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THE MAGAZINE Christmas 2023

All Saints, All people. www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk

All Saints Fulham

Welcome to

The Magazine All Saints, All people. www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk All Saints Parish Office Pryors Bank Pavillion Bishops Park Fulham London SW6 3LA

Situated on the north bank of the River Thames at Putney Bridge, All Saints Fulham is a vibrant and thriving church. Anyone who is seeking to worship – whatever age, gender or sexuality, whatever marital status, whatever their interest in Christianity – will find a warm welcome.

The Egyptian pyramids seized my imagination as a small boy and have remained a minor obsession ever since. Finally, last month, I got to see them. On a dream holiday we visited the famous pyramids at Giza and the slightly less famous pyramids at Saqqara, the Valley of the Kings and an abundance of temples.

020 7736 3264 info@allsaints-fulham.org.uk www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk Across all these wonders, the significance of death was clear. The efforts we make in this life were deemed vital to securing a desirable afterlife. The pyramids were steps to heaven, the mumification an attempt to preserve the body so that the Magazine Volunteers Pharoah might return. The food, drink, weapons and wealth placed in the tombs Editor: were to help him (or occasionally her) on Paul McCarroll their journey.

Design Night Owl: So-Jin Holohan Picture Editor: Nicky Thomson Photo Contributors: Jess Armstrong Julia Chittell Mike Dudgeon Paul McCarroll Fiona Mylcreest Nicola Thomson Shutterstock Free Images Proof reading and production hero: Tina Ellis

All Saints is a registered charity: 1130273

But was their belief in this afterlife absolute? The move from great pyramids to less ambitious constructions was a pragmatic decision by the pharaohs that their people would no longer tolerate the huge expense. Tombs were robbed of their treasure soon after the pharaoh was lain to rest by people who clearly put their earthly needs first. Ramses II thanked the gods for a great victory when he had done no more than sign a peace treaty. What was apparent was that, just as with Christianity, the religion of ancient Egypt was a juxtaposition between devoutly held belief and the pressing demands of everyday life. And that apparently irreconcilable balancing act is still, of course, how we live our lives today. I was

acutely aware of leaving church the other month and swearing at a reckless cyclist in the park – hardly a very Christian act for someone who had so recently been at prayer. Usually, the juggling works out. It seems to do so in modern day Egypt where the traders will be selling you their merchandise with a discomforting zeal one moment, then ceasing their sales pitch and kneeling devoutly the moment the call to prayer begins. The fact that mosques and churches sit side by side is indicative of an acceptance of others and respect for their beliefs. Ultimately, our faith does far more good than harm. And can provide a lasting solution to the troubles of this world. I’ve loved reading people’s Sacred Seven, where they share their most spiritually inspiring pieces of music. Maria Tomlinson’s choices come from a profound place and I’m grateful that music can provide such a spiritual balm for us. Childhood Christmases remembered is another of my favourites in this issue of the magazine, and our contributors have found some classic pictures from their past. Thank you so much Rev’d Penny, Mary, Jess and Tina. Your stories show just how much times change. Yet also remain the same. Merry Christmas, everyone. Paul McCarroll

All Saints Fulham

VIEW FROM THE PULPIT Rev’d Penny innocents, add Mathew’s story about Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt shortly after the birth, to avoid Herod’s determination to wipe out all firstborn sons who might usurp his hold on power. So, if the crib service is the only one attended, it glosses over the reality of the fear and pain Mary must have felt during labour and the squalor of the stable. This doesn’t help a refugee identify with Christ but glorifies the beginning rather than the end of the story, which culminates in the cross and resurrection that follows in all four gospels. That’s the hard part that some choose not to pass on to children because it describes betrayal, injustice and human torture: the worst of the worst that is experienced daily, throughout the world we know, by old and young, who have done nothing to deserve their fate. I hope Christians living in Gaza and Israel have been brave enough to read to the end of the book so that their children are reassured that God knows what it is like to be in their shoes and is holding his breath, praying that the agony will soon be over, giving them hope of peace in When wide-eyed children get their first glimpse of heaven, if not on earth. the baby snuggled in Mary’s arms at the crib services on Christmas Eve, I hear the quiet intake of breath and wonder what they make of the story. It’s a gift for those who like to dress up and role play. But much more than that for those blessed with a child of their own or in awe of the incarnation and miracle of salvation that comes from God. If you read the gospel accounts of the nativity you won’t find shepherds and kings side by side. The shepherds are only mentioned by Luke and the kings by Matthew. Mark starts with the baptism of Christ and that happens thirty years later. John presents him as the Word that was in the beginning with God and was God, sent down from heaven to enable us to witness the glory of a father’s only son.

Over Christmas and the two following weeks, different services blend these accounts and, on the day when the church remembers the massacre of

All Saints Fulham

BUSY DECEMBER Rev’d George are growing in their own faith. So, when there is a potential crossover between family time and work time, that is a great gift, which I try to take advantage of. It’s currently working well at All Saints.

Support groups

This time of the year is a very busy period for clergy families. Church life gets increasingly demanding from November; beginning with bonfire night fun and moving on to weighty and spiritual remembrance. December then rapidly picks up the pace with work to prepare both teens and adults for Confirmation, hosting the bishop for the confirmation service, multiple carol services, crib services, Christmas gatherings, spending a day dressed as St Nicholas/Father Christmas as more and more children explore the grotto, Midnight Mass and then the services on Christmas morning. I now see why by 3pm every Christmas Day, Dad would be asleep at the end of a prolonged sprint through the previous two months. I absolutely love all of it and get much joy and spiritual fulfilment through this magical period, but I can also see why and how clergy burn out happens.

It’s also important to have a spiritual director and cell group (which is a small group of fellow priests with enough in common to be friends and a spiritual and pr actical support to one another), outside of the parish. I have made sure that these people have either journeyed through similar challenges to the ones I think likely to be a factor in my ministry or are doing so themselves. Both my spiritual director and my cell group ensure I reflect, particularly after busier periods, on how well I’ve done with both these vocations. Have I said ‘yes’ enough and ‘no’ enough? Setting out and sticking to appropriate boundaries is essential.

