All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friend,

“Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.”

Critics of Christianity, and of religion in general, see it like Karl Marx as ‘the opium of the masses.”  

The Church, they say, has colluded with the rich and powerful in dispensing this opiate, offering the poor and oppressed the hope of something better in the next life as long as they accept their lot in this one. 

That it has done this at times is undeniable, but this Sunday’s readings: Amos’s denunciation of the economic and social division and exploitation in Israel; the Parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke’s Gospel; and the warnings against the dangers of wealth in the First Letter to Timothy, all remind us that our faith is about this present world and how we live in it, as well as the future one.

The eternal life which Paul, or more probably one of his disciples, urges us to seize, is a present reality as well as a future hope. In Christ, eternal life, the life of God, interrupts present time, converts it creating new life. If we seize it, it shapes our perspective on life and on the things of this world.

This life is contrasted with one made destructive by the pursuit of riches: “harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”  This means not just the damage done to the lives of those who pursue wealth, but that inflicted on those whose lives are destroyed in the process. 

For the epistle, it is generosity and good works which reflect the life which is real and true to the life of God.  This is an uncomfortable message for societies which see competition and self-interest as the roads to fulfilment and acts of self-giving as diminishing not enriching. 

But it is the lesson, the way, which the Church and Christians must learn and re-learn if we are to be faithful to the one who is “the way, the truth and the life.”

While speaking of generosity, I would like to record my thanks for the generosity of all those who sponsored my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. This raised £20,000 for the Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal for projects aiding persecuted Christians in Syria and Iraq.

Yours in Christ, 

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

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi, Alixe Bainbridge-Spring, Br. Michael OSB, Fr Paul Berry, James Cary-Elwes, Betty Collins, Fr Andrew Davis, Canon Caroline Dick, Mark Dougly, Kate Down, Bill Edmunds, David Fettke, Lewis Harvey, Gwyneth Hopkins, Hisami Kanno, Maria Keen, David Kennett, Raymond King, Andrew Laird, Tom Leader, Colin Menzies, Ekundayo Newbury, Fr. Robert Norwood, José de Oliveira, David Pearce, Iris Podmore, Agnes Poitevin-Navarre, Canon John Rees, Bill Rodger, Bishop John Salt, Dorothy Skidmore, Stella and Helen Skinner, Rose Stephens,  Judy Stewart, Tony Tomlin, Christine van Dyck, Lynn Van Keulen, Robert Walmsley, Jenny Ward & Baby Emily and Joy Wright. 

For the recently departed:   Danus Skene, Sr Helen Columba SLG, Geoffrey Hughes (All Saints Friend and Benefactor), Lily Caplin (whose Funeral Mass will take place on Monday 26 September at 2.30pm at All Saints), Gwen Fairchild and Will and Maria Henniker-Gotley (who died following the earthquake in Amatrice, Italy), Miriam Nelson, David Jenkins (former Bishop of Durham), Samuel Bannerman, Sr Mary Margaret SLG and Marilyn Stansfield.

Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week including:  Eric King, Evelyn Steele, Mickaél Charbonneau, Lilian Exten, Lynn Evans, Sr Mary OHS, Marjorie Gaskell, Evan Windham, Alfred Davis, Leslie Thomas, Brenda Kirk, John Shand (former Assistant Curate), Edith Fricker, Alice Sexton, Edgar Grant. 

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

WORSHIP THIS WEEK:

SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER, TRINITY 18
HIGH MASS, 11am

Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Missa Crux Fidelis – Vivanço
Holy is the true light – Harris

There is no Sunday lunch service today. 

EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Canticles in E – Watson
Give us the wings of faith – Bullock

WORSHIP NEXT WEEK:

SUNDAY 2 OCTOBER
FEAST OF DEDICATION, TRINITY 19
HIGH MASS, 11am

Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Krönungsmesse, K.317 – Mozart
Locus iste – Bruckner 

There is no Sunday lunch service today. 

EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm 
Preacher: Fr Barry Orford
Gloucester Service – Howells
Christ is our cornerstone – Hutchings

PARISH NOTICES 

FUNERAL MASS – LILY CAPLIN – this service will take place at All Saints on Monday 26 September at 2.30pm. Please pray for all of Lily’s family and for the repose of her soul. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

PARISH DAY CONFERENCE – Saturday 1^st October 2016 – The Salvation Army’s Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ (a very short walk from Oxford Circus).  

All members of the All Saints’ Electoral Roll have been invited. Thank you to everyone who has now advised us that they will be attending.  We can still accept more confirmations for catering and other planning purposes and if you intend to come  please return the tear-off slip from your invitation to the Parish Office (by all means hand it in via a Churchwarden on a Sunday when you come to Church) or email: astsmgtst@aol.com labelling your email Saturday 1^st October. We will begin with coffee at 10am.  There will be a short form of Morning Prayer at 10.30am.  A sandwich lunch will be provided at 12.30pm. The day will conclude with prayer no later than 3.30pm. Donations would be appreciated by the PCC towards the cost of catering for this event – suggested contribution £5-£10. A collection will be taken on the day. Anyone on the Electoral Roll is of course welcome to attend on the day, but it is helpful to have the numbers in advance.  Thank you.

