All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friends

The parable of the sower, Sunday’s Gospel, was clearly understood by the early church as a key to Jesus’ teaching. In its earliest form, reported by Mark, it is the moment at which we are told that Jesus taught only in parables. Reflecting on that we might conclude that his life, death and resurrection is the supreme enacted parable of his ministry.

What then can we learn from this core parable about God’s dealings with us?

It is a powerful image of what all Christian ministry is like, as well as the action of God, which it is intended to illustrate: so much of what we do is speculative, freely offered, done in hope. God’s work, his very creation is like that: we, made in his image, cannot hope to do better. God creates and gives without strings attached; that is what free will means.

One thing we can take from this parable, then, is a warning against always trying to be in control. If God simply offers us things; if Jesus was prepared even to die without certainty about the outcome or its effect, then we should be prepared, as the Church, to speak and act in faith and hope, trusting God for the outcome. We are called to count the cost, but we are also called to be generous in making that calculation.

Similarly, the parable reminds us that God is the sower: we do not create the seed, 

the word, the ministry, the value of the good work, ourselves. We are stewards, custodians, fellow workers in creation; we are the medium, not the message.
As St Augustine says of John the Baptist, we are the Voice, rather than the Word itself. That is very liberating, because we are also not ultimately responsible for the outcome. The church belongs to God, not to us: if we are always putting boundaries around it and trying to keep God safely boxed up in it, then we are no longer being the Church, but creating a thing for ourselves, usually a thing in which to feel safe or superior. All internal church debates, such as that happening this weekend, need that light to be shone on them, whatever our conviction about particular issues.

We are told that the seed is the word of God. The Word of God is a person, not a book: it is Jesus Christ to whom we must listen, not just words on a page: we learn of him through the words on the page, but also, as he tells us, in the Eucharist, and in other people. These things together, the creation of a Christian community nourished by word and sacrament, are our task. And the parable also reminds us that they must happen in such a way that they are open to others joining in and having the opportunity to receive what we have been offered. The transformation of lives is both the subject and the object of the Good News.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Michael Bowie 
Assistant Priest 
All Saints Margaret Street

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Alan Bishton, Susan Beauchamp, Rachel Clayton, Rosamond Clayton, Kate Down, Jean East, Geoff, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Lewis Harvey, Juliet Jefferson, Katherine Lee, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Jonathan Mani-Weoki, Caroline Masterton-Smith, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Frances O’Neil, Maureen Pride, Malcolm Richards, Peter Royle, Dilys Thomas, Mary Thomas, James Wheen and Joy Wright.

For the recently departed: Gillean Russell, Ellen Aitken (Priest), May Normisle, Andrew O’Connor (Deacon) and John Hughes (Priest).

At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Mary Gaskel, Mina Robertson, Richard Young, Gladys Gibbs, George Quicksmith (former Churchwarden), Kathleen Rodger, Doris Thrift, Kathleen Wait, William Hewetson, Isabel Bruxner, Kathleen Gardner, Mark Williams and Muriel Latter.

EVENTS THIS COMING WEEK 

Saturday 12 July, 2.30pm – the marriage of Amy Moore and Ari Weisz-Koves will take place at All Saints.  

WORSHIP AT ALL SAINTS THIS SUNDAY 13 JULY – FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

HIGH MASS at 11am – Preacher: Father Julian Browning
Messa da cappella – Lotti 
O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit – Tallis

The last Sunday lunch of this season is being prepared by Robin and Alan and is served after Mass (tickets £5 from the shop in the Parish Room, subject to availability). The menu is: Jubilee Chicken and Potato Salad followed by Prince George Trifle. All welcome! Sunday lunches will then resume in September.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: Father Gerald Beauchamp
Service in G – Sumsion 
My soul, there is a country – Parry

ALL SAINTS PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM,
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 July
The annual pilgrimage is led this year by Fr Michael Bowie and is organized by Ross Buchanan (Assistant Secretary Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham, All Saints Margaret Street). Tel: 020 7221 1312.

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY – 20 JULY – FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

HIGH MASS at 11am
Preacher: Prebendary Alan Moses
Cantus Missæ – Rheinberger
Like as the hart – Howells

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: Father Michael Lynch
The Fifth Service – Tomkins 
Salve Regina – Poulenc

SPECIAL EVENTS in AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER at ALL SAINTS & ELSEWHERE

PATRONAL FESTIVAL 2014 – Feast of St Peter’s Chains – St Peter le Poer, Albion Avenue N10 1AQ on Saturday 2 August 2014
11am Festival Mass – Preacher: The Reverend Melanie Toogood, Vicar St George & All Saints, Tufnell Park followed by buffet lunch
2pm Outdoor Procession returning to Church for Benediction.