It is also true that there are times in the Church year that are particularly non-stop and others where it lets up a little. For me, trying to find a set pattern that ensures a good work life balance and ensuring I stick to it throughout the year just wouldn’t work. It is inevitable that I will work way over the recommended number of hours during December, and that I’ll head back after Midnight Mass to start wrapping stockings before my three children wake up Achieving the right balance early to find them and we get some magic At the same time that all this special mission and ministry is family time before Church. happening within the church, school also massively picks up the pace; packed with Christmas related events, plays, Because of the seasonal nature of ordained concerts etc… to prepare the children for and take them to. ministry, it’s vital to get that time back and There are plenty of sugar highs to manage while the children invest it in family and personal refreshment, and staff get the inevitable end of term ‘lurgy’, as they too during the periods when it’s more possible to grow steadily more tired and the winter bugs are in full create space in my diary. Taking my holiday days circulation. Again, all great fun (except for the lurgy bit!), but during school holidays and my retreat days it makes managing the long sought after ‘work life balance’ during term time is part of that. It’s a something of a challenge. With all this in mind, Paul asked wonderful challenge to have, but it’s fairly likely that I too will be asleep after lunch on the 25th! me to say a little something about how to manage that. The truth is that there is no magic equation that will ensure that one balances work and family time perfectly all year round. Having an active awareness of the challenge is important. Luckily, my family are all engaged in All Saints and

All Saints Fulham

SHAPING FAITH Rev’d George tells us about his new podcast that explores life, God and the Church of England. I am exploring a new venture with a friend, Fr. John Henry, from the diocese of Southwark. John serves as a self-supporting priest in Christ Church, Blackfriars Bridge. We trained together at Cuddesdon and have kept in touch, meeting up for drinks and to compare notes. Both of us noted the increase in accessibility and helpfulness of podcasts. John asked for recommendations and so we went through what each of us listened to regularly. We found that there were one or two good theological and ethical podcasts we found that we enjoyed. We couldn’t, however, find anything that addressed faith/theology/life through the structure and journey of the Church year. So we thought we’d have a go at one, see if it’s helpful for conversation for the two of us and whether a wider group of people might engage in it. The concept is that the two of us will meet once a month to discuss the part of the Church year we are in or coming up to. We’ll make connections with faith practice and life generally with that conversation. We are hoping that this will offer a link between questions of life and faith with the Church of England and her themes, teaching and practices. We are aiming to enable people to think more and go deeper with their faith and life through the lens of journeying through the Church year and engaging in what themes and practises come out of each season.

Beginning at the beginning Rather helpfully, we are at the start of the Church’s year at the moment, so our first one will be available in early to mid-December. The first conversation therefore will be shaped by Advent and Christmas. The plan is to then journey through the Church year with a new podcast each month, until we get to Kingdom Season, Christ the King and the end of the Church’s year. It may well be that there isn’t already an existing podcast that addresses questions and issues through this lens for a reason and we get no listeners. But our hope and prayer is that it might be useful for people engaged in church, who’d like to explore the shape

of what they do a little further, as well as those with questions and a desire for faith, but aren’t currently engaged in Church regularly.

Join us So if you’re interested do give it a go! This could be a great way to begin Advent this year. Or possibly your New Year’s resolution could be to sit, walk or run while you listen and pray about the season we are in and shape that season further with your faith and life. If all goes well with the recording and technology, the first episode should be available via whichever platform you prefer for listening to podcasts. If you don’t currently listen to podcasts, you should definitely give them a try! If you have a smart phone, a tablet or a computer you’ll be able to. If you have an ipad or apple computer, it’s very easy to listen through the apple podcast app or, if you have an android phone or a non-apple computer/laptop/tablet then google podcasts is also easy. There are other options as well. Once you have an app that you listen to podcasts on, if you search “Shaping Faith” you should find our podcast. Do give it a go if it’s of interest and tell me what you think of it once you’ve had a listen.

Podcast

All Saints Fulham

HELP US BUILD A HALL FOR ALL Rev’d Penny Turning things round Next year, we hope to achieve this by raising enough to realise the hall’s full potential. When thoroughly renovated, it will be a great space for using after a baptism, wedding or funeral. It will be perfect for holding parish lunches and running the community groups that add so much value to our spiritual ministry and mission. Doors into the garden, replacing the stage, will give us three rooms, flooded by natural light, that can be used simultaneously. This means that a group like the Brownies can run alongside a parish meeting in one of the side rooms, whilst cooks are also busy in the kitchen, preparing supper for Glass Door or some other community activity that will happen later, without disturbing any activity going on elsewhere.

Creating space

This is a picture that makes me smile because it reminds me of Walter Tomlin on a memorable day, when a dozen or so pilgrims from All Saints walked the last leg of the South Down Way into Canterbury for Evensong sung by our choir. He was on great form but sadly, several years later, became the only member of the church whose death during lockdown was attributed to Covid 19. We paid tribute to him at All Saints at a memorial service that was followed by a wonderful sit down lunch at St Mary’s Putney. This was chosen as the closest place for a wake worthy of Walter. Sadly it was not our own church hall where, in years gone past, he was always the first to sign up for parish lunches, quiz nights, barn dances and similar events that made him smile just like in the photograph. Walter never married but felt blessed by what he found at All Saints and so left the parish an extremely generous legacy which the PCC decided should be spent on rejuvenating our hall. At present, our hall is shabby, poorly lit, expensive to heat and doesn’t have a working kitchen or direct access to the adjoining paddock. Though potentially a great asset for the parish, it is currently more of a liability. It is spiritually and financially draining, instead of being a place full of life. It deserves to be returned to its former glory so it will host parish lunches and barn dances again, enhancing life for the congregation and local community.

The main hall will seat 100 around tables, and significantly more if chairs are arranged theatre style for talks, musical gatherings, film nights, amenity group meetings and lectures. Without chairs – which will be neatly stored in fitted cupboards – it will offer a perfect space for exercise classes, orchestral rehearsals, drinks parties or community fetes, whilst the small rooms on either side might serve bible study, lent contemplation or confirmation groups, as well as providing space for baptism or marriage preparation, book club meetings and similar gatherings.

Please help us We urgently need your help to deliver this. Walter’s generosity and other grants we have applied for should take us half way to the building costs. But that still leaves us requiring a further £345,000 if we are to avoid expensive bank loans. £345,000 is a huge sum of money. It is far more than we had originally budgeted before inflation made a mockery of the original quotes. To raise this sum, we need everyone to come onboard.

