All Saints Parish Newsletter 27th March 2015
Dear Friends,
Palm Sunday
As we enter Holy Week on Sunday, we approach the paschal mystery, the passage from death to life which is the heart of our faith.
The long account of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus which is sung on Sunday is probably the oldest part of the gospels. It is what the disciples recorded first. It may have been read at every Eucharist in some early Christian congregations; we now hear it twice a year, at either end of Holy Week. For the first Christians this was the nucleus of what the Lord had to show them. Gradually, other deeds and words of Jesus were added to the story, the stories of his birth last of all. But all of those things gain their full meaning from his surrender of his life and the action of the Father in making him victorious over death by raising him up.
Different versions add different details. The betrayal, fear and even the denials made by his disciples, are openly admitted. The Lord bewilders them. The same thing happens to those who seek to condemn him to death, either the Roman or the Jewish leaders. The confrontation presented in the gospel takes away their security; in Matthew’s account (which used always to be sung on Palm Sunday) Pilate literally washes his hands of the matter. The leaders’ lack of consistency becomes apparent. They accuse Jesus of wanting to become king. In Mark’s account, which we hear this year, Jesus just answers ‘you say so’. His kingdom is one of service, not domination. It is the kingdom of God who ‘emptied himself and took the form of a slave’ and ‘surrendered himself to death on a cross’ to bear witness to God’s love for us as we hear in Philippians on Sunday.
Like the suffering servant in Isaiah (the figure in Sunday’s first reading which the church has taken to be a foretelling of the passion of Christ) we are offered assurance that the Lord is helping us and will support us:
7 The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Isaiah 50:7 – 9
The cross of Jesus stands at the centre of the Christian story as a sign of the lengths to which love will go in its passion for others, especially the weak and marginal. If we ever wonder whether we are really loved, we should look at the figure on the cross, as we do afresh on Good Friday. Someone, Jesus, God, thought we were worth dying for. The cross is lifted up as a sign of our worth.
We do not remember the passion and death of Jesus as an arbitrary, random act of violence; rather we honour his death as the supreme act of love. The love of the one who ‘did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself’ to become as we all are and, being as we are, to show that in spite of our sins and foolishness, God loves and welcomes us home.
Yours in Christ,
Father Michael Bowie
Assistant Priest
All Saints Margaret Street
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Jane Allen, Asia Bibi. Fr. Bruce Barnett- Cowan, Jean Bray, James Cary-Elwes, Kate Down, Cynthia Drury, Hugo Gralka, Tim Harding, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Myrtle Hughes, Maxwell Hutchinson, Sheila Kenyon, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Malcolm Richards, Jock Scott, Fr. Nicholas Stacey, Buzz Stokes, Celia Swan, Darrell Thompson-Schwab, Joy Wright, Marc Young and Mary.
For the recently departed: Tom Devonshire-Jones (Priest and former Vicar of St Mark’s, Regent’s Park), John Martin, Norman Greenfield (Priest), Lowell Blankfort, John Allen (Priest) and Patrick Graham (former PCC Secretary at St Cyprian’s Church), Tay Ntow, Michael Lawrenson, Elizabeth Beet and Hilda Hodds.
Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week: Georgina Carlton-Williams, Joseph Semlyen, William Ingarfill, Marie Blake, Cecil Saltford-Beaman, Hilary Chadwick-Healey, John Hanvey (one time All Saints’ Treasurer), Holbrook Gaskell, Charles Gage-Brown (Priest, former Curate All Saints), John Rowe (Priest), Robin Powis, Alexander Burnett-Brown, Harold Gaunt, John Wallace, Sister Mary Estelle (All Saints’ Community), Grace Trembath, John Gaskell Snr, Bery Harding (Benefactor), Patrick Scott (Priest), Elizabeth Usherwood and Margaret Roche.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
SUNDAY 29 MARCH – PALM SUNDAY
Please note that British Summer time starts – clocks go forward one hour
Liturgy of Palms in Market Place at 10.45am, followed by
PROCESSION & HIGH MASS
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Mass in B flat – Rachmaninov
O Saviour of the World – Goss
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Fr Julian Browning
Lent 5 Theme (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?”
Service in B flat – Rachmaninov
O Saviour of the World– Ouseley
Sunday Lunch is being prepared by Tom Leeman. Tickets £5 from the Parish Shop in the Parish Room before and after Mass (subject to availability).
WORSHIP NEXT WEEK
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER 2015 – THE DRAMA OF THE PASSION
Preacher: Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY
6.30pm Low Mass with Homily
WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL
7.30pm TENEBRAE for MaundyThursday
MAUNDY THURSDAY, 2 APRIL
6.30pm HIGH MASS of the Lord’s Supper
GOOD FRIDAY, 3 APRIL
12 noon The Preaching of the Passion
1 – 3pm The Solemn Liturgy of the Passion and Veneration of the Cross
6.30pm Stations of the Cross
HOLY SATURDAY – EASTER EVE, 4 APRIL
12 noon Liturgy of the Day
9pm HIGH MASS of the Easter Vigil
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses Missa Brevis – Kodály
EASTER DAY, SUNDAY 5 APRIL
11am Procession, Blessing of the Easter Garden & HIGH MASS
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie, Assistant Priest
Krönungsmesse – Mozart
Ecce vicit Leo – Philips
6pm Festal Evensong, Te Deum and Benediction
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Magnificat: Service in E – Murrill; Nunc Dimittis: Tone V
Dum transisset Sabbatum – Taverner
EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS IN APRIL
Tuesday 14 April 12 – 4pm Bishop James Almasi from the Diocese of Masasi, Tanzania – Open House in the Parish Room and lunchtime Mass in Church at 1.10pm. All welcome.
