All Saints Magazine July 2023

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

020 7736 3264

info@allsaints-fulham.org.uk www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk

Magazine Volunteers

Editor: Paul McCarroll

Design Night Owl: So-Jin Holohan

Picture Editor: Nicky Thomson

Photo Contributors: Clara Lee

Paul McCarroll

Emily Richardson

Claire Shirley

Nicola Thomson

Nicholas Young

Proofreader:

Nicola Thomson

Production Heroes:

Jess Armstrong

Tina Ellis

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.

I used to have a friend in Disraeli Road who was a great Latin scholar. His doormat cleverly read, if I remember correctly, ‘Ave’ on the half facing the entrance and ‘Vale’ as you left. Right now, the community of All Saints is saying a big Ave and warm Welcome to the new members of the PCC and, of course, to our new Associate Priest

Just as my Putney chum’s doormat read both ways, so our welcome to our Associate Priest is also our farewell to our old curate I’m sure everyone will join me in feeling delighted that Rev’d George is remaining with us and many of us will have been there the other Sunday when we celebrated his appointment alongside the Dedication Sunday service

Another welcome is to our new advertiser, Winkworths We were grateful for their support during the Coronation celebrations and their proposal to place a regular ad in the following issues of the magazine will not only cover the modest printing costs of the magazine but make a contribution to Parish funds Thank you to all the businesses who support All Saints. If yours would like to advertise in the magazine, simply get in touch with the office or anyone involved with producing the magazine. We’d be delighted to extend our Avete further

There is, of course, a Vale to be said to the

school year and we wish Year Six at All Saints Primary School our best wishes as they move on to the next stage of their education

We also, sadly, say Vale to our friend John Clarke and there is a valediction later in this magazine which goes some way to showing how much he was loved by the All Saints community

There are articles to celebrate Claire Shirley’s twenty years of achievement with the Brownies and a special day for Owen Toller’s team of bellringers. The choir, as usual, have been doing wonderful things up towers, under domes and in front of the altar Read what they’ve been up to on the back page.

With the rejuvenation project for the church hall gathering momentum, there’s a part we can all play if we choose to do so. The more letters in support of the scheme the better and, assuming you use the hall and would like to see it improved, there’s an article that includes the relevant address

One short term Vale… to everyone heading off for a holiday or enjoying the warmer months at home, have a wonderful summer Let us pray for an autumn that begins to bring peace in war torn parts of the world and an easing of inflationary pressures at home.

Paul McCarroll

All Saints is a registered charity: 1130273

VIEW FROM THE PULPIT

Rev’d Penny

This marks him out from the disciples who panic when caught in a storm on Lake Galilee, or want to send people away when too many beg for attention. They have little faith, in comparison to him. They lose their balance when under pressure. Get distracted and flustered at precisely the moment they need to ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.

Few can juggle successfully without being well grounded because a firm stance makes it easier to coordinate the hand and eye movement needed to keep each ball in the air Watch any who has mastered the technique and you’ll see how focused they are in the moment; how calmly they take each ball as it comes Like those at Wimbledon who don’t panic at match point but give it their best shot, knowing that is the only way of pulling through.

Nothing is impossible

I wonder how much you are juggling at the moment because I remember how hectic the end of the summer term was when school fetes and shows, sports days and leavers’ celebrations were slotted into the family diary This on top of the in-tray that needed to be cleared, the dissertation completed, or meetings that had to be arranged before everyone went on holiday

Some, I guess, may be juggling finances, robbing Peter to pay Paul and wondering how long it will be possible to keep going if rent or mortgages continue to go up. Others juggling hospital or doctor’s appointments whilst feeling not up to much or working out who’ll cover when the carer is away. A few will be juggling invitations to Glyndebourne, Holland Park, Wimbledon or The Ashes so that they dovetail with days spent in London or the country

A sense of calm

As we continue to move through the season that the church calls ‘Ordinary Time’, we hear about the day-today challenges that Jesus encounters as he ministers to the disciples and crowds that gather around him. He juggles deftly, meeting their different needs without losing his cool or giving in to despair, by taking time out to pray and commune with his Father

Jesus manages to do all that he does because he is attentive to the situation he finds himself in Not distracted by thought of where it might lead, but prayerful in the way that he listens and responds to the people around him. He is able to do this because he is so well centred and so sure that, with God, nothing is impossible.

