All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friends,

Poor Thomas – to be known for ever as “Doubting” – as if he was the only disciple who had difficulty accepting or grasping the resurrection of Jesus.

If we read the different accounts of the resurrection, it’s clear that almost all of them did.

John uses Thomas, in this Sunday’s Gospel, as a representative figure of the difficulty which people had then, as they do now, in accepting something which is radically new, outside their existing experience and understanding. In our sophisticated modern way we think people in ancient cultures were more credulous than we are. In fact, the resurrection was no easier to believe then than now.

Thomas is a comfort to most of us at some time or other because we too experience doubts and questions. Perhaps the appalling human evil we hear so much of in the news causes us to question the goodness of God.  Some personal crisis in health or relationship makes us doubt God’s love for us. The barrage of atheist argument and the relentless propaganda of consumer capitalism make us wonder if there is anything beyond this world.

Doubt and questions are not the opposite of faith but of unthinking credulity. They can be the way to deeper faith if they lead us to question not just God but our own immature understandings of faith. If God is a mystery beyond our comprehension, then we will always have more to learn.

Thomas is sometimes adopted as the patron of a permanent agnosticism, a detached questioning which never moves forward.

But that is not how the story goes. His request is granted. He does get to see the wounds of the risen Jesus.

In what was the original end of John’s Gospel and its climax, Thomas utters the highest expression of faith in Jesus in the whole New Testament: “My Lord and my God.”

Jesus responds: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Faith seems to entail an openness to the one we call our Lord and God, to his revelation of himself recorded in the testimony of those first witnesses handed on to us in the scriptures,

It involves not just intellectual activity, but love and worship of the one who through his Spirit comes to us in word and sacrament, prayer and fellowship, still bearing the marks of his passion; the marks of his love for us.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Alan Moses
Prebendary Alan Moses
Vicar of All Saints Margaret St
Area Dean of Westminster & St Marylebone

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Alan Bishton, Susan Beauchamp, Jean Brackston, Rachel Clayton, Kate Down, Ursula Edwards, Canon David Garlick, Geoff, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Nicholas Harrington, Jill, Katherine Lee, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Santa Luca, Kerry Manuel, Jonathan Mani-Weoki, Megan and Chantal, Norman Newby, Andrew O’Connor, Peter Royle, Stephen Short, Marilyn Stansfield, Dilys Thomas, Mary Thomas and Joy Wright.

For the recently departed: Shereka Marsh, Michael Powell, Christopher Hall, Geoffrey Hadfield, Beryl Harding (whose funeral took place at Golders Green Crematorium 11.30am Tuesday 22 April), Rosie Davis, John Mansfield, Michael Spencer, Lucas Drummond, Denise Inge, Harry Woolhouse.

At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Jeremy Black, Isabel Sturges Jones, Lilian Raven, John Birch (former Organist and Director of Music for the Choir School of All Saints), Peter Walls, John Basil Simpson (Bishop), Beatrice Hudson, Eric Cromer, Peter Farthing, Douglas Robertson, Jane Mather, John Beard, Trevor Stevens (Priest), Mary Forsyth, Dolly Powell and Eva Wray.

WORSHIP AT ALL SAINTS THIS SUNDAY – 27 APRIL
Second Sunday of Easter
HIGH MASS and HOLY BAPTISM – Hugo Konrad Gralka, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Missa ‘Che fa’ oggi il mio sole’ – Allegri
Haec dies – Byrd

The Embroidered White High Mass Vestments and Cope
The vestments in use at Sunday’s Mass have just been returned to All Saints from Messrs Watts and Co. They were partly executed by Dom Michael Warner OSB in 1936, having been designed at Nashdom Abbey, Buckinghamshire. The white and blue base damasks were replaced when the vestments were last restored in 1994. Since then there has been some wear particularly on the green silk and further partial restoration had become necessary. Lengthy and painstaking work. They are now restored to us in all their glory thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Service in E – Murrill
Alleluya, I heard a voice – Weelkes

EVENTS THIS COMING WEEK

ALL SAINTS’ OLD CHORISTERS’ EVENSONG – Saturday 3 May – 4pm
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis specially written for the occasion by Martin Bruce (Headmaster, Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford). Anthem “Let all the World in every corner sing” by Louis Halsey. Organist: Harry Bramma. Afternoon Tea is offered after the service in the Courtyard (if the weather is fine), with a chance to meet up and reminisce. All welcome – please come and support the former Choristers

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 4 MAY
Third Sunday of Easter
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Missa Solemnis in C, K 337—Mozart
O filii et filiae—Latin hymn, arr. Timothy Byram-Wigfield

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: Fr Julian Browning
The Second Service—Tomkins
Ecce vicit Leo—Philips 

SPECIAL EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS IN MAY

EMMAUS EVENING, Organised by Anglican Catholic Future
Tuesday 6 May 2014, 7 pm (Mass 6.30 pm)
An evening exploring the call by the risen Lord to the disciples
on the road to Emmaus led by Fr Matthew Catterick, Vicar of St Saviour’s,  Pimlico

REQUIEM MASS FOR CHARLES FORKER
Saturday 10 May at 11am
Charles was for many years a Friend of All Saints and on his annual visits to London, a faithful worshipper here. Mass will be followed by refreshments.