Be part of our rejuvenated hall We promise, if you are willing to give £10 a week for a year by setting up a direct debit to the Hall development account, that your name will go onto the Donor Board which will be hung in situ. You will also be invited to a special party which will be held to thank all who have helped us reach the target. We promise a step on the staircase leading to the minstrel’s gallery overlooking the hall with your name on if you can donate £5,000 or more. Again, you will have the opportunity to hold a party in the hall, free of the hiring fee.

All Saints Fulham We promise a room named after you, or the memory of a child or loved one, if you are able to give £30,000. You will also have the opportunity to hold a party in the hall, free of the hiring fee.

How to pay One off donations are wonderful for us, and currently reduce your taxable income if that is higher than the basic rate. You can spread your donation over two tax years by giving the first donation in this tax year and the second in the tax year starting in April 2024, but please let us know what you pledge to give in this way. Or you can spread your donation over time by setting up a direct debit to the Hall development appeal account, for up to 12

months. It’s surprising effective this can be.

how

WHY WAIT? YOU CAN GIVE RIGHT NOW, USING THIS QR CODE.

Giving £5 a week adds up to £260 over a year. £10 a week adds up to £520. £60 a month becomes £720, £100 a month £1,200. Please don’t give without telling us you have done so because we want everyone who makes a regular donation to come to the opening party that we hope to hold sooner rather than later. We don’t want anyone to give more than they afford. Every penny counts towards the target. If you earn much more than most, or receive a bonus or legacy, please consider giving a percentage of that, as a gesture of thanksgiving for the blessings that have come your way.

You can also pay by cheque or bank transfer and add a Gift Aid form if applicable. Simply pick up a leaflet in church or contact the office.

All Saints Parish Office Pryors Bank Bishops Park, Fulham London, SW6 3LA. Tel: 020 7736 3264 10am – 4pm weekdays

AND TALKING OF FUND-RAISING Every year Julia Chittell, our wonderful Children’s Worker, organises a ‘Sleep-in’ to raise funds for Glass Door and support their work with homeless people. This year the date coincided with the first really cold night of winter, as you can see from some of the photos, but the children still managed to have a great time and raise valuable sponsorship.

All Saints Fulham

A NEW FACE IN THE OFFICE In the last issue Jess Armstrong looked back on her time as Parish Secretary at All Saints before she moved on to new adventures. Her knowledge, support and experience will be greatly missed (not least by the editor of this magazine) but people are already saying lovely things about our new Parish Secretary, Karina. the opportunity to come and live in London for a year. Since then, London has become one of my favourite cities, perhaps even surpassed my love for Paris! However, no matter how many times I visit Paris, that city is still captivating! After completing my studies, I worked as a sales rep for a promotional gifts company. I then married and moved to London again for my husband’s work. During that time, we lived in the Highbury and Islington area where I worked for a clinical trials company as supplies coordinator. We lived there for nearly two years before relocating to Amsterdam. That’s where I had and raised my children. I am a proud mom of three girls, now aged 16, 13 and 9 years old. After ten years living in Amsterdam we moved back to London and have been residing in Fulham for over five years. That being said, you may think that I am quite a globetrotter! You might be right as I had the pleasure of visiting captivating countries such as Egypt, Thailand, Morocco, Malaysia and… ITALY! Among all these incredible places, Italy has captured my heart. The first time I went was two years ago and, since then, I can’t describe how much I love its culture, architecture, arts, monuments and food!!!

My favourite hobby

My name is Karina. I was born and raised in Paris. I come from a family of six of which I am the eldest, together with my twin sister. Yes, that’s right, there is a identical copy of me ;-). In addition to my twin sister, I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Although I do love my family dearly, I would say that I have a particular bond with my twin. We have this unique connection that transcends the conventional sibling’s relationship! She knows and understands me far better than anyone else!

London? Paris? Both? I studied English language and literature at university La Sorbonne. During my studies, I had

During my free time I enjoy reading and also sewing, cross stitching and embroidery. I started sewing when I was 18 years old. I was working for a holiday camp and we needed costumes for the children. A woman I was working with taught me all the basics. That’s how I started and never stopped! Cross stitching and embroidery came later, when my first 2 daughters were a toddler and a baby. I learned with a group of moms who used to meet once a week in the afternoon while the babies were having their nap. I am currently making monogrammed pillows but as it is a time consuming hobby, my project is progressing very slowly. I don’t think it will be ready for Christmas though. When I was a full time mother, I always liked to get involved in projects and meet new people – whether it was with charities or my children’s schools. I like to be busy, to organise events and help others. Recently, I made the decision to return to work, I realised it was time, now that my children are teenagers and more independent, to pursue my own professional aspirations again. I have taken the role of Parish Secretary, where, I hope, my organisational skills and attention to details will be utilised to their fullest. Also, I hope to provide valuable support to the parish community.

All Saints Fulham

ON RECRUITING A VICAR

As many of us know, Rev’d Penny is looking forward to a well-deserved retirement. The photos below are just a taste of the multiple roles she plays in the life of our parish. She will be very hard to replace and the process of recruiting a new incumbent is not without its complications. Here’s an update from our Churchwardens, Paul Hall and Laura Auckland.

Now that Rev’d Penny has formally announced her retirement, we would like to let you know the processes and work involved for our church as we look to recruit a new vicar.

When Penny gave us the sad news that she had decided to retire we had to make investigations into the procedure for recruiting her successor. This is a process which the Parochial Church Council (PCC) must carry out in partnership with the Patron of the parish who, in the case of All Saints, is the Bishop of London. In practice the Bishop of London delegates this role to the Bishop of Kensington. Whilst members of the PCC will be involved in such matters perhaps once in a lifetime, the Bishop is dealing with them all the time, and she and the Archdeacon are therefore a very useful source of

advice and support. As it happens, both of them have visited and preached at All Saints within the past year. During the interregnum between the retirement of a vicar and the appointment of the next one the remaining clergy will be hard pressed to provide all the services and to keep the parish running. The recruitment of a new vicar may not begin until the previous vicar has retired, which means that the period of the interregnum can be quite a few months.

Streamlining the process In order to reduce the impact of this interregnum it was suggested by the Bishop that, in our case, Penny might consider resigning as Vicar – enabling the formal recruitment process to start running – but staying on at All Saints for a period as our Associate Vicar, alongside George.