There is an old saying, attributed to Francois de Sales (1567-1622), a French Roman Catholic bishop and spiritual writer that “Half an hour’s listening is essential except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is needed ”

For listening read prayer and think WWJD (what would Jesus do) when you next feel overwhelmed It is counterintuitive but good for the soul, making each and every day easier for everyone

THE JOURNEY TO ORDINATION

Dedication Sunday on July 2nd saw us give thanks for the building and dedication of our church here in Fulham, which has been a house of prayer for over 900 years. It saw JASS singing Jonah Man Jazz wonderfully at the 9.30 service. And it welcomed Rev’d George as our Associate Vicar at the 10.30, with the sermon preached by his mentor The Reverend Canon Julian Reindorp and a mass composed specially by Elliott Park. The service was followed by celebrations in the Vicarage Garden. Here, George shares his journey to the priesthood.

I was born not too far from London in a village in South Buckinghamshire but, as is often the case for clergy families, we moved house fairly frequently I grew up on the Wiltshire/Dorset border and stayed in Dorset for school When I got back from a year in India after my A-levels, we lived in Exeter – so I think of myself as a West Country boy. Reflecting today, the call to ordination came early, but I was very slow to listen and respond. There was a ‘nigglingly feeling’ that never quite went away that I ought to think about it and many people suggested that I might be called to ordination It was easy and convenient to write these thoughts off; people probably thought I should be a priest because it is what my father does. I really didn’t want the real reason to following this path to be because I knew it and because my father did it

So I prayed very earnestly (and slightly arrogantly) that if God really did want me to do this, he would have to make it

crystal clear in a Damascene moment that, beyond all doubt, God wanted me to be a priest for Him Looking back, I was so earnest and worried for such a clear cut answer, that I wasn’t listening properly to the ways he was calling me Like many journeys of faith, mine wasn’t a straight road, but one with many bends and diversions. Moments of driving fast with great connection and moments of having to get out and push the car. Some key points in the journey so far stick out as leading me here

Faith was normal

Growing up in the loving family I did, faith was normal and part of life Some people struggle growing up in a small community where your identity is tied up with your family unit – being known as ‘the vicar’s son’ rather than ‘George’ in my own right, and all that living in a vicarage means in terms of the blurred line between family life and the availability of of the vicar and the vicarage. While I’m sure some of that was

All Saints Fulham

the case, the Christian upbringing I had and the lived example of my father living out his vocation as such a good priest has stayed with me in a profound way I grew up within the love of God and was aware of Him in a spiritual sense early in childhood. While I have doubted myself, I have never seriously doubted the reality of God. I am immensely grateful to my parents for that incredibly privileged and loving upbringing

During sixth form, I became particularly interesting in the Philosophy of Religion aspect of the Philosophy and Ethics A level. Only four of us studied Philosophy and Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion made up a third of the course. This third was taught by the school chaplain, sitting in comfy armchairs in his study, drinking tea and discussing arguments for and against the existence of God One of the other students (himself an atheist) and I would often stay beyond the length of the lesson to continue the discussion. Although I also loved acting and did many plays at school, this experience of discussion and debate led me to read Philosophy at Newcastle University before auditioning for drama schools

An actor’s life for me?

I always wanted to get into acting, so I was heavily involved with the university theatre society before I then went to Drama Studio London, and then worked for a few years as an actor, mainly in touring shows At drama school I met Rachel and we started dating towards the end of our training Within a year of leaving drama school and looking for work as actors, Rachel’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. This period was just as tough as people who have experienced this dreadful disease say that it is Very early on in this process I realised, in deeply vocational terms, that my place was at Rachel’s side and we were engaged to be married within the year Rachel is absolutely key in my ability to live out my vocation as priest, husband and father. I see the love of God so clearly in her face and in who she is. I was quite nervous about the conversation where I told her I thought God might be calling me to be a priest (there can’t be much tougher impositions on a spouse than being asked to become ‘the vicar’s wife’!) However, when I did pluck up the courage to tell her, she smiled and immediately replied. “I was wondering how long it would take you to realise that’s what you are called to”.

