All Saints Parish Newsletter 13th February 2015
Dear Friend,
Sunday’s Gospel is the very centre of Mark’s story, the turning point at which recognition of who Jesus is and his road to the cross converge. Each year after Christmas we have various opportunities to reflect on how Jesus is recognised: at the Epiphany, the Baptism, the wedding feast at Cana and now in the story of the Transfiguration (we get another bite at that on the Feast of the Transfiguration in August). This process continues during the Easter season, with Mary Magdalen’s confusion in the garden on Easter morning, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and several other resurrection appearances. Recognition is the key, and getting it wrong is a sign of skewed priorities.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus has just asked his friends to tell him who people say he is. The first answer places Jesus firmly in the line of prophets (Elijah, John the Baptist) not Messianic leaders. When Jesus pushes the button again – ‘But you, who do you say that I am?’ Peter answers: ‘You are the Messiah’. Then Jesus goes on to explain what this will entail: rejection, suffering and death. Peter will not accept this and so receives the famous rebuke, ‘get behind me, Satan’.
Peter had no difficulty in recognising and acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ. What he did not accept was the price that had to be paid to be a disciple, which is the hard, unsentimental core of Mark’s Gospel:
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.
For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
Mark 8: 34 – 47
There is a ‘Peter’ side to each of us, our resistance to following Jesus in practice. But this following is an integral part of our faith, because a profession of faith which doesn’t include discipleship is incomplete. This is the strength of some Evangelical churches, like our neighbours at All Souls, who are often better than other Christians at least at aspiring to whole-of-life Christianity. But there is no reason why we can’t all bring that level of commitment and enthusiasm to the practical outworking of our faith. Faith needs to show itself in behaviour to be real and to convince. The world, with its ever sharper media-fed radar for hypocrisy, will not listen to us if we don’t live what we profess to believe.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Michael Bowie
Assistant Priest, All Saints Margaret Street
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi. Fr. Bruce Barnett- Cowan, Jean Bray, Heather Brown, Lily Caplin, James Cary-Elwes, Kate Down, Cynthia Drury, Fr. Norman Greenfield, Tim Harding, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Myrtle Hughes, Sheila Kenyon, Peggy Leeman, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Malcolm Richards, Peter Royle, Jock Scott, Fr. Nicholas Stacey, Buzz Stokes, Celia Swan, Joy Wright and Mark Young.
For the recently departed: George Askey, Frank Hawkins (Priest), Mavis Mercer, Myra Shields, Linda Orme, Joshua Dorgu, Frank Whitehill (Friend of All Saints, whose Funeral will take place at the Church on Thursday 19 February at 2.30pm), Peter Blake-Davies, Jane Wildash (Funeral Thursday 19 February at St Peter’s Eaton Square), Marjorie Bowden, Ian Rainbow, Robert Streit (whose Funeral will take place at the Church later in February – date tbc), David Peschek (former All Saints Chorister 1941 – 1945 – his Funeral is at 2.15pm Friday 20 February at All Saints Farmborough, near Bath) and Pamela Paul.
Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week: Marion Clark, Constance Rivington, Henry Hewetson, John Bartle, Alec Rodger, Margaret Menzies, Frederick Howard (Vicar’s Churchwarden), Letty Attlee, Jack Hope, Lill Mackay, Mavis Symes, Guida Crowley and Joan Williams.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
TONIGHT Friday 13 February – a Requiem Mass will be held at 6.30pm. Please enter the names of those whom you wish to be remembered in the blue folder at the back of Church.
Sunday 15 February –SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE LENT
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Communion Service in F – Darke
Des Tages Weihe – Schubert
Ten to One Talk Theme: The Peace – the bell will ring beforehand.
There is Sunday lunch service this week –Martin Woolley will be cooking. Tickets £5 from the Shop in the Parish Room (subject to availability).
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Father Michael Bowie
Service in G – Sumsion
Save us, O Lord – Bairstow
WEEKDAY SERVICES – following the major electrical renewal works, Church is now open once again. Some residual works including to the fire alarm will continue until the end of February. Weekday Daily Masses and Confessions will now take place in Church.
WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY
Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 February – Confessions 12 – 1pm with Fr John Barrie and 5 – 6pm with Fr Barry Orford
Wednesday 18 February, ASH WEDNESDAY
Low Masses with Ashing 8am and 1.10pm.
Confessions 12 – 1pm and 5 – 5.45pm with the Vicar.
6.30pm – HIGH MASS & IMPOSITION OF ASHES.
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses.
Missa ‘Emendemus in melius’ – Palestrina.
Libera nos, salva nos 1 & 11 – Sheppard
Sunday 22 February – FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Father Michael Bowie
Mass for five voices – Byrd
Salvator mundi I – Tallis
Ten to One Talk Theme: The Offertory – the bell will ring beforehand.
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
The Third Service – Byrd
Miserere mei, Deus – Byrd
NEWS & NOTICES
NEW CHOIR BABY – We are delighted to welcome the arrival of a first child for James and Lucy Sherwood – Albert Joseph Lill Sherwood weighed in at 6lb 11oz on Friday 6 February. Both mother and baby are doing well and even getting some sleep. Many congratulations!
