All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear friends,

I very much look forward to this Sunday as we will welcome a group of parishioners visiting with Fr Steve Rice from St Timothy’s, Winston-Salem. They are on a trip to England to visit a number of pilgrimage sites, including the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norwich and Canterbury, and will be spending a few days in London.

It will be a particular delight to welcome our friends from Winston-Salem as St Timothy’s has been so generous and welcoming to our parish’s clergy who have spent time there leading teaching weekends and preaching.

It will be a joy to have Fr Steve Rice as our preacher at the 11.00 am High Mass. Fr Steve has preached at All Saints’ before and many have spoken to me about how much they have enjoyed hearing him and what an excellent preacher he is. It will be wonderful to have him with us and we look forward to hearing his words.

The music at Sunday’s High Mass will include the Communion Service in E minor by Harold Darke and Alleluia, I heard a voice by Thomas Weelkes as the Offertory Anthem. The organ voluntary will be Flourish for an Occasion by William Harris.

Tomorrow night (Saturday 9th May), there will be a joint parish dinner to celebrate the visit of our friends from North Carolina at Le Beaujolais restaurant in Soho. There are two places spare for the dinner and there is still time to sign up. If you wish to join us, please book your ticket pay via eventbrite here. The dinner costs £60 (including wine) per head.

The evening will begin with a drinks reception at the Vicarage on Saturday evening at 6.00 pm and dinner will be at Le Beaujolais at 7.30 pm. I hope this will be an opportunity for parishioners from our two parishes to get to know each other better and to have a time of fellowship and conversation together.

This week also brings good news from another American connection which is dear to our parish, namely our sister parish in New York City, St Mary the Virgin, Times Square. I am pleased to relay the news that it was announced last Sunday that Fr Sammy Wood, who until now has been the Priest-in-Charge, has been offered the post of Rector.

This means he will now permanently be the parish priest of St Mary the Virgin. This appointment is a recognition of the huge amounts of work which Fr Sammy has done to lead the parish to a place of greater financial stability and confidence. We offer Fr Sammy our congratulations, prayers, and best wishes, and assure him of our continued friendship and support.

Let us give thanks for the many connections, friendships and partnerships across the Atlantic that make up our life of faith as a parish, and pray that together we may all grow into the image of the Risen One who calls us to follow him.

Fr Peter

APCM – Sunday 17th May 2026

Our Annual Meeting of Parishioners and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place on Sunday 17th May. This is the occasion when we formally reflect on the year past, receive reports of our parish’s activities and financial accounts, as well as electing Church Wardens and PCC members for the coming year.

The Annual Report and accounts along with other papers are included with this email so you can read them in preparation for the meeting. The APCM will begin shortly after the High Mass at around 12.30 pm.

Ascension Day

Please note that this Thursday is Ascension Day. There will be a High Mass at 6.00 pm, at which the preacher will be the Revd Graham Buckle, Rector of St Stephen’s, Rochester Row. The music at the High Mass will include Neil Cox’s Missa Brevis, and the Offertory Anthem will be Ascendit Deus by Peter Phillips. The Organ Voluntary will be Bach’s Prelude in C, B W V 547i.

Rest Eternal grant unto them, O Lord

A Low Mass of Requiem for the repose of the soul of John Martell will be celebrated at All Saints’ at 12 noon on Tuesday 12th May. The Mass will be followed by drinks.

A High Mass of Requiem will be celebrated on Saturday 6th June at 2.00 pm at St Mary’s, Bourne Street, for the repose of the soul of Tony Hawkins. Parishioners of All Saints’ are welcome to attend.

Parish walks

Fr Alan will be leading a number of walks over the coming months, each around 10 miles and involving some climbs. Bring lunch. There will be a short pub stop on each, and the option of an early supper together at the end of the walk. Be in touch with Fr Alan to sign up or ask for details.

Saturday 13th June
Chiltern Hills. 10.27 Marylebone Station. Aylesbury Vale Parkway train to Wendover.

Saturday 25th July
Surrey Hills. 10.23 Waterloo Station. Dorking train to Box Hill & Westhumble.

Saturday 22nd August
Kent Downs. 10.34 Charing Cross Station. Ramsgate train to Wye.

Walsingham National Pilgrimage

There are plenty of seats available on the luxury double decker coach All Saints’ is organising for the National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham again this year. We leave from Margaret Street at 7.30 am on Monday 25th May and return to central London by the late evening. The cost is £45 per head. To book your place, simply register and pay via Eventbrite here.

Flowers

The flowers in front of Our Lady are in loving memory of David Robin from Antonietta.

If you would like to make a donation for flowers or the courtyard garden, please contact Shawn directly or via the office.

Attendance last Sunday