All Saints Parish Newsletter
Friday 9 November 2012 at 07:03
3rd Sunday before Advent – Remembrance Sunday
Dear Friends,
More than one of our Festival preachers spoke to us about the importance of remembering. At All Saints-tide, we remember those who show us the possibility of becoming what God would have us be and endows us with grace to be. In our remembrance of the departed, we experience something of the resurrection. Remembering for the Christian is something more than wistful reminiscence: it is an active making present as we see above all in the Eucharist.
Then this Sunday we come to Remembrance Sunday with its act of commemoration of those who have died in war. When I was newly ordained, it was widely assumed that Remembrance Day would fade away with those who had been involved in the world wars of the 20th century.
But there has been a change and remembrance has found a renewed place in our national consciousness. It is not a something militaristic, let alone jingoistic: it reflects a deep sense of the cost of war; especially in lives lost or damaged.
For Christians, remembrance is not something for one season only. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we do it “in remembrance” of Christ.
The first reading at Mass this Sunday is about remembering too. The Israelites are to remember the laws, the instruction; God has given them for their well-being:
“Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Jews continue to do these things and we Christians have our equivalents. But as I recall when I was ill in hospital, and later when walking to Santiago on pilgrimage: being able to remember prayers and hymns and scripture passages is a great blessing. It is part of the value of constant repetition of prayers and hymns and psalms, that they become part of us. We find ourselves praying them almost unconsciously. More than that, we find ourselves praying even when we had not set out to, as the words of ancient and familiar prayers, learned at set times of prayer, turn our attention to God.
In an age of short attention spans, and instant information, we are not so good at remembering things as our forebears were. That means we must work harder at memorisation and repetition: “Remember, remember.”
Yours in Christ,
Alan Moses
Please pray for Stephen Finch, Reg Barnett, Dennis Davis, Christopher Ryan, Malala Yousufzai, Peggy Leeman, Fr. David Jowitt, Moe, Julia, Michael Harris, Linda Orme, Mary Barnet, Sian Evans, Jackie Ferriter, Joshua Levy, Audrey Patterson, Celia Shore, Michael Sullivan, Rachel Clayton, Heather Walker, Graham Hawkes, Richard Tann, Brian Sparkes, John Rogers, Mason Jacobson
Barbara Laws, Marguerite Crill, Anne Hamburger, David Day, Timothy Montgomery, Timothy Harding, Andrew Tillyard, Lise Cribbin, Finola Robinson
The Recently Departed: Nigel Bailey, Christopher Rawll, Rosemarie Roberts, Betty Mills, Duncan Pingriff, Sibyl Webster, Joan Cook at the anniversary of their death: John Groves, Paul Leyland, Violet Vanbrough, Malcolm McHaffie, Dorothy Cavan, John Mayo, Miss C Keeble, Arthur Hutchings, Sidney Dines, Annie Searles, George Scott, Ethel Rawll, Sam Thorpe, George George, Herbert Brackley, Janette Brierly, William Foster, Alfred Stephens.
ANGLICAN CATHOLIC FUTURE: “The Christian Pilgrimage” St. Matthew’s, Westminster
Thursday 8th November 7pm – Led by Prebendary Alan Moses and the Revd. Nicola Stanley , Vicar of All Hallows Twickenham
One o’clock talks on the Church Building:
On Sunday’s at 1pm for 10mins there will be a series of talks given by Fr. Alan and Fr. John.
11th November – The Baptistry. 18th November – The Nave. 25th November – The Pulpit. 2nd December – The Jesse Window. 9th December – The North Wall, The Old Testament. 16th December – The North Wall – The Nativity. Please come along prior to lunch for 10 minutes and hear an historical and theological perspective on our church building.
Tour of Parliament on 16th November 2012.
IF YOU HAVE BOOKED A PLACE WITH Fr. John Pritchard, please meet at VISITOR ENTRANCE – (CROMWELL GREEN – just past the statue of CROMWELL) at 9:25am. The first Tour Starts at 9:55am the second at 10:00am and the third tour at 10:05 (all groups of 20 people) and will last 75mins.
The Tours are free, but I am suggesting that we all make a £10 donation towards Phase IV – Restoration Appeal for All Saints Margaret Street. Please send Cheques to All Saints c/o Dennis Davis or Fr John Pritchard made payable to "All Saints PCC Restoration Appeal".
VOCATIONS DAY Saturday 17th November – ST. MATTHEW’S WESTMINSTER 10.30AM-4PM
“CATHOLIC EVANGELISM”
A day for men and women considering ordination. Led by Fr. Tim Sledge Vicar of Romsey Abbey.
If you are interested, please contact the Vicar or email office@stmw.org
Saturday 24 Nov: 12 noon. Requiem Mass for Teresa Butler at All Saints
ADVENT COURSE 2012
There will be two courses running at All Saints Margaret Street this year.
DAYTIME ADVENT COURSE – Fr. Alan will lead a four week day-time course meeting at 11am on Thursday’s 29th November, 6th, 13th & 20th December at the Vicarage. This will be book based on Rowan William’s latest book, “The Lion’s World – A journey into the heart of Narnia.
EVENING ADVENT COURSE Fr. John will lead a four-week evening course, meeting at 7:00pm on Wednesday’s 28th November, 5th, 12th & 19th December at No.6 Margaret Street. This course will look at The Patriarchs, The Prophets, St John the Baptist and Our Lady each one will be explored through one of the following: Opera, Film (popcorn will be provided), prose and poetry. Please indicate to Fr. Alan and Fr. John if you wish to attend.
Dr. Christopher Rawll – Christopher was for many years a devoted servant of All Saints and of the Church in London. Here at All Saints, he was at various times, server, sub-deacon, churchwarden, and archivist. In the diocese he served on Bishop’s Council, was lay chair of the Deanery Synod and Warden of Readers.
He died peacefully on18th October. There will be requiem mass for him here at All Saints on Saturday 1st December.
Congratulations to Aiden Hargreaves-Smith
In addition to his role as Registrar of the Diocese in Europe, Aiden has recently been appointed Registrar of the Diocese of Chelmsford. He will be sworn in on Saturday, 19th January 2013 at Chelmsford Cathedral by the Bishop of Chelmsford, who will preside at the Eucharist. The service will start at 12.00 noon, and will be followed by a Reception. Everyone associated with All Saints’ is warmly invited to attend. It would be helpful if those intending to be present could ‘RSVP’ to Melanie Tucker on chelmsfordregistry@wslaw.co.uk or 020 7593 0353, not least to ensure that the wine does not run out (a reputational risk which Aiden would never be prepared to take!).