All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friend,

Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other; Truth shall spring up from the earth and righteousness look down from heaven.

Words from the Psalm at the Eucharist on Sunday. In the Church’s use of the Psalter, the hymnal of the Jerusalem Temple, Psalm 85 has long been associated with the season of Advent.

It is thought to come from the period when the exiles had returned from Babylon.  After the initial excitement, disappointment had set in when the magnitude of the task of rebuilding city and temple, in the midst of indifference or hostility had dawned on them.

So the psalm pleads for God’s help but does this on the basis of what God has done for his people in the past:

Lord, you were gracious to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the offence of your people and covered all their sins.
You laid aside all your fury and turned from your wrathful indignation.

Then comes the prayer:

Restore us again, O God our Saviour, and let your anger cease from us.
Will you be displeased with us for ever? Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
Will you not give us life again, that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

(Those last words familiar to generations of Anglicans from Prayer Book Mattins and Evensong.)

Then comes the response to remembrance and petition:

I will listen to what the Lord God will say, for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful, that they turn not again to folly.

The Church continues to read the scriptures and sing the psalms all these centuries after they were written to listen to what the Lord God will say, because he still speaks peace to his people, and so that, taught by him, we may turn not again to folly.

Our situations may seem very different but in fact have much in common. Those of us who are Christians in Europe, seeking the kingdom of God, might well feel ourselves surrounded by an indifference and hostility; exiles in our own land and culture. We may well feel dispirited and hopeless about the task before us. We may despair over violence and prejudice justified by religion.

Just as the psalm bases its prayer for present and future on what God had done in the past, so the Church offers its prayer, especially in the Eucharist, on the foundation of what God has done in Christ.

The psalm speaks of the nature of the God whose salvation is near to those who fear him:

Mercy and truth are met together, Righteousness and peace have kissed each other; Truth shall spring up from the earth and righteousness look down from heaven.

These are active qualities, they meet and kiss, they spring up and look down.  They do not describe a remote, static and uncaring being, but one who in the incarnation is actively involved in our life and world. In Christ, the Word made flesh, truth has sprung up from the earth

The Bible’s understanding of peace, shalom, is not just the absence of conflict but the positive well-being, the common good of all. It is a life in which all are enabled to share in the gifts of God’s creation.  Here is both blessing and responsibility. Our Christian calling is to share in that active mercy and truth, righteousness and peace.  God’s peace is established in the world, in the Church, in our communities and families, by the self-giving are shown in Christ as the very being and nature of God. This calls for effort and attention, watchfulness and prayer, compassion and patience, active mercy and the pursuit of justice. These are demanding but  possible because the Christ who came at Bethlehem to share the life of our world, and who will come to bring it to fulfillment, comes to us in the here and now, in word and sacrament and fellowship: Truly, his salvation is near.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Alan Moses

Vicar, All Saints Margaret Street
Area Dean of Westminster and St Marylebone

Please pray for those who have asked for our prayers: Asia Bibi. Heather Brown, Lily Caplin, Rosamond Clayton, Kate Down, Norman Greenfield (Priest), Tim Harding, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Elspeth Harley, Lewis Harvey, Sheila Kenyon, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Hilary Morgan, Norman Newby, Anne O’Connor, Linda Orme, Maureen Pride, Malcolm Richards, Peter Royle, Jock Scott, Nicholas Stacey (Priest), Dilys Thomas, Joy Wright and Mark Young.

For the recently departed: Alan Bishton, David Reeves, Rachel Clayton, Charles Richardson (Priest), Susan Beauchamp, Phyllis Dorothy James., Monica Evans and Michael Freeman (Priest).   

Remember past priests, benefactors, friends, and all whose year’s mind occurs this week:
Morgan Griffiths (Priest), John Slater, Frances Lloyd, Zena Monk, Maude Bull, Christine Bramma, Ines Baxter, Marian Borton, Hamish Gray, Natalie Dyrnes, Daniel Thomas, Amelia Jones, Alice Trevor, Annie Jevons, Roscow George Shedden (Bishop and one-time Curate at All Saints), Margaret Butterworth, Guy Pritchard (member of the PCC and Sidesman), James Burling, Christopher Fairbairn, Richard Eyre (Priest), Mary Packer, David Vikery (Priest, sometime Curate at All Saints), John Turner and Lindsey Boynton.

