All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear friends,

I am pleased to be able to report very good news concerning the progress of our Choir and Music Trust Appeal, which is now entering its final weeks. We hope to conclude these fundraising efforts on All Saints’ Day at the beginning of November.

Our PCC met last night and made the significant decision to apportion to the Music Appeal a large share of an exceptionally generous legacy left after his death to our parish by Jack de Gruiter.

Many will remember Jack and will know how much the musical life of our parish meant to him. It is very fitting indeed that his generosity to us should be used to strengthen the resources our parish possesses for the provision of music. His gift will help ensure the continuation of the musical tradition which he so loved for generations to come.

Last night’s PCC decision devotes the significant sum of £80,000 to our Music Trust. Jack’s legacy brings the running total of the amount we have raised over the past ten months to £719,439.39.

I am sure you will want to rejoice in this magnificent achievement, and to give thanks for Jack’s generosity to our parish.

As we look forward to the remaining weeks of our appeal, the most important thing needing our attention is the Gala Fundraising Dinner which will take place on Thursday 29th October.

We are now appealing for help to sponsor the many costs associated with the dinner. The more items are covered by sponsorship before the evening, the higher the proportion of the £100 ticket price each person pays will be profit which will go to our Fundraising Appeal.

I am so grateful for the significant sums of sponsorship we have already received for the dinner, amounting to around £2,500. However, I enclose with this email a list of some of the costs which still need covering. If you are able to consider covering some of these expenses, we would be hugely grateful.

It may be that you can’t come to the dinner, or live far away or abroad, but would like to contribute to the evening. This would be an excellent way of doing that. Have a look at the sponsorship document I enclose and ponder whether you might be able to help us. Any donation would be gratefully received.

Please also do not forget to buy a ticket for the dinner itself if you are able to come. They are going fast! Tickets are £100 each. Dress is black tie or equivalent for ladies. You can book your place here.

Let us commit these last few weeks of fundraising efforts to God’s hands and ask him to continue to bless the huge amounts of hard work undertaken by so many to support this appeal. My heart-felt thanks go out to all those who have contributed in any way to this appeal over the past year. Let’s work together for this last big push to raise funds in these last weeks and to get ourselves over the line of the November close of the appeal.

With my thanks,

Fr Peter

Happy Birthday, Naomi!

Many happy returns to Naomi Slippe who celebrates her birthday today. She is kindly sponsoring the cost of the music at the High Mass on Sunday, and also offering a glass of wine after the High Mass in the courtyard to all present to celebrate her birthday. We are very grateful indeed for her generosity and for all she does to support All Saints’.

Guest preacher: Bishop Emma Ineson

We are honoured that the Acting Bishop of London, Emma Ineson, will be visiting All Saints’ to preach at the High Mass on Sunday 18th October 2026. Bishop Emma is the Bishop of Kensington and also, at the moment, the acting Bishop of the Two Cities Episcopal Area.

Please make a special effort to be present to welcome Bishop Emma.

Zoom Theology – The kids are alright: How Gen Z found the Church of England

Our next Zoom Theology seminar will be given by Esmé Partridge on Tuesday 27th October 2026 at 7.30pm. Esmé is Senior Researcher at Civitas, and Fellow of Civic Future. Her work focuses on young adults, faith and the contemporary Church of England.

There has been much talk in recent years of a renewed interest in Christianity amongst younger people. But what does that actually look like? Why do some young adults turn towards faith, and what expressions of the Church of England are attracting them most?

Esmé Partridge’s research explores the experiences, relationships and questions along the journeys by which young adults are coming to faith.

In this session, she will introduce the findings of her recent report for the think-tank Theos, “Understanding Young Adult Journeys to Faith in the Church of England,” and invite us to consider what they might mean for the future of the Church, and the experience of our parish.

Participants are encouraged to read the document before the session. You can download it here, and the Zoom link to join the online seminar is here.

RIP Harry Bramma

Harry Bramma’s Funeral Mass will take place at Southwark Cathedral on Thursday 8th October at 2.00 pm, and will be followed by a reception. The celebrant will be the Dean of Southwark and the preacher will be Fr Alan Moses.

A special Evensong will take place at All Saints’ in Harry’s memory on Sunday 25th October 2027 at 6.00 pm. The service will include music by Harry and will be followed by a drinks reception in his honour.

The Lloyd Webber Connection

On a Sunday 4th October, we will be celebrating the music of our former Director of Music William Lloyd Webber by having music by him at all the sung liturgies of the day.