NEW ALL SAINTS CARDS shortly to be for sale (in time for Christmas!)
With the assistance of Judith Mather of the National Gallery, we are producing three new cards to sell in aid of All Saints. The high quality images will be: the traditional Tile Nativity Scene; a new and dramatically lit shot of Our Lady of Margaret Street and a new and beautifully coloured image of the Sanctuary. Cards will be available to purchase from the Parish Shop on Sundays and from the Parish Office in packs of 6 cards (all one design in each pack) for £5 and are due to arrive in early October. Fridge magnets are also being produced of the image of the Sanctuary, which we hope will particular prove a popular small memento for visitors to the Church.

JOHN LEWIS & WAITROSE ARTS & CRAFTS CLUB
EXHIBITION – All Saints’ Parish Room. Free Admission
Tuesday 13 –September – Sunday 2 October – open 12 – 6pm daily (Please Note – extended opening period this year). Arts and crafts exhibition with most works being available to purchase – including paintings, drawings, jewellery, sewn goods and cards – a good opportunity to select some early Christmas presents. Purchased art works can be collected after 6pm on Sunday 2 or on Monday 3 October, when the exhibition get-out will take place.

PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY IN 2018 – meeting 
Fr Gerald Beauchamp and Fr Michael Bowie are planning a pilgrimage to Italy in May 2018. Ideas so far include Assisi and Loreto. There will be a meeting on Tuesday 18 October, 7.15pm in the All Saints Margaret Street Parish Room (off the courtyard) to look at possibilities. All welcome. 

If you would like to come in 2018 but are unable to attend the meeting please register your interest with Fr Gerald (gerald.beauch@btconnect.com). Thank you.

ALL SAINTS FESTIVAL 2016 

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 6pm
EVE OF ALL SAINTS – LITANY OF THE SAINTS,
FESTAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION
Preacher: Fr Kevin Mowbray,
SM, Notre Dame de France
Collegium Regale – Tavener
Gaudeamus omnes – Joseph Phibbs

TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 6.30pm
ALL SAINTS’ DAY – PROCESSION & HIGH MASS
Preacher: The Very Reverend Dr David Ison,
Dean of St Paul’s
Missa Brevis – Richard Rodney Bennett
Beati mundo corde – Byrd

WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 6.30pm
ALL SOULS’ DAY – HIGH MASS OF REQUIEM
Preacher: The Right Reverend Paul Bayes,
Bishop of Liverpool
Requiem – Victoria
Iustorum animae – Byrd   

** MISSION NEWS** Men’s clothing is badly needed by the Jesus Centre in Margaret Street and also (we have heard this week) by the Soup Kitchen at the American International Church, both of whom  provide a daily range of services to homeless people. As you prepare for the winter season, if you have men’s clothes to give away, please bring to Church and leave at the Parish Office so we can continue to help support our neighbour’s efforts predominantly with homeless men.

The Soup Kitchen specifically calls for: men’s trousers (sizes 32-36) and men’s sturdy/athletic shoes (sizes 9-12 especially) and say ‘we are also beginning to need men’s outerwear of all varieties and we always need rucksacks and dufflebags to help our guests carry their belongings!’

Miranda Suit, Director
(Part-time, usually in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays) says: Please drop me a line if you are planning to drop things off here. As always, many thanks for your support.  

Soup Kitchen at the American International Church
79a Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 4TD
T: 020 7580 2791

www.amchurch.co.uk/soup-kitchen/

SERVICES & EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER & NOVEMBER BEYOND ALL SAINTS

ST CYPRIAN’S Thursday 29 September 9pm – Compline
St Cyprian’s Church, Glentworth Street, NW1 6AX

Sunday 9 October, 3pm – POETRY TEA at PAMELA’S
Please bring poetry and prose relating to the topic of Autumn. If you would like to attend, please speak to Pamela or Sandra in the courtyard after Mass, or ring Sandra on 020 7 637 8456 and leave your name and phone number. Cost: £6 in aid of the All Saints Restoration Appeal.

ST MARY’S BOURNE STREET TALKS 
One of London’s principal Anglo-Catholic churches, closely connected with the intellectual thought of the Catholic tradition in the Church of England, will be holding a number of lectures in memory of the distinguished personalities who were instrumental in the life of this church. On Thursday 27 October, 7pm the talk is by the Rev’d Canon Chris Chivers, Principal of Westcott House, Cambridge – Grace and Glory: in dialogue with EL Mascall (in memory of Professor Eric Mascall, former honorary curate of St Marys).

ALL SAINTS MISSION ACTIVITIES:- 
The charities we had agreed to support through the Lent Appeal 2016 (and including applicable Gift Aid) received the following sums:-  

Marylebone Project – £2,666.67 – emergency refuge and rehoming project for homeless women. 
Us (formerly USPG) – £2,666.67 – work with those experiencing Aids and HIV in Zimbabwe.  
London Diocese Lent Appeal – £3,001.66– this year supporting Syrian and Iraqi refugees through charities Open Doors and Aid to the Church in Need.  Certificate of appreciation on the Church noticeboard. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this great achievement – a significantly enhanced total collected through the Lent Appeal compared with recent years – of £8,335 (including some late funds generated by the Queen’s 90^th Birthday Raffle). 

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.

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 donating £1,000 towards the Soup Kitchen at the American International Church in Tottenham Court Road this year. We also allow 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/virtual tour – 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   
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