All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear Friends,

On Sunday evening we welcome Fr. Michael Bowie to the clergy team and the community of All Saints.

He and I spent the first part of this week at Keble College in Oxford. It felt like home from home, although on a grander scale.

We were assisting at a conference for ordinands on the public and private aspects of priestly ministry.

Those of us who had organised the conference believe that, when dominant voices shaping ministry speak of “leadership” and “management,” a renewed attention to the priesthood as not just a job but a life is needed.

As we are looking forward to a new stage of ministry at All Saints, it was providential and refreshing to hear from speakers who value our tradition of ministry. It was inspiring to talk and pray with men and women who are excited by it as they prepare to dedicate their lives to the service of Jesus Christ and his people.

The first reading at Mass on Sunday is Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones: a symbol of a spiritually dead community. But the dry bones do not have the last word, any more than the stone rolled over Lazarus’s tomb in the Gospel.

The body of Lazarus was placed in the tomb where it would decay until only the bones remained to be stored.

The voice of Jesus is able to call back to life even individuals and communities and traditions which have about them the stench of death. The Spirit of God can put flesh and blood back on the dry bones of our faith. 

We know this is true because we see it in others. We saw it in those ordinands. It is just that we seem to have been programmed to discount such good news in favour of the bad.

A group of us in the parish  have been studying Pope Francis’s “The Joy of the Gospel” during Lent. He is realistic about the problems facing us as we seek to spread the Gospel. But he has not lost a sense of humour about it: evangelists should not look as if they have just come from a funeral; for some Christians, it is always Lent and never Easter.

But the last word should not be of these but of Jesus Christ who calls us into new life and breathes his Spirit on us to continue his mission.

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: Harry Allan, Alan Bishton, Susan Beauchamp, Jean Brackston, Rachel Clayton, Ursula Edwards, Canon David Garlick, Geoff, Yvonne & Philip Harland, Denise Inge, Jill, Fr Kevin, Katherine Lee, Molly Leng, Joshua Levy, Christine Loffty, Santa Luca, Kerry Manuel, Jonathan Mani-Weoki, Norman Newby, Andrew O’Connor, Stephen Short and Joy Wright.

For the recently departed: John Cook, Sister Edwina S.L.G, Frederick Parrot, Shereka Marsch, Michael Powell, Christopher Hall, Geoffrey Hadfield, Beryl Harding (funeral at St Mary’s Kenton at 10.30am Tuesday 22 April), Rosie Davis.

At the anniversary of their death (during the coming week): Stanley Eley (Bishop & former Curate at All Saints), Peggy Monk, Margaret Leech, Leonard Neville, Muriel Vickery, Richard Davall, Minnie Webb, Olive May Routledge, Evelyn Light, Cecil Higgins, Ada Jane Spicer, Anne Garside, Cyril Golding-Bird (Bishop & former Assistant Curate All Saints), Thomas Harold Senior (Priest), Brian Phillips, Maud Harriett Woodin, Mildred Banyard, Roy Sutherland, Edith Wood, Norman Peryer, Eric Yates.

WORSHIP AT ALL SAINTS THIS SUNDAY, 6 April – Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passiontide begins)
HIGH MASS, 11am
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses
Mass for five voices – Byrd
Versa est in luctum – Lobo

Choral Evensong & Benediction, 6pm with Licensing of Fr Michael Bowie as Assistant Priest
Preacher: The Venerable William Jacob
Collegium Regale – Howells
Timor et tremor – Poulenc

EVENTS & NOTICES THIS WEEK

Sunday 6 April – ‘This is our Faith’ Group meets at 4pm in the Vicarage. The last meeting of this Group is next week.

LENT 2014 – STUDY GROUPS and STATIONS OF THE CROSS during LENT

“The Joy of the Gospel” – a study of Pope Francis’s Letter on “The Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World” – Thursday Evenings, 7pm in the Parish Room. The last meeting takes place next week. 

“Love bade me welcome”- The Poetry of George Herbert – Friday Mornings, 11am in the Vicarage. The last meeting takes place next week. 

THE WAY OF THE CROSS – Friday evenings in Church at 7pm throughout Lent.

ALL SAINTS’ LENT APPEAL 2014

Our Lenten self-denial is complemented by giving alms to those in need.
Almsgiving this year is divided between All Saints’ Mission Projects:

• The Church Army Hostel for Homeless Women in Marylebone, providing emergency housing and enabling them to find long-term accommodation and work.  
• The work of Us (formerly USPG) in Zimbabwe tackling the stigma associated with people having HIV-Aids

 and The Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal, which will support:

• ALMA (The Angola, London and Mozambique Association) and
• The Bishop of London’s Mission Fund, which is aimed at reaching ‘beyond the walls of the church’ to increase its mission work in areas of social need as well as keeping pace with the needs of the growing church in London. Since 2004, 100 projects + have received grants totalling £3.8M.

Lent Boxes are available for you to collect in church. Please return by Easter.