The High Mass will include his Mass in E and The Table of the Lord is spread. Evensong and Benediction will be sung to his Evening Service in E, the anthem will be Most Glorious Lord of Lyfe, Benediction will include his O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo, and the Organ Voluntary will be from his Trio.

We are exceptionally honoured that his son, Andrew Lloyd Webber has agreed to come and make a short address at a drinks reception in church after Evensong to be held in honour of his father.

Visiting Confessors

A series of visiting confessors will be available to hear confessions over the coming months at the following times:

Thursday 17th September 5.00 pm – Bishop Lindsay Urwin
Tuesday 24th November 11.00 am – Fr Barry Orford
Saturday 5th December 5.00 pm – Bishop Peter Wheatley
Friday 18th December 5.00 pm – Bishop Peter Wheatley
Saturday 19th December 5.00 pm – Bishop Lindsay Urwin
Tuesday 22nd December 5.00 pm – Bishop Lindsay Urwin
Wednesday 23rd December 5.00 pm – Fr Barry Orford

In addition to these times, the parish clergy hear confessions each Saturday at 6.00 pm and are very happy to hear confessions at other times by appointment.

Parish Walk

Our next parish walk will take place on Saturday 24th October 2026. It will be around 8 miles long, mostly flat, between Paddock Wood and Tonbridge, taking in the Marc Chagall windows at All Saints’, Tudeley. Meet at Charing Cross Station for the 10.04 Dover Priory train to Paddock Wood. Be in touch with Fr Alan for further details

Homeless Shelter Volunteering

Each winter, we seek to show the love of God for our neighbour by staffing the nearby over-night homeless shelter at the American Church on Tottenham Church Road.

We now have the dates of the shelters which All Saints’ will be running:

11th – 12th November 2026
16th – 17th December 2026
13th – 14th January 2027
17th – 18th February 2027
10th – 11th March 2027

For each evening, we need a team lead to oversee the smooth running of the evening, a kitchen lead to cook, five other helpers, and a male and female overnighter. The following morning, we need a team lead and three further volunteers to run breakfast.

There are lots of different ways of taking part, and you don’t need any particular experience: making beds; preparing food; offering welcome; and helping to create a safe and hospitable space.

If you would like to volunteer, please be in touch with Fr Alan (assistantpriest@asms.uk).

Flowers

Attendance last Sunday

For your prayers

The Friends of All Saints’ Margaret Street

28th – Mark Allan, Martin Amherst Lock, Elizabeth and Robert Austen, Richard Ayling, James Babington Smith, Stephen Barber, Nigel Beanland, Jonathan Beck, Terrence Buckley

29th – Dr William Benefield, Charlotte Black, Fr John Blackburn, David Blunden, William Bonnell, Fr Michael Bowie, John Bristow, Paul Brough

30th – Michael Brown, Dr Graham Burns, Derek Bussey, Katherine Butler, Adrian Carlton-Oatley, Zulette and Fr Norman Catir, Kate Charles, Stuart Chillingworth

1st – Sir Robert Chote, Sandy Christian, Roger Clark, Catharine Clarke, Camilla Collins, Graham Colville, Karolyn Cooper, William Cooper Bailey

2nd – Peter Coulson, Steven Cox, Dr Yvonne Craig, Julie Cridland, Dr Ryan Nicholas Danker, Kirill Dashkovskiy, Christopher Davies, Keith Day

3rd – Peter Dennis, Laura Denton, Dr Michael Duggan, Pamela Edwards, Linda Edwards, Jane Elliston, Dr Terrence Ellsworth, Richard Everton and Fr Philip Bevan

The sick

Fr George Bush, Jean Castledine, David Craig, Fr Luke Demetri, Danny Mather, Ingrid Slaughter, Juliet Windham

The recently departed

Harry Bramma, Lucy Georghiou Cummings, Dorothy Cruse, Joseph Cherian, Terry Gray

Anniversaries of death

Services this week

Saturday 26th September – Feria
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday

Sunday 27th September – TRINITY XVII
8.30 am Low Mass
11 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Solemn Evensong and Benediction

Monday 28th September – Feria
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Low Mass

Tuesday 29th September – Michaelmas
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Low Mass

Wednesday 30th September – St Jerome
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Low Mass

Thursday 1st October – St Thérèse of Liseux
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Low Mass

Friday 2nd October – The Holy Guardian Angels
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Low Mass

Saturday 3rd October – Feria
12 pm Low Mass
6.30 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday

Sunday 4th October – TRINITY XVIII
8.30 am Low Mass
11 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Solemn Evensong and Benediction