We are hugely grateful to Penny that she has kindly agreed to adopt this course, as a result of which she will cease to have the title of vicar on 4th January but will become an Associate Vicar on the same day. In practice she will continue to be part of our daily lives, living at the Vicarage and carrying out the role of vicar for the rest of the time she is with us. The PCC have discussed a proposed timeline. We are aiming to interview candidates in March, and we hope that whoever is appointed will be able to start with us in September. Although it is likely and reasonable that Penny will have finally retired before then, we are very fortunate in that we will be ably led by George during the intervening period. At this time of transition and change, please keep Penny, George and the PCC in your prayers.

All Saints Fulham

REMEMBERING CHRISTMASES PAST Last year we asked the church wardens to reminisce about their childhood Christmases. This year Rev’d Penny, Tina, Mary and Jess to look back at theirs. The remarkable thing, looking at the wonderfully nostalgic photos, is how little they’ve changed.

The Vicar at 6 months

St Mary’s, Barnard Castle

Christmas party at Barnard Castle Church Hall (Vicar on the left)

All Saints Church, Mumbai

The Vicar, aged 13

The Vicar and her sisters

Rev’d Penny was always on the the family where the church service on the table. It never ran out, would have been the highlight of the however long we stayed. move When asked to write about my memories of Christmas as a child, I said yes, immediately without thinking. As it turns out they are few and far between and, on reflection, dependent not so much on family traditions, but on the places where we lived which dictated how many people gathered around the table for lunch on Christmas Day. Since I was born on Twelfth Night and my maternal grandfather died shortly afterwards, I guess my first Christmas involved a long journey ‘down south’ from Stockton-on-Tees to meet up with my mother’s side of

day. Lunch less so since, as long standing members of a Congregationalist church, they didn’t have alcohol in the house but made up for that by singing carols around the piano after the Queen’s Speech.

Moving to Essex the following year meant the adults could enjoy a glass or two in Kent, where my paternal grandfather – who was a dairy farmer always up before dawn to milk the cattle – took responsibility for delivering stockings before he went out. I remember the cream served with Christmas pudding which clotted on the aga before it was put

By the time we moved to Barnard Castle, Mum had procured the crib which is still in family use today. Though the thatched stable has been repaired many times, unwrapping the tissue paper from the figures and debating hotly about where each should be placed, has spiced up Christmas Eve ever since.

When back south again, we went to the parish church where my sister was baptised, and I mortified my mother by dropping a jar of marmalade at Harvest Festival, revealing it hadn’t set as intended. She

All Saints Fulham

She made up for that by making her four girls matching outfits, for the service on Christmas Day. I hope the vicar noticed that, rather than the piled up castles of kneelers we always built in the pew. Ulverston came next, with room (at a stretch) for family to stay – so my parents were relieved to not have to pack up the car every Christmas Eve. Instead, Dad wore us out with long walks whilst Mum cooked – seeding a love for the stone walls of the Lake

District and real sheep, like those I imagined when reading the Ladybird story of the shepherds visiting baby Jesus.

the rest of the day to go shopping with a parishioner and returned to England well blessed with Christmas presents for everyone.

From there, via another stint down south, to India for five years where Christmas Day was reliably warm and spent with friends, rather than distant relatives. Although the turkey was distinctly scraggy, rather than plump, we always went to the Anglican church of All Saints where, revisiting recently, I was swept up for

When we flew out there, we always left boarding school with We Three Kings by Cornelius, ringing in our ears. Joyful days. I’m praying that memory will keep the tears at bay, as I hear it again for the last time as vicar of All Saints.

performance was followed by a tour of the Christmas lights and dinner together at the Strand Palace Hotel before driving home. As for my own performances, I remember playing Mary in the school nativity play when I was about eight years old – the perfect part for a child who would much prefer a nonspeaking part. One Christmas, we went to the Sandbanks Hotel where my sister and I took part in the hotel’s fancy dress competition dressed as fairies. My poor little sister had flu but that was absolutely no excuse for opting out of the competition – I had my eye firmly fixed on the prize.

Generally though, Christmases were enjoyed at home, making paper chains in the weeks before, as well as other homespun crafts. I particularly loved the little world of decorations that my mother arranged on the fondant icing of the cake, as well as the yards of tinsel and beautiful decorations we helped her put on the tree. The trees in those days seemed to be so much more fragrant.

Tina Ellis was off to the Palladium My siblings, cousins and I were traditionally taken to the pantomime at the Palladium at some point in the weeks before Christmas. We were lucky enough to be there in the era of the marvellous Tommy Steele – now that ages me! We wore velvety party dresses, lacy tights and patent shoes reflecting the specialness of the occasion, and the

Selection boxes were such a luxury in those days – we just loved the variety of all our favourite chocolates in one pretty box. And one of my best presents was a Thumbelina doll when I was about six. I had wanted her for months and finally she arrived. Felt tip pens were always on Santa’s list – I just loved the smell! But my most enduring and happiest memory is of Christmas Eve, when my mother would read us “Twas the Night before Christmas” by the fire, and I can still visualise those vintage illustrations on every page. We were then allowed to open one gift from under the tree before setting out Santa’s tray and going to bed listening out for the hoofs on the roof.

All Saints Fulham Mary Tweedie rode a donkey down The Strand (maybe) As for childhood Christmases, I wish I could remember more. On Christmas Eve my sister and I would ask our father (minding especially to say ‘please’) to hunt out his largest ‘man’ size stockings. It seemed obvious to us that the larger the stocking the more it could accommodate. We went to sleep goodly to wake early in the morning to something lumpy over our feet. Father Christmas had visited! We always found an apple and an orange in the toe of the stocking and there’d be balloons and crackers and sticky out things at the top. In the middle were little things. Sometimes we found blue balloon stuff; you squeezed a blob, blew through a tube and low and behold… a balloon grew out of it. The balloon stuff was always blue, I think, or maybe orange. With my own children it was different. I remember one Christmas we spent in a house with rather creaky floor boards. Father Christmas, exhausted by the day’s preparation for Christmas festivities, found it hard to keep ‘her’ eyes open, but ‘she’ shrugged off sleep until all seemed quiet in the children’s room. Then, tiptoeing upstairs, she managed successfully to lay one stocking at the foot of the younger child’s bed. She thought she’d made it, but just at that moment a creaky floor board acknowledged her presence. Someone jumped up…’Gotcha!’ cried a gleeful voice.