NEW PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE ALL SAINTS WEBSITE – take a look at these recent images: www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/about/photos. They include a record of Corpus Christi 2014, the Dedication of the Church’s new lighting at a Festal Evensong and Solemn Benediction on 1st February and Candlemas 2015. We will be adding to the collection in the coming months to ensure that the different liturgical seasons are recorded and the website updated. Further images will be added from record photographs being taken by English Heritage as they cover All Saints in the Marylebone edition of the Survey of London. These collections of new photographs will provide a resource for us to prepare a new guide to the Church and fresh postcards, as funds permit.
ALL SAINTS’ PARISH RETREAT 2015 – PLEASE NOTE – Just 8 places left!!
The Retreat will be at Ely again, from 13-15 March. The conductor will be Fr John Cullen. If you would like to attend, or to know more about it, please contact Martin Woolley on 07976 275383 or at m.g.woolley@btinternet.com. A careful note will be kept of the order in which firm reservations are received to assist with fair room allocation.
ALL SAINTS’ PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM – July 2015 – All places booked.
LENT at ALL SAINTS
LENT STUDY GROUP (from Friday 20 February)
The Study Group will meet on Fridays at 11am in the Vicarage. This year, at the Sunday Eucharist, the Church is reading St. Mark’s Gospel. So the publication of Rowan Williams’ book “Meeting God in Mark” is providential. The book is based on Holy Week talks given Archbishop Rowan in Canterbury Cathedral in 2010. It comes equipped with a daily reading scheme for Lent and questions for discussion. It is published by SPCK and costs £8.99. If you wish to join the group – please let Dee Prior, Parish Administrator, know: T: 0207 636 1788 or E: astsmgtst@aol.com.
THE WAY OF THE CROSS – Fridays: at 7.05pm (after the Evening Mass) starting Friday 20 February, a weekly devotional service in Lent meditating on the events of Jesus’ Passion.
EVENSONG SERMONS during LENT (from Sunday 22 February)
In the Common Worship Baptism service the “Commission” gives a summary of the Christian life. At Evensong on the Sundays of Lent, we will have a series of sermons based on this to guide us in our corporate and individual self-examination. These will lead up to our corporate renewal of baptismal vows at Easter.
Lent 1 “Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers?”
Lent 2 “Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?”
Lent 3 “Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?”
Lent 4 “Will you seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself?”
Lent 5 (preached on Palm Sunday) “Will you acknowledge Christ’s authority over human society, by prayer for the world and its leaders, by defending the weak and seeking peace and justice?”
ALL SAINTS’ LENT APPEAL
Our Lent Appeal 2015 will be shared equally three ways:
- Bishop of London’s Appeal, which is concentrating on supporting Youth, Children and Family projects across the Diocese,
- Us (formerly USPG) and their support of the church in Zimbabwe in working with those affected by HIV and AIDS and providing local clergy and lay leaders with skills and training to undertake the work, and
- The Marylebone Project, where our money goes towards providing one of the emergency beds in the Homeless Women’s Centre.
For more information about the Bishop of London’s Appeal see: www.london.anglican.org/articles/the-lent-appeal-who-inspired-you/?utm_campaign=Ministry_Matters_Jan_2015&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=CM_londondiocesan.
ALL SAINTS’ DATES FOR YOUR DIARY IN FEBRUARY/MARCH
Tuesday 17 February at 12 noon (NOTE REVISED START TIME) – THE GEOLOGY OF ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET – There will be a short talk by Professor Gordon Walkden on and a tour of the Church to look at the marbles and stonework. Coffee will be provided, bring your own lunch.
Professor Walkden, Emeritus Professor of the University of Aberdeen – Geosciences and Geology, is currently researching the history of Devonshire marbles prior to a book he is bringing out which will be a cross disciplinary study of the geology, architecture, history, genealogy and uses of Devonshire marble, the most important of our home-grown British marbles, yet now almost unheard-of. He suggests that the interior of All Saints, Margaret St., has possibly Red Ogwell in the chancel screen and baptistery area and there are other English stones in the pavement and chancel colonnades. The nave shafts seem to be Pink Peterhead. He comments: William Butterfield was passionate about colour, in his own reserved sort of way, and rejoiced in the use of coloured natural materials in his buildings, especially British ornamental stones. Professor Walkden has researched several other Butterfield churches and their use of stone and brick and is interested to learn more about All Saints and share his thinking with others who are interested and knowledgeable about its history and architecture. If you would like to come along, please call Dee Prior, Parish Administrator, on 020 7636 1788 to give an idea of numbers.
Thursday 19 February, 2.30pm – the Funeral of Frank Whitehill.
Thursday 19 February, 7pm – There is a meeting of the Standing Committee of the All Saints PCC in the Vicarage after Evening Mass at 6.30pm.
