All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friend,

The people of Israel are fed up. Life in the wilderness is grim.  They complain to Moses, so Moses complains to God. The burden of this troublesome people is all too much for him.  God instructs him to choose seventy elders from among the people to assist him.  They gather at the tent of meeting where the Lord sends his spirit upon them and they prophesy.  Two had not gone out but the spirit came on them too and they prophesied.  Joshua, Moses’ right-hand-man, regards this as highly irregular and wants a stop put to it.

Moses reponds:  “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them.”

In the gospel, John complains to Jesus about someone casting out demons in his name.  Jesus responds, “Do not try to stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.” 

Churches, like any institution, need rules for those occasions when people disagree or misbehave.  Those who think that they are so spiritual that they do not need them, usually end up in trouble. Rules also function not just to keep us out of trouble but also to guide us on the right path.

However, while they have these useful functions, there is more to Church and to life than rules. While they help us avoid bad things, we must not use them to stifle the good. If Moses and Jesus are willing to recognize the good beyond the boundaries, are we willing to come out from behind the physical and psychological defences we erect?

Moses and Jesus point to what Joshua and John have not realized: that God is greater than the measure of our minds.  As Fr. Faber’s hymn has it:

“But we make his love to narrow
     By false limits of our own;
And we magnify his strictness
     With a zeal he will not own.” 

Moses had his seventy elders and Jesus his twelve apostles. We have our bishops and priests.  We do not devalue them when we say that they have no monopoly of the Holy Spirit; that God only works through them.  Often their role is to recognize where God is at work on or even beyond the boundaries.  It is to lead their community in identifying and encourage the gifts they see in people: “Would that all the Lord’s people would prophesy.”

This can frighten those who would rather cling on to a little power rather than risk liberating more. A besetting weakness of Catholic Anglican churches is clericalism: an over-dependence on priests. To recognize and encourage the gifts and ministries of lay people is not to make clergy redundant, as some fear.  It is to place a greater demand on them, but this will be focused on their ministry of word and sacrament, teaching and pastoral care, rather than an endless cycle of ‘busyiness’ because we have to run everything.  Out challenges will be those of growth rather than the wearisome and dispiriting management of decline.

If this calls for change of heart and mind on the part of the clergy, it also challenges the laity. They have to ask: “What gifts has God given me? What is God calling me to do with them? If I am to do it, what spiritual resources will I need?  How can the clergy help me do it, instead of doing it instead of me?”

“Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them”. Well, he has, in baptism and confirmation – not just ordination.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Alan Moses

Prebendary Alan Moses
Vicar of All Saints Margaret Street
Area Dean of Westminster – St Marylebone

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi, John Bradshaw, Peter Burbidge, James Cary-Elwes, Coretta Quarty, Ian Coull, Paul Curno, Dennis Davis, Elizabeth Day, Mark Dougly, Kate Down, David Fettke, Sybil Fox, Jonty Gordon, Gaby Grace, Yvonne Harland, Lewis Harvey, Pat Hunt, Alice Jullien, Andrew Laird, Tom Leader, William Lightening, Christine Loffty, Simon MacGregor, Sister Martha (SMNC Tanzania), Hilary Morgan, David Pearce, Chris Tambling, Nick Russell, Jock Scott, Stella Skinner, Judy Stewart, Buzz Stokes, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Christine van Dyck, Debbie Wheeler and Joy Wright.

For the recently departed: Gabrielle Handley, Martin Goetze, Helen Everett, Kenneth Leech, Dennis Allen, Margaret Thorpe and David Willcocks.

Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week including: Sister Mary OSB, Evan Windham, Alfred Davis, Leslie Thomas, Brenda Kirk, John Shand (Priest), Edith Fricker, Alice Sexton (former All Saints Friends’ Secretary) and Edward Grant.                                

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER – SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY –HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Father Julian Browning
Missa ‘Simile est regnum cælorum’ – Lobo
O sacrum convivium – Gabrieli

Sunday Lunch (two courses with coffee) is served – Christine Auton is the chef. Tickets £5 available from the Parish shop in the Parish Room before and after Mass.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION, 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses 
Service in E flat (No 2) – Wood 
O Lord, the maker of all thing – William Mundy

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER – EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Missa Brevis in F, K 192 – Mozart
Locus iste – Bruckner

Sunday Lunch (two courses with coffee) is served –Chris and Jan are the chefs. Tickets £5 available from the Parish shop in the Parish Room before and after Mass.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION 6pm
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Dyson in D 
O clap your hands together – Gibbons

PARISH NOTICES

CHARITY SWIMMING FEAT
Redoubtable parishioner Yvonne Craig asks us to say how grateful she is for the £300 All Saints parishioners have donated so far towards her goal of £700 for September’s appeal in support of the Alzheimer’s Society and refurbishment works at St Anne’s Soho. Yvonne, aged 90, swam 20 lengths of a public swimming pool for which she was sponsored. Further donations for these two worthy causes would be appreciated, and can be handed in to the Parish Office at All Saints. Yvonne is keen that we let you know that she has previously fund-raised for All Saints, before turning to these new causes.

