This Saturday saw another wonderful concert at St Andrew’s by Lena and Katerina Stern with Nikita Makarov and Selin Eroğlu.

The concert raised 12,600 TL for the Anglo-Turkish Association, who support local causes – currently children with disabilities and children from difficult backgrounds. Tim Morgan from the ATA explained the valuable work they do in North Cyprus.

Lena Stern began the concert with a very moving ‘Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ’ (I cry to you, Lord Jesus Christ) by J S Bach; played on the church organ and dedicated to the memory of our organist and Director of Music, Earl Moffitt.

Many thanks to Rae Tilley for organising this evening of beautiful music and to all who supported it.

Everyone is most welcome!

• Sunday 7th December – 10.30 am Bishop Sean is visiting. He will preside and preach at the service.
Soup & shared lunch and a quiz, in the church hall afterwards.

• Sunday 14th December – 4pm Carol Service (in addition to the 10.30 morning service)

• Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24th December – Midnight Mass. Starting 11.30 pm

• Christmas Day, Thursday 25th December – Chritmas Service 10.30 am
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Andrew was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus.
He and his brother, Simon Peter, also a disciple, were fishermen in Galilee.

St Andrew is patron saint of 6 countries – Barbados, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain and Ukraine – and various cities – Amalfi, Pienza and Sarzana (Italy), Luqa (Malta), Parañaque (Philippines) and Patras (Greece).

St Andrew is also the patron saint of fishermen, singers and pregnant women and is believed to offer protection against sore throats and gout.

Scotland has had a strong link with St Andrew going back to the early Middle Ages. The presence of some of his remains – a tooth, kneecap, arm and finger – in Scotland saw St Andrews Cathedral in Fife become a popular site of medieval pilgrimage.

St Andrew’s Day was first celebrated – not in Scotland, but in the USA – on 30th November 1729, by a group of wealthy Scottish ex-pats, who set up the St Andrew’s Society of Charleston in South Carolina.

The St Andrew’s Society of the State of New York then helped popularise the day from 1756 onwards.

Some very sad news. Earl Moffitt, our Director of Music and Church Council member, died in hospital in Ireland this afternoon.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Earl’s family and friends at this very sad time.

Dr Nwoye Kabilsen – more often known by his middle name ‘Sunday’- Sidesperson and Bookings Manager at St Andrew’s, is returning to his home in Nigeria this week.

Fr Alec thanked Sunday for everything he has contributed to St Andrew’s in the roles he has taken on in the church, since joining the congregation a decade ago.
Sunday, in turn, thanked the congregation for their love and support.
Sunday returns home, leaving St Andrew’s a better place for his having been here.
Our love and prayers go with him, along with our very good wishes for the future.