OTHER NOTICES

LOOKING AHEAD – DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

POETRY TEA – Sunday 6 April, 3pm at Pamela’s
All welcome.  The subject will be “My Favourite Poems or Prose”.  Bring pieces you have written – why not take this opportunity to showcase your best work – or best-loved pieces you have read.  To accept or to find out Pamela’s address please ring Sandra on 020 7637 8456 and leave a message with your name and phone number.  Cost £6 towards the All Saints Restoration Fund.

SPRING CONCERT in memory of Nicholas Luff – Thursday 10 April at 7.30pm, the Musicians’ Church, St Sepulchre-without-Newgate (opposite the Old Bailey, London EC1A 2DQ) – The London Ripieno Society directed by Geoffrey Hanson. Programme: Requiem Mass – Duruflé, Stabat Mater – Rheinberger, Motets – Bruckner. Tickets £10 (concs £8) online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/londonripieno or telephone the Treasurer on 020 7724 2046 or by email: marybee2@aol.com.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES, 13 – 20 April 2014
For this particularly special time at All Saints, we welcome as our preacher an old friend of All Saints: Bishop John Flack. His ministry has stretched from West Yorkshire to Rome, as Director of the Anglican Centre and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See. More recently he has served as both a parish priest and an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Peterborough. All services sung by the Choir of All Saints.

PALM SUNDAY, 13 APRIL
10.45am Liturgy of Palms in Market Place, W1
                Procession to Church and HIGH MASS                

6pm Passiontide Music, Readings and BENEDICTION

MON – WEDS in Holy Week, 14, 15, 16 APRIL – 6.30pm Low Mass with Homily

WEDNESDAY, 16 APRIL, 7.30pm          
TENEBRAE for Maundy Thursday         

MAUNDY THURSDAY, 17 APRIL 6.30pm       
Concelebrated HIGH MASS of the Lord’s Supper             

GOOD FRIDAY, 18 APRIL, 12 noon   The Preaching of the Passion                  

1 – 3pm The Solemn Liturgy & Veneration of the Cross
6.30pm Stations of the Cross

HOLY SATURDAY, 19 APRIL, 12 noon Liturgy of the Day and
9pm HIGH MASS of the Easter Vigil

EASTER DAY, SUNDAY 20 APRIL

11am Procession, Blessing of the Easter Garden and HIGH MASS
Preacher: The Vicar, Prebendary Alan Moses

6pm Festal Evensong, Te Deum and Benediction
Preacher: Fr Michael Bowie, Assistant Priest  

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WESTMINSTER – Visit to All Saints – Thursday 24 April. Hosted by All Saints Margaret Street, from 6 – 8.30pm. All are welcome to join this visit to this Grade 1 Listed Anglican Church regarded as one of the foremost examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture in Britain. 6pm Evening Prayer – 6.30pm Low Mass (Anglican) Communicant members of other Churches are welcome to receive Holy Communion at this Mass, or receive a blessing. Followed by a welcome from Prebendary Alan Moses (Vicar), Talk/Tour of the Church by John Forde (Churchwarden) and Refreshments.

ALL SAINTS’ OLD CHORISTERS’ EVENSONG – Saturday 3 May – 4pm
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis specially written for the occasion by Martin Bruce (Headmaster, Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford). Anthem “Let all the World in every corner sing” by Louis Halsey. Organist: Harry Bramma. Afternoon Tea is offered after the service in the Courtyard (if the weather is fine), with a chance to meet up and reminisce. All welcome – please come and support the former Choristers

ALL SAINTS PARISH RETREAT – Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June 2014
This year’s Retreat, conducted by Father Julian Browning, is now well – but not fully – subscribed. We need two more people, and can take up to six. The cost (standard room) is £130. Enquiries to m.g.woolley@btinternet.com please or on 0207 436 2858 or 07976 275 383.

WORSHIP NEXT SUNDAY – 13 APRIL – Palm Sunday
Liturgy of Palms in Market Place, Procession to Church and HIGH MASS, 10.45am
Preacher: Bishop John Flack
Mass in B flat – Rachmaninov
O Saviour of the World – Ouseley

A SEQUENCE OF PASSIONTIDE MUSIC AND READINGS
followed by BENEDICTION, 6pm
Music: Lamentations I and II – Tallis

ALL SAINTS RESTORATION – Lighting & Electrical Renewal Update
The display of our proposals for this Restoration Project continues in the Baptistery. We have now received approval to proceed with this essential work in our Grade 1 Listed Church, but must secure all the funds to go ahead. We are delighted to announce that we have now raised or had pledged £179,065 (72% of target), but still have a further £70,935 to find. While we are approaching Trusts and other Grant-giving bodies for the short-fall, if there is anyone who has not yet contributed, please do so via the Parish Office (with Gift Aid wherever possible). Thank you to everyone who has already contributed donations large and small; we are extremely grateful. We hope that works will commence later in 2014.

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.

DAILY SERVICES (the Church is open every day of the week from 7am to 7pm)

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
Confessions from 12.30pm -1pm and 5.30pm
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.

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.