Jess Armstrong found herself in Paradise Christmas for the Armstrongs is steeped in tradition. Granny’s roast potatoes and carrots are

now entering legendary status for a third generation. And woe betide anyone who tinkers with the natural order of our Christmas. In fact, my sister texted me last week saying she had a nightmare that someone other than her had decorated the Christmas tree. I mean she does it very well, but we are not a family used to change! But change it was when I look back to particular childhood Christmas in 1979, a year that we went to stay with my grandparents in Kent. With too many people for beds, the children were relegated to the attic, which Granny tried to entice us into by putting a sign saying Paradise on the attic door. There was nothing heavenly about it, cold and dark, full of long forgotten dusty relics, I slept on a 1930s army issue camp bed and all located very far from where Father Christmas might come down the chimney. As if that wasn’t enough to contend with, this was the year that my 10-year-old brother thought the best way to entertain my 4-year-old sister was to

wrap some left-over cabbage in Christmas wrapping paper and make her believe it was a much longed for present. Unsurprisingly she had a bit of a meltdown. But we managed to put on our angelic faces for singing carols under the Christmas tree. This part of the day was often fraught with danger because we have always used real candles instead of lights on the Christmas tree – beautifully atmospheric but wildly impractical with small children (and curtains have been known to catch fire). Boxing Day afternoon was filled with fiendishly fast card games of Racing Demon with elderly great-aunts who, emboldened by a couple of glasses of sherry, conceded nothing to the young. And then we all succumbed to the best part of the day and the highlight of any visit to Granny, a tea more lavish than any child could imagine, with iced buns and homemade drop scones and orange Club biscuits. Maybe it was Paradise after all.

All Saints Fulham

TRUE OR FALSE IT’S THE CHRISTMAS QUIZ, 2023 Can you tell Christmas fact from fiction? Test your knowledge and challenge your friends. Even if you don’t know the answer, it’s 50/50 you’ll get it right. Everything will be revealed in the Candlemas issue, where the Quiz Master’s answers will be deemed final (even if completely wrong). TRUE OR FALSE Placing a satsuma in their Christmas stocking goes back to the 12th century, when French nuns left socks full of fruit and nuts at the homes of the poor.

TRUE OR FALSE The building taken over by baddies in the first Die Hard film is owned by the Takayama Corporation. TRUE OR FALSE Luke is the only gospel to mention animals around the manger when Jesus was born. He tells of an ox, donkey and lamb. TRUE OR FALSE Technically, it’s illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day in the UK.

TRUE OR FALSE T.S. Eliot wrote a poem entitled The Cultivation of Christmas Trees. TRUE OR FALSE The part of Betty in the movie ‘White Christmas’ is played by George Clooney’s aunt. TRUE OR FALSE Eating at KFC is establishing itself as a Christmas tradition in Japan where tables for December 25 need to be booked well in advance. TRUE OR FALSE In Southern Italy, during the run-up to Christmas, carols are often accompanied by bagpipes.

All Saints Fulham

SONGS OF WANDERING AND WONDERING Paul McCarroll The Vagabond The first piece was introduced with heavy chords that made things clear from the outset that these Wanderings would not be short of challenges. This was the opening to The Vagabond, one of the Songs of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson set to music by Vaughan Williams. We heard three of the nine pieces in this song cycle, followed by two of the 17 mélodies (art songs) by French romantic composer Henri Duparc. We were told something of his mental anguish, loss of confidence and decision to destroy most of his oeuvres. Perhaps this is why he is so little known today. Singing Baudelaire’s Invitation to the Journey, Ian caught the lyrical longing in the French verse for a land where vessels with a restless soul come to satisfy ‘your slightest desire.’

I’ve always envied the Victorians and Edwardians their certainty. This was the age of immutable laws, unwavering standards and clear spiritual direction. Yet, of course, it wasn’t. Because this was also the age of restless searching, of longing, where people were on a constant quest to define the universe in a context that related to themselves as individuals and celebrated their romantic souls. October’s Music By the Bridge concert celebrated Songs of Wandering and Wondering from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Two wonderfully talented and long standing friends of All Saints took to the stage and showed us how perfectly music, words and performance can come together and express the most ineffable and intangible feelings. Ian Ritchie’s baritone, full of profundity and meaning, was the perfect complement to Michael König’s delightfully sensitive piano. It was as though they were drawing us in, inviting us to join them on their own wonderous wandering.

Britten folk song arrangements took us from Ireland to Wales to Suffolk and then we moved to Germany for the final pieces from Brahms and Richard Strauss. Again, Ian’s craft with the German language drew an additional level of soulfulness from the performance but it was the very personal story he told about his father which gave the rendition its true resonance. Trapped in a prisoner of war camp, craving the freedom to wander and wonder, he was granted the music to perform these songs to his fellow prisoners. The fact that he sang them in the language of his captors added even more poignancy.

Make a date (or two) in your diary If you haven’t yet discovered the joys of Music By the Bridge, it really is the perfect way of shifting spiritually from the demands of the working week to the gentler days of the weekend. The concerts are free and every penny you spend at the bar goes to support music at All Saints. On 2nd February wunderkind James Marshall on violin will be accompanied by Edward Leung on piano in a concert of Brahms, Bartok and Bloch. This is followed on March 15 by a return of the Fulham Belles Choir conducted by Anna Boucher. These concerts tend to be extremely popular so do arrive early to secure a good seat. The whole programme for Spring 2024 will be published soon and the best way to keep up to date is subscribe to the email reminders. Simply go to tiny.cc/MBTB

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A CHALLENGING READ Nicky Thomson chose to mark Black History Month by revisiting a book that has been stimulating thought and discussion for some time. Reni Eddo-Lodge‘s book Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race first appeared in bookshops in 2017, back when I was teaching in a sixth form college in Harrow, one of London’s most religiously and ethnically diverse boroughs. Though a Catholic college, the students attending come from many different religious backgrounds. Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh faiths are represented in roughly equal number, and the majority of the student body are Non-White. As teachers, we shared the book amongst us, talking about it a lot in the staffroom and with our students. But I think it’s one of those books everyone should read.

Unconscious biases As the title suggests, it’s challenging stuff. I found it really thought provoking, particularly with regard to the more subtle racism that exists in ‘respectable’ society. After the murder of Black student Stephen Lawrence and the subsequent Macpherson Report some years later in 1999, institutional racism became a widely used term. But Eddo-Lodge delves into the complexities of this form of collective behaviour and challenges us to confront our own biases. Back in 2014, the author published a blog, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race. She posted: “I’m no longer engaging with white people on the topic of race. Not all white people, just the vast majority who refuse to accept the existence of structural racism and its symptoms. I can no longer engage with the gulf of an emotional disconnect that white people display when a person of colour articulates their experience. You can see their eyes shut down and harden. It’s like treacle is poured into their ears, blocking up their ear canals. It’s like they can no longer hear us”. The response was so incredible she decided to write a book.

