinned fish, tinned fruits, tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables, tinned tomatoes, custard/desserts, Rice pudding, tinned soups, Sweet biscuits, spaghetti in tomato sauce, Breakfast cereals, pasta sauce, Coffee, Hot chocolate, Tea bags
Deodorants, shower gels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary pads, Toilet paper.
If you’d like to donate any of these items, please leave them by the blue door to the left of the Presbytery front door or at the back of the church and your donations will be taken to the Foodbank for you. If you are able to volunteer to help this initiative, please contact the Foodbank.
https://kensingtonchelsea.foodbank.org.uk/
Al-Anon
Al-Anon offers understanding and support for families and friends of problem drinkers, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not. Alateen, a part of Al- Anon, is for young people aged 12-20 who have been affected by someone else’s drinking.
The parents, children, wives, husbands, friends and colleagues of alcoholics could all be helped by Al-Anon and Alateen whether or not the drinker in their lives recognises that a problem exists.
At Al-Anon group meetings members receive comfort and understanding and learn to cope with their problems through the exchange of experience, strength and hope. The sharing of problems binds individuals and groups together in a bond that is protected by a policy of anonymity. Members learn that there are things they can do to help themselves and indirectly to help the problem drinker. Changed attitudes, which come from greater understanding of the illness, may result in the drinker seeking help.
Al-Anon is self-supporting through members’ voluntary contributions and the sale of its literature, The groups are non-professional and have no religious affiliations and no opinions on outside issues.
There are approximately 1000 groups meeting regularly throughout the UK and Eire. Worldwide more than 30,000 Al-Anon and Alateen groups meet in over 100 countries. For further information and details of meetings please phone the Al-Anon helpline 10am to 10pm daily on 020 7403 0888 or visit www.al-anonuk.org.uk
Kalayaan
Kalayaan is an independent charity that aims to improve the quality of life of all migrant domestic workers residing in the UK. The charity was founded in our parish centre in 1987. Migrant domestic workers have accompanied employers from overseas to work as part of their private household in the UK, typically as nannies, cooks, chauffeurs and housekeepers. Unfortunately, migrant domestic workers frequently experience abuse, exploitation, discrimination, racism and social exclusion.
Kalayaan aims to reduce these problems through offering advice, services, advocacy and project work that will benefit migrant domestic workers. We also aim to influence policy affecting migrant domestic workers through negotiation with policy-makers and campaign work. Kalayaan is especially concerned that all migrant domestic workers are aware of their rights in the UK and are able to access these rights in practice.
Kalayaan is staffed by paid workers, Management Committee members and volunteers. Immigration and employment advice is given by paid workers and Management Committee members. Advice given by appointment only. To contact the office please call 020 7243 2942 or email: info@kalayaan.org.uk
For more information – http://www.kalayaan.org.uk/