All Saints Parish Newsletter 10th April 2015
Dear Friend
Low Sunday
Thomas’s faith is at the heart of Sunday’s Gospel. Thomas is important to us because he is like most of us, if we’re honest: sometimes uncertain, even agnostic, as we would say. Thomas is very significant for our understanding of ourselves as the Church. Thomas doubted, openly expressed scepticism, about the central doctrine of the Christian faith, the Resurrection. The reaction of the other disciples is a lesson for the Church.
As St Paul had already written when John’s gospel was composed, ‘if Christ be not raised then we are of all people most to be pitied’. Without the Resurrection, without the good news of new life which the Easter gospel offers, we have little more to offer than being nice to each other. There are plenty of people outside the Church who are at least as good at doing that. The Cross isn’t much use without it either. Christ dying for us isn’t a game-changer if that was the end of the story: we only know that it makes a difference because of the new life that issues from that death. However we understand the Atonement that must be true. Because of the Easter faith we do not face a full stop, but an open invitation to continue. Because of the Easter good news, we need not be afraid to admit that we are no better than anyone else, in the full confidence that God can make something of us in spite of ourselves.
Thomas doubted this good news. Yet we call him a saint, an apostle. More importantly, his fellow apostles and co-disciples of Jesus did not cast him forth for this doubt, this refusal to be carried away by others’ enthusiasm. There was no excommunication, no impaired communion, no suggestion of withdrawal from councils and conferences.
There is no issue before the Church today of comparable importance to the truth of the Resurrection; indeed there can be no issue of comparable importance to Christians.
So, this Eastertide, as we pray for our fellow Christians, especially those from whom we are separated and those in our own Communion with whom we differ, it is good to look to Thomas, so like any of us, and pray that the Church may respond to honest differences and doubts with the generosity of those first apostles, so close to our Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Father Michael Bowie
Assistant Priest
All Saints Margaret Street
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Jane Allen, Asia Bibi. Fr. Bruce Barnett- Cowan, Jean Bray, James Cary-Elwes, Kate Down, Cynthia Drury, Hugo Gralka, Tim Harding, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Myrtle Hughes, Maxwell Hutchinson, Sheila Kenyon, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Malcolm Richards, Jock Scott, Fr. Nicholas Stacey, Buzz Stokes, Celia Swan, Darrell Thompson-Schwab, Joy Wright, Marc Young and Mary.
For the recently departed: John Allen (Priest) and Patrick Graham (former PCC Secretary at St Cyprian’s Church), Tay Ntow, Michael Lawrenson (Priest), Elizabeth Beet, Hilda Hodds, Joseph Cassidy (Priest Principal of St Chad’s Durham), David Gerald Francis Hing (Priest) and Jordan Scales.
Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week: Edith Wood, Norman Peryer, Eric Yates, John Rogers (one-time Server at All Saints), Denis Burke, Justin Kelly, David Evans, Stephen Woolley, Frederica Frances Swinburne (major All Saints benefactor), Rose Lethbridge, Christopher Dean, Evelyn Cowie, Mary Gotto, Geoffrey Heald (Priest), Marilyn Goggin, Ian Miller, Basil Harris, Margarita Clark, Judith Barrett, Sadie Campbell (All Saints’ Choir School cook) and Tim Hewlett.
WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY 12 APRIL – Second Sunday of Easter
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Communion Service in E – Darke
Alleluya! I heard a voice – Weelkes
Sunday Lunch is being prepared by Geoffrey Woodcock. Tickets £5 from the Parish Shop in the Parish Room before and after Mass (subject to availability).
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Father Julian Browning
Service in D – Wood
Haec dies – Byrd
WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 19 APRIL – Third Sunday of Easter
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Missa Papæ Marcelli – Palestrina
My beloved spake – Hadley
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Service in C – Stanford
Ye choirs of new Jerusalem
EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS IN APRIL
Tuesday 14 April, 10.30am – 4pm MASASI DAY – with Bishop James Almasi and Mrs Veronica Almasi from the Diocese of Masasi, Tanzania – Open House in the Parish Room, presentations and lunchtime Mass in Church at 1.10pm. Light Lunch £5 per head. All welcome. To give us some idea of the numbers attending, and to help with catering, please email Shirley Talbot: talbot-a1@sky.com.
Saturday 18 April 3.30pm – FORMER ALL SAINTS CHORISTERS REUNION EVENSONG followed by Tea in the Courtyard (weather permitting). All welcome.
Do come and support the former Choristers.
MEETING OF PARISHIONERS AND ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING, SUNDAY 19 APRIL 2015
A meeting of parishioners will be held on Sunday 19 April 2015 at 12.45pm in Church, at which Churchwardens for the year 2015 – 2016 will be appointed. Members of the Electoral Roll and residents of the Parish on the Electoral Register are eligible to attend. Any person wishing to be considered for the Post of Churchwarden must be (a) 21 years of age or over, (b) on the Electoral Roll and (c) an actual communicant member of the Church of England. Nominations must be proposed and seconded, and candidates must indicate their willingness to stand. In addition, candidates are asked to submit a short typed or clearly written statement giving the reasons for their wishing to stand, and the benefits they could bring to the post if appointed. Nominations for the post of Churchwarden MAY NOT be made at the meeting.