Exploring injustice In seven chapters, Eddo-Lodge addresses differing issues of racial injustice, exploring its systemic nature and the effect this has on Black lives. One of the most interesting chapters for me is titled Fear of a Black Planet. Here, she explores the various ways in which the media and popular culture contribute to the perpetuation of racial stereotypes and biases. She discusses the portrayal of black people in the media and how they are often depicted in limiting and negative ways. She goes on to highlight the damaging impact of these representations on public perception and on the self-esteem of Black

people. Eddo-Lodge talks about “colour blindness” too, and how it is often used as a way of avoiding discussing or confronting racism. The reader begins to learn how this has produced a form of resistance against diversity and multiculturalism. The author talks about the discomfort some individuals feel about demographic shifts and the increasing visibility of people of colour in society. Ultimately, she encourages us to confront an uncomfortable truth. Eddo-Lodge also explores the concept of White Privilege, the inherent, invisible advantages a White person possesses, and the structural inequality that comes with it. It’s an uncomfortable read at times. But what stands out in this book is the author’s call to action, for White people to become allies in the fight against racism, reminding us that faith and social justice are interconnected and we have a responsibility to work towards a more inclusive and equitable society following the example of Christ’s love for all people.

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MUSIC NOTES, NOVEMBER 2023 Jonathan Wikeley This term has felt quite busy and, on looking through the music list, I can see why. By Christmas Day 2023 the choir will have sung more than 110 different anthems, Mass settings and Evensong canticles over 38 services and concerts – quite the schedule. To those figures can be added that this term the choir has sung 21 pieces new to the choir – from William Byrd to Clara Schumann to world premieres, of which there have been five this term, including the wonderful Jazz Mass written for All Saints by Iain Farrington.

Home grown talent Possibly even more encouraging and in many ways staggering is the fact that this term we will have sung seven works by six composers from within the choir, which really shines a light on the all-round talent of these members of our congregation. And that is of course what they are! I sometimes think one can be lured into thinking that the choir is something else, detached from the main congregation, sat in their robes up in the chancel, whereas in reality, in addition to coming to church three times a week, its members also play a wide and varied role across the church, be they on the PCC or other committees, working behind the scenes on fundraising for the church hall, writing the intercessions, reading the lessons, sometimes even preaching, and at the very least sharing fellowship at the end of the service over a coffee.

The role of music Working hard is one thing, but the role of music in the liturgy is to enhance it, and there’s not really much point being there if it’s not going to do that. Like most things in life, I’ve always felt there is a balance to be had. The Sunday services are in many ways a thing of tradition (many of us know most of the words off by heart) and the

music can act both as a commentary on the spoken parts of the service, and/or work to create or enhance the mood of the liturgy, something I think is vital to the make-up of the service. It can help us see the readings or sermon or psalm in a different light. Even if we really hate the music we’re listening to, it can act in a positive way on how we experience the service! I hope this term we have been able to do this in a number of ways. Iain Farrington’s Jazz Mass, which was written for us and is now in the process of being published, provides a striking example. The brief was for a liturgical setting which doesn’t require extra instruments and which reflects on the relevant moment of the Eucharist – so while the Gloria is fast and uplifting, the Kyrie and Agnus Dei are both quite visceral and impassioned calls for mercy.

The new… and then the old Immediately after singing this the choir returned to church for a workshop with members of early music ensemble Stile Antico, to work in depth on the music of William Byrd, whose 400th anniversary we celebrate in 2023. With so many pieces to learn each week in a church choir one can sometimes miss the chance to get to know a piece more deeply (in fact, one of the curses of the extraordinary British choral tradition is that so many of its singers read music so well, they sometimes feel they don’t need to practise beyond this!). It was lovely to work on this glorious music, which we sang in the round during the service with no conductor, and the singers all contributing to the rehearsal process. We then repeated the programme at the London International Festival of Early Music in Blackheath, an opportunity to take this wonderful repertoire outside the church. A member of the congregation was heard to say ‘of course, they’re all paid, which

is why they’re so good’. Completely untrue of course, (and it does irritate me when people assume this!) but I think reflects very well on the singers! Taking music outside the church and beyond the regular congregation is, I think, an important part of our mission as a choir. This year for the first time the choir sang at the Civic Ceremony of Remembrance in Vicarage Gardens. On 2 December the choir is singing a concert of Advent and Christmas music at Tudeley Church in Kent, famous for its Chagall windows. We will be singing Christmas carols with members of church and local community outside church on Sunday 10 December. And as I write I am very excited that the Junior All Saints Singers will be joining the choir for their first ever Choral Evensong this Sunday. They have written their own set of responses – words and music – for the occasion, and this to me brings it all together: we will be sharing inspiring worship with those who have not experienced it before, and at the same time those people have created something which will allow us to experience it with fresh eyes and ears. It is very much something to be thankful for.

Dates for your diary Epiphany Carol Service is on Sunday 7 January. The upper voices of the choir will once again be singing Britten’s wonderful Ceremony of Carols at Evensong on Sunday 21 January, and the Service of Light and Candles will be the last of the carol services at Candlemas on Sunday 2 February. All are welcome to join us as we sing the services at York Minster on the weekend of 17-18 February, and one to definitely put in your diary is what will be an amazing concert of music by Handel, including his masterpiece Dixit Dominus, with period instruments on Sunday 25 February..

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Meet the music scholars It is a wonderful tradition at All Saints that we invite choral and organ scholars to join us every year and provide scholarships to help them develop their talent and pinpoint the perfect cup of coffee. Here are the class of 2023 (though there’s one face you may know already). I studied at The Queen’s College, Oxford and Toulouse Conservatoire, completing organ scholarships at both H.M. Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace and Truro Cathedral.