Saturday 18 April 3.30pm – FORMER ALL SAINTS CHORISTERS REUNION EVENSONG followed by Tea in the Courtyard (weather permitting). All welcome. Do come and support the former Choristers.
MEETING OF PARISHIONERS AND ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING, SUNDAY 19 APRIL 2015
A meeting of parishioners will be held on Sunday 19 April 2015 at 12.45pm in Church, at which Churchwardens for the year 2015 – 2016 will be appointed. Members of the Electoral Roll and residents of the Parish on the Electoral Register are eligible to attend. Any person wishing to be considered for the Post of Churchwarden must be (a) 21 years of age or over, (b) on the Electoral Roll and (c) an actual communicant member of the Church of England. Nominations must be proposed and seconded, and candidates must indicate their willingness to stand. In addition, candidates are asked to submit a short typed or clearly written statement giving the reasons for their wishing to stand, and the benefits they could bring to the post if appointed. Nominations for the post of Churchwarden MAY NOT be made at the meeting.
Prebendary L. A. Moses, Vicar
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will follow immediately. Only members of the Electoral Roll are eligible to attend. At the meeting three members of the laity will be elected to serve on the Parochial Church Council for the years 2015 – 2018. The retiring members of the Council are Janet Drake, Patrick Hartley and Geoffrey Woodcock. Of these, only Patrick Hartley is eligible for re-election. Candidates for election must be (a) on the Electoral Roll, (b) at least 16 years of age, and (c) actual communicant members of the Church of England. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by persons on the Electoral Roll and all candidates must indicate a willingness to stand. In addition, candidates are asked to submit a short typed or clearly handwritten statement giving their reasons for standing for election. Nomination forms may be obtained from the PCC Secretary or the office. Although nominations may be made at the meeting, it would be helpful if completed nomination forms, together with statements, are returned to the PCC Secretary by Friday 3 April to enable the papers to be available one week before the Annual Meeting. Sidesmen for the year 2015 – 2016 will be appointed at the meeting.
Jaron Lewis, PCC Secretary
Monday 17 April, 7pm – All Saints’ Parochial Church Council meeting (following Evening Mass at 6.30pm) – Parish Room
EVENTS BEYOND ALL SAINTS
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)
Monday 13 April, 7 – 8.30pm St Martin-in-the-Fields
Towards a Politics for the Common Good: A Pre-Election Debate at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Cost: Free with a retiring collection. In the run-up to the General Election we bring together a panel of eminent parliamentarians from different political parties and denominations to discuss their approaches to key election issues in the light of Christian social and ethical teaching. Phone: 020 7766 1100
Parliamentarians Theologians
Sarah Teather, Liberal Democrat Revd Dr Sam Wells
Alistair Burt, Conservative Dr Anna Rowlands
Dominic Grieve, Conservative
Stephen Timms, Labour
David Lammy, Labour
How can we, as we exercise our democratic right to vote, best serve the Christian principles we believe in? Is it possible to see the issues of our time through a different lens? Can we work together to cultivate a politics for the common good?
Rather than a hustings, guest parliamentarians will be responding to questions posed by theologians Dr Sam Wells (St Martin-in-the-Fields) and Dr Anna Rowlands (Durham University), and audience members from all political persuasions will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A from the floor.
The Café in the Crypt will remain open to buy refreshments and for further discussion until 10.00pm.
Monday 13 April, 6 – 8pm – Churches Together in Westminster – MEET THE NEIGHBOURS – hosted by St Mary le Strand, Strand WC2 1ES. All are welcome to join a visit to this beautiful and richly decorated Queen Anne church, designed by James Gibss. Evensong followed by a talk. Evening concludes with refreshments.
NOTICES
REVISION OF THE ALL SAINTS’ ELECTORAL ROLL
The Electoral Roll has to be revised before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) on 19 April 2015. Inclusion on the Roll is the qualification to attend, participate and vote at the Meeting, or to be nominated for office. The Roll will be closed for revision between Tuesday 24 March and Friday 3 April. No further entries may be made to the Roll between 23 March and the close of the APCM. Would members of the Roll please check their entries on the copy of the Roll available in the Parish Office? Alterations should be notified to me, c/o the Parish Office. Anyone else who wishes to be included on the Roll, and who fulfils the qualifications, is welcome to apply. Competed forms (to be found on the table in Church) should be returned via the Parish Office.
Catherine T Burling,
Electoral Roll Officer
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. Finishing works on the back of house complete this week. As the project reaches its conclusion, we want to reduce our overall reliance on loans to pay for the works.
We have recently had a number of generous gifts that have greatly helped. Loans have been successfully reduced from £35,000 to £12,700 so any further gifts will reduce this still further.
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!
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.
Thank you to all those who have recently contributed to this effort, by bringing donations to the Parish Office or leaving them in Church in the basket in the Baptistery. We have taken a big delivery to the Project recently which will be of great benefit to 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 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
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.
www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.