Prebendary L. A. Moses, Vicar
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will follow immediately. Only members of the Electoral Roll are eligible to attend. At the meeting three members of the laity will be elected to serve on the Parochial Church Council for the years 2015 – 2018. The retiring members of the Council are Janet Drake, Patrick Hartley and Geoffrey Woodcock. Of these, only Patrick Hartley is eligible for re-election. Candidates for election must be (a) on the Electoral Roll, (b) at least 16 years of age, and (c) actual communicant members of the Church of England. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by persons on the Electoral Roll and all candidates must indicate a willingness to stand. In addition, candidates are asked to submit a short typed or clearly handwritten statement giving their reasons for standing for election. Nomination forms may be obtained from the PCC Secretary or the office. Although nominations may be made at the meeting, it would be helpful if completed nomination forms, together with statements, are returned to the PCC Secretary by Friday 3 April to enable the papers to be available one week before the Annual Meeting. Sidesmen for the year 2015 – 2016 will be appointed at the meeting.
Jaron Lewis, PCC Secretary
Monday 27 April, 7pm – ALL SAINTS’ PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING (following Evening Mass at 6.30pm) – Parish Room
EVENTS BEYOND ALL SAINTS
Monday 13 April, 7 – 8.30pm St Martin-in-the-Fields
Towards a Politics for the Common Good: A Pre-Election Debate at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Cost: Free with a retiring collection. In the run-up to the General Election we bring together a panel of eminent parliamentarians from different political parties and denominations to discuss their approaches to key election issues in the light of Christian social and ethical teaching. Phone: 020 7766 1100
Parliamentarians
Sarah Teather, Liberal Democrat
Alistair Burt, Conservative
Dominic Grieve, Conservative
Stephen Timms, Labour
David Lammy, Labour
Theologians
Revd Dr Sam Wells and Dr Anna Rowlands
How can we, as we exercise our democratic right to vote, best serve the Christian principles we believe in? Is it possible to see the issues of our time through a different lens? Can we work together to cultivate a politics for the common good?
Rather than a hustings, guest parliamentarians will be responding to questions posed by theologians Dr Sam Wells (St Martin-in-the-Fields) and Dr Anna Rowlands (Durham University), and audience members from all political persuasions will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A from the floor. The Café in the Crypt will remain open to buy refreshments and for further discussion until 10.00pm.
Monday 13 April, 6 – 8pm – Churches Together in Westminster – MEET THE NEIGHBOURS – hosted by St Mary le Strand, Strand WC2 1ES. All are welcome to join a visit to this beautiful and richly decorated Queen Anne church, designed by James Gibss. Evensong followed by a talk. Evening concludes with refreshments.
ALL SAINTS RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATE
EXCELLENT PROGRESS with work and fundraising but FURTHER DONATIONS NEEDED to reduce the reliance on loans
New wiring and lighting, essential CCTV security and fire detection systems cost £372,000. Finishing works on the back of house completed last week. As the project reaches its conclusion, we want to reduce our overall reliance on loans to pay for the works. We have recently had a number of gifts that have greatly helped. Loans have been successfully reduced from £35,000 to just over £11,000 so any more gifts will reduce this still further.
HOW YOU CAN HELP………. please be as generous as you can, making cheques payable to: All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and sending them to:
The Parish Administrator, 7 Margaret Street, London W1W 8JG.
Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied as it increases the value of your contribution by 25% at no cost to yourself. Thank you!
ALL SAINTS MISSION ACTIVITIES
ONGOING SUPPORT for HOMELESS PEOPLE through:
MARYLEBONE PROJECT run by the CHURCH ARMY – 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 helped to provide the funds for one of the 4 beds – offers a safe haven and refuge for women escaping domestic violence, financial crisis, sexual exploitation and mental health issues.
Seasonal Appeals – The grand total collected in 2014 was £3,463 (up significantly on 2013’s support of £2,790) to this Mission Project through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. The Project (in acknowledging our support) said: ‘Such a wonderful amount to have raised, thank you so very much for your valued support’.
A further £3,000 raised in 2014 for Us (formerly USPG) was acknowledged to be a ‘very generous gift’ which will be used to feed communities and generate income to support AIDS orphans in child-headed families in Zimbabwe.
Year Round Support – we also support the Marylebone Resettlement Project with non-perishable food and toiletries or household necessities like cutlery or bed linen/blankets. Thank you to all who have contributed recently with many donations – we have helped more people in need.
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.
Want to help someone sleeping rough but don’t know how? Call Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 and they will get a visit from the local Street Team who can put them in contact with the services they may need.
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 AT ALL SAINTS
On major weekday feasts, High Mass is sung at 6.30pm
SUNDAYS in Church
Low Mass 6.30pm (Saturday), 8am and 5.15pm. Morning Prayer 10.20am
HIGH MASS AND SERMON, 11am and CHORAL EVENSONG, SERMON and BENEDICTION, 6pm.
MONDAY – SATURDAY
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
Evening Prayer 6pm
(Except Bank Holidays – 1.10pm Mass only)
Confessions
A priest is available for confessions/counsel Monday – Friday from 12.30-1pm and at 5.30pm Monday – Saturday, or by appointment. (Special arrangements apply in Lent and Holy Week.)
www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.