Tom Dilley

During my undergraduate studies at Queen’s, I accompanied the chapel choir, described by Classic FM as ‘one of the world’s most renowned choirs’ for their three weekly services as well as concerts, broadcasts and tours. As a continuo player, I’ve performed and recorded with some of the country’s leading orchestras, including the Academy of Ancient Music and Instruments of Time & Truth. Upon graduating, I won an award from the

Eric Thompson Charitable Trust to pursue a year of specialist study in organ and harpsichord in France, performing at major venues including St Sernin Basilica, Toulouse and Le Musée des Augustins as well as The Royal Chapel, Versailles in collaboration with La Maîtrise de Toulouse. Alongside Sunday duties as Assistant Organist at All Saints Church, Fulham, I’m currently studying for an Artist Masters in the Historical Performance department at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with James Johnstone and Nicholas Parle.

I’m Kit, alto choral scholar, and I’m taking a Master’s in Musicology at King’s College, London. I particularly enjoy studying nineteenth- and twentieth-century vocal music and am interested in the ways we use our voices to articulate personal and political identities and relationships to one another – all of which comes together in my current focus on communal singing in the suffragette movement. When I’m not either singing or thinking about singing, I love to go to the theatre or an art gallery,

and I’ve recently started reviewing for the university magazine, so I’m very happy to be in London.

Hi, my name is Hugh Kaliski and I’m the tenor choral scholar this year at All Saints Fulham. I am continuing this over from last year where I was also the tenor scholar. Originally from Glasgow, I sang in the choir of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow where I was a treble starting at around the age of 8. I then continued singing there all throughout my childhood, this sparked a great love for vocal and choral music. I received secondary education at the Music School of Douglas Academy where I got singing and piano lessons further developing my love for classical music. Now in my 2nd year of undergraduate studies at

the Royal Academy of Music I am enjoying continuing to hone my skills and gain more experience. I love singing in choirs and it continues to be hugely rewarding to sing in a choir of the quality of All Saints. It is great to be able to see the choir grow and develop from when I first joined over a year ago. I’m looking forward to the Christmas period and the exciting music coming up. In the future I would love to continue my studies with a postgraduate degree and then hopefully start a career in opera and solo performance, however I hope choral singing will always be part of my musical life.

Previously I studied in Oxford, where I also held a choral scholarship, and I grew up in Sheffield, singing at St John’s, Ranmoor, and with other local choirs. It’s lovely to have found such a friendly and welcoming choir at All Saints, and to be able to continue singing a varied repertoire at a high standard, all within walking distance of where I’m living.

Kit Thickett

Hugh Kaliski

All Saints Fulham Hi everyone - I’m Ben, the bass scholar at All Saints this year. I’ve just moved to London from Exeter where I sang as a choral scholar with Exeter Cathedral and the Exeter University Chapel Choir. Before that, I studied and sang at Jesus College Cambridge, along with a couple other members of the All Saints Choir! Singing at All Saints so far this year has been fantastic, the musical highlights being the Durufle Requiem (one of my all-time favourites) and the newly-

composed Missa Brevis by Iain Farrington; I feel enormously lucky to be singing with a choir that commissions such exciting music. Outside of choir I work (remotely!) at Exeter University as a Research Assistant, using data science to investigate climate change discourse. While I miss some aspects of face-toface working, working remotely in London has been a great opportunity to try out coffee shops all over town in search of the perfect flat white!

Ben Dennis

I’m the Soprano Choral Scholar at All Saints this year, and a recent FirstClass Music graduate from Durham University. Over the last four years I studied with Dame Emma Kirkby, who has opened up the world of Lute Song (and her mother, Fiona Firth, who has been her teacher since the age of 10).

Freya Firth-Robson

In Durham, I played an active role in the music scene as a choral scholar at St John’s Chapel Choir and performed as a soloist with several University societies. A highlight was singing at the Stanford Society Convention and participating in small ensemble workshops with world leading Stanford expert, Jeremy Dibble.

Verdi, cheese, ham – To say nothing of Correggio and violets My flat in Parma offers two double bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen and an enormous terrace overlooking a small park. The central square, stunning duomo and baptistry are a 20-minute walk or short bus ride away. Parma itself is rich in art and history as well good food, cafés and bars. The nearby train station links to Milan, Bologna and Rome. If you would like to know more contact Christina Thomas, ckthomas@christinathomas.co.uk

I’m also an ad-hoc member of the semi-professional choir I Dodici, who regularly perform in venues such as St Paul's, Gloucester and Canterbury Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. Before taking up my position in Fulham, I sang as a soloist and choral singer with the Worcestershire based Aldwyn Voices and other local choirs, performing in Tewkesbury Abbey and Worcester Cathedral. When not singing, I can still be found championing the Arts and Early Music as the Fundraiser for the Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, cooking for family and friends, and I hope to learn how to look after house plants properly in the New Year.

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ALL SAINTS, ALL CREATURES Nicky Thomson October’s Pet Blessing was a paws-itive delight to behold; the pews were filled with dogs, great and small. Whether Basset Hound or Black Lab, Pomeranian or Poodle, each seemed to be remarkably well behaved. During the 45 minute service, all God’s creatures were celebrated and

the congregation raised the woof with a fabulous rendition of ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, after which beloved pets were taken to the dais for a blessing by Revd. George, All Saints’ very own Doctor Doolittle.

Fitzroy the tortoise was decisively outnumbered but seemed unpeturbed.

Tiggy, a committed Anglican, has visited an impressive number of the village churches around the country; it’s one of her favourite pastimes.

Golden Retriever, Flora, brought along her Romanian Orthodox friend, Gatsby, to her favourite All Saints service.

Oscar, a regular at the Pet Blessing and the most senior canine in the pews at the age of 13, particularly loves joining in with the hymns and has been known to howl along in appreciation.

Eddie, who likes to chase cats in his spare time, was disappointed to find no feline friends in church this year but enjoyed the service nonetheless.

Lenny was just passing and decided to pop in.

Schnauzer Monty simply adores being in church.

Porridge and Baggins felt like VIPs (Very Important Pets) demonstrating just how well they sit at Father George’s command.

Other regulars included Scruffy Fawcett, Lexie McCarroll, Beano, Fifi and Mini Ellis, and Megs Hall, proud mother of 9 particularly beautiful Border Terriers.

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PREVIOUSLY, AT THIS TIME OF YEAR A look back at Christmases past at All Saints. For the editor of this magazine, Father Debo is immortalized by that wonderful picture from 2021 in front of the tree. And lovely to see our Cellarer at work. He will be greatly missed this Christmas.

