All Saints Parish Newsletter 1st November 2013
PARISH EMAIL ALL SAINTS DAY, 2013
Dear friends,
First of all, let me wish all our readers a happy feast day.
What do we mean when we speak of the word “saint?” What do we celebrate at All Saints-tide?
In one of the most moving letters which Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from his prison cell in Berlin, he tells his friend Eberhard Bethge about a conversation with a friend he had made while studying in New York: a French Protestant pastor called Jean Lasserre. They talked of their aims in life. Lasserre said that he wanted to become a saint. After the war, the Frenchman explained that they had been speaking in English, so there had been a misunderstanding. Rather than sainthood, he had meant simply the observance of a life sanctified by consistently following God’s commandments. This would be the theme of Bonhoeffer’s great book “The Cost of Discipleship.”
The mystery of the Communion of Saints which our feast celebrates has a number of layers of meaning which complement and inform each other.
We think of it as a collective celebration of those in whose living and dying we see examples of the transforming power of God’s grace.
Preachers at All Saints-tide often remind us of our calling to holiness: we are all called to be saints. The original use of “saint” applied to all Christians – the “saints in Jerusalem” or wherever; although even in the New Testament there are hints of the later sense of examples of holiness.
The Communion of Saints speaks too of our living fellowship with the Church across time as well as space.
But Sanctorum Communio can also be translated as “Communion in holy things” or “God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people ” as the invitation to Holy Communion puts it.
And there we have a link between what Lasserre meant to say and what Bonhoeffer thought he said. It is in a life sanctified by consistently following God’s commandments that we become saints – that we are enabled to become what God has called us to be.
Holiness can be off-putting. It can seem unattainable but God has not left us alone to get on with some solitary struggle for sanctity. He gives us “holy things” to work our sanctification: word and sacrament, worship and prayer, the fellowship and support of our brothers and sisters in the Communion of Saints – everyone from Our Lady to the stranger who might sit next to you at church this Sunday.
Sanctity can be unattractive if it is sanctimonious and self-righteous. There has rightly been much emphasis on God as the Father who welcomes home the Prodigal. Christians all too easily become the self-righteous and resentful older brother. Churches should be places of welcome to the prodigal: those who have, however imperfectly, recognised their waste of God’s gifts.
Churches are to be hospitals for sinners but hospitals are places where people are made better. We are not to be left simply as we are; written off by others or ourselves as incurable. The foundation of our hope is that God loves us as we are; that Christ has died on the cross for our reconciliation and forgiveness. But that does not mean God wishes us to remain as we are; that he does not mind that we go on in our besetting sins, because “that’s just the way I am,” and any way, “God will forgive me because he loves me.” To think that is to fall into the trap of what Bonhoeffer condemns in the searing but challenging and exciting first chapter of “The Cost of Discipleship” as “Cheap Grace.”
“Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance: it is baptism without the discipline of community; it is the Lord’s Supper without confession of sin; it is absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Christ.”
So churches have to be schools of holiness, workshops which make saints; places in which we hear the Gospel’s challenge to holiness addressed to us, as well as its word of mercy.
With best wishes for a happy and holy All Saints-tide.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Alan Moses
PRAYER DIARY
Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Damon Brash, Peter Burbidge, Margaret Campbell, Rachel Clayton, Sheena Cruse, Rosie Davis, Arthur Fearns, Charles Forker, Denise Inge, Mason Jacobsen, Jill, Katherine Lee, Joshua Levy, Marimar Perez Fabo, Celia Shore, Stephen Short, Kate Thomas, Andrew Tillyard, David and Jo Vincent, Heather Walker, Wendy Wall, Fr Stephen Williams.
For the recently departed: Richard Tann, Eva Wiggins, Nicholas Oresko, Patrick Cullinan Brown, Frances Caldecourt (Priest), Brian Ryxon.