ORGAN RECITAL (following BENEDICTION)
Sunday 11 May at 7.15pm – TIMOTHY BYRAM-WIGFIELD, Director of Music
Programme includes:
Overture: Die Zauberflöte by W.A.Mozart
Trois morceaux parisiennes:
Verset (Fantaisie) by Alexandre Guilmant
‘Naïades’, from Pièces de Fantaisie Book 4, Op 55, No. 4 by Louis Vierne – Valse-Musette by Francis Poulenc

Adagio espressivo (Sonata, 1938) by Sir William Harris and
Prelude and Fugue in B, Op 7, No 1 by Marcel Dupré. 
Retiring collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints (suggested donation £3.50).

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
11 — 17 May 2014
Christian Aid Week 2014 will focus specifically on the work done by Christian Aid and its partners in tackling violence and building peace.

A PILGRIMAGE TO CANTERBURY, Organised by Anglican Catholic Future
Saturday 17 May
11am Welcome and Address on Pilgrimage by the Very Revd. Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury
12noon Mass Preacher: Brother Stuart OSB, Abbot of Mucknall Abbey
3.15pm Choral Evensong, followed by a visit to the Shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury

There will be opportunities for small groups and individuals to visit different places in the cathedral associated with significant figures in Anglican history. Please register on the Anglican Catholic Future website or let Fr. Michael Bowie know that you would like to take part.

POETRY TEA – Friday 23 May 3pm at Pamela’s.  All welcome.  The subject will be “Hot and Cold”.  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 and leave a message with your name and phone number.  Please book early to avoid disappointment.  Cost £6 towards the All Saints Restoration Fund.

WALSINGHAM NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE – Bank Holiday Monday 26 May
All Saints is running a coach once again to the Walsingham National Pilgrimage – with a Concelebrated Mass in the Abbey Grounds, Sermon (Preacher: Mother Mary Luke CHC), Procession round the Village, and Benediction in the Shrine Gardens. This has always been a day to enjoy and a powerful witness to the Christian faith. The total cost will be about £20. Please speak to Ross Buchanan (Tel: 020 7221 1312) if you would like to know more or reserve a place on the coach.

ASCENSION DAY at ALL SAINTS – Thursday 29 May at 6.30pm – HIGH MASS
Mass Setting: Missa ‘Ascendo ad Patrem – Palestrina
Ascendit Deus – Philips  

ALL SAINTS PARISH RETREAT – Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June 2014
This year’s Retreat, conducted by Father Julian Browning, is now well – but not fully – subscribed. We would welcome one further participant to make up the numbers, and could take up to four. The cost (standard room) is £130. Enquiries to m.g.woolley@btinternet.com please or on 0207 436 2858 or 07976 275 383.

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION – Lighting & Electrical Renewal Update
The display of our proposals for this Restoration Project continues in the Baptistery. We have now received approval to proceed with this essential work in our Grade 1 Listed Church, but must secure all the funds to go ahead. We are delighted to announce that we have now raised or had pledged £215,000 (86% of target), but still have a further £35,000 to find to match the budget figure. While we are approaching Trusts and other Grant-giving bodies for the short-fall, if there is anyone who has not yet contributed, please do so via the Parish Office (with Gift Aid wherever possible). Thank you to everyone who has already contributed donations large and small; we are extremely grateful. We hope that works will commence later this in 2014.

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.

DAILY SERVICES (the Church is open every day of the week from 7am to 7pm)

SUNDAYS
Low Mass at 6.30pm (Saturday), 8am and 5.15pm
Morning Prayer at 10.20am
HIGH MASS AND SERMON at 11am
CHORAL EVENSONG, SERMON and BENEDICTION at 6pm          

MONDAY TO FRIDAY
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
(Except bank holiday – 1.10pm Mass only)
Confessions from 12.30pm -1pm and 5.30pm
(No Confessions on bank holidays)
Evening Prayer at 6pm

SATURDAYS
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8.00am and 6.30pm (First Mass of Sunday)
Confessions at 5.30pm
Evening Prayer at 6pm

On major weekday feasts, High Mass is sung at 6.30pm with Evening Prayer at 5.45pm.

A priest is available in church for confessions or counsel every weekday from 12.30-1pm (except Saturdays) and at 5.30pm, or by appointment. The clergy are always happy to see anyone for whatever reason. Please enquire at the Parish Office (to the right as you enter the church courtyard).

www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.