As Rachel’s mother, Kathryn, became more ill, we had to decide whether to bring the wedding forward to ensure that she would be there or if we should stick with the date we had planned and booked with the church. In the end we stuck with the planned date but had a betrothal service (a rite which has been uncommon in England for a few hundred years I suspect!) where we made our vows and commitment before God, before we re-affirmed them when we were married 10 months later It was a wonderful thing to do and a great blessing to have Kathryn with us for the betrothal, part of the celebrations before surely rejoicing in Heaven on our wedding day too. The whole year of Katheryn’s illness and then death came with many spiritual highs and lows. The final two weeks were very tough

On the day she died, her immediate family (Rachel, her

brother and father) and I were around her bed at home She was surrounded by so much love and many prayers as she died; God’s presence in that room as he took care of her and led to her home with Him was immensely powerful and tangible. I was with people shortly before their death twice before I became a priest, the other time was when I was with my father as he prayed the last rights to my maternal grandfather Though two very different experiences, the outworking of God’s healing love were both hugely significant parts of my journey.

Turning to teaching… then priesthood

Quite quickly after falling in love with and becoming engaged to Rachel, I realised that would not be compatible for me with the life of a jobbing actor. I had done quite a bit of theatre in education, so I wrote to a handful of prep schools looking for opportunities. A school called Bruern Abbey offered me a job where I could do a part time PGCE while I worked for them teaching Religious Studies, Drama and Games The school had a chapel and a weekly chapel service, but no chaplain I quite quickly fell into the role of lay chaplain. It was when I fell into this role that suddenly the calling did become clear. It wasn’t about waiting for an answer or doing a particular job. I felt very clearly that I was starting to do what I was created to do and I felt much more authentically like myself Rowan Williams writes that the central part of being a priest “is about who a person is” This suddenly made 100% sense and chimed very much with my call which stretched back a long way as well as my current experiences.

There are of course many other stopping points along the journey so far, but these are the ones that currently stick out to me as significant I have absolutely loved my curacy at All Saints and am very excited to be staying on in this new role

ASCENSION IN THE SUNSHINE

Thursday 18th May, the 40th day after Easter, and the sun shone for Ascension Day. The choir gathered atop the tower and were briefly joined by Mike Dudgeon who took our lovely front cover photo – a picture that shows some of the All Saints congregation gathered below to celebrate Christ’s Ascension into heaven. This sermon from Rev’d Penny is the perfect expression of the importance of the day:

Do you remember when heaven opened, in the beginning, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove and a voice came from above saying you are my Son, the beloved: with you I am well pleased?

And do you remember later, when the cloud came down, on the mountain top, and the terrified Peter, John and James heard words like that again, telling them to listen to Jesus? Do you remember…... do you remember, too, how often he had to help them understand that he would not leave them bereft?

If he had not ascended to heaven, in the way that Mark, and Acts, and Luke describe, the resurrected Jesus would have aged with the disciples, and remained bound by time, as we are. So the withdrawal isn’t just a neat way of rounding off the story of a life and death, but an essential means of leaving the ending open. Of assuring us that our prayers are heard in another realm; and that if we listen to the Word carefully, we will learn to live differently. Not in fear of being abandoned, but with courage and hope for ourselves and others

That invisible thread

When Christ is taken up, he takes his experience of being human back to God and blesses his friends as he leaves them. They will no longer be able to see him in the flesh, and touch his wounds, so that they might be healed, but will be given a new means of communicating with him: through the Holy Spirit That invisible thread that holds everything together. That helps us see past, present and future through God’s eyes That pulls us up to where Christ is and draws Christ down to where we are

When Jesus was carried up to heaven, the disciples didn’t weep and wail As Luke tells the story, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and headed straight to the temple, to bless God by praising him for all he had done. They did not know at that stage what would happen next but were content to wait, because they knew they could trust what Jesus had told them He had never broken any promise but had instead broken down the idea that God doesn’t care about the ups and downs of human experience. He cared so much that he chose to identify with the broken and downhearted, rather than with those who already had it all. And he cared enough, to bear the weight of the cross that was theirs as well as his When he ascends, he takes that experience with him. To tell the Father about those he has left behind, in that cloud of unknowing: that cloud which comes down, when we are in stasis; suspended between what has led to the place where we are now and the place to which God is leading us.