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY and NEXT WEEK

Weekday Masses remain in the Parish Room. Due to high level working on the scaffolding in Church installing new wiring and light fittings, Church will be closed during the week again from Monday 1 December until at least the middle of the month. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility during this challenging period.

WORSHIP SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER – SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Kyrie ‘Le Roy’—Taverner
Mass ‘The Western Wynde’—Sheppard
Hosanna to the Son of David— Weelkes

After High Mass there will be ‘The Shape of the Liturgy’ Ten to One Talk in Church. The topic is The Psalm. The bell will ring beforehand.

Sunday lunch is served this week. Tickets £5 from the Parish Shop in the Parish Room (subject to availability). Stuart Voy is preparing a main course, vegetables followed by dessert and coffee.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
The Short Service—Gibbons
Vigilate – Byrd 

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY – 14 DECEMBER – THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie
Orgelsomomesse – Mozart
Rorate cæli desuper – Byrd

After High Mass there will be ‘The Shape of the Liturgy’ Ten to One Talk in Church. The topic is The Second Reading. The bell will ring beforehand.

Sunday lunch is served next week. Tickets £5 from the Parish Shop in the Parish Room (subject to availability). Tom Leeman is preparing a main course with vegetables, dessert and coffee.

CHORAL EVENSONG & BENEDICTION at 6pm
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Service in G – Bairstow
This is the record of John – Gibbons

NOTICES

Fr Julian Browning is leading the Advent Retreat at Walsingham this weekend.

The Vicar is at St Mary le Strand this evening to take part in the licensing of Fr Philip Chester as Priest-in-Charge.

CHURCH ARMY HOSTEL CHRISTMAS APPEAL
The Hostel for Homeless Women has asked for donations by Friday 12 December of small practical items that can be given as presents. They particularly need: Socks, blankets, bubble bath, soaps, scarves, perfume and chocolates. These items do not need to be wrapped. Please drop off your donations in the Parish Office (Mon – Fri 9 – 5), give to Janet Drake or Chris Self on Sundays or leave them for collection in the basket in the Baptistery. Thank you!

CALLING ALL WOULD-BE CAROL SINGERS!
Thursday 18 December 2014, 6.30pm for 6.45 – 7.30pm – All Saints is carol singing in Oxford Street once again and we need cheerful singers to make a joyful & pleasant sound. Please join us (meet in the Parish Office at 6.30pm) to sing and collect for two homeless charity projects in London – West London Day Centre and the Church Army Hostel for Homeless Women in Marylebone. Wrap warmly! Mulled wine and mince pies to thank you afterwards in the Vicarage. For further information, speak to Janet Drake and let her or the Parish Office know if you can come and be part of the merry band.

ALL SAINTS’ PARISH RETREAT 2015
The Retreat will be at Ely again, from 13-15 March. As already announced, 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.

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION APPEAL UPDATE – GOOD PROGRESS MADE!
FUNDRAISING – Thanks to the huge generosity of parishioners and friends and the award of £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation, we have now received a splendid total of £369,675, reducing our reliance on loans to circa £15,000 (from £35,000). However, we have two significant elements on hold to get within the overall project figure – a CCTV security system and an automatic fire detection system. Both are highly desirable in our Grade 1 Listed Church if more donations are received. 

WORKS – Scaffolding is needed to install the new cabling and lights in Church (including at high level in the Chancel for a few weeks). The nave altar will need to be used for the first two Sundays in Advent and possibly longer. With the arrival and fitting this week of the specialist light fittings for the Sanctuary, we are quietly optimistic about having the high altar in use for Christmas. Allowing for a Christmas holiday break in the works, and if all specialist materials arrive on time, we anticipate everything being completed – including focusing – by the end January 2015. We hope to be celebrating the re-lit church at Candlemas.

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 project and at other times when safe to do so. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP………. further donations will reduce our reliance on loans and complete key fire and security improvements! Cheques payable to: All Saints Church Restoration Appeal. Send 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%. Thank you!

