All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we are confronted with a long string of short parables (one of which is about pearls, so ‘stringing’ is an apt description). What do a mustard seed, leaven, treasure, a fine pearl, and a dragnet have in common? That the Kingdom of Heaven is ‘like’ them.

Not, perhaps, the most helpful answer, but certainly one that Jesus would have given. We won’t find it easy to stack these images up into neat piles by category. Jesus wasn’t very interested in taxonomy, which is one of our besetting sins. There are conceptual links between the parables, but the important thing to remember is that the common term is the Kingdom itself, not some system we can impose upon it, so we must not be surprised if we find rigid categorisation slipping away from us.

As with last week’s longer parable of the weeds among the wheat, the point is that the Kingdom (and by analogy the Church, which is God’s instrument to build the Kingdom) can only be described by God, for it belongs to God. We are always to beware of setting boundaries to it, as if God needs our protection. We are to leave judgement, in every sense, to God and his mercy.

These parables tend in three directions. One direction is about value over price. The second is about small beginnings and extraordinary growth. The third is about gathering everyone in and leaving the sorting out to God (as with the weeds in the wheat). The Kingdom of God ‘is like’ these pictures.

The desire to explain and categorise Jesus’ core teaching is very old. Sometimes the gospels provide us with ‘explanations’ of the parables, which have clearly been added by the early church to try and clarify what he said. In every case these explanations limit the meaning, which is why he didn’t usually provide such glosses; he left the parables open. But in Sunday’s passage there is a sort of explanation, at the end of the ‘string’, which is from the Lord: ‘every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’ Again, teasingly open, but he is trying to get us to think for ourselves.

In response we seek to take these ways of thinking about God’s world (and his true kingship of it) into our hearts, minds and behaviours, and we pray, with our Lord, ‘thy Kingdom come; thy will be done.’

Yours in Christ,

Fr Michael Bowie
Assistant Priest
All Saints Margaret Street

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Harry Allan, Alan Bishton, Susan Beauchamp, Rachel Clayton, Rosamond Clayton, Kate Down, Jean East, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Katherine Lee, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Jonathan Mani-Weoki, Caroline Masterton-Smith, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Geraldine Newman, Aubrey O’Brien Frances O’Neil, Maureen Pride, Malcolm Richards, Peter Royle, Dilys Thomas, Mary Thomas and Joy Wright.

For the recently departed: John Hughes (Priest), James Wheen, Louise Lancaster (priest) and Ray Lancaster.

At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Roy Ellis, Edward Hobson, Herbert Palmer (Priest), Helen Clark, George Maynard, Patricia Self, George Maryon-Wilson, John Gardner, Francis Woodlock (Benefactor), Margery Duce, Winifred Cratherne, John Welch, Patrick Whatmore, Sara Stevens and Eva Eleonor Spencer.

EVENTS THIS COMING WEEK

WORSHIP AT ALL SAINTS THIS SUNDAY 27 JULY – SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY HIGH MASS at 11am

Preacher: Father Michael Bowie

Missa Brevior – James Sherwood
Blessed is he – Tomkins

There is a meeting of the All Saints Servers after Mass.

There is no Church Sunday lunch this week and then for the rest of the summer. Sunday lunches will resume in September.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: Prebendary Alan Moses
Magnificat sexti toni – Palestrina
Nunc dimittis tertii toni – Palestrina
Laudem dicite Deo – Sheppard

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY – 3 AUGUST – SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
HIGH MASS at 11am
Preacher: Prebendary Alan Moses

Mass for four voices—Byrd
Holy is the true light—Harris
The Centenary of the First World War 1914 will be marked at the end of this Mass.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm

Preacher: Father Michael Bowie

Service in E minor—Daniel Purcell
Christe qui lux es et dies (IV)—White 

SPECIAL EVENTS in AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER at ALL SAINTS & ELSEWHERE

Fr. Matthew Duckett invites us to:
PATRONAL FESTIVAL 2014 – Feast of St Peter’s Chains – St Peter le Poer, Albion Avenue N10 1AQ on Saturday 2 August 2014
11am Festival Mass – Preacher: The Reverend Melanie Toogood, Vicar St George & All Saints, Tufnell Park followed by buffet lunch
2pm Outdoor Procession returning to Church for Benediction. Both Fr. Matthew and Mother Melanie are All Saints Ordinands.

THE ALL SAINTS CLUB AGM will take place in the bar after Evensong on Sunday 3^rd August. All members are welcome to attend and vote. The bar will open after the meeting.

A SOLEMN COMMEMORATION ON THE CENTENARY OF   THE OUTBREAK OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, Westminster Abbey – Monday 4 August 2014 at 10pm
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall representing Her Majesty The Queen will attend this service to commemorate the Centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The service will draw upon Sir Edward Grey’s famous remark that “the lights are going out all over Europe”, as the Abbey moves from light into darkness until one candle remains at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, which will be extinguished at 11pm, marking the exact moment of the declaration of war. The Vigil will feature music, readings, poetry, and contemporary reflection, such as diary entries and letters from 1914 and be broadcast live on BBC TWO as the event itself is by invitation only. 

ALL SAINTS – REQUIEM MASS There will be a Requiem Mass on Tuesday 19 August 6.30pm – please print the names of anyone you would like to be remembered in the file at the back of Church, to be found on the wooden lectern in the Baptistery.

NAUTICAL POETRY TEA – Saturday 30 August at 4pm  All welcome.  Please bring poetry or prose on a Nautical Theme.  Please note different venue.  This tea will be held at Paul Weston & John McWhinney’s moorings in Wapping.  Cream tea (scones, cream & jam) will be served. To accept and to find out the address of the moorings please speak with Paul or John after Mass or email them at paul@hcmoorings.org.  A donation of £6 towards the Restoration Appeal would be appreciated.

