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All Saints Parish Newsletter

Friday 15 February 2013 at 12:31

 Dear Friends,

The readings at the Eucharist on the First Sunday in Lent this year begin with what sounds like instructions for a harvest festival.  The passage from Deuteronomy looks forward to the life of the people of Israel in the Promised Land after their liberation from bondage in Egypt in the Exodus and their wilderness wanderings.

But they are not to forget those formative experiences, so the prayer which those who bring the first fruits of their harvest to offer to God recalls the mighty acts of God which have brought them to this place. Words are given to the people.

The Church’s equivalent of this is the remembrance in creed and Eucharistic prayer of the acts of God in creating and redeeming us.

The Israelites moved from being a nomadic people to being a settled agricultural community. Most of us have no first fruits to offer in the sense of things we have grown. So instead we bring money. We bring too the gifts of bread and wine which represent the work of agriculture and industry and commerce on which our city-dwelling lives depend.  (The escalating horsemeat scandal is a reminder of the complex network on which we depend for the means of life.) We offer gifts to God, from whom we received them, so that they might become food for our souls as they are for our bodies.  

We are also given words; the words of Scripture and liturgy.  

St. Paul quotes Deuteronomy in the Epistle:  “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.”

Jesus, in the Temptation story in Luke’s Gospel, quotes the same book three times, to rebuff the Devil’s temptations to abuse his power.  

But the devil too can quote Scripture, so we must beware.  Before ordination, I had to pass an exam called “Use of the Bible.” It was jokingly known as “Abuse of the Bible.”  We can abuse scripture when we use it to condemn others, rather than allowing it to transform ourselves.

The verses from Deuteronomy which Jesus quotes are apply  to us in our Christian lives. We are to make life more than the satisfaction of physical needs; we are to worship and serve God alone; and we are not to put God to the test.

Fr. Alan Moses

Please pray for Christopher Ryan, Michael Harris, Linda Orme, Mary Barnet, Joshua Levy, Audrey Patterson, Celia Shore, Michael Sullivan, Rachel Clayton, Heather Walker, Brian Sparkes, John Rogers, Mason Jacobson, Barbara Laws, David Day, Timothy Montgomery, Timothy Harding, Andrew Tillyard, Jonathan Jennings, Melanie, Rosie Flack, Richard Turner, Isabelle Stoughton, Fred Mansfield, Martin Sergeant, Rosemary Harris, Eleanor Chapman, Bishop Stephen Conway, Robert Haldane, Deacon Andrew O’Connor. The Recently Departed: Marguerite Crill, Duncan Pingrift, Sheila Miller, Gilbert Rodway, John Gilmour, Mark Dalby. At the anniversary of their death: Frederick John Howard, Letty Attlee, Jack Hope, Alice Bennett (Lill) MacKay, Guida Crowley, Joan Williams, John Sanders Vickery

 

We have been given 6 deluxe Selfridge’s Wicker Hampers (admittedly they are left over from Christmas but are worth £175 each). The downside to this bargain is that the sell-by date is 28th Feb, though the absolute majority much of the hamper will last much longer as you will see from the list below.
FESTIVE SPARKLE HAMPER worth £175 – Selfridges Afternoon Tea Bags 30g, Selfridges Brandy Butter 140g, Selfridges Cafetière Coffee Medium Roast 250g, Selfridges English Chocolate Selection 105g, Selfridges English Strawberry Jam 340g, Selfridges Handmade English Fudge 100g, Selfridges Handmade Chocolate Dipped Butter Shortbread Biscuits 200g, Selfridges Handmade Savoury Thyme Biscuits 150g, Selfridges Chocolate Coins 109g, Selfridges Panettone 1000g, Selfridges Piccalilli 180g, Selfridges Christmas Pudding 450g, Selfridges Chianti 75cl, Selfridges Brut Champagne 75cl.
Mrs. Beeton always said that the perfect summer picnic should include a Christmas Pudding… this could be the means by which you get a Christmas Pudding in February for June/ July! If you would be interested in a “Festive Hamper” we will sell them for £75 each in aid of the Restoration Fund. (Better than half price! FIRST COME FIRST SERVED). Cheques Made Payable to “All Saints PCC Restoration Appeal” please. Thank you to Rebecca Hirst for arranging this. ONLY ONE LEFT.

 

St Cyprian’s Lent Course– Will be studying "Feast and Fast" by Christina Rees. Evening one is at Mary Ashwin’s home on Thursday 14th February at 7.15pm. Further details from Fr. Gerald Beauchamp. Email: gerald.beauch@btconnect.com

 

All Saints Lent Course– "Joy: The Meaning of the Sacraments" – We will be using the book of this title by Peter Wadell, Dean of Chapel at the University of Winchester. Published by Canterbury Press at 12.99. – Thursdays at 11am in the Vicarage – Please let the Parish Office know if you would like to take part.
Feb 21. Sharing Joy: the Eucharist.
Feb 28. Joy Heals: Reconciliation.
Mar 7. Joy Heals: Anointing the Sick.
Mar 14. Joy Bears Fruit: Ordination.
Mar 21. Joy Bears Fruit: Marriage.

 

Friday 22nd February 7:05pm Stations of the Cross

 

Saturday 23rd February – Poetry Tea at Paul Weston & John McWhinney’s moorings in Wapping.2:30pm. All welcome. Please bring poems or prose relating to the River Thames. The official film given to participants in last year’s River Pageant will also be shown. To accept, or to find out Paul & Johns address please speak with them after Mass or email them at paul@hcmoorings.org. A donation towards the Restoration Appeal would be appreciated.

Ten-to-One-Talks – This series of talks on our building and its meaning, given by the Vicar, resumes in March.

March 3. The Choir

March 10. The High Altar

March 17. The Reredos

Each talks lasts 10 minutes

THE KING of INSTRUMENTS A series of short organ recitals at 7.15pm Charles Andrews, Associate Director of Music following Solemn Evensong and Benediction on our superb 1910 four-manual Harrison & Harrison organ. Sunday 10th March

Monday 11th March 7:30pm –The Licensing by The Bishop of Southwark of Fr. John Pritchard as Priest-in-Charge, St John The Evangelist, Upper Norwood SE19 2RX – (Nearest Train Station – Crystal Palace). ALL WELCOME

The retreat this year will be at Bishop Woodford House, Ely, from Friday 15th March to Sunday 17th March. Fr. Neil Bunker will conduct the retreat. Martin Woolley will happily receive expressions of interest, and enquiries, on 020 7436 2858, 07976 275 383 or at m.g.woolley@btinternet.com (The order of receipt will be carefully noted to enable peaceful allocation of rooms and facilities.) A fully informative letter will be issued in due course to those who put their names down.