10 services in two days for St Paul’s, Winchmore Hill

The last weekend of September saw a busy schedule of worship for one church in particular in North London, St Paul’s, Winchmore Hill.

Working closely within coronavirus guidelines, 10 services were held over two days at St Paul’s, including four baptisms, 23 confirmations and five people being received into the Church of England, with 350 people passing through its church doors. Sunday’s programme of worship was supported by the Bishop of Edmonton, the Rt Revd Rob Wickham.

St Paul’s 19^th century church, which was built to provide for the urban overspill that was a feature of the years following the Napoleonic Wars, was thoroughly cleaned between each socially distanced service.

The Sunday services were live-streamed for those unable to be present, which is the latest digital offering St Paul’s has made available to enable people to worship from home during the pandemic. The church has continued its high-profile role in the community in many ways, including a support network between younger and older members of the congregation.

Fr Daniel Sandham, Vicar of St Paul’s, Winchmore Hill, said:

“Our annual celebration of the Christian rites of initiation is one of the highlights of the year at St Paul’s. Even though the pandemic delayed that celebration, and meant that we had to do things very differently from normal, it was a powerful reminder that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ. It is this love which we seek to proclaim in Winchmore Hill, and it is wonderful that our newly baptised, confirmed and received Christians have responded to God’s call to share in that proclamation.”

The Bishop of Edmonton, the Rt Revd Rob Wickham, said:

“Much has changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but one thing that hasn’t is our commitment to worshipping and serving God, so it was a joy to spend Sunday doing just that with the congregation of St Paul’s, Winchmore Hill. They are a shining example of how churches across North London, and the Diocese of London as a whole, have led the way in responding to the crisis with creativity and compassion.”