All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friend,

Two of our readings at Mass on Sunday reveal the roots of our worship deep in the history of Israel.

They remind us, too, of the centrality of the Scriptures in that worship.

In Nehemiah, we hear of Ezra reading the book of the law to the people in Jerusalem after the return from Exile.  Reading is accompanied by explanation.  When the people respond with tears, they are told:  ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ And it will issue, in prayer and fasting, the renewal of the covenant with the Lord. Hearing the word of God is an occasion of celebration and a source of strength:  ‘…this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

The solemnity of the occasion is signaled by allusions to ritual and ceremony.  Ezra stands on a wooden pulpit or platform, surrounded by the Levites, where all can see and hear him.  He pronounces a blessing and invocation, to which the people respond, “Amen, amen” lifting up their hands in prayer and prostrating themselves.  He reads clearly and the Levites ‘gave the sense…… instruction in what was read’.  Finally, he declares the day to be one of sacred celebration.

This pattern of reading, teaching, and responding to the sacred writings is echoed in the later synagogue; as we hear when Luke tells of Jesus reading from Isaiah in his home synagogue at Nazareth: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

The difference on this occasion is that instead of the customary explanation, Jesus simply says: “Today this scripture have been fulfilled in your hearing.”  He applies the words of the prophet to himself. He makes them the manifesto of his ministry.

At High Mass and Sunday Evensong in All Saints, the lessons are read from the pulpit. This was the single most expensive item of furniture in the church when it was built.  Butterfield did provide a grand double-sided lectern for the choir offices but one of my predecessors did not like it and gave it away!

The exception among the readings is the Gospel. Accompanied by lights, incense and singing, the Gospel Book is carried into the midst of the congregation, as Christ came among his people in that synagogue at Nazareth and in the incarnation. We turn to face it, fixing our eyes and attention on Jesus.  When the Gospel is announced, we respond, “Glory be to thee, O Lord,” as if we were addressing Christ directly.    And so we are, and he us, in the words of the gospel as they are chanted or read. We make the sign of the cross on forehead, lips and breast: May be in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts; in our thinking, speaking and loving.

The reading finished, the Deacon raises the gospel book and sings: “This is the Gospel of the Lord.”  We respond, “Praise be to thee, O Christ.” The deacon kisses the Gospel Book and we bow as it is carried through the congregation.

One of the blessings of the renewal of the liturgy for catholic Christians has been a renewed emphasis on the presence of Christ in scripture as well as in sacrament; to the enrichment of our reception of both.

Like the Levites, the preacher will then ‘give the sense’, explain something of what the readings meant in their context and what they might mean to us now.  If Ezra’s flock had forgotten their Hebrew after all those years in Babylon, we are a long way from the Jerusalem of his day and the Nazareth of our Lord’s.  We too need instruction in what we hear read. There are difficult passages, hard sayings.  That is why we have sermons; whether they are the full-scale ones at High Mass and Evensong on Sundays or brief homilies on weekdays.

In his controversy with the puritans, who thought that scripture must always be accompanied by preaching, Richard Hooker, the founding father of Anglican theology, defended the Prayer Book practice of reading it even if there was no sermon or catechizing to follow.  There are times when scripture simply speaks for itself, strikes home to us directly.  We have not had to go looking for a word from God; the word has come to us. I am struck repeatedly when reading or hearing the lessons at the daily office or mass, how often something unexpectedly addresses my concerns or state of mind.

As Anglicans, we hear a great deal of scripture read in church. Does that mean that scripture speaks to us, shapes our lives, inspires our thoughts, quickens our consciences and guides our actions?  Does what we hear in church whet our appetite to read and meditate on it, as Psalm 19 does, in our daily lives?  Hearing in church and reading at home are not mutually exclusive but supportive.

We will soon be coming Lent. One of the disciplines to which the Church recalls us in that season is reading and meditating on God’s holy word.

As the Psalmist says in those words often used by preachers before a sermon: ‘May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.’

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Alan Moses
Prebendary Alan Moses
Vicar of All Saints Margaret Street
Area Dean of Westminster – St Marylebone

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi, John Bailey, Fr Allan Buick, James Cary-Elwes, Ian Coull, Dennis Davis, Jack De Gruiter, Mark Dougly, Kate Down, Alban Fellows, David Fettke, Jonty Gordon, Adrian Gunning, Fr Alan Gyle, Ghislain Hamelin, Lewis Harvey, Gwyneth Hopkins, Pat Hunt, David Jewkes, Alice Jullien, Andrew Laird, Tom Leader, Christine Loffty, Fr Frank Marriott, Miriam Nelson, David Pearce, Canon John Rees, Jock Scott, Patricia Searle, Stella and Helen Skinner, Rose Stephens, Judy Stewart, Christine van Dyck,  Juliet Windham and Joy Wright.   