A SOLEMN COMMEMORATION ON THE CENTENARY OF   THE OUTBREAK OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, Westminster Abbey – Monday 4 August 2014 at 10pm
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall representing Her Majesty The Queen will attend this service to commemorate the Centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The service will draw upon Sir Edward Grey’s famous remark that “the lights are going out all over Europe”, as the Abbey moves from light into darkness until one candle remains at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, which will be extinguished at 11pm, marking the exact moment of the declaration of war. The Vigil will feature music, readings, poetry, and contemporary reflection, such as diary entries and letters from 1914 and be broadcast live on BBC TWO as the event itself is by invitation only. 

NAUTICAL POETRY TEA – Saturday 30 August at 4pm
All welcome.  Please bring poetry or prose on a Nautical Theme.  Please note different venue.  This tea will be held at Paul Weston & John McWhinney’s moorings in Wapping.  Cream tea (scones, cream & jam) will be served. To accept and to find out the address of the moorings please speak with Paul or John after Mass or email them at paul@hcmoorings.org. 
A donation of £6 towards the Restoration Appeal would be appreciated.

THE ANNUNCIATION MARBLE ARCH – Centenary Feast of Celebration
Tuesday 16 September 2014, 7.30pm in The Annunciation
To celebrate the Annunciation’s 100th birthday and in the tradition of Dinners in the Community Ben Wegg-Prosser has put together a glittering event to raise funds for the restoration of the church.
The speakers are Alain de Botton, Matthew Parris and Tessa Jowell with Fr Victor Stock (author and former Dean of Guildford) in the chair. The Churchill Hyatt Hotel has most generously donated the hospitality for the evening so all ticket money goes to church funds. Tickets are £50 or tables of 10 are £450. Please contact Fr Gerald (gerald.beauch@btconnect.com) if you would like to come.

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WESTMINSTER “MEET THE NEIGHBOURS”
Hosted by The Annunciation, Marble Arch – Tuesday 30 September 7 – 9pm
The evening includes a welcome and talk by Fr Gerald Beauchamp (Priest in Charge) about the church’s history and architecture, including relics and statues, as well as the tradition behind its worship style. There will be an opportunity to look around the Church. Refreshments will be offered afterwards. Pevsner notes that to enter The Annunciation is to have stumbled upon: ‘a fragment of a major medieval church’. All are welcome to join this visit to a dramatic building in a fascinating and fast-changing part of London.

NOTICES

ALL SAINTS SUPPORT FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE – MARYLEBONE PROJECT –

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 provided the funds for one of the 4 beds – provides a safe haven and refuge for women escaping domestic violence, financial crisis, sexual exploitation and mental health issues.

Seasonal Appeals – Last year we donated £2,790 to this Mission Project, collected through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. The PCC has just agreed to a target of £3,000 for 2014.

Year Round Support – we also support the Resettlement Project with non-perishable food and toiletries or household necessities like cutlery or bed linen/blankets. Please contribute to this effort, bringing donations to the Parish Office or leaving them in Church in the basket in the Baptistery.

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.

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION APPEAL UPDATE
The Fundraising Appeal
Fund-raising continues. We still await the result of applications which are in to a small number of charitable trusts who we hope may be sympathetic. So far the extended family of All Saints has donated or pledged a total of £223, 121 towards our original budget target of £250,000. This is over 89.25% of the sum required, an excellent result in a little over seven months. Our thanks to all who have so generously contributed to date. With some £26,880 still to find – further donations are of course welcome! Cheques should be made payable to: All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and be sent to the Parish Administrator. Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied as it increases the value of your contribution by 25%. Thank you!

The Programme
The electrical scheme is progressing well. Preparations continue to advance each week, with the Butterfield designed lighting fittings now commissioned and in construction at the blacksmiths.  Tenders for the work have been returned, been analysed and a recommendation was made to the PCC and approved on Sunday 29 June.  Meetings have taken place with the contractor to review costs and final details before letting a contract. Then the work of stripping out the existing installation can commence.

As in previous phases of the restoration programme, weekday worship, except on major feasts, will take place in the Parish Room. This will enable to contractors to have more uninterrupted working time, keep costs down and speed the whole process.

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.

* 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.

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 (the Church is open every day of the week from 7am to 7pm except on Bank Holidays, when it opens for the lunchtime Mass only)

SUNDAYS
Low Mass at 6.30pm (Saturday), 8am and 5.15pm
Morning Prayer at 10.20am
HIGH MASS AND SERMON at 11am
CHORAL EVENSONG, SERMON and BENEDICTION at 6pm          

MONDAY TO FRIDAY
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
(Except bank holiday – 1.10pm Mass only)
Confessions from 12.30pm -1pm and 5.30pm
(No Confessions on bank holidays)
Evening Prayer at 6pm

SATURDAYS
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8.00am and 6.30pm (First Mass of Sunday)
Confessions at 5.30pm
Evening Prayer at 6pm

On major weekday feasts, High Mass is sung at 6.30pm with Evening Prayer at 5.45pm.

A priest is available in church for confessions or counsel every weekday from 12.30-1pm (except Saturdays) and at 5.30pm, or by appointment. The clergy are always happy to see anyone for whatever reason. Please enquire at the Parish Office (to the right as you enter the church courtyard).

www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.