At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Gilbert Pickering, Jack Fallon, Rosemary Crawley, Helen Gordon St Aubyn, Curtis Berk (Friend and former member of the PCC), Daphne Gordon, Terence Duggan, Glyn Thomas, Philip Gould (Baron Gould of Brookwood), Constance L Peters, Dudley Sholté, Arnold Fryer.
NOTICES AND NEWS:
– REQUIEM MASS LISTS –
The book for names of those to be remembered at Requiem Masses on the following dates: Tuesday 5th at 8am, Friday 15th at 1.10pm and Tuesday 26th November at 6.30pm is on the lectern in the Baptistery in Church. Please enter names under the appropriate requiem date and print names clearly. If you are unable to come into Church to add names to the list – please email astsmgtst@aol.com or telephone Dee Prior, Parish Administrator on 020 7636 1788 as soon as you can.
AN INTERESTING LIFE, The Memoirs of Rt Revd Ambrose W. M. Weekes CB, QHC, AKC, FKC, RN. Copies of this fascinating book (with coloured illustrations) edited by Mary Snape B. A., Bishop Ambrose’ niece and published this year, will be on sale in the Church Shop at a special Festival price of £15 (thereafter £18.50 including post and packing via the website or Parish Office). Bishop Ambrose’ memoirs offer ‘acute observation, wicked sense of fun, pastoral sensitivity, and joie de vivre’ – a record of a great and unique Christian ministry as a chaplain in the Navy rising to Chaplain of the Fleet and his appointment as Dean of Gibraltar.
EVENTS THIS WEEK AT ALL SAINTS, THE ANNUNCIATION AND ST CYPRIAN’S: (Events take place at All Saints unless indicated otherwise.)
ALL SAINTS FESTIVAL 2013
TODAY – FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER- ALL SAINTS’ DAY 6.30pm HIGH MASS
Preacher: The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and
Primate of All Ireland
Music: Missa Brevis—Jonathan Dove
Glorious in heaven—Whitlock
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SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER – ALL SOULS’ DAY 11am
HIGH MASS OF REQUIEM Preacher: The Venerable Douglas McKittrick, Archdeacon of Chichester
Music: Requiem Mass—Duruflé
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SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER – ALL SAINTS’ FESTIVAL SUNDAY 11am
PROCESSION AND HIGH MASS
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Music: Krönungsmesse—Mozart
Holy is the true light—Harris
SOLEMN EVENSONG, TE DEUM AND SOLEMN BENEDICTION 6pm
Preacher: Fr Ian Brothwood, Vicar, St Michael & All Angels Croydon
Music: Service in A – Stanford
Seek him that maketh the seven stars – Jonathan Dove
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Saturday 2 November, 3pm – St Cyprian’s Church, Clarence Gate NW1 6AX – CHORAL EVENING PRAYER & BENEDICTION. With the St Cyprian’s Singers directed by Julian Collings. Music: William Byrd – Responses, Herbert Sumsion – Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G and Basil Harwood – ‘O how glorious’.
Monday 4 November, 7pm THIS IS OUR FAITH, Confirmation group meeting, in the Vicarage.
Wednesday 6 November, 7pm – Anglican Catholic Future Talk – ARE ANGLO-CATHOLICS ‘LETTING STUDENTS DOWN’? by Fr Jim Walters, Chaplain of LSE. Follows Mass at 6.30pm.
FUTURE EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS, THE ANNUNCIATION AND ST CYPRIAN’S: (Events take place at All Saints unless indicated otherwise.)
Sunday 10 November, 10.58am – THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT – REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY – HIGH MASS WITH ACT OF REMEMBRANCE. Preacher: Fr Julian Browning. Music: Missa ‘Miserer nostri’ – Cardosa. Requiem aeternam I – Howells.
Sunday 10 November – Ten-to-One Talk Series: WHY DO YOU DO THAT? – Incense. 5/12 talks given by the Vicar. The bell is rung at the start.
Monday 11 November – Sat 21 December – CARD AID SHOP in the Parish Room, opening times: 11am – 3pm Monday – Saturday (closed Sunday). Card Aid shops offer an unrivalled range of cards, together with the assurance that ALL profits from the cards sold are going to charity. Award winning Peace Oil will also be available here at All Saints.