For the recently departed: Robin Fletcher (former Administrator of the All Saints Foundation and for whom a High Mass of Requiem will be held at All Saints on Thursday 28 January at 11am), Hester Martineau, Peter Burbidge, Edwin Meek, Robert McWatt, Roger Radford, Hilary Morgan, Kate Thomas and Frederick Porter (whose Funeral takes place at All Saints today at 2.30pm).

Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week including: Ethel Boileau, Hilda Lawson,Watroslav Reith, Noel Campion, Frederic Hood (Priest), Oswald Rodger, David Peschek (Chorister 1941 – 45), Jane Wildash, Walter Vale (Organist 1907 – 1939), Annie Taylor, Alice Savage, Annie Benniston, Vera Martin, John Brackley, Barbara Niemyska, George Flack, Norah Lawrence, Doris Foster, Judith Pulteney and Florence Akers.    

      
For full service information: www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk.

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY 24 JANUARY – Third Sunday of Epiphany 
HIGH MASS, 11am 
Preacher: Fr Julian Browning
‘Missa ‘simile est regnum cÓ•lorum’ – Guerrero
Lo, star-led chiefs – Crotch

The Vicar is at the Annunciation Marble Arch this morning to attend the Collation by the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, Lord Bishop of London and Induction by the Venerable Rosemary Lain-Priestley, Associate Archdeacon of London of the Revd. Gerald Beauchamp as Vicar of the Parish. 

There is Sunday lunch service this week and Martin Woolley is the chef. His menu is: Roast lamb with vegetables and fruit crumble followed by coffee. Tickets £5 on sale in the Parish Shop in the Parish Room before and after Mass (subject to availability).

The Events Committee – meets after Mass in the Parish Office.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
St Paul’s Service – Howells
How lovely are the messengers (from ‘St Paul’) – Mendelssohn

Following Benediction Sunday 24 January at 7.15pm
ORGAN RECITAL – CHARLES ANDREWS, Associate Director of Music,
All Saints
By W. Lloyd Webber (1914-1982): 
Festal March
Minuet
From Das Orgelbüchlein by J. S. Bach (1985-1750):
Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich BWV605
Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ BWV604
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her BWV606
In dulci jubilo BWV608
Christum wir sollen loben schon BWV611
In dir ist Freude BWV615
From Miscellaneen op. 174 by J. Rheinberger (1839-1901):
Romanze
Scherzoso
Aufschwung
Improvisation
Finale 
Entry is free, but we invite you to make a retiring donation (suggested £5) to support the Choir & Music at All Saints. The Licensed Club/Bar is open after each recital (new 2016 membership subscription is now payable: £3).

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 31 JANUARY – Fourth Sunday of Epiphany
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Fr Barry Orford
Missa Brevior – Sherwood
Dies sanctificatus – Byrd

There is Sunday Lunch service – Chris Self and Jan Fielden are the chefs. 

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm 
Preacher: Fr Julian Browning
Service in G (upper voices) – Sumsion 
O viridissima virga – Hildegaard of Bingen                                                          

PARISH NOTICES
ALL SAINTS LENT APPEAL 2016
As part of Lenten almsgiving, collections for our Appeal will be shared equally between the following three charities:  

1. Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal 2016
   Fundraising for two reputable charities active among the beleaguered Christian communities in Iraq and Syria:
   Open Doors – providing emergency food supplies and hygiene kits to 10,000 families every month in Syria and
   Aid to the Church in Need – focusing in Iraq on urgent needs for housing, medicine and education to allow the Church to maintain its Christian presence and witness Jesus Christ.
2. Us (formerly USPG)
   Support for the church in Zimbabwe working with those affected by HIV and AIDS and providing local clergy and lay leaders with skills and training to undertake that work.
3. The Marylebone Project – our regular year-round mission project, run by the Church Army – empowering homeless women into independent living. Our money goes towards the emergency bed unit, providing urgent accommodation for women escaping domestic violence, financial crisis, sexual exploitation and mental health issues.

In 2015 we raised a total of £3,900 (including applicable Gift Aid) for the Lent Appeal.  Please give generously this year (gift aiding when you are a UK tax payer) so we can try and raise over £4,000. Cheques should be made payable to: Parochial Church All Saints.

Please see the noticeboard in Church where other events may be advertised as space is limited in the Newsletter.

UPCOMING SERVICES & EVENTS – at ALL SAINTS

There is a HIGH MASS OF REQUIEM for ROBIN FLETCHER at 11am, Thursday 28 January 2016. Preacher: Canon David Hutt.

TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
PROCESSION & HIGH MASS at 6.30pm

Preacher: The Venerable John Hawkins, Archdeacon of Hampstead
Missa super Sancta Maria – Händl
When to the temple Mary went – Eccard

SMALL CHOIRS FESTIVAL 2016 
Saturday 6 February, 2 – 6pm 
Small Choirs was set up in 2004 to support church choirs with few or no men by organising choral festivals with a repertoire that such choirs could manage in their own churches without further support, and also by providing suitable music for such choirs in downloadable form on the internet. The website now has over 700 pieces of music suitable for such choirs and hundreds of choirs around the globe (from every continent except Antarctica) are using the site and receiving the regular newsletter and updates.

The 2016 festival is being held in All Saints. After an afternoon of rehearsing, a Festival Service will be held at 5pm, with Fr. John Pritchard presiding, at which the festival pieces will be sung within a framework of well-known hymns and readings.

The Small Choirs Festivals are ecumenical in nature and, in previous years, church choirs from all the major denominations have been represented. One of the special features of the festivals is that participation is not restricted to small choirs only. Anyone who supports the ideals of the organisation is welcome to join in, whether from a large choir themselves or just a member of the congregation of the host church. So, if anyone from All Saints would like to be part of the festival, just access the website (www.small-choirs.org.uk/feb2016), see what is being sung, and fill in the online form. Alternatively, ring Philip Norman, on 020 8519 6491.

Even if you are not available to sing, do support the concluding festival from 5 – 6pm.
 

LENT at ALL SAINTS
CONFESSIONS at the beginning of Lent:
Monday 8 February – 12 – 1pm and 5 – 6pm
Tuesday 9 February – 12 – 1pm and 5 – 6pm

ASH WEDNESDAY, 10 February 
Low Mass with Ashing – 8am 
Confessions 12 – 1pm 
Low Mass with Ashing – 1.10pm 
Confessions 5 – 5.45pm 
ASH WEDNESDAY HIGH MASS and Imposition of Ashes, 6.30pm
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Missa ‘Emendemus in melius’ – Palestrina
Libera nos, salva nos – Sheppard

Reading and Meditating on God’s Holy Word
In addition to our normal reading and preaching on scripture in the liturgy at All Saints, we are providing some opportunities for study:

FEBRUARY/MARCH FILM NIGHTS – A series of films will be shown in church on Thursdays after the Evening Mass.

18 February – Romero 
The story of the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador.

25 February – Calvary
The personal calvary of an Irish priest threatened by death.

3 March – The Gospel According to St. Matthew 
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s masterpiece

10 March – Of Gods and Men Xavier Beauvois’ film of the life and death of Trappist monks in Algeria amidst Islamist violence.

READING GROUP – Fridays at 11am from 5 February, the Vicarage.

We are reading the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book: I Am With You, written by the Revd. Dr. Kathryn Greene-McCreight who is a chaplain at Yale University and is an assistant priest at the Christ Church, New Haven.  In I Am With You she explores the scriptural portrayal
of God’s presence among us as light in darkness. Readings of Scripture are woven into a framework patterned on the seven monastic hours of prayer and the seven days of creation.  

The devotion of STATIONS OF THE CROSS will take place after the Evening Mass at 7.05pm on Fridays during Lent (starting Fri 12 February). 

EVENTS FOR JANUARY 2016 BEYOND ALL SAINTS

PANCAKE PARTY AT ST CYPRIAN’S – 
Tuesday 9 February, 7.30pm 
Fr Gerald Beauchamp writes: ‘All being well the new kitchen and toilets at St Cyprian’s should be finished by the end of January. To celebrate and to test them out informally St Cyprian’s is planning to have a pancake party on Tuesday 9 February starting at 7.30pm. I realise that you may already have plans that evening but you are very welcome to come if you are free. We will do something more official by way of thanksgiving on St Cyprian’s Day (Thursday 15 September) but that’s a bit long to wait.’ Please let Fr Gerald Beauchamp know if you can come on 9 February. E: Gerald.beauchamp@btconnect.com. Thank you.

LENT LECTURE – John Keble Church, Mill Hill, Dean’s Lane HA8 9NT,
11am – 2.30pm, Saturday 20 February

‘No Abiding City: Christian presence, problems and possibilities in the Middle East’. Lecture to be given by: The Rt Revd Michael Lewis, Bishop of Cyprus and Gulf in the Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the East.

This is a free event, but a small contribution of £3 on the day would be appreciated to cover the cost of lunch. For further information please contact: revrana@hotmail.com.