The virtue of patience

The disciples had to wait – as we do usually – because patience was a virtue they needed to learn. If the Holy Spirit had come down at precisely the same time as Jesus had gone up, there would have been no time to think, and talk, and pray No time to long for his grace No time to remember, in the way that Jesus had urged them to do So, the ten days between the Ascension and Pentecost was a time for looking back, and counting blessings, and making themselves ready for whatever lay ahead A time for being open to all sorts of possibilities, and a time for remembering that with God nothing is impossible

BELL SUNDAY

The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers declared May 14 as Bell Sunday – a new entry into the calendar and a great opportunity to recognise the contribution of bells and bellringers to the life of the Church. Here at All Saints we decided to hold our celebration on July 9 since our focus was ringing in the newly crowned King back in May. Tower Captain Owen Toller reflects on the evocative power of our bells.

There can be few more English sounds than those of bells calling the faithful to worship But perhaps few non-ringers realise what is involved A church bell is pretty big – our largest bell is about 4 feet high and weighs as much as a small car Each bell is fixed to a wooden wheel, several feet in diameter, and the whole massive structure is made to rotate through a complete 360-degree circle each time you hear a ‘dong’. This is done by pulling on a long rope and takes plenty of training; it took me about three months before I could control the rope You don’t have to be strong, though – it’s a knack

Each bell needs one ringer. Ringers dedicate much time and effort to ‘the exercise’, as they call it, but there are many different levels of expertise. At its simplest, you just ring the

bells straight down a musical scale, in what is called ‘rounds’

At the other extreme there are ‘methods’ in which the order in which the bells are rung is different each time, according to particular patterns that ringers memorise Each method is based on a small number of building blocks that are repeated with simple variations. A peal lasts for about three hours and involves ringing over five thousand different orders or changes, hence ‘ringing the changes ’

All Saints is privileged to have a famous ring of ten bells (six or eight is the norm), all cast in the eighteenth century Bell ringing is a ‘classless folk art’ (Betjeman) which has been part of English culture for four hundred years.

LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW CHURCH HALL

With the development of the Church Hall now entering the fundraising stage, it’s important for potential major donors to understand the value of the project to the Fulham community We’ve received many letters of support already, but it would be great to have many more. Letters so far have covered subjects such the poor current decorative order,

substandard facilities and access for the less mobile of us and the lack of a good kitchen. Many letters have focussed on what a refurbished hall could do for Fulham, offering an attractive place to hold parties, exercise classes, toddler groups and much more, with access to a garden

If you’d like to write, address your letter to the Church Wardens and send to:

All Saints Parish Office

Pryors Bank Pavilion

Bishops Park

Putney Bridge Approach London

CHOIRS, CAKES AND CORONATIONS… THE YEAR

SO FAR

CRICKET. LOVELY CRICKET.

All Saints has enjoyed three very close cricket games already this summer. While the results haven’t been as successful as 2022, the main objectives have been met by giving everyone a chance to turn their arm over or swing the willow, see parent and child bat together, share fun fellowship with other churches, and witness the annual naked cycling outing down Rocks Lane

We have been blessed with fine weather on each occasion, enjoyed a cricket tea in between the innings, followed by a pint or two at the Red Lion after stumps The first match was against St Paul’s Hammersmith who, this year, included new and seemingly younger players with fresh university jumpers (electoral rolls are being doublechecked). The toss saw us bat first and post 105

with only Ed Fryer, James Medd and Richard Hamilton carrying the fight towards their bowlers. Despite some valiant bowling from David Cox, Anthony Shewell, James Hall and young Julian Hamilton, we could not prevent an easy win for the opposition.

Next up were St Mary’s Wimbledon, with great batting from Kevin Couchman, Adam Painter and David Cox Defending a target of 165, wickets fell regularly for our bowlers, led by Scott Summers, Nick Isaacs and five for Adam Painter to round off a great victory by 64 runs and introduced newcomer Siji to his first game of cricket.