DEVONSHIRE MARBLE AT ALL SAINTS 
Some readers may remember a visit, tour of church and talk at All Saints earlier this year -given by Geology Professor Gordon Walkden and attended by about twenty people, including representatives from English Heritage. This came about during the period when Professor Walkden was writing a new book on the subject, which is now published. He writes: 

‘I would particularly like to draw your congregation’s attention to the November launch event of my book at the Lloyd’s Register building on Fenchurch Street. This is on Friday 6 November at 3pm. Lloyd’s has one of the finest Devonshire Marble interiors in the country and this is a rare chance to see it.  If anyone is interested in attending the formal lecture they can apply for a ticket by email as follows:  Booking essential at Barbara.Jones@lr.org; place ‘Marbles Talk’ in subject box.

Thank you for your assistance with my Devonshire marbles project.  The broad details are as follows: Devonshire marbles: Their geology, history and uses (2 vols), 500pp.by Gordon Walkden, published by the Geologists’ Association, Autumn 2015. £12.’

TICKETS ON SALE NOW for KEATS ANCIENT AND MODERN – an afternoon of entertainment at All Saints – Sunday 15 November at 3pm. Come and see a film featuring one of our own congregation in the role of Fanny Brawne with the poet John Keats and hear the life story of a modern day Dr John Keet. £10 a ticket including a glass of wine – in aid of the All Saints Church Restoration Appeal. Tickets will be available from Sandra Wheen, Christine Levy and Pamela Botsford any Sunday after Mass.

WALSINGHAM CELL VISIT – DECEMBER 2015 – TO NOTRE DAME DE FRANCE (French Church off Leicester Square) – the All Saints’ Cell of Walsingham plans a visit on Wednesday 9 December, 7pm to Evensong with a Talk on the history of the Church by Fr Kevin Mowbray followed by drinks. A fine modern ecclesiastical space with renowned Lady Chapel by Jean Cocteau and other historic and contemporary works of art, including a painting of Joan of Arc and a sculpture representing Our Lady of Mercy above the entrance welcoming visitors as they walk in from the street – Leicester Place. The sculptor was a famous French artist Georges-Laurent Saupique (1889-1961) who was head of the restoration work of Reims cathedral. All welcome.

Please see the noticeboard in Church where other events may be advertised as space is limited in the Newsletter.

EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS in SEPTEMBER 

ON NOW until Sunday 27 September 12 – 6pm – All Saints Parish Room – John Lewis Partnership & Waitrose Exhibition – Sabeema Arts & Crafts Club. Arts and crafts exhibition with most works being available to purchase – including paintings, drawings, jewellery, sewn goods and cards – a good opportunity to select some early Christmas presents. Free entry. Purchased art works can be collected after 6pm on Sunday 27 or on Monday 28 September, when the exhibition get-out will take place.

EVENTS AT ALL SAINTS in OCTOBER

Sunday 4 October after Mass – there will be an Events Committee meeting.

Sunday 4 October – following Benediction at 7.15pm – CANCELLED – ORGAN RECITAL in aid of IRAQI CHRISTIANS IN NEED (ICIN) – Carl Bahoshy – unfortunately, this event scheduled to support Iraqi Christians has had to be postponed by the recitalist. We are trying to find a new date.

Wednesday 7 October – 6.30pm – ALL SAINTS CELL OF WALSINGHAM – Mass and Rosary.

Sunday 11 October after Mass – there will be a Health & Safety Committee meeting.

Sunday 18 October after Mass – there will be a Buildings Committee meeting.

Wednesday 21 October, 6.30pm – Mass and Confirmations, with Bishop Stephen Platten.

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATE
All five nave aisle pendant lights are fully illuminated and the fitting of the specially made light fittings for the choir stalls (attached to the wrought iron grilles) took place on 18 August. A further CCTV camera is to be installed in October, when we will be able to fine-tune the settings of the overall lighting scheme. Funds for the project continue to be raised and the total received at the time of writing is now a splendid £412,709. Any more gifts will allow us a small reserve against the final cost of the works. If there are any surplus funds when all bills are paid, these will go towards future restoration projects at All Saints.

We are indebted to all those donors who have helped us replace the out-dated electrics and relight the church so that all the achievements of earlier phases of restoration work over the last twenty years are now revealed. The new CCTV and fire alarm system provide security and fire protection too. Thank you! 

HOW YOU CAN HELP………. please make cheques payable to: 

All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and send them to:  
The Parish Administrator, 7 Margaret Street, London W1W 8JG.
Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied or send in a completed Gift Aid envelope from in church, as it increases the value of your contribution by 25% at no cost to yourself.

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 at All Saints for mission activities in 2014 was £6,463 through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. £3,463 went to the Marylebone Project and a further £3,000 to Us (formerly USPG).

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 everyone who contributes food and household essentials via the basket in Church or handed in to the Parish Office – we made a substantial delivery to the Project in the first half of September and immediately fresh supplies came in. Thank you! Please continue to donate these so we can help 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 activities.

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 or tell them about our website www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk, which has a full colour 360 virtual tour for viewing the wonderfully restored interior of the Church – see www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/history/virtualtour – before a visit or if unable to travel.

* 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. Or make use of the prayer request facility on the website at: www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk/prayer.

* 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 – FRIDAY
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
Evening Prayer 6pm
(Except Bank Holidays – 12 noon Mass only)

SATURDAY
Morning Prayer 7.30am
Low Mass – 12 noon and 6.30pm (First Mass of Sunday) 
Evening Prayer 6pm

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 for Holy Week.)

www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk and e-mail: astsmgtst@aol.com