Weekly Email – The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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Dear friends,
In a few weeks’ time, the Diocese of London will be visited over the weekend of 11th-14th October by a group from our ecumenical partners in the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg. This forms part of a significant partnership between our diocese and the Church in Berlin, which has existed for some years now. Once every two years a theological conference takes place either in London or Berlin. This year it is London’s turn to host.
We look forward to welcoming our German brothers and sisters, and I am pleased to announce that the German delegation will be with us on the evening of Sunday 13th October for Evensong and Benediction at All Saints’. This will be followed by a special drinks reception in church in their honour, to which all are welcome. It would be particularly good to see parishioners of All Saints’ present on that occasion to welcome our German guests and to chat with them.
The Church of Berlin-Brandenburg has a fascinating history, but is possibly not all that well known to Anglicans, and especially not to Anglo-Catholics. Our Berlin friends trace their history to the Church of the Prussian Union, which represented a bringing together of Calvinist and Lutheran theological traditions. Whilst the local population of Brandenburg had, since the Reformation, been mainly Lutheran in outlook and pretty iconodule in worship, the ruling house of Hohenzollern had become Calvinist in 1613. In 1817 these two communities united in a single church at the behest of King Frederick William III. The church which emerged combined the traditions and worship of both bodies.
In preparation for this important German visit, our next Zoom Theology seminar on Wednesday 25th September will focus on the history and theology of the Church of Berlin-Brandenburg. It will be an opportunity to learn more about the history of the Church in Berlin, their present life and theological outlook, and the main focusses of their mission and ministry. Along with times of terrible crisis and darkness during the Nazi period in the 20th Century, the Church in Berlin also has a remarkable history of saintly resistance and heroic witness during both the Nazi and Communist dictatorships, and the division of their city.
I am so pleased that Dr Christof Theilemann has agreed to speak to us from Berlin about the history of his church. He is the Director of the Berlin church’s principal mission agency and is an accomplished ecumenist and friend of the Church of England. He will be joined by Dr Brian Leathard, who is the London coordinator of our ecumenical link with Berlin. Fr Brian is Vicar of St Luke’s Chelsea, and an outstanding Germanist. You can find out more about the online seminar, along with the Zoom link, here.
It preparation for the arrival of our German guests, a general appeal has been put out to parishes to see if there are any people who might be able to host someone from the German delegation from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September. The idea is that our German guests have the opportunity to spend the Saturday in their partner hosts’ parishes, staying with parishioners and clergy and learning more about Anglican life and worship. If anyone thinks they might be able to put up a German guest, please be in touch with me and let me know.
I ask you to keep our Diocese’s partnership with Berlin in your prayers, and especially to put the Zoom Theology Seminar on 25th September and Evensong on 13th October in your diaries so that we can both learn more about the history and traditions of our German guests, and get to know them better in a spirit of friendship, fellowship and Christian love.
Fr Peter
What a fascinating evening we had on Tuesday night visiting the Fitzrovia Chapel, the former chapel of the Middlesex Hospital, just around the corner from All Saints’. Dr James Thomson gave us a wonderful tour of the building, recounting what it was like as a working hospital chapel when he was active there as a surgeon. We then finished the evening with a splendid Italian supper at Sergio’s.
No Monday Livestream
The funeral of John Andrews, for 49 years the landlord of the King’s Arms pub, will take place on Monday 16th September at 12 noon. There will consequently be no livestream of the 12 noon Mass that day.
Homeless shelter
An important part of being a Christian is to show our faith through practical action and love of neighbour. All Saints’ will be collaborating this year in the running of the winter homelessness shelter at the American International Church on Tottenham Court Road, which is organised under the aegis of the homelessness charity C4WS.
Homeless guests are given a bed for the night at the American Church, and on a two occasions this winter All Saints’ will staff the shelter for the night. A number of volunteers are needed to prepare beds, cook, serve and share a meal, staff the shelter over night and then prepare breakfast in the morning.
The two dates on which All Saints’ staffs the shelter this winter are: Wednesday 6th-Thursday 7th of November 2024; and Wednesday 5th-Thursday 6th February, 2025.
If you wish to volunteer for this important work, please be in touch with our parish office (office@asms.uk).
You can find out more about C4WS, the charity with which we will be working in the running of a homeless shelter at the Tottenham Court Road American Church this winter here.
Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham:
24th September
All are welcome to join us for a said Mass with hymns at 6.30pm on Tuesday 24th September 2024. There will be a brief meeting of the Parish Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham, followed by refreshments. The Cell is essentially a group of prayer and fellowship, centring its members on the example of Mary through her manifestation at Walsingham – ‘England’s Nazareth’. Should you like more information, or to be admitted to the Cell, please contact Fr Alan, or Sheelagh Gudgeon.
Changes to weekly service schedule
There is now a new 8.30 am early Low Mass on Sundays. We hope this will be of use to those who prefer to worship earlier in the day, or who might find it difficult to get to the 11.00 am High Mass.
