29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Theme: When Hands Are Raised, Hearts Are Lifted

This Sunday’s reading from Exodus gives us a powerful image of Moses standing on the hill with the staff of God in his hands. Each time he raised his hands, the people found courage and hope. The staff became a symbol of faith remembered – a reminder of what God had already done.

In our own lives, we, too, hold memories of how God has led us through our “Red Sea moments.” When we lift our hearts in prayer and lift one another in love, we discover that faith is never a solo act. Our parish, standing on the hill of Kingston, continues to be a beacon of hope — a place where hands are raised, hearts are lifted, and God continues to make a way where there seemed to be no way.

Parish News

Wholeness Campus – A New Beginning
On Wednesday, 22nd October, we begin the Holistic 60+ Club and the Holistic Exercise – Second Session. With this, St Ann’s takes another step in building our Wholeness Campus – a space where body, mind, and spirit are nurtured together.

60+ Club
Every Wednesday, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Join us for gentle chair yoga, bingo, a small raffle, and tea and sandwiches. A joyful space for companionship, wellbeing, and community life.
Email: kingstonhill@rcaos.org.uk | Tel: 020 8546 8732

Wholeness Exercise – Breath, Meditation & Yoga Movements
Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Led by Fr James Raj
Sessions include Christian contemplative meditation, breathwork for focus, gentle yoga for mobility, and quiet relaxation for inner peace.

Reflexology & Healing Touch – Vibelle Therapy
By Koffi Amani, Holistic Therapist
Specialising in reflexology, energy healing, and restorative stretching.
Tel: 07365 387 299 | St Ann’s House, Kingston Hill KT2 7LX

Synodal Team Meeting

We thank the fifteen members who took part in a fruitful meeting, sharing new ideas for Christmas celebrations and the Annual Parish Planner 2026. Highlights include our upcoming Winter Celebration & International Day on 1 February 2026, inviting all to wear national attire and share food from their home countries.

November – Month of the Holy Souls

Envelopes are now available in the church porch to write the names of your departed loved ones. These will be placed on the Holy Altar throughout November and entered into our Book of Remembrance. We pray daily for all the faithful departed.

All Souls’ Day Cemetery Blessings – Sunday, 2 November 2025
2:00 p.m. – Kingston Cemetery
3:00 p.m. – Surbiton Cemetery
(Putney Vale timing to be confirmed next week)

Children and Youth Updates

Saints Parade – Sunday, 2 November, 10:30 a.m. Mass
Children are invited to come dressed as their favourite saints.

Kids’ Gardening Day – Sunday, 9 November, after 10:30 a.m. Mass
Join us for our final Gardening Day of the year before the winter break.

Kids’ Christmas Party – Saturday, 22 November, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
An afternoon of Christmas cheer with games, music, crafts, and fun.
Register by 15 November via kingstonhill@rcaos.org.uk.

Parish Life

Tea and Coffee after Sunday Mass – Join us in the garden for fellowship.
Hall for Hire – Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and gatherings.
Regular Giving – Support our parish through Standing Order and Gift Aid.

Pilgrims’ Devotions

As part of our Jubilee Year 2025 journey, St Ann’s continues to welcome all as a Pilgrimage Church.
Tuesdays: 6:15 p.m. Adoration & Confession | 7:00 p.m. Mass
Saturdays: 11:15 a.m. Adoration & Confession | 12:00 noon Mass
Next Talk: Finding God in Silence – Teachings of the Desert Fathers
Saturday, 25 October 2025 at 9:45 a.m., St Ann’s Hall

Visit Our Website

Stay connected with parish updates, upcoming events, homilies, and registration forms at:
www.stannskingstonhill.org.uk

Homily – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: When Hands Are Raised, Hearts Are Lifted

My dear brothers and sisters, today’s reading offers us one of the most inspiring moments in the story of God’s people – Moses standing on the hilltop, the staff of God in his hand, while the people of Israel journey forward with courage and hope.

Let us reflect together on this beautiful image, and see how it speaks to our own lives — our faith, our struggles, and our community today.

Whenever Moses raised his hands with the staff, the people advanced with confidence. When his hands lowered, they faltered. The raising of hands was not magic — it was a symbol. A sign that their strength came not from their own power, but from the living presence of God among them.

That staff in Moses’ hand was not an ordinary stick. It carried memories — sacred memories of what God had already done. With that same staff, the Red Sea had opened when there was no way ahead. With that same staff, water had flowed in the desert when the people were thirsty. The staff was a reminder of hope restored, of faith remembered.

Every one of us, too, has such a “staff” — the memory of our own “Red Sea moments,” times when God made a way when there seemed to be no way. These are the signs that strengthen us when we grow weary. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2)

Moses, though chosen and strong in faith, also grew tired. And when he did, Aaron and Hur came beside him – one on the right, the other on the left – to hold up his hands till the evening. What a tender image of community. Because faith is never a lonely path. We are held, strengthened, and lifted by one another.

Aaron symbolises the spiritual side of life – the priestly, prayerful presence that sustains us. Hur represents the ordinary, faithful heart – unseen, yet steady and essential. Together, they form a living image of the Church – a family where prayer and service, contemplation and action, hold each other up.

This scene is not only about Moses on the hill — it is about each of us. For we all have moments when the journey feels heavy, when prayer feels slow, when our hands grow tired. And yet, when we pause, sit upon the rock of faith, and let others hold us — we rise again.

And so, my dear friends, when your spirit feels weary, take your staff – the memory of God’s past faithfulness. Find your Aaron and Hur – those who lift you when you cannot stand alone. And then raise your hands again – in prayer, in hope, in gratitude.

Because every time hands are raised, hearts are lifted, and grace flows again.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

And as we gather here on this little hill of Kingston, our parish – St Ann’s – becomes a new image of that same story. A beacon of hope on the hill, where prayer rises and hearts are lifted together. Here, we hold one another’s hands, we keep the flame of faith burning, and we remind each other that God still walks with His people.

Let us then raise our hands not only to heaven but also to one another – for in lifting another, we lift ourselves, and in doing so, we become truly the people of hope – Kingston upon the hill.

Amen.