All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friends,

“I truly understand that God shows no partiality.”  (Acts 10.34)

In Sunday’s reading from Acts, Peter, who like many pastor since, had been called to minister to a community visited by death, found himself invited to visit a Roman centurion Cornelius and his household in Joppa.

His comment comes after he has seen Cornelius and his household receive the Holy Spirit in the same way as the apostles at Pentecost.

This incident marks Peter’s realisation that the Gospel is not just for his fellow-Jews but for all. It is a conversion.  He would have to defend his actions in baptising these Gentiles and eating with them, to his fellow apostles when he got back to Jerusalem.  As we know, the argument would go on for decades, with Paul being the principal protagonist. He was prepared to upbraid Peter to his face when he backed down from the decision to admit Gentiles made at the Council of Jerusalem.

Any group of Christians who have a strong sense of identity often find it difficult to recognise the gifts of the Spirit in people who do not belong, Christians of other traditions and people of other faiths or none.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on Saturday.  Great schemes for unity seem largely in abeyance at the moment. Rather than giving up on prayer for unity, perhaps we might see it calling us to a prayerful appreciation of the work of the Spirit in those who are not like us. We may find ourselves as surprised as Peter by God’s refusal to show partiality.  What we come to appreciate of his gifts may surprise us into an openness unexpected by ourselves or by others.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Alan Moses

PRAYER DIARY:
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Jean Brackston, Margaret Campbell, Rachel Clayton, Rosie Davis, Ursula Edwards, Arthur Ferns, Charles Forker, Joan Foster, Isabella Fotheringham, Denise Inge, Philip Harland, Mason Jacobsen, Jill, Craig Laughton, Katherine Lee, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Kerry Manuel, Lewis Overlaker, Celia Shore, Stephen Short, Andrew Tillyard.  

For the recently departed: Sister Mary Magdalene SLG, Maria Villaverde, Molly Money, Nick Luff (former Assistant Organist at All Saints’ Church), Robert Tennant.

At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Charles Backus, Dorothea Graham, Vivian Curson, George Currie, Alfred Stephens, Ethel Hewetson, Hugh Shepheard (former Churchwarden), Lyn Jones, John Spencer, Margaret Henwood, George Haines, Dennis Black, Elizabeth King, Albert Sheppard.

WORSHIP AT ALL SAINTS THIS SUNDAY:

SUNDAY 12 JANUARY 2014 – First Sunday of Epiphany
Music and Preachers:
THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST – High Mass, 11am
Missa Brevis – Berkeley
Lo, star-led chiefs – Crotch
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses

EPIPHANY CAROL SERVICE, 6pm
A service of Readings and Music for the Epiphany by candle-light with the Choir of All Saints.  

NOTICES & NEWS – THIS WEEK

Saturday 11 January – the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins.  

Monday 13 January – there is a PCC Meeting at 7pm in the Parish Room following the Evening Mass.

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 19 JANUARY – Second Sunday of Epiphany, Preachers & Music:

HIGH MASS, 11am
Prebendary Alan Moses
Orgelsolomesse – Mozart
When Jesus was born/Say, where is he born?/There shall a star – Mendelsshohn

Choral Evensong & Benediction, 6pm
Fr Julian Browning 
Palestrina (a 8)
O magnum mysterium – Poulenc

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Thursday 30 January at 2.30pm – the Funeral Mass for Nick Luff, former Assistant Organist of All Saints, will take place.

Sunday 26 January 2014 – 7.15pm (after Evensong & Benediction) – ORGAN RECITAL – Charles Andrews, Associate Director of Music All Saints. Programme includes works by J. S. Bach and Karg-Elert. Post recital collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints. Suggested donation: £3.

If you would like to encourage others to receive this weekly email, please forward this email on to them, or people you would like to invite to services. If you know of others who would like to receive this correspondence, or for whom you would like prayers offered at All Saints, please ask them to 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.