All Saints Margaret Street.

These past weeks, I have become increasingly excited about the pagan games taking place in Stratford and throughout the UK, more so than I ever expected. This evening I attend an Olympic Celebration Party. I am pleased to say guests are not expected to don either chiton or Team GB tracksuit, so one’s dignity should remain intact.

 

However, in and around London, an extraordinary transformation is taking place. Scaffolding and road works have vanished, rubbish is cleared from the streets several times a day and long broken pillar-boxes have been repaired in the past 24hrs. On the Underground I am welcomed to London by members of the Transport for London Team every time I descend those murky depths. I say “thank you” and walk on. The underground is air-conditioned and “Wi-Fi enabled”, staff receive bonuses for working longer hours to care for the influx of visitors, more immigration and passport control staff are promised, and everyone seems to be “doing their bit” to make London 2012 ready to welcome the World. 

 

As millions of visitors enter our country, there are amongst them those travelling from countries with which our Government has strained diplomatic relations, but we do not take issue with individuals. Perhaps we might remember St Matthew when he writes, ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5

 

Over the coming months we will hear much about the 2012 Legacy and what these Games will give to present and future generations of our Nation, thanks to the investment of recent years. You will also hear Fr. Alan talking about “Legacy” at All Saints, as we consider our Church and how it may continue to bless and enrich the lives of future generations; how we support All Saints’ work now in Stewardship and tomorrow once we ourselves have “…run the race which is set before us” and come to our final rest.

 

However excited we become over these coming Olympic weeks, these Games are simply a spectator sport for many of us as we watch others compete. Our Faith cannot mirror that spectatorship which we might be about to engage in. For in our Lord Jesus, we see God revealed as one who observes from a distance but who is also close at hand, running with us the race which is set before us. He is present in the depths of our experiences, knowing what is true and what is not true. God is deeply interested in his creation, both in feeding us, and in making himself known to us, in the breaking of bread, in walking on water as we will hear in Sunday’s Gospel.

 

I pray that we will all stay safe and enjoy these coming weeks; that God will give us a spirit to strive to be perfect in hosting our many Summer 2012 visitors but – even more deeply I pray that this special period of welcome and hospitality to the World may deliver a greater legacy as we grow in faith and love of one another, our temporary neighbours, and live out our mission through and beyond the community of All Saints Margaret Street.

 

If you can get here, we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, if not, we will see you soon. Our prayers go with you. Fr. John Pritchard

 

Please pray for Farishna, Sam, Javier Samblas, Mary Barnet, Stephen Collingwood, Sian Evans, Jackie Ferriter, Joshua Levy, Audrey Patterson, Marion Pidgeon, Cecila Shore, Michael Sullivan, Rachel Clayton, Heather Walker, Graham Hawkes, Richard Tann, Brian Sparkes, Ron Cayless, Sr. Jean Margaret, John Rogers, Mason Jacobsen, Dolores King, Barbara Laws, John Welch, Peter Vickers, Ondina Brash, Carol Blake, Barbara Davis, Anne Hamburger, Jonathan Welby-Cooke

 

The Recently Departed: Sandra Allan, Julian Maslinski, Kenneth Adams, Samuel Hutchings, Russell Aitken, Ken Wah Yew, Olive Buttler, Georg Epperlein. At the anniversary of their death: Roy Ellis, Edward Hobson, Herbert Palmer, Helen Clark, George Maynard, Patricia Self, George Maryon-Wilson, Francis Woodlock, Margery Duce, Winifred Cratherne, Patricia Whatmore, Sara Stevens, Eva Spencer.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary High Mass – Wednesday 15th August 6:30pm Preacher: The Reverend Dr. James Hawkey, Minor Canon & Sacrist, Westminster Abbey Missa Brevis in G – Mozart, Ave Maria – Mendelssohn – Low Masses 8:00am & 1:10pm.

 

Exploring Priestly Ministry – a day for men and women to explore their future. St Albans Cathedral 6 October 2012. To register, or for more information, email Fr. Bernard Minton: bernardminton@aol.com Timetable: 10:30am Registration in the Lady Chapel, St Albans Abbey. 11:00am Keynote address by The Dean, Fr. Jeffrey John. 12:30pm High Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Hertford (Preacher: Fr. Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark) 1:30pm Lunch, 2:30pm Panel Discussion, 4:00pm Evensong and Benediction.

 

ANGLICAN CATHOLIC FUTURE – A series of evenings celebrating our Catholic inheritance in the Church of England .  Wednesday October 17th ‘Our Lady’ – Speaker, The Revd Cally Hammond Dean of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge 6:30pm Mass ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET – ALL WELCOME for further details please contact All Saints Margaret St.