3rd May 2026
In this Easter season, we continue a new preaching series entitled ‘Minor Prophets, Major Topics’. The books we call ‘Minor Prophets’ in the Old Testament speak to situations of great social and political upheaval in the life of the people of God. At first glance, these writings can seem distant and rather hard to read, but they are all profoundly marked by the pattern of death and resurrection that is finally revealed in Jesus. Death comes as the ultimate consequence of rebellion against God, but in his faithfulness to his covenant promises, God always has his arms open to forgive and bring new life. With judgment there is also grace.
This Sunday we are looking at the prophet Habakkuk who wrestles with the problem of God’s apparent inactivity in the face of violence and suffering. His prayers strike a real chord in our struggling world today, and his final prayer of trust is a beautiful invitation to put our confidence in God even when we cannot see his hand at work: ’Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour' (Hab 3:17-18).
TODAY'S SERVICES
Habakkuk: Why God Why?
Habakkuk 1:1-2:4
9am Holy Communion
Lead: Gill Dandy
Preach: Grace Bally-Balogun
10.30am Morning Worship
Lead: Simon Lilley
Preach: Grace Bally-Balogun
5pm French Connect
Lead: Corinne Chellembrom
Preach: Gilbert Chellembrom
7pm Create
Lead: Juliette Colas
Preach: Sarah Adjabi
FARSI TRANSLATION ON SUNDAYS
Each Sunday we aim to offer live translation of the 10.30 am service into Farsi.
To access this, please follow this link at the time of the service:
عزيزانى كه در كليسا حضور ندارند مى توانند از لينك زوم استفاده كنند و به زوم وصل شوند و ترجمه مراسم را گوش كنند با
سپاس كليساى سنت بارناباس
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85271717355?pwd=Z2svWG9pYWRlSmdjMjJXV0NIejhrQT09
Meeting ID: 852 7171 7355
Passcode: 270176
THIS WEEK
Each morning at 8am – Morning Prayer on Zoom (link on Prayer Page)
Tuesday 7am – Early Morning Prayer
Tuesday 10am - Barnies Soft Play
Wednesday 1pm - Lunchtime Concert
Wednesday 7:15pm - Alpha
Saturday 10am - Family Fun Day
Saturday 7:30pm - Organ Celebration Event
Sunday 10th May
9am Holy Communion
10:30am Morning Worship
5pm French Connect
7pm Create
NOTICES
WildLife Creation Champions: Earth
This week the children will be looking at God's creation of the earth from Genesis Chapter 1: 'Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered together so the dry land will appear.” And it happened. God named the dry land “earth.”' We will be considering 'earth' in two ways - our earth with all of the different lands and countries; and also the soil of the earth. The children's Creation Champions Challenge for this week is to add 'Time Zone' prayers to their intercessions as we think about the different countries who experience day and night at different times to us. What can we be praying for them during our own morning and evening prayers as we give thanks for the whole of God's creation of earth? We are also continuing to nurture our new WildLife garden as we'll be getting our pots and planters ready by filling them with soil. Lots of games, fun and worship too. Join us at our 10:30am service on Sunday!
ALPHA
We recently started a new Alpha course, it’s not too late to join. Alpha is a time to laugh, discover, ask questions, and build meaningful connections. Each evening begins with a shared dinner, creating space to relax and get to know one another. Whether you come on your own or bring a friend, a colleague, or a family member—everyone is welcome.
Every Wednesday at 7:30pm
Sign up here: https://stbk.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3539264
Seek First HIS Kingdom
Leah Haynes is partnering with Faith Driven Entrepreneur to facilitate a group of 10-15 entrepreneurs who share our hopes, struggles, and questions. You can find out more by watching this short trailer to see what it’s all about. Join us on this foundation journey here at St Barnabas Kensington!
SFHK will feature 8 weeks of content produced by Faith Driven Entrepreneur intended to deepen our identity as followers of Christ and provide a space for us to build community at St Barnabas. We'll meet on Saturday mornings, starting Saturday 25 April.
Head to stbk.org.uk/seek-first-his-kingdom to find out more!
MINOR PROPHETS, MAJOR TOPICS
Our current sermon series takes us into territory we don’t often explore! The minor prophets can be difficult to read, partly because they are rooted in ancient historical contexts, but also because their message is uncompromising. God will deal with sin, but with judgment also always comes grace. As we move through this series, why not watch the short video presentations of these books done by the Bible Project? They are excellent and stimulating introductions to each book. Highly recommended!
Try this week’s message on Habakkuk: https://bibleproject.com/videos/habakkuk/
ORGAN CELEBRATION EVENT
We are excited to invite everyone to a special event next Saturday 9th May at 7.30pm during which we will be giving thanks to God for the restored organ and to those who have given so generously to enable its restoration. The evening will begin with celebratory refreshments and continue with hymns, prayers, music on the organ, and a presentation from Andrew Caskie, CEO of Nicholsons’s who will explain all about the restoration process. All are welcome! To help us with numbers, please register in advance: https://stbk.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3618982
Family Fun Day 9th May
You are warmly invited to join us at St Barnabas Church for our Family Fun Day. This is taking place on Saturday 9th May from 10am to 12pm. There will be soft play toys, a bouncy castle, arts and crafts activities, balloons, refreshments and lots of fun. The suggested entry donation is £5 per child. We look forward to seeing you there!
At St Barnabas, we are a vibrant and diverse community, passionate about
WELCOMING all in Jesus’ name, GROWING TOGETHER as his disciples,
and STEPPING OUT in God’s mission to all nations.