Weekly email – Advent 4
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Dear friends,
We are about to head into one of the most joyful and busy weeks of the year as we celebrate in a number of ways the birth of our Saviour.
The first thing to mention is the Christmas organ recital which Jeremiah Stephenson, our Associate Director of Music, is performing tonight in aid of our Choir and Music Trust Fund. I am very grateful indeed to Jeremiah for offering this festive selection of organ music and improvisation on well known carols.
The programme includes: Dupré’s Variations sur un vieux Noël; plus improvisation on a series of well known and loved Christmas carols. Tickets are £15 each and you can book here.
Every penny we take at the door tonight will go to support the musical tradition for which our parish is widely known, and will ensure our parish has the resources it needs to fund the choir for generations to come. Please make sure you buy a ticket and come along tonight.
This Sunday’s liturgies in the morning will mark the last Sunday of Advent, and then the evening will see our parish Christmas Carol Service, with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 6.00 pm. Do come in good time in order to secure a seat. Music will include: Adam lay bounden, Martin; Puer Natus, Byrd; Lo, that is a marvellous change, Moore; and Quem vidistis pastores?, Poulenc.
It will be such a joy to belt out some of our favourite carols, which will include: O Little Town of Bethlehem; O come all ye faithful; Of the Father’s heart begotten; Come thou Redeemer of the earth; and It came upon a midnight clear.
On Christmas Eve we will be offering two solemn celebrations of the Mass to enable the largest possible number of people to be with us to celebrate the feast. Please come to whichever time is most convenient for you.
The First High Mass of Christmas will be celebrated at 6.30pm and will finish with the blessing of the Crib. The music will include: Haydn’s Missa Sancti Gabrielis; and Davies’ O Little Town of Bethlehem; along with carols Once in Royal David’s City, Silent Night, and God rest you merry, gentlemen.
The High Mass of Midnight will be celebrated at 11.00 pm and will finish with devotions at the crib. The music at the Midnight Mass will include Mozart’s Missa Brevis in C; and Rutter’s What Sweeter Music; along with carols O come all ye faithful, While Shpeherds watched, and Hark the Herald Angels sing.
Christmas Day will see the Mass of the Dawn celebrated at 8.30 am. The High Mass of the Day will be at 11.00 am. The music will include: Haydn’s Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo; and Sweelinck’s Hodie Christus natus est; along with carols Christians awake, salute the happy morn; What child is this?; and A great and mighty wonder.
May I remind you that on the Sunday between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day (i.e. this year Sunday 28th December), it is our long-standing tradition not to offer any public liturgies in the evening. There will, therefore, be neither a Low Mass at 5.15 pm nor Evensong and Benediction at 6.00 pm on 28th December.
I look forward to celebrating with you all over the coming days the birth of our Saviour and the dawn of our salvation.
Fr Peter
Parish Office
Please note that the Parish Office closes at 6 pm on Christmas Eve and re-opens on Monday, 5 January. The Parish Administrator will monitor the email at the time for any urgent matters. Messages can still be left on the office phone number.
We were very pleased to host on Monday evening the Young Women’s Group organised under the auspices of the Bishop of Fulham by Fidelium. The group meets regularly for an evening of fellowship, prayer and study. Be in touch with Charlotte Choley-Kovacevic if you would like to know more.
Christmas confessions
Priests will be available at the following times to hear confessions during Advent in preparation for Christmas:
Saturday 20th Dec 2025: 5-6pm
Fr Peter Anthony & Fr Alan Rimmer
Monday 22nd Dec 2025: 5-6pm
Fr Graeme Rowlands & Fr Alan Rimmer
Tuesday 23rd Dec 2025: 5-6pm
Fr David Houlding & Fr Peter Anthony
Wednesday 24th Dec 2025: 11am-12 noon
Fr Peter Anthony & Fr Alan Rimmer
The parish clergy are also available to hear confessions by appointment, and also on Saturdays in the regular 6.00 pm weekly slot.
American Friends of All Saints’
There will be a drinks party held on Friday 20th March 2026 at the House of the Redeemer, New York City at 6.30 pm to celebrate the contribution to our parish’s life made by the American Friends of All Saints’, Margaret Street.
It will also be an opportunity for Fr Peter to speak about our Music Fundraising Campaign and to introduce our new Music Patrons Scheme.
We hope this special occasion will be an opportunity for American Friends who live in or near New York to re-connect with All Saints’ and for us to thank our American benefactors for their support. Both Fr Alan and Fr Peter will be present.