Our highest ever total (maybe)

We then scored possibly our highest ever total of 188 against the Chelsea Parishes of St Luke’s and Christchurch, with Ed, Scott, Adam, Richard all retiring undefeated However, their batters produced even more lusty blows, threatening the traffic on Rocks Lane - luckily, no nude cyclists that Saturday Adam managed to clean bowl three of them and Scott was on an exciting hat-trick, but Chelsea won with two overs to spare.

Thanks to all the players for the good nature and great spirit in all games, and we look forward to more celebrations of cricket in 2024! If anyone would like to join us, whether young or mature, first timer or old hand, please get in touch with me at harry@gostelow.co.uk

Harry Gostelow

Rather like our men’s national cricket team the All Saints Fulham Eleven has experienced some tougher opposition this season than for the last couple of years. So let’s look ahead and aim to make 2024 our best summer ever. If you’d like to get involved next season, Harry Gostelow would love to add your name to the team sheets. Here’s his report for this year’s games.

LOOKING FORWARD

This is the time of year when Year 6 students contemplate the future –and what they are leaving behind – as they move on to their new school.

As my class and I are getting ready to move on to our new school, we thought it would be interesting to ask our parents about their experience moving schools. My father revealed that he felt a bit scared but also really excited when he moved schools. He moved to an independent single sex church boarding school. My father was lucky enough to have some friends who went with him. His last day at primary school was sports’ day and he remembers picking his dormitory on the first day at secondary school. His class performed a play and had a party to mark their leaving. Finally, my father’s fondest memory of secondary school was his first house cricket match. By contrast, my mother’s favourite memory of secondary school was rehearsing for the school plays. Surprisingly my mother’s school did not do anything when they left. Similar to my dad, my mum also had some of her friends going with her. My mother remembers having a lovely chat with her favourite teacher on her last day of primary school and remembers that her blazer was too big on her first day of second school. My mother school attended an independent single sex church day school.

Felix

My Mum went to a private, Catholic, coed school which was called Trinity College in Lismore, Australia She felt excited and nervous at the same time but, overall, she was excited to have a new route to school My Mum only had a few friends initially with her in Year 7; she didn’t know anyone else except for those few coming with her from her primary school She doesn’t remember much about the start of secondary school but the one thing that sticks in her memory is that she did not enjoy wearing a tie and box pleats Her primary school marked their class leaving by telling them that they could plan something special for the teachers, but it could not involve food At the end of their last day, the whole class threw water balloons at the teachers’ cars as they drove out of the school gates; the teachers laughed very much! My Mum’s fondest memory, over everything else, was making new friends and enjoying different sports and subjects

Ella

In July I am leaving All Saints Primary School (where I have been since I was four years old) to go to Fulham Boys school. I am glad that I am not the only one in my class going there as it will not be such a big shock. My mum's experience of secondary school was quite different to the one I will have as she was the only one in her class going to that school apart from her younger sister. Her secondary school was in walking distance from her house so she could easily just walk home, unlike my dad’s. He lived in Hove until he was ten years old then left to attend a prep school in Dulwich, South London with his brother. In Hove he went to a private school, but the prep school he attended after was an infinitely better school once he had overcome the daunting first couple of days. Although my father had a sibling in the same school, he was still very nervous and still vividly remembers when his brother left him alone in the changing rooms to go and play with his friends, leaving him feeling abandoned like an Amazon parcel on the doorstep.

Jamie

This year our young journalists from All-Saints Primary School have taken the end of year theme and given it a bit of a twist, as Felix explains.