-TELLING THE GOOD NEWS –
Saturday 16 November 11am – 4pm (NB. NEW TIMES) at the Annunciation, Marble Arch, Bryanston Street
A day for members of the All Saints, The Annunciation and St Cyprian’s congregations – sharing the Gospel and exploring how we can become more ‘confident in speaking and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, more creative in reaching new people and places with the Good News in the power of the Spirit’ (Diocese of London’s Capital Vision 2020).
The day will be led by Fr Tim Sledge, Vicar of Romsey Abbey, who preached at All Saints on Corpus Christi. Please sign the list at the back of the church if you would like to take part in this mission day, to assist with planning and catering. We hope many of you will come – no expertise or experience required – we are all learners in this process.
Sunday 17 November – Ten-to-One Talk Series: WHY DO YOU DO THAT? – Chanting. 6/12 talks given by the Vicar. The bell is rung at the start.
Monday 18 November, 7pm – MEETING OF THE ALL SAINTS PCC in the Dining Room (please note venue altered due to Card Aid in Parish Room).
Sunday 24 November, CHRIST THE KING – following High Mass at 11am there will be a short ceremony of dedication of the Lamps at the Church Gate – renewed in memory of Geoffrey Constable.
Sunday 24 November – Ten-to-One Talk Series: WHY DO YOU DO THAT? –Processions. 7/12 talks given by the Vicar. The bell is rung at the start.
Sunday 24 November, 7.15pm (following Benediction) – ORGAN RECITAL – CHARLES ANDREWS, Associate Director of Music. Programme includes: Bach, Widor and Reger. Retiring collection to support the Choir and Music at All Saints (suggested donation £3.50). All Saints Licensed Club/Bar below the Church will be open afterwards.
Sunday 1 December 2013, 6pm – ADVENT SERVICE of READINGS AND MUSIC by Candlelight, with the Choir of All Saints. After the service the All Saints Licensed Club/Bar will be open. All welcome – bring some friends!
Thursday 5 December, 7pm – Anglican Catholic Future – AN INTRODUCTION TO ADVENT, a Talk by Fr Anders Bergquist, St John’s Wood. Follows Mass at 6.30pm.
Saturday 7 December, 3pm – CHRISTMAS POETRY TEA at Pamela’s. Please bring ‘Seasonal’ poems or prose – stretch your imagination! To accept, or to find out Pamela’s address, please speak to Pamela or Sandra Wheen in the courtyard after High Mass or ring Sandra on 020 7637 8456 (leaving your name and phone number). Cost £6 in aid of the All Saints Restoration Fund. All welcome.
Monday 16 December 2013, 6pm – FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS and CAROLS with the Choir of All Saints. After the service mince pies and mulled wine will be served. All welcome – bring some friends!
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY EVENING ORGAN RECITALS – 2014
Charles Andrews writes: After the success of the first season (which ends on 24 November), a further six organ recitals will take place in 2014. Concerts take place after Sunday Benediction, and last forty minutes, providing an opportunity to hear repertoire which is too long for services, as well as music intended for Advent and Lent, when our organ is silent.
Next year our superb 1910 Harrison & Harrison organ, designed by Walter Vale, will be heard in recitals given by the organists of All Saints and we are delighted that Timothy Wakerell, Sub-organist of St Paul’s Cathedral, will also perform for us on 23 November. Admission is free (although voluntary retiring donations to support the Choir and Music at All Saints are always welcome!) and the bar is open afterwards for convivial gathering.
ORGAN RECITAL DATES FOR YOUR 2014 DIARIES:
26 January – Charles Andrews (Associate Director of Music)
23 March – Charles Andrews
11 May – Timothy Byram-Wigfield (Director of Music)
6 July – Nicholas Mannoukas (Dr John Birch Organ Scholar)
14 September – Charles Andrews
23 November – Timothy Wakerell (Sub-organist, St Paul’s Cathedral​)