All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear friends,

I am very pleased to be able to report a number of pieces of good news in connection with the Music Appeal which we currently have under way.

I want to thank everyone who has contributed so generously over the past few months to this great effort to re-endow our Choir and Music Trust Fund.

Since the last time I reported on this at the New Year, funds have continued to flow into our appeal. Since January, we have received donations totalling £19,079.15. This includes very very generous contributions from two individuals via our U.S. account amounting in total to $15,000. I want to express our parish’s thanks to all who have given so generously and so sacrificially over the past few months to the Music Appeal.

This now brings the total we have raised to £232,687.22, which is a magnificent achievement.

I can also report that we now have 36 Music Patrons who give each month to the Choir and Music Trust. This has increased by 11 over Lent. I want to say a heart-felt thank you to all those who responded to our Lent push encouraging people to become Music Patrons.

Those 36 Music Patrons give between them £961.66 each month to our Music endowment. That is the equivalent of an extra £11,539.92 each year.

I am sure you will also want to join me in expressing thanks for those who have left legacies to the Music Trust over the past few months.

We have received the sum of £1,000 from the estate of Jolyon Adams, who used to sing in our choir. We have also received a gift of £500 from the estate of Fr Richard Hanford along with a set of his Low Mass vestments as a thanksgiving for the influence All Saints’ had on his life, especially whilst he was an undergraduate in London in the 1950s. We give thanks for their gifts to us and pray for the repose of their souls.

By the time you read this, I shall be in the United States. We are holding a special reception in New York City for the American Friends of All Saints’ tonight. I hope this will be an opportunity for me to thank our American supporters on behalf of our whole parish. I also hope to be able to share with our American Friends details about this  Music Appeal and ways in which they can support us and join our U.S. Music Patrons scheme.

Please keep all these efforts in your prayers. Ask the Lord to prompt our friends, supporters, benefactors and parishioners to respond generously to our appeal so we can ensure the continuance of the musical tradition of our parish, which means so much to so many.

Fr Peter

Holy Week Services 2026

Palm Sunday Evensong

Evensong and Benediction on Palm Sunday will be enriched by a number of extra pieces of music and hymnody to celebrate the beginning of Holy Week. Do make a special effort to be present as it should be a wonderful evening of sacred music.

The Magnificat will be from James MacMillan’s Short Service and the Nunc Dimittis will be that by Orlando de Lassus,  Primi toni ‘Il magnanimo Pietro’.

The anthem at the office will be Solus ad victimam by Kenneth Leighton, and there will be an extra motet offered in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, Christus factus est by Anton Bruckner.

The Benediction canticles O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo will be those by Thomas Tallis.

Hymnody will include, “Doest thou surely seek renown?” “The Royal Banners”, and “In the Cross of Christ I glory.”

Walsingham Pilgrimages

You can now book your place on any of the three pilgrimages which will be taking place this year to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham:

National Pilgrimage – Monday 25th May 2026
£45 per head. Setting off 7.30 am from Margaret Street, returning to central London in the late evening. Sign up and pay here.

Weekend Pilgrimage – Friday 18th – Sunday 21st February
Set off early afternoon on Friday 18th February; return late evening Sunday 21st February. The cost is £240 Friday and includes full board plus mini-coach from Kings Lynn Station. Please note that we travel up to Kings Lynn by train and pilgrims need to book their own train ticket. Please book your place and pay via Eventbrite here.

Advent Retreat – Friday 4th – Sunday 6th December
This year’s retreat leader will be Bishop Peter Eagles. The cost of the retreat is £274.  We will set off around midday on Friday 4th December and travel by train to Kings Lynn, returning to Kings Cross on Sunday evening around 7.00 pm. Please note that pilgrims need to book their own train ticket. Please book your place and pay via Eventbrite here.

Stations of the Cross

Please note that on Wednesday 25th March, because it is the feast of the Annunciation, there will be no Stations of the Cross or Holy Hour. The only celebrations of Stations of the Cross this week will be on Friday evening at 7.00 pm.

Confessions

In addition to our usual times for hearing confessions, Fr David Houlding will be available to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Friday 27th March at 5.00 pm.

Palm Sunday stewards

In order to ensure our celebration of Palm Sunday takes place safely and in an orderly way, we need a group of stewards to help marshal the procession at the High Mass. This involves being briefed before the liturgy and wearing a hi vis vest during the liturgy so you are visible. Please be in touch with Fr Alan if you are able to help.

Attendance last Sunday

For your prayers

Friends and Music Patrons of All Saints, Margaret Street

23rd – Naomi Slippe, Vaughan Snook, Jonathan Spelman, Louise and Richard Smallwood, Ian Stewart, Robert Stoltz

24th – Veronica and Ian Summers, Colin Symes, Ann Tacchi, Sebastian Taite-Ellis, Michael Taylor, Kitty Thompson

25th – Dr James Thomson, Charles Thomson, Jeremy Thorp, Fr Roger Turner, Dr Christine Vaughn Lillie, Dr Christopher Walsh

26th – Philip Wayne, Fr Benjamin Weitzmann, Mats Wendt, Michael Westcott, Sandra Wheen, All Departed Friends and Benefactors of All Saints

27th – Matthew Whittaker, Tim Widdowfield, David Wilcox, T. Bradford Wilis, Ian Wilson

28th – Fr Michael Witcombe, Martin Woods, Martin Woolley, William Yale, Michael Young, All Friends and Music Patrons in Need

The sick

Jean Castledine, David Craig, Asuncion Gines, Fr Harry Hodgetts, Helen Hughes, Canon David Hutt, Daniel Oliver, Carol Simmons, Ingrid Slaughter, Sebastian Taite-Ellis, Shirley Thompson, Juliet Windham

Recently departed

Elizabeth Lyon, Berty Rice

Anniversaries of death

Services this week