ALL SAINTS EVENTS in DECEMBER:

Monday 8 December, 7pm – Standing Committee Meeting of the All Saints PCC, Vicarage

Friday 12 December, 11am – DAYTIME ADVENT GROUP meets in the Vicarage – reading Rowan William’s Being Christian – Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer. The last date is 19 December. Please contact the Parish Office (020 7636 1788 or astsmgtst@aol.com to let us know which group you will attend). 

Monday 15 December, 6pm – FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS. With the Choir of All Saints Margaret Street. Followed by Mince pies and Mulled Wine.

Thursday 18 December, meet at 6.30pm – CAROL SINGING IN THE PARISH – all welcome to join in – please meet in the Church Courtyard. Followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Vicarage. Collecting for the Church Army Homeless Women’s Project.

Sunday 21 December, 11am HIGH MASS and HOLY BAPTISM.

Monday 22 December, 12.30pm – CAROL SERVICE and Blessing of the Christmas Tree. With a soloist from the Choir of All Saints Margaret Street. Followed by Mince pies and Mulled Wine.

Wednesday 24 December – CHRISTMAS EVE – MIDNIGHT MASS and BLESSING OF THE CRIB at 11pm. Music includes: Missa Sancti Nicolai – Haydn and O magnum mysterium – Poulenc.

Thursday 25 December – CHRISTMAS DAY Low Mass 9am and HIGH MASS at 11am Music includes: Spatzenmesse – Mozart and Tomorrow shall be my dancing day – English trad., arr. Willcocks.  

Sunday 28 December – FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS HIGH MASS AT 11am.  NB. There is no Choral Evensong this Sunday.

Sunday 25 January 2015, 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.

2015 Sunday Evening Organ Recital Dates for the Diary:
8 March 2015 – Charles Andrews
10 May – Roger Sayer (Organist & Director of Music, Temple Church) 
5 July – Nicholas Mannoukas (Dr John Birch Organ Scholar) 
13 September – Charles Andrews
22 November – Timothy Byram-Wigfield (Director of Music)
For more organ recitals, please visit www.organrecitals.com.

EVENTS BEYOND ALL SAINTS
 
TODAY – Friday 5 (15-21hrs) and Saturday 6 December (10-16hrs) ALL THE FUN OF THE CHRISTMAS FAIR – St Cyprian’s, Clarence Gate, London NW1.
All proceeds to Marie Curie Cancer Care. Candle-lit Gala 5 December from 6pm – entry suggested £3 (with wine) and general entry other times suggested £1. Over 40 professional stalls selling all you need for Christmas, with exhibitors usually found at top Christmas Fairs such as Country Living Fair, Save the Children Fair and Spirit of Christmas. Artisan food, music, vintage, designer makers, books, children’s favourites – they have Christmas wrapped up! See Fair website www.funofthefair.co.uk for full details.

Saturday 6 December, 3pm – CHRISTMAS POETRY TEA AT PAMELA’S
A seasonal version of the popular regular event, come along with a poem and treat yourself to an early mince-pie! To accept or to find out Pamela’s address please speak to Pamela or Sandra in the courtyard or ring Sandra on 020 7637 8456 leaving your name and phone number.  Cost £6 towards the All Saints Restoration Appeal.

Friday 12 December, 6.45pm – ALL SAINTS’ CELL OF OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM EVENT – In the octave of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – an Ecumenical Visit to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, Mayfair.
All are invited and welcome to join the liturgy – Anglican Evensong led by Fr Michael Bowie with address by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Rosary, tour of the church, followed by light refreshments. You do not have to be a member of the Cell to attend but please advise Mrs Rosa Postance by email (rosa_postance @hotmail.com) if you are going to come to this event.

ALL SAINTS YEAR ROUND SUPPORT for HOMELESS PEOPLE
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 – With last monies in, the final tally allowed us to send a cheque for £3,273 (up significantly on last year’s support of £2,790) to this Mission Project and a further £3,000 to Us collected through the All Saints Festival and Lent Appeals. Thank you for your generosity in supporting these Appeals.

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. Thank you to everyone who has so generously contributed in this way in recent weeks – we have quite a large number of bags of goodies to deliver to the Project.

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 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.