HUGH PRICE HUGHES LECTURES 2016  
All lectures will be held at Hinde St Methodist Church at 7.30pm.  Admission is free & all are welcome! www.hindestreet.org.uk/hph
This series will invite you to reflect on how other ways of knowing and seeing – “faith” commitments for some – relate to their Christian faith. These alternative and complementary ways of knowing and seeing, sometimes portrayed negatively by people of faith, have the potential to deepen our understanding of our faith commitments and enable us to engage more constructively with the wider world.

When science exceeds faith, and vice-versa:
reflections on belief by an evolutionary biologist
9 February – Dr Robert Asher
Curator of Vertebrates in the University of Cambridge & Paleobiologist

Thinking globally, act locally
8 March – Polly March
Head of Campaigns & Policy at Global Justice

12 April – Rev Ric Stott
Artist & Methodist Pioneer minister

Identity, Modernity and Faith 
10 May – Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Journalist

Living as Christians in Multi-faith Britain and
the Importance of Religious Literacy
14 June – Michael Wakelin
Religion & Media Consultant

From 6.30pm, Tuesday 1 March 2016
Churches Together in Westminster MEET THE NEIGHBOURS hosted by
The Salvation Army, Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street (opposite BHS)

The visit will include: an act of worship together, a short talk about the history of Regent Hall and the Salvation Army including its activities and outreach, music (a chance to hear the Regent Hall Band playing) and refreshments. All are very welcome to join.

ALL SAINTS MISSION ACTIVITIES:-

ONGOING SUPPORT for HOMELESS PEOPLE through: 
MARYLEBONE PROJECT run by the CHURCH ARMY – A Day Centre, Residential and Transitional accommodation provider, re-settlement project and Educational and Training Unit for women. The Emergency Bed Unit – for which we have for some years helped to provide the funds for one of the 4 beds – offers a safe haven and refuge for women escaping domestic violence, financial crisis, sexual exploitation and mental health issues. 

Year Round Support – we also support the Marylebone Resettlement Project with non-perishable food and toiletries or household necessities like cutlery or bed linen/blankets. 
Thank you to everyone who contributes food and household essentials via the basket in Church or handed in to the Parish Office. Please continue to donate these so we can help more people in need during the cold weather.  

Day-to-day Support – we respond to the needs of homeless people who visit the church, providing luncheon vouchers for the West London Day Centre for rough sleepers who apply to the office and allowing a few individuals, who need a place to shelter or sleep during the day, to rest in the back of the church. We have created an information resource for Church Watchers, giving useful advice to homeless and vulnerable people seeking particular support or services. In the face of a rising tide of homelessness in London, please help us fund and support people in need through our Mission activities.

Want to help someone sleeping rough but don’t know how? 
Call Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 and they will get a visit from the local Street Team who can put them in contact with the services they may need. 

FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS OR ASSISTANCE FROM ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET:- 
* If you would like to encourage others to take an interest in All Saints/keep up with what is happening here, please forward this email on to them, or to people you would like to invite to services or tell them about our websitewww.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk, which has a full colour 360 virtual tour for viewing the wonderfully restored interior of the Church – seewww.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/history/virtualtour – before a visit or if unable to travel. 

* If you know of others (near or far) who would like to receive this regular update on what’s happening at All Saints please encourage them to sign up for the email on the All Saints website – see the tab News & Events> Weekly Newsletter. 

* If you would like prayers offered at All Saints, please email the Parish Administrator Mrs Dee Prior at: astsmgtst@aol.com. Or make use of the prayer request facility on the website at: www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/prayer. 

* If you would like any pastoral assistance, please do not hesitate to contact:

The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses: alanmoses111@gmail.com. 

Or Assistant Priest Fr Michael Bowie: mnrbowie@gmail.com.

DAILY SERVICES AT ALL SAINTS 
On major weekday feasts, High Mass is sung at 6.30pm 

SUNDAYS in Church 
Low Mass 6.30pm (Saturday), 8am and 5.15pm. Morning Prayer 10.20am
HIGH MASS AND SERMON, 11am and   
CHORAL EVENSONG, SERMON and BENEDICTION, 6pm. 

MONDAY – FRIDAY
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
Evening Prayer 6pm
(Except Bank Holidays – 12 noon Mass only)

SATURDAY 
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 12 noon and 6.30pm (First Mass of Sunday) 
Evening Prayer 6pm

Confessions 
A priest is available for confessions/counsel Monday – Friday from 12.30-1pm and at 5.30pm Monday – Saturday, or by appointment. (Special arrangements apply in Lent and for Holy Week.)

www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com