All Saints Parish Newsletter 16th August 2013
Dear Friends,
This Sunday’s readings do not make for comfortable reading. In Jeremiah God
denounces false prophets who claim to speak in his name but whose prophesy
lies.
I am reading Susan Cain’s “Quiet – the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.”. She recounts a visit to a famous and very successful mega-church. The preacher’s sermon is based on Jeremiah: put forward as a model for those starting a business. They need to have a business plan, a life plan – most people don’t. “If you’re a business leader, you need to read the Book of Jeremiah over and over, because he was a genius CEO.”
When I read these words I wondered if I had been reading the wrong book of
Jeremiah all these years. So I went to my Bible to check and found that I hadn’t.
The Jeremiah I had known was not somebody with his life plan mapped out. He was someone whose life was determined by God’s plan.
He was not a “genius CEO,” but an often lonely and persecuted figure who had to speak uncomfortable truths to leaders and people who did not want to hear. His life plan was not a “success” in worldly or business terms.
The same is true of Jesus whose business and organisational skills are sometimes lauded in similar fashion. To speak of him in such terms is to ignore the evidence of the gospels: he was not a success in worldly terms.
His message could be uncompromisingly sharp – “I came to bring fire on the earth… Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. No, I tell you, but rather division.” Not calculated to “win friends and influence people” or grow a large following on some social network.
He knew it would end badly: “I have a baptism with which to be baptised, and what stress I am under until it is completed.”
His life plan too was determined by God the Father, not some model for success
in business.
We should all read Jeremiah and the Gospels – but to hear what God’s purposes
for us are, not to find some recipe for worldly success.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Alan Moses
PRAYER DIARY
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Damon Brash, Peter Burbidge, Margaret Campbell, Rachel Clayton, Sheena Cruse, Rosie Davis, Denise Inge, Mason Jacobsen, Linda Jervis, Jill, Mary Johnstone, Katherine
Lee, Joshua Levy, Miriam Morris, Marimar Perez Fabo, The Ven. Jim Rowe, Celia Shore, Stephen Short, Ian Stevens,Kate Thomas, Andrew Tillyard, Melanie Toogood, David and Jo Vincent, HeatherWalker, Pat Walker, Wendy Wall.
For the recently departed: Sabrina Fry, Hubert Gralka,Margaret Cooper, David Collins, Gloria Mensah, Francis Gordon Kerr (priest), Jacob Subbiah, John Webb, Bishop Roy Davies, Rotimi Roberts.
At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): David Russell, William Edward Cargill (Priest), George Jeynes, Leroy Lawes, Marion Ginger, Elsie Faithfull, John Stanley Hawkins (Priest), Patricia Jones, Mary King, David Harris (Priest), Linda Clark.
NOTICES AND NEWS
For August/early September – the Parish Office will be open from 9 – 5
for a limited number of days per week as follows:-
W/c 19 August – open every day except Thursday
W/c 25 August – open Tue/Weds/Fri.
W/c 2 September – open Mon/Weds/Thurs.
Voicemail messages may be left on the telephone (020 7636 1788) and emails can
be sent. They will be dealt with as soon as possible.
Next Sunday – 25 August 2013 Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity – Preachers
& Music
11am High Mass: Preacher: FrJulian Browning. Missa Brevis – Britten. Gott ist mein Hirt – Schubert.
6pm Evensong & Benediction: Preacher: Fr Gerald Beauchamp. The Edinburgh Service – Tim Byram-Wigfield. O viridissima virga – St Hildegard of Bingen.
FUTURE EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS AND ELSEWHERE
Sunday 18 August, after High Mass – a meeting of the Events Committee.
Monday 9 September, 7pm – a meeting of the PCC in the Parish Room.
Friday 13 September, 7pm for 7.30pm QUIZ NIGHT at St. Cyprian’s Church,
Glentworth Street, NW1 6AX. This very popular event is staged once again,
with the opportunity for teams of up to 6 people each to take part. The charge
is £10 per person payable on the night (including refreshments). Contact: chris_self@btinternet.com.
Saturday 14 September,
RIDE+STRIDE Supported by The National Churches Trust
Ride+Stride is a sponsored bike ride or walk with people from all over the country
walking/cycling between churches. Funds raised help preserve some of Britain’s
47,000 churches, chapels and meeting houses at risk of falling into serious
disrepair. To help raise money for these wonderful buildings you will need to be sponsored by your friends and family. Anyone at All Saints who wants to take part in Ride+Stride 2013 – please see Chris Self, Churchwarden for a Sponsorship form after High Mass.
Jon Snow (Channel 4 news presenter and Ride + Stride patron):“Our churches have borne witness to centuries of fascinating and engaging news. They’re pivotal to our history and vital for communities. Cycling and sightseeing to stop Churches crumbling issomething we can all do.”
Sunday 15 September, after High Mass -a Mission Committee meeting.
Tuesday 17 – Sunday 22 September, 12 – 6pm – JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP ARTS & CRAFT CLUB 2013 EXHIBITION, Parish Room. Entry: free of charge.
Saturday 21 (10am-5pm) and Sunday 22 (1 – 5pm) September – OPEN HOUSE LONDON –the capital’s greatest architectural showcase. Open House London celebrates all that is best about the capital’s buildings, places and neighbourhoods. Every September, it gives a unique opportunity to get out and under the skin of London’s amazing architecture, with over 700 buildings of all kinds opening their doors to everyone – all for free. All Saints is participating once again with talks on the history of the church given by Churchwarden John Forde – Saturday 11am and 2pm and on Sunday at 2pm.
*** As we had over 600 people visit All Saints for Open House London in 2012, we need plenty of volunteers to welcome visitors for the weekend this year. Please see Chris Self to put your name down on his rota of 2 hours slots (or more!). Thank you! ***
Thursday 26 September, 7pm at the Annunciation Marble Arch, Bryanston
Street, London W1H 7AH – Iona Pilgrimage Meeting. There is an exploratory meeting led by Fr Gerald Beauchamp for all those interested in going on the Iona pilgrimage being planned for April 2015.
Saturday 28 September, 7.30pm St John the Evangelist, Duncan Terrace N1 8AL – ORGAN RECITAL – PETER STEVENS of Westminster Cathedral will be appearing in the 50th Anniversary Organ Recital Series since the opening of the Walker Organ.
Sunday 29 September, 7.15pm (after Benediction) ORGAN RECITAL – CHARLES ANDREWS, Associate Director of Music All Saints. Programme includes: Bach, Franck and Heiller. Retiring collection for the All Saints Choir and Music Trust (suggested donation £3.50). Post recital drinks in the courtyard, subject to the weather.