St Lawrence Church, Morden

Infobox church


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img_capt = St Lawrence Church, 2008
name = St. Lawrence Church, Morden
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denomination = Church of England,
diocese = Southwark
parish = Morden
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founded_date = 1630s
founder = Richard Garth
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style = Puritan Protestant
constructed_date = 1630s
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bishop = Rt Rev. Richard Cheetham
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rector = Rev. Ray Skinner
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pastor = Rev. Precious Omuku
address = London Borough of Merton
country = United Kingdom
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website = http://www.stlawrencechurch.co.uk

St Lawrence Church is the Church of England parish church for Morden in London Borough of Merton. The Bulilding is located on London Road, at the highest point of Morden, overlooking Morden Park,

ervices

There are several services each Sunday, including book of common prayer, a choir led service, followed by family contemporary worship. The evening services differ from week to week with holy communion, ignition and prayer and praise.

Building

History

The first church building here was possibly wooden as churches dedicated to St Lawrence were usually Saxon in origin. Fact|date=October 2008

The nearby Merton Abbey was closed down by Henry VIII as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the estate sold. Edward Whitchurch and Lionel Dutchet bought it,Fact|date=October 2008 but had to flee to Europe when Queen Mary took over, and the estate went to the Garth family. [See the "Ecclesiae Amicus" (Latin for Friend of the Church) inscription on the gravestone of Richard Garth by the Communion table.]

In the 1630s, the Garths were Puritans, and St Lawrence church was rebuilt in Protestant style — i.e. no places for images of saints, or reservation of bread and wine.

Interior

The Pulpit has a sounding-board over it for amplification and there is a monument opposite to Elizabeth Gardiner commemorates a benefactor to the first Morden school - the Old School House (now part of the Parish Hall Community) over the road is still used for educational purposes.There are coats of arms along the ceiling are called Hatchments and a large Queen Anne coat of Arms preserved on the south wall with the motto over it "Fear God and Honour the Queen!", this is possibly in relation to the Anne establishment of the Church Commissioners, which paid Church of England clergy until recently.

The gallery at the back used to have a pipe organ in it, but was originally built for a Sunday School. In the tower are three bells, which can only be tolled, i.e. not swung right over due to restricitons placed by English Heritage on renewing the frame.

Leadership and staff

Rev. Ray Skinner - the Rector of St Lawrence and the Morden Team. He has been at the parish since 1990, prior to this he was a missionary in Oman for 3 years and served in parishes in the North East.

Rev. Precious Omuku - Is licensed to the Diocese of London and Nigerian Chaplaincy.

David McCall - David is a Reader at St Lawrence's. He plays an active role in leading worship and preaches regularly,

Gary James - Gary is the Parish warden for the Morden Team. He helps take care of the church property and financial aspects of church and parish

Paul Howard - Paul is the church warden. Paul takes on the role of leading the duty warden's for Sunday worship.

Pam Bullen - Pam is the 'SPA' (Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary) - which means she is recognised by the diocese as exercising a pastoral ministry.

Steve Harries - Steve is the church administrator.

Jay Johnson - Jay was appointed parish youth worker in November 2007. Jay currently works with St George, St Lawrence, St Martin and Emmanuel. Jay's key responsibility is running the catalyst project.

David Grout - David is the current parish assistant. David assists Ray, Jay and other members of the team in parish events, jobs and youth work. David co-ordinates the worship band, leads worship at St Lawrence, and runs the catalyst project with Jay Johnson and John Goddard Jnr.

Parish Hall Community

Morden Parish Hall Community has been set up on the site of the Parish Hall in Central Road, Morden. The site has been used in the past as a School House and as clergy accommodation. It consists of three accommodation units: the Old School House, an eighteenth century cottage, and Hall Cottage, both attached to the Hall, and New Row, a purpose built building consisting of four bed/sitting rooms and two shower/ toilets, built behind the hall giving room for eight people to live on site.

the catalyst project

the catalyst project is the over-arching name for the cell groups and events for 11-30 year olds that are organised in the Morden Parish. The catalyst team currently consists of Jay Johnson, David Grout and John Goddard Jnr. The cell groups consist of the long running well club, a drop in for 10-15 year olds in the community, groundbreakers for 11-14 year olds, unplugged for 14-18 year olds and encounter for 18-30s. catalyst are the key organisers of ignition which began with the rest of the ministry in September 2008.

External links

* [http://www.stlawrencechurch.co.uk/ St Lawrence Church]
* [http://www.collectbritain.co.uk British Library Collect Britain]
** [http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=003KTOP00000041U009A0000&large
]
** [http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=003KTOP00000041U009B0000&large
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** [http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=003KTOP00000041U009C0000&large
]
** [http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=003KTOP00000041U009E0000&large
]