This drinks party will be proceeded by a Mass celebrated by Fr Peter in the Chapel of the House of the Redeemer at 6.00 pm, giving thanks for the life of All Saints’, for any who wish to attend.
f you live anywhere near New York City, do put this event on Friday 20th March in your diaries and come and see us. It will be wonderful to see new friends and old. You can book a ticket for the event via Eventbrite here.
We are very grateful indeed to Simon Rainey for contributing the champagne at a splendid Gaudete Sunday drinks party in our parish courtyard last Sunday – many thanks indeed, Simon, for you generosity!
Winter Night shelter volunteers
Please be in touch with Fr Alan if you are able to assist running the night shelter we help to staff on the Tottenham Court Road on January 7th/8th. The main shift is 6-9pm, and 7-9am for breakfast. Email: assistantpriest@asms.uk
Parishioners of All Saints’ enjoy the Gaudete Sunday drinks party after the High Mass – very much “in the pink”!
Join the All Saints’ Music Patrons
Please consider taking out membership of our Music Patrons Scheme. This involves donating at least £10 a month to our Music and Choir Trust.
The Patrons Scheme continues to grow steadily. So far the number of Patrons has increased since we reported last to 19 people, contributing between them £630 per month. This equates to £7,560 per year (a total of £9,072 with Gift Aid).
To join the Music Patrons of All Saints’, simply set up a regular gift of at least £10 a month via this link. If you are an American tax payer, you can become a Music Patron by making a regular gift of at least $15 a month via our Chapel and York account here.
Gaudete Sunday drinks in our parish courtyard after the High Mass.
Attendance last Sunday
For your prayers
The Friends of All Saints Margaret Street
21st – Eoghan Healy, Rebecca Hirst, Fr David Hobden & Catherine Hobden, James & Gwendoline Holdcroft, Fr Graham Holcombe, Edwin Holmes, Rosy Holt, Bishop David Hope
22nd – Richard Hoskinson, Marissa Howard-McNatt, Fr David Hutt, Alfred Imhoff, David James, Andrew Jervis, Powell Johann, Stephen Jury, Malcolm Kemp
23rd – Alan Kimbrough, Brenda Koupis, Stanislav Kudryashov, Christopher Laws, Margaret Leggett
24th – Cornelius Logue, Frau Dr Christiane Loidl-Rainey, Nigel Lynn, Henry Macey, Fr Michael Maine, Bishop Michael Marshall, David Mason, Robert Mason, Graham Mather
25th – Judith Mather, Fr Stephen McClatchie, John McWhinney, Peter Medine, Colin Menzies, Amanda Miller
26th – Thomas Moller, Michael Mortensen, Barry Moore, Deacon Christopher Morash, Grace Morgan, Heather Morgan, Dr John Morrell, Fr Stephen Morris, Inger Mosbery, Lachlan Moyle, Carol Mundell
27th – Christopher Naylor, Brian Newman, Barry Newsome, Letitia Nicholl, Elaine Norman, Richard North, Fr Paul Ockford
The sick
Jean Castledine, David Craig, Edward Burns, Asuncion Ginés, Pat Hawkins, Fr Harry Hodgetts, Daniel Oliver, Verena Reisinger, James Rodger, Ingrid Slaughter, Juliet Windham
Recently departed
Peter Roberts, Pr
Anniversaries of death
21st – Charles Hillier, Adam Reddington, Harry Nuttall
22nd – Elizabeth Ross, Anthony Greek, Richard Routledge, Helen Turner
23rd – Harold Pobjoy Pr, Anne Scott
24th – Cynthia Tucker, Miriam Smith, Augustus Thompson, Paul De Fortis Pr, Doreen Forde
26th – Hugh Warren Pr, Lennox Berkeley
27th – Desmond Berk, Kenneth Bond
Services this week
Saturday 20 December – O Clavis David
12 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Confessions
6.30 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday
Sunday 21 December – ADVENT IV (O Oriens)
8.30 am Low Mass
11 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Nine Lessons and Carols with Benediction
Monday 22 December – O Rex Gentium
12 pm Low Mass
5.00 pm Confessions: Fr Rowlands & Fr Rimmer
6.30 pm Low Mass
Tuesday 23 December – O Emmanuel
12 pm Low Mass
5.00 pm Confessions: Fr Anthony & Fr Rimmer
6.30 pm Low Mass
Wednesday 24 December – Christmas Eve
12 pm Low Mass of Christmas Eve (last mass of Advent)
6.30 pm First High Mass of the Nativity
11 pm Midnight Mass
Thursday 25 December – THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD
8.30 am Mass of the Dawn
11 am High Mass of Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – St Stephen Protomartyr
12 pm Low Mass
Saturday 27 December – St John the Divine
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday
Sunday 28 December – THE HOLY FAMILY (Christmas I)
8.30 am Low Mass
11 am High Mass