*** SPECIAL RESTORATION APPEAL FUNDRAISING EVENT ***
Sunday 1 March and Sunday 8 March, 9.30 – 10.50am and post Mass until 1.30pm – All Saints’ Parish Room , THE HOLY HOARDER’S RESTORATION APPEAL SHOP
A substantial sale of largely new (and some nearly new) men’s clothing items in aid of the Restoration Appeal. We have been given a generous gift by Fr John Rick III of high quality men’s clothes – 60 pairs of new tassle-loafer shoes (Gucci, Cole Haan, Weejuns brands) and 30 pairs of new Camper casual/athletic shoes; Bomber-style jackets (in leather, nylon water-proof and cotton); 30 pairs of Khaki trousers; Corduroy trousers; Jeans; 25 Jumpers; Polo Ralph Lauren polo shirts, 55 dress and casual shirts, 12 Sports Jackets, 11 pairs of shorts, scarves, skip caps and socks (knee-high and ankle). Goods range in price from £1.50 – £35 a piece (shoes from £8 – £12). This is a cash only sale in aid of the Restoration Appeal. *** SPECIAL FUNDRAISING EVENT ***
Sunday 1 March – There is a meeting of the Mission Committee after Mass in the Parish Office.
Sunday 8 March, 7.15pm after Benediction – ORGAN RECITAL – CHARLES ANDREWS (Associate Director of Music). Programme: Prelude in G minor (1914) – W. S. Vale, An Wasserflüssen Babylon BWV653 – J. S. Bach, Fugue in G minor BWV578 – J. S. Bach, Suite op. 5 – M. Duruflé (Prélude, Sicilienne, Toccata). Retiring collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints (suggested donation £4). The All Saints Licensed Club/Bar below the Church will be open after this recital.
EVENTS BEYOND ALL SAINTS
Sunday 1 March 3pm – POETRY TEA AT PAMELA’S. All welcome. Please bring Poetry or Prose on the subject of ‘Love’. To accept or to find out Pamela’s address please speak to Pamela or Sandra in the courtyard or ring Sandra on 020 7637 8456 leaving your name and phone number. Cost £6 – raising funds towards the All Saints Restoration Appeal.
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
Friday 6 March, 2.30pm, at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster (in The Chapel). All are welcome to this Interdenominational Service, prepared this year by the Women of The Bahamas. The Service will be followed by tea in an adjoining room.
Wednesday 25 March, 7pm – Feast of Title, The Annunciation Marble Arch – High Mass & Procession, Preacher: Fr Paul Thomas, Vicar of St James Sussex Gardens. Drinks reception after mass. All welcome.
Monday 30 March 2015, 6.30pm, St Cyprian’s Clarence Gate – Francis Holland School presents a Charity Choral Concert in aid of St Cyprian’s Church.
Music by Handel, Haydn, Parry & Rutter including Handel’s Zadok the Priest. Tickets £10/Under 18s Free. For tickets please contact Mrs Gurini (sue.gurini@fhs-nw1.org.uk)
ALL SAINTS RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATE
EXCELLENT PROGRESS with work and fundraising but FURTHER DONATIONS NEEDED to reduce the reliance on loans
New wiring and lighting, essential CCTV security and fire detection systems cost £372,000. Church reopened for all daily weekday worship on Monday 2 February. Finishing works on the fire alarm and back of house areas continue to the end of the month. We now want to reduce our reliance on loans so any further gifts you can make will help us to do that.
HOW YOU CAN HELP………. please be as generous as you can, making cheques payable to: All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and sending them to:
The Parish Administrator, 7 Margaret Street, London W1W 8JG.
Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied as it increases the value of your contribution by 25% at no cost to yourself. Thank you!
Please note: Sundays 1 and 8 March pre and post Mass (full details elsewhere in this Newsletter) – Special Fundraising Event – THE HOLY HOARDER’S SALE OF MEN’S CLOTHING in the Parish Room at All Saints – all in aid of the Restoration Project. Please support this event.
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.
Seasonal Appeals – The grand total collected in 2014 was £3,463 (up significantly on 2013’s support of £2,790) to this Mission Project through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. The Project (in acknowledging our support) said:
‘Such a wonderful amount to have raised, thank you so very much for your valued support’.
A further £3,000 raised in 2014 for Us (formerly USPG) was acknowledged to be a ‘very generous gift’ which will be used to feed communities and generate income to support AIDS orphans in child-headed families in Zimbabwe.
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. Please contribute to this effort, bringing donations to the Parish Office or leaving them in Church in the basket in the Baptistery.
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 project.
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.
* If you know of others who would like to receive this correspondence 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.
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@hotmail.com.
DAILY SERVICES AT ALL SAINTS (restored to Church from Monday 2 February)
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 – SATURDAY
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
Evening Prayer 6pm
(Except Bank Holiday – 1.10pm Mass only)
Confessions
A priest is available for confessions/counsel Monday – Friday from 12.30-1pm and at 5.30pm Monday – Saturday, or by appointment. During the refurbishment works, confessions will be heard Monday – Friday in the Oratory at 7 Margaret Street. Please ring the bell
at the Vicarage or Parish Office doors for admittance.
www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.