In addition, there will now be a Holy Hour involving exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 5.30 pm on Wednesdays before the evening Mass.
Dinner at Sergio’s Italian restaurant on Wednesday evening after our parish tour of the Fitzrovia Chapel.
Zoom Theology Seminar Programme 2024-25
Our Zoom Theology Seminar programme for the next 12 months is out now. We will be covering a fascinating range of topics over the next year: the history of the German Church; the lives and witness of Medieval women; the thought of Soren Kirkegaard; the Council of Nicaea; Anglo-Catholic greats such as Dom Bernard Clement and Thomas McKee Brown; and the contribution of enslaved biblical writers and scribes.
You can read more about the programme with further details and the Zoom link here.
In person formation: Pearl with Dr Charlotte Gauthier
Join us for the first of this Autumn’s in-person study opportunities on Wednesday 16th October at 7.00 pm. A light supper will be provided.
Pearl is one of the most important literary survivals of the 14th century: a beautiful meditation on love, loss, death, and grief that still possesses the power to move the modern reader. Together we’ll explore some of the major theological themes and images of Pearl – including grace, sanctification, and the Eucharist – which the anonymous author has drawn largely from the Gospel of Matthew.
Dr Charlotte Gauthier is an historian of church and state in late medieval/early modern England. She is also Assistant Director of Discipleship – overseeing lay training – for the Diocese of Southwark.
She recommends the translation by Jane Beal, but this is not essential.
Please register for this event here.
James Thomson gives our group from All Saints’ a fascinating insight into the life and history of the Fitzrovia chapel when it was a working chapel of the Middlesex Hospital, as he begins his tour of the building.
Attendance last Sunday
Flowers
The flowers are given by Antonietta, in loving memory of David Robin, on the second anniversary of his death.
If you would like to make a donation for flowers or the courtyard garden, please contact Shawn via the office.
Prayer List
The Friends of All Saints’ Margaret Street:
September 15th – Kirill Dashkovskiy, Christopher Davies, Peter Dennis, Laura Denton, Joshua Dolphin
16th – Linda Edwards, Pamela Edwards, Dr Terrence Ellsworth, Carolyn Farrar
17th – Sue Feakin, Adrian Felaar, Elizabeth Ferguson, Daniel Fielden, Janice Fielden, Nigel Fisher, Mark Fleming
18th – Stuart Fletcher, Christopher Forman, Antony Fox, Dr Ralph Donald Fram, Dr Jason Frost, Derrick French, Charlotte Gauthier, Dr Rebecca Gibbs, Margaret Goddard, Paul Golding, John Goldsmith
19th – Genevieve Gomi, Jack de Gruiter, Canon Michael Gudgeon, Sheelagh Gudgeon, Ginger and Del Hall, Monica Joan Hall
20th – Canon Richard Hanford, Paul Hannah, Jillian Hargreaves, Patrick Hartley, The Rev’d Canon Jeremy Haselock
21st – Eoghan Healy, Rebecca Hirst, Fr. David Hobden, James and Gwendoline Holdcroft, The Rev’d Canon Graham Holcombe, Rosy Holt, Bishop David Hope
22nd – Richard Hoskinson, Fr David Hutt, Alfred Imhoff, David James, Andrew Jervis, Stephen Jury, Malcolm Kemp
The sick:
Theresa & Augustina Baier, Stewart Buckingham, Fr John Burniston, David Craig, Tony Hawkins, Fr Stephen Heard, Fr Harry Hodgetts, Arthur Johnson, Katherine Lee, Elizabeth Lyon, James Rodger, Christine Vaughn-Lillie
The faithful departed:
Caroline Gibbons, John Andrews, Bruce Ross-Smith
Those whose anniversaries of death fall at this time:
September 15th – Augusta Kirby, Gwen Duckett, Richard Dinnis Pr, Henrietta Osler?
16th – Evelyn Hutt, Virginia Ambridge, Flora Subbiah
17th – Arthur Bourchier, Allan Duggan
20th – Guy Fleming Pr, Greville Howard, Anthony Andrews Pr, Susan Gill
21st – James Wright, Mary Baddeley
22nd – Anthony Alsopp, Andrew Braybrooke
Service times this week
Saturday 15th September – of Our Lady
12.00 noon Mass
6.00 pm Confessions
6.30 pm Vigil Mass
Sunday 15th September – THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
8.30 am Low Mass
11.00 am Solemn Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Evensong and Benediction
Monday 16th September – Ss. Cornelius and Cyprian, B Ms
12.00 noon Funeral of John Andrews
6.30 pm Mass
Tuesday 17th September – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Wednesday 18th September – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
5.30 pm Holy Hour
6.30 pm Mass
Thursday 19th September – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Friday 20th September – St Andrew Kim Taegon, Pr, & all Martyrs of Korea and the Pacific
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Saturday 21st September – St Matthew the Apostle
12.00 noon Mass
6.00 pm Confessions
6.30 pm Vigil Mass
Sunday 22nd September – TRINITY XVII
8.30 am Low Mass
11.00 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Evensong and Benediction