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MARIA’S SACRED SEVEN Every issue, a member of the congregation writes about the pieces of music that bring them most spiritual solace. The choices have varied widely and wonderfully. Maria Tomlinson brings a rich reggae beat to her selection. As a young girl growing up in Jamaica there were lots of hard times and music was what I focused on to keep me through the day. My favourite musician was Bob Marley because his songs were inspirational. My favourite one is ‘No Woman. No Cry’ which has always been a real pick me up.

make everything alright. Isn’t that the Christian ideal?

‘So Much Trouble in the World’ is my final Bob Marley song and, if there was trouble in the world when the song was released forty years ago, it’s just as true now.

I also listen to Christian music and the Jamaican gospel group Grace As a single mother with two kids, Thrillers is one of my favourites. who both sadly passed away many They’ve been around since the years ago, I use to cry a lot, but 1970s and still going strong. whenever I listen to ‘No Woman, No Cry’ I always dried up those My favourite song for Christmas is Once In royal David city as it tears and move on. always reminds me of the follow Other favourites from the world of up to Christmas, when my eldest reggae are ‘Three Little Birds’, son Fabian died. The choir sang it which most of us know from its that Christmas, painful memories famous two lines, “Don’t you but I still love it. worry about a thing, because every little thing is gonna be Like me, Fabian loved music. I still alright.” And if you want to know have all his CDs that I listen to why I love the song, those two whenever it’s his birthday or memorial time. I sing along but it’s lines say it all. a good job nobody can hear me. I ‘One Love’ has the wonderful still can’t sing to save my life. thought of us joining together to

LOOKING BACK Baptisms

Weddings

1st October

21st October

Rufus Nutt & George Ross Max Powell 19th November Jack Powell-Tuck & Zara Osborne 29th November John & James Esnouf Gillies & Grace Davisdson 10th December Percy Agace & Noah Painter

Monica Lucia Arroyave & Riccardo Cocco

15th October

Memorials 17th October 9th November

Alexandra Spearman Laszlo Kiralyfi

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UPCOMING DATES December Saturday 2nd Saturday 9th Sunday 10th Monday 11th Tuesday 12th Thursday 14th Wednesday 13th Sunday 17th Thursday 21st Sunday 24th

Monday 25th

January Saturday 6th Sunday 7th Tuesday 9th Monday 15th Monday 22nd

9.30am 4pm

6pm 8am 10.30am 3.30pm 5.30pm 11.30pm 8am 10.30am 9.15 am 6pm

Pray-ers Group meeting in the Lady Chapel Crafty Christmas with St Nicholas visiting Carols in the Churchyard Maggies Charity Carols Brain Tumour Charity Carols Brain Tumour Research Campaign Carols Wise Birds Christmas Lunch Nine Lessons and Carols Last day of school term Eucharist, BCP Family Eucharist Crib service Crib service Midnight Mass Eucharist, BCP Christmas Day Service Contemplative Prayer in the Lady Chapel Epiphany Carols School terms starts Marriage Preparation classes Marriage Preparation classes

February Saturday 3rd 9.30am th Sunday 4 10am Tuesday 6th Tuesday 13th Wednesday 14th 8pm & noon Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th Sunday 25th

Pray-ers Group meeting in the Lady Chapel Candlemas breakfast, Pryors Bank Baptism Preparation Shrove Tuesday Quiz Ash Wednesday Services Choir to sing at York Cathedral Youth Mission in Communion Social Event

March Friday 1st Saturday 2nd Tuesday 12th Friday 15th Thursday 28th Friday 29th Sunday 31st

9.15am

Music by the Bridge Contemplative Prayer in the Lady Chapel Baptism Preparation class Music by the Bridge School term ends Good Friday Easter Sunday

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WHAT DOES CHRISTMAS SOUND LIKE? Our young journalists from All Saints Primary School explore the music of Christmas.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year when we sing amazing songs and hymns that make us all feel happy! Long, long ago, people used to sing different songs during winter solstice celebrations, but then Christians started singing songs to celebrate Jesus’ birth. The first-ever Christmas Carol recorded was the Angels Hymn in 129 AD! ‘Carolling’ started around the 14th century, this then became a tradition for groups of people who would go door to door to sing Christmas carols, spreading the festive joy.

At Christmas, many different types of songs and hymns are sung, including traditional carols, religious hymns, and festive songs. The tradition for singing at Christmas began centuries ago, with carols being written even as far back as the middle ages. Practicing carol singing became popular in the 19th century when carollers would go door to door singing songs of joy. The tradition carries on to today to spread happiness and cheer.

For Christians, Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus’s birth. It is a joyful time: Jesus was sent by God to save us from our sins. The tradition of Carol Singing started in medieval times. The oldest surviving English Christmas Carol is While Shepherd’s Watch Their Flocks By Night. Nowadays, we sing cheerful songs like Jingle Bells. At All Saints, Christmas is a time to rehearse new and old songs. Every year, just before we break up for Christmas, All Saints go to church to celebrate the Christmas story. It is an important service for Year 6 as they act out the story of Jesus’s birth. I would like to be one of the three wise men. We always sing Once in Royal David’s City. Another carol we sing is Away in a Manger. At the end of the service we sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas which is lots of fun!

At All Saints, we sing lots of songs and hymns during Christmas. We sing them when we go to church services and it's really special. The whole school comes together, and it feels like one big Christmas party. Sometimes, we even sing them at our class Christmas parties. I love the Nativity play too, because we get to sing while telling the story of Baby Jesus.

During Christmas time, at school we listen to the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas at the church service and we practice this song at singing assemblies. We also sing it at class Christmas parties when we have them. Another song we also sing is Jingle Bells which is also sang at church services, class Christmas parties and practiced at singing assembly too.

My all-time favourite Christmas song is Jingle Bells because it's super joyful, and EVERYONE knows it! It's like a big, happy song that brings everyone together. And my favourite hymn is Holy Night because it's so calming. Once someone in my church choir sung it and was amazing! Christmas songs make everything feel so magical!

As a person who goes to church, I love all sorts of songs and hymns but I especially like We Wish You a Merry Christmas because it is the song people traditionally sing each year at my house and at school. It is also because of how catchy is and everybody knows this song and the lyrics to it. It makes me feel joyful.

My favourite Christmas song is All I want for Christmas is you, sung by Mariah Carey. I really like this song because it is about a person who doesn’t want anything except for the person she loves at Christmas time. I think this is good as it reminds us all that Christmas is about being with your loving family. I also really like Jingle Bells as it makes me feel excited for Santa and his sleigh.

Ava

Lorraine

Beau