All Saints Parish Newsletter 3rd July 2015
Dear Friends.
Tomorrow afternoon, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Bishop of London will ordain 40 new deacons to serve in our diocese. One of them, Jeremy Tayler, is from All Saints. He will be serving at St. John’s Wood Church in our deanery.
On their first Sunday in their parishes, they will read the Gospel account of Jesus preaching in his home synagogue at Nazareth – and receiving a rather mixed response: “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary….? And they took offence at him”
Before that they will have heard Ezekiel being sent to a rebellious house, a stubborn and impudent people, and Paul defending his ministry against “super-apostles” boasting of their spiritual experiences. In the concluding part of his “foolishness speech” Paul speaks of his own experience of being “caught up into Paradise.” He goes on to tell how God has given him a “thorn in the flesh” to stop him getting carried away by this ecstacy.
There has been endless speculation as to what this thorn was. One suggestion which struck a chord with me was migraine: something I lived with from childhood until my mid-fifties.
But the real point he makes is in God’s response to his repeated plea for the removal of the thorn: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”
Our new deacons will have many gifts and they will, I’m sure, receive a warmer welcome than Jesus got in his home synagogue.
But they will, sooner or later, encounter that lack of faith which amazed Jesus. They will hear success stories from some of those sent out on mission like the Twelve in Sunday’s Gospel, which make their own efforts seem feeble and their results pathetic.
It is then that they will need to turn to Paul and his contentment with “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”
This is not a resignation to apathy and joyless stoicism, but to an ever deeper commitment in prayer and service to Christ who as Paul said in last Sunday’s epistle, “became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
We thank God that so many have answered his call to service in our city. We pray for them as they embark on their ministry.
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: Asia Bibi. Ella Carroll, James Cary-Elwes, Ian Coull, Paul Curno, Helen Everett, Jonty Gordon, Hugo Gralka, Fr Tony Halton, Tim Harding, Yvonne Harland, Lewis Harvey, Maxwell Hutchinson, Alice Jullien, Andrew Laird, Tom Leader, Anthea Lepper, Joshua Levy, William Lightening, Christine Loffty, Simon MacGregor, Sister Martha (SMNC Tanzania), Hilary Morgan, Margaret O’Brien, David Pearce, Nick Russell, Jock Scott, Fr. Nicholas Stacey, Buzz Stokes, Christine van Dyck, Joy Wright and Marc Young.
For the recently departed: Peter Blackwell, Philip Harland (whose funeral will take place at All Saints on a date yet to be agreed), Betty Faulkner, Agnes Hagan, Monica O’Connor, those murdered at Emanuel Church, Charleston, Monica O’Connor, Michael Pearson (Priest), Marjory Grosvenor, Molly Leng, Hugo Gralka, those murdered in Tunisia (including specifically Janet and John Stocker), Peggy Leeman and Bruce Barnett- Cowan (Priest).
Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week including: Phillip Smith (Benefactor), Molly Mather, Lucy Wentworth-Reeve, Wilfred Burling, Tom Sanders, Doreen Davis, Grace Harrison, Flying Officer Gordon Arthur RAF (killed in action 1941), Aileen Buxton (former Sacristan, All Saints), David Botsford, Mabel Pearce and Laurence Olivier (member of the All Saints Choir School and later renowned actor/theatre manager).
WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY 5 JULY – FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Missa Omnium Sanctorum – Hutchings
Pange lingua gloriosum – Bob Chilcott
The Vicar is preaching at St Peter’s Southfield this morning.
Sunday Lunch is being cooked by Geoffrey Woodcock and Philip Payne. Tickets on sale in the Parish Room before and after Mass – £5.
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
The Wells Service – Malcolm Archer
Unser Lieben Frauen Traum – Reger
Sunday 5 July, 7.15pm (after Benediction) – ORGAN RECITAL – NICHOLAS MANNOUKAS, Dr John Birch Organ Scholar at All Saints since September 2013. Programme: J. S. Bach Prelude and fugue in B minor BWV544; Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein BWV641; In dir ist Freude BWV615. J Rheinberger: Intermezzo from Sonata no. 6, op. 119. C M Widor: From Symphonie no. 4, op. 13 iii. Dolce, iv. Scherzo, vi. Finale. Retiring collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints (suggested donation £4). After the recital, if the weather is fine, drinks will be sold in the Courtyard and the All Saints Licensed Club/Bar below the Church will be closed.
WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 12 JULY – SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
HIGH MASS, 11am
Father Michael Bowie
Missa Brevis – Leighton
Ave Virgo sanctissima – Guerrero
Sunday Lunch is being cooked by Frances O’Neil. Tickets on sale in the Parish Room before and after Mass – £5.
