All Saints Parish Newsletter 16th January 2015
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday we heard of Jesus’ baptism; not the baptism of a child, but the call and recognition of an adult as the Son of God at his baptism. This Sunday we hear a rare story of the call of a child into prophetic ministry in the wonderful story of the little boy Samuel in the Temple. In Sunday’s gospel, Jesus has already moved on from his own commissioning to calling others to follow him and again, in that, we see different responses to Jesus and to the challenge he issues.
Jesus was baptized partly to show his identity, his oneness, with us; we are baptized ‘into Christ’, as Paul would put it, to show our identity with him, our becoming his brothers and sisters in the great family of God. If we understood that better we might spend less time arguing about who is in communion with whom (or how to keep people out) and more in building communities of faith and seeking God’s will for our world together. That is our first calling, held in common by us all, from our common baptism. Sunday is the beginning of Christian Unity Week, and our shared baptismal vocation is at the heart of all work for unity.
God calls us in many ways and at many different levels. He called us into life. Throughout our lives God continues to call us to a life worthy of our dignity as his children. At death, we believe, God calls us to fullness of life, where once again Jesus has gone before and would have us follow.
The call of Samuel and the call of the first disciples are not just history; they are templates of our lives in Christ today. Just as Samuel was called by God to be a prophet so each of us is called by God to do some specific work for him; just as the first disciples were called to ‘follow’ Jesus so we are invited to attend to him now and to go where he leads us: it is part of our faith to believe that, and to watch and listen for contexts and opportunities in which we can fulfil our calling, to act in all areas of our lives in ways that reflect our considered and thoughtful knowledge that God loves and calls us where we are as who we are.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Michael Bowie
Assistant Priest, All Saints Margaret Street
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi. Heather Brown, Lily Caplin, James Cary-Elwes, Kate Down, Cynthia Drury, Norman Greenfield (Priest), Tim Harding, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Myrtle Hughes, Sheila Kenyon, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Linda Orme, Malcolm Richards, Peter Royle, Jock Scott, Nicholas Stacey (Priest), Buzz Stokes, Robert Streit, Celia Swan, Dilys Thomas, Jane Wildash, Joy Wright and Mark Young.
For the recently departed: Simon Goldstein, Helen Turner, Maisie Orr, George Askey, Frank Hawkins (Priest) and Mavis Mercer.
Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week: Albert Sheppard, Arnold Lawson, Kate Gorge, Josephine Whittley, Harris Charlton, William Clark, Hannah Berry, John Snoswell, Gwyneth Bishop, Virginia Smith, Amony Hay, Annie Waggett, Maggie Dibley, Derek Allen (Priest), Jim Swanton, Edith Laing and Kenneth Christie.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK
SUNDAY 18 JANUARY – SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18 – 25 January
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Father Michael Bowie
Missa Previs – Palestrina
Tribus miraculis – Marenzio
There is a Ten to One Talk – the bell will be rung beforehand. The theme is The Gospel.
The Mission Committee Meeting after Mass in the Parish Office has been postponed – new date to be confirmed.
There is Sunday lunch service this week – Chris Self will be cooking. Tickets £5 from the Shop in the Parish Room (subject to availability).
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: Father Julian Browning
Service in E – Watson
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern – Praetorius
Weekday Masses remain in the Parish Room, while the scaffolding for the electrical works remains in Church.
WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 25 JANUARY 2015 – CONVERSION OF PAUL
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Rt Revd Jonathan Meyrick, Bishop of Lynn
Missa ‘Bell’ Amfitrit’ altera’ – Lassus
Now we are ambassadors/How lovely are the messengers – Mendelssohn
Ten to One Talk Theme: The Sermon – the bell will ring beforehand.
There is an Events Committee after Mass in the Parish Room.
Sunday Lunch will be served – Robin is cooking and tickets are £5 from the Parish Shop (subject to availability).
CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Father Michael Bowie
The Chichester Service – Berkeley
Es ist das Heil uns kommen her – Brahms
Sunday 25 January, 7.15pm (after Benediction)
ORGAN RECITAL – CHARLES ANDREWS (Associate Director of Music)
Programme:
By J. S. Bach (1685-1750):
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her BWV 606
Mit Fried’ und Freud’ ich fahr’ dahin BWV 616
Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf BWV 617
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her BWV 700
Prelude and fugue in A minor BWV 543
In dulci jubilo BWV 608
By M. Dupré (1886-1971):
Variations sur un Noël op. 20
Retiring collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints (suggested donation £4)
The All Saints Licensed Club/Bar below the Church will be open after this recital.
NOTICES
Please Note: ALL SAINTS’ CLUB BAR PRICES WENT UP ON 1ST JANUARY 2015 for the first time since 2012. New Annual Membership cards are required – price held at £3. Please purchase your new membership from the Bar.
ALL SAINTS’ PARISH RETREAT 2015 – PLEASE NOTE – Just 8 places left!!
The Retreat will be at Ely again, from 13-15 March. The conductor will be Fr John Cullen. If you would like to attend, or to know more about it, please contact Martin Woolley on 07976 275383 or at m.g.woolley@btinternet.com. A careful note will be kept of the order in which firm reservations are received to assist with fair room allocation.
ALL SAINTS’ DATES FOR YOUR DIARY IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2015
Monday 19 January, 7pm – There is a meeting of the All Saints PCC in the Dining Room after the Evening Mass at 6.30pm.
FESTAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, The Eve of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas), Sunday 1 February, 6pm. In thanksgiving for the achievement of the fourth phase of our Restoration Project – Renewal of Lighting and Electrics – we will be celebrating the completion of the project and expressing our gratitude to all those who contributed to its success. If you intend to come to this service, please let us know as Refreshments will be served after the service. RSVP – The Parish Administrator on 0207 636 1788 or Email: astsmgtst@aol.com
The Eve of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas), HIGH MASS – Monday 2 February, 6.30pm. Preacher: Father Will Lamb, Vice-Principal, Westcott House.
Friday 6 February, 6.30pm – Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham – Low Mass with Hymns. Address by Father Kevin Morris, Vicar of St Michael’s Bedford Park.
All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served afterwards.
All Saints Margaret Street: Sunday 8 February – There will be a meeting of the Health & Safety Committee after Mass in the Parish Office.
Wednesday 18 February, 6.30pm – ASH WEDNESDAY High Mass and Imposition of Ashes. Preacher: The Vicar
Thursday 19 February, 7pm – There is a meeting of the Standing Committee of the All Saints PCC in the Vicarage after Evening Mass at 6.30pm.
ALL SAINTS RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATE – EXCELLENT PROGRESS but FURTHER DONATIONS NEEDED to complete works
New wiring and lighting cost £350,000. Essential CCTV security and fire detection systems cost £22,000. We have completed these works while scaffolding is in place, to minimise the cost. We now want to reduce our reliance on loans so any further gifts will help us to do that. We will be celebrating the newly lit All Saints at Candlemas and finishing off the back-of-house works in February.
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!
WEEKDAY SERVICES – taking place in the Parish Room and Confessions heard in the Oratory (access via the Parish Office). Church will be open on Sunday throughout the electrical renewal project and at other times when safe to do so.
EVENTS BEYOND ALL SAINTS
St Cyprian’s, Clarence Gate: Evensong & Benediction Saturday 7 February 2015 – PLEASE NOTE – THERE WILL NOT BE A SERVICE THIS MONTH.
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 Zululand in South Africa. The HIV epidemic has led to situations where both parents have died and left behind a family of orphans.
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. 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.
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 during Refurbishment until the end of January 2015 (Church guaranteed open Sunday only from 7am to 7pm and at other times when safe to do so).
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 in the Parish Room
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
Evening Prayer 6pm
(Except Bank Holiday – 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. During the refurbishment works, confessions will be heard Monday – Friday in the Oratory at 7 Margaret Street. Please ring the bell
at the Vicarage or Parish Office doors for admittance.
www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com.