The Sion Community, based in Brentwood, joined us in the first week of October 2023 for a Parish Mission, marking the centenary of our parish by helping us look to the future. The aim of the week was to renew, energise and unite the parish in a common sense of commitment to the gospel and to the task of living and witnessing to our faith in Jesus Christ.
Hopefully what we’ve experienced during the week will stay with us, as we take our next steps in faith as individuals and as a parish community renewed by the Holy Spirit and the power of the Gospel.
Following the Mission this page will now remain in place to provide easy access to resources shared during the week along with recordings of the evening talks.
Opening Weekend: Sat 30th Sep/Sun 1st Oct
Father Simon’s Homily from the opening weekend is available to watch here.
Exploring the Word of God : Mon 2nd Oct
Whether you read the Bible regularly, or struggle to understand the readings at Mass, or maybe you want to know how scripture can make a difference in your life, if so, this evening is for you. You can watch a recording of this talk. You can also download the handout for the evening.
Exploring the Eucharist : Tues 3rd Oct
A chance to rediscover why the Eucharist is so important, whether you come regularly but can’t easily explain why, or if you find your weekends get too busy to make the Mass a priority, or just want to learn more. You can watch a recording of this talk.
Reconciliation Service : Wed 4th Oct
A time of prayer and reflection with priests available for people to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The introduction is available to watch. The examination of conscience and ‘Creed of love’ shared during the second part of the service are available to download.
Healing Service : Thurs 5th Oct
An opportunity to pray for healing for our community and for each one of us in body, mind and spirit. The first part of the service is available to watch here.
Living in the Holy Spirit : Fri 6th Oct
Exploring what it means to be Spirit filled Catholics who are called and sent forth as missionary disciples. The team input is available to watch here (for privacy reasons the faith sharing from parishioners was not recorded).
A new church dedicated to St Joseph was opened on 25th January 1923, to provide for the increasing Catholic population of Upminster. On 3rd October the same year, a new independent parish was formally created. 100 years later we are in a different building on a new site, but as we look to the future we also want to celebrate and give thanks for all that has gone before us. Our year of celebration began with Bishop Alan joining us for a Mass to mark the first of these dates. In April we held a community event in Upminster Park, and the mission week is an opportunity to build on all that has gone before.
We also hope to leave a tangible reminder of our centenary: our plans include a bell in one of the turrets to invite people to prayer and to chime the angelus morning, noon and evening; and to enhance the prayer garden between the church and school with a patio and statue of Our Lady. We are looking to raise £15,000 in order to do this.
Click here to contribute to our centenary appeal.
Find out more by reading our appeal leaflet:
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