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Father Julian Browning
The Gloucester Service – Howells
Hail, gladdening light – Wood
NOTICES
ALL SAINTS’ CORPUS CHRISTI 2015 PHOTOGRAPHS now available to view on the All Saints’ website. To see the success of this year’s procession: http://www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/about/photos/201506~Corpus%20Christi%202015.
And please mark Saturday 15 August, 12 noon in your diaries for the HIGH MASS OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (with circular outdoor procession from Church along Oxford Street and back to Church).
PENNY BOX COLLECTIONS (in aid of the All Saints Foundation) – COUNTING
Please return your Penny Boxes for counting – either to Church on Sundays 12 and 19 July or to the Parish Office Monday – Friday 9am – 1pm or 2 – 5pm. Thank you!
EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS in JULY
Thursday 9 July, 6.30pm – FUNERAL MASS for Philip Harland. All welcome. Family flowers only please with donations in memory of Philip to the All Saints Foundation. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
Saturday 11 July, Devotions to Our Lady of Walsingham will take place at 11.30 am followed by Low Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 12 noon.
EVENTS ELSEWHERE in JULY
Saturday 4 July – ALL SAINTS’ WALSINGHAM CELL DAY PILGRIMAGE – All Saints’ Walsingham Cell will be making a day pilgrimage to Salisbury Cathedral. This is in the tradition of its highly successful pilgrimages in recent years to other cathedral cities. Everybody is welcome. Please contact Ross Buchanan on 020 7221 1312 if you are interested or would like to know more.
Saturday 4 July at 3pm, St. CYPRIANS CHURCH, CLARENCE GATE, NW1 6AX – CHORAL EVENING PRAYER & BENEDICTION – Responses Responses Ayleward; Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis Stanford in G; Anthem Britten Rejoice in the Lamb. With the St. Cyprian’s Singers. Directed by: Julian Collings
Thursday 9 July, 6-30pm – 8pm, St Paul’s Cathedral – LEARNING TO WALK IN THE DARK – Barbara Brown Taylor, Episcopal priest, Professor of Religion at Piedmont College, Georgia and author of best-selling guides to the Christian spiritual life. Free admission/all welcome.
Friday 17 – Monday 20 July – ALL SAINTS’ PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM, led by Fr Julian Browning.
Saturday 1 August 2015 – A Churches Together In Westminster Event – FESTIVAL OF THE EASTERN CATHOLIC CHURCHES at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family, Duke Street, W1. 10.30am Syro-Malabar Qurbana – Sung Liturgy in English. 4.30pm Ukrainian Catholic Great Vespers in English. The day includes: Films: Kerala, Cradle of Christianity in SE Asia,Aramaic, Jesus, India & Music: the Syro-Malabar Church; a Talk: The Music of the Syro-Malabar Church by Revd Dr Joseph Palackal; The Suffering Eastern Churches: Presentation from John Newton, Aid to the Church in Need. All welcome (requested Fee – £10, including donation for Aid to the Church in Need). Please bring a packed lunch – tea and coffee provided. Booking essential at – johnchrysostom@btinternet.com.
ALL SAINTS RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATE
The last of the long-awaited glass lampshades has now been fitted, so that all five pendant lights are fully illuminated. Still to come is the fitting of the specially made light fittings for the choir stalls (to be attached to the wrought iron grilles). When all are in place we will be able to fine-tune the settings of the overall lighting scheme, although some of this work will have to wait until the darker days of autumn.
As well as the lighting, the switchover of the complete new wiring above and below decks to new electric meters has now taken place. The smoke detection system has been installed and activated.
Funds for the project continue to be raised and the total received at the time of writing is now a splendid £408,750.
As this complex project reaches its conclusion, and the final invoices are received, we have recently had a number of generous gifts that have eliminated the loans of £35,000 that we initially relied upon for the project to get underway. Any more gifts will allow us a small reserve against the final cost of the works. If there are any surplus funds when all bills are paid, these will go towards future restoration projects at All Saints.
We are indebted to all those donors who gave so generously to replace the out-dated electrics and to relight the church so that all the achievements of earlier phases of restoration work are now revealed. Thank you!
HOW YOU CAN HELP………. please make cheques payable to:
All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and send them to:
The Parish Administrator, 7 Margaret Street, London W1W 8JG.
Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied or send in a completed Gift Aid envelope from in church, 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 for collected at All Saints for mission activities in 2014 was £6,463 through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. £3,463 went to the Marylebone Project and a further £3,000 to Us (formerly USPG).
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 has contributed so generously recently – a good number of parcels and bags of food and household essentials have been left in Church or handed in to the Parish Office recently and we shall need to arrange a drop off to the Project to deliver them. Thank you!
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 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 or tell them about our website www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk, which has a full colour 360 virtual tour for viewing the wonderfully restored interior of the Church – see www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/history/virtualtour – before a visit or if unable to travel.
* 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. 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@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 – 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.