ST CYPRIAN’S CLARENCE GATE – DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Friday 12 September, 7.30pm THREE PARISHES ANNUAL QUIZ NIGHT. More details to follow. For now, please let Chris Self know if you are forming a team to participate. Email: chris_self@btinternet.com.

Monday 15 September, ST CYPRIAN’S DAY 7pm High Mass. Preacher: Fr George Bush, Rector of St Mary-le-Bow.

THE ANNUNCIATION MARBLE ARCH – Centenary Feast of Celebration – Tuesday 16 September 2014, 7.30pm in The Annunciation
To celebrate the Annunciation’s 100th birthday and in the tradition of Dinners in the Community Ben Wegg-Prosser has put together a glittering event to raise funds for the restoration of the church. The speakers are Alain de Botton, Matthew Parris and Tessa Jowell with Fr Victor Stock (author and former Dean of Guildford) in the chair. The Churchill Hyatt Hotel has most generously donated the hospitality for the evening so all ticket money goes to church funds. Tickets are £50 or tables of 10 are £450. Please contact Fr Gerald (gerald.beauch@btconnect.com) if you would like to come.

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WESTMINSTER “MEET THE NEIGHBOURS”
Hosted by The Annunciation, Marble Arch – Tuesday 30 September 7 – 9pm The evening includes a welcome and talk by Fr Gerald Beauchamp (Priest in Charge) about the church’s history and architecture, including relics and statues, as well as the tradition behind its worship style. There will be an opportunity to look around the Church. Refreshments will be offered afterwards. Pevsner notes that to enter The Annunciation is to have stumbled upon: ‘a fragment of a major medieval church’. All are welcome to join this visit to a dramatic building in a fascinating and fast-changing part of London.

NOTICES

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION APPEAL UPDATE

Cost and Programme
The Butterfield design lighting fittings, which are now well advanced at the blacksmiths workshop, will be the most noticeable change in the church after the hugely enhanced lighting. Tenders for the main work have been returned and a report was made to the PCC Meeting on Sunday 29 June. Discussions are taking place with the lowest tenderer to review the cost and scope of the works before the contract can be let and the stripping out the existing installation commenced.

Now that the market has been tested, the original budget target of £250,000 for an extensive programme of works both within the actual church and in crypt has proved unrealistic and we can now see that some £350,000 is required for the following works:

• Complete rewiring and new lighting scheme as designed and approved
  in the church including central battery powered emergency lighting
• Renewal of the antiquated electrical mains panel presently below
  No 7 stairs and necessary works in the basement to bring the existing system up to a minimum standard to allow for the NICEIC certification.
• A new induction loop system for hearing aid users

Other desirable parts of the overall project – including new courtyard lighting, a new sound system, a new CCTV system for the organist and security, automatic smoke detection in the church and complete rewiring of basement – will all need to be deferred.

Once greater certainty is achieved through post tender negotiations more definitive information on costs will be available.

In the meantime if you would like more details or have questions, please speak to John Forde, Churchwarden.

The Fundraising Appeal
Fund-raising continues. We still await the result of applications to a small number of charitable trusts. The All Saints Foundation has now increased its grant offer from £60,000 to £120,000 together with a loan of £30,000.

So far the extended family of All Saints has donated or pledged a total of £315,194 towards the cost of the project. This is over 90% of the revised target. Our grateful thanks to all who have so generously contributed to date. With some £35,000 to find – further donations are of course welcome!

Cheques should be made payable to:
All Saints Church Restoration Appeal and be sent to: The Parish Administrator at 7 Margaret Street, London W1W 8JG.
Please indicate where Gift Aid may be applied as it increases the value of your contribution by 25%. Thank you!

We still hope to be able to commence works in mid-August with completion for Advent.
As in previous phases of the restoration programme, weekday worship, except on major feasts, will take place in the Parish Room. This will enable contractors to have more uninterrupted working time, keep costs down and speed the whole process.

ALL SAINTS SUPPORT FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE – MARYLEBONE PROJECT – 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 provided the funds for one of the 4 beds – provides a safe haven and refuge for women escaping domestic violence, financial crisis, sexual exploitation and mental health issues. 

Seasonal Appeals – Last year we donated £2,790 to this Mission Project, collected through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. The PCC approved support of £3,000 for 2014.

Year Round Support – we also support the 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.

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 (the Church is open every day of the week from 7am to 7pm except on Bank Holidays, when it opens for the lunchtime Mass only)

SUNDAYS
Low Mass at 6.30pm (Saturday), 8am and 5.15pm
Morning Prayer at 10.20am
HIGH MASS AND SERMON at 11am
CHORAL EVENSONG, SERMON and BENEDICTION at 6pm          

MONDAY TO FRIDAY
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30pm
(Except bank holiday – 1.10pm Mass only)
Confessions from 12.30pm -1pm and 5.30pm
(No Confessions on bank holidays)
Evening Prayer at 6pm

SATURDAYS
Morning Prayer at 7.30am
Low Mass at 8.00am and 6.30pm (First Mass of Sunday)
Confessions at 5.30pm
Evening Prayer at 6pm

On major weekday feasts, High Mass is sung at 6.30pm with Evening Prayer at 5.45pm.

A priest is available in church for confessions or counsel every weekday from 12.30-1pm (except Saturdays) and at 5.30pm, or by appointment. The clergy are always happy to see anyone for whatever reason. Please enquire at the Parish Office (to the right as you enter the church courtyard).

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