SACRED SEVEN

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen

In 1967, I came upon the song, Suzanne, by Leonard Cohen I was immediately mesmerised by this beautiful, sad song, full of poetic melancholy sung in a deep and whispering voice that reached my soul. A few years later, he produced the anthem ‘Hallelujah’ which is a deeply spiritual song and remains my favourite music to this day

Corsican Polyphonic music

This traditional form of music involves multiple male voices singing in acapella This can be either spiritual or secular To hear a concert of polyphonic music in a church is a profoundly moving experience It expresses feelings of sorrows, joy and pain at once. Polyphony is an oral tradition that accompanies the life of Corsicans, but it transcends their regional origin to be universally appreciated. It is a singing prayer to me that reaches my heart and soul

Ave Maria de Lourdes

This hymn is sung by the pilgrims during the candlelight processions in Lourdes, France I had heard of the healing miracles of Lourdes before, and whilst I was not a sceptic, I did not embrace entirely the subject of miracle During my first visit to Lourdes, however, I had an inexplicable experience – inexplicable from the point of view of the scientist in me. Now we visit Lourdes every year, sometimes twice a year Our preferred method of travel is by Eurostar to Paris-Gare du Nord then TGV, national high-speed train, from Paris-Montparnasse to Lourdes I hear this processional hymn in my head on the train to Lourdes. This hymn is a reminder of that humbling and transformative encounter in Lourdes.

The Lord’s Prayer

When my mother and I pray together we start our prayers with the Lord’s Prayer to prime our hearts and minds before we come to our Father God. My mother refers to this as a ‘center-ing’ time. I grew up praying regularly with my mother: I grew up in my mother’s prayers. And as I grew older, our prayer time became more precious to me as they offered a window into my mother’s private and earnest dialogue with God I believe my spiritual journey began when I started to pay attention to my mother’s prayers.

I dream of the day when we can see Andrea Bocelli sing live The Lord’s Prayer.

Elgar Cello concerto in E minor, Op.85

I rediscovered Elgar’s Cello concerto during my postgraduate years. Those were psychologically challenging times as I struggled with self-doubts as the magnitude of the work ahead became apparent Music has the power to transport and this reflective piece took my gaze temporarily away from the challenges ahead and persuaded me to look at the journey I had taken thus far. This music took me to a place where I was reminded of the pervading presence of our Father God and there I found a glimmer of hope and encouragement to take cautious steps forward to the challenges lay ahead

I have heard different versions of Elgar’s cello concerto over the years, but the one by Jacqueline Du Prè, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, in my mother’s vinyl collection, is the one I return to time and time again.

Einaudi, Una Mattina

Better known for being featured in the film, Les Intouchables, I am struck by how a handful of notes looping the silences and near silences can be so evocative This arresting piece makes me feel simultaneously peaceful, alert and entirely present in quietude somewhere in my inner space. It is to this interior that I try to reach when I am in prayer. I sense a gentle nudge to return to that space of prayers every time I listen to Una Mattina.

Silence

Music is not only in the notes, but in the space between them. Silence is an integral part of music and its role is particularly obvious in Corsican polyphony where the acoustics of fading soundwaves between notes create additional effects, and the effects can be inaudible at times As a member of the contemplative pray-ers group here at All Saints, I am drawn to stillness and silence. Listening to God is fundamental to our prayer journey.

For the first time ever, the Sacred Seven has been compiled by a husband and wife team. The first two are selected by Jean-François Egersperger, the rest by So-Jin Holohan.

FULL OF IDEAS

I got to know John when he joined the communications committee of which I was, at that time, chair. At the first meeting he told us quietly, but firmly, that he was an ideas man and not action man.

He did himself slightly less than justice He was right in that he was not a natural licker of stamps or folder of leaflets, but he had a very practical view on what issues we should be addressing. He also had an eye for potential pitfalls and I was grateful more than once for the opportunity to talk a tricky situation through with him

After a few meetings he did volunteer to research some of the further reaches of social media. Initially he thought we should be on LinkedIn, but after careful consideration recommended against it.

At my final comms meeting recently (after I had ceased to be involved) he was, of course, on hand with a recommendation as to which bottle of wine (there were several) we should open. As ever, he made a wise choice.

Christina Thomas

THE SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE OF WINE

John and I forged a wonderful friendship over his many years as the All Saints Cellarer, a role particularly valued and appreciated by our sociable and usually very thirsty community. On his induction day, I was expecting to show John the lie of the land, padlocked cupboards where the stocks are kept and, critically, where to store his corkscrew. But, since he was most surprised when I confessed that I really had no idea of the mediaeval origin of the role, a most interesting history lesson followed and of course I now hold the role of “cellarer” in a completely different light!

A cellarer was an important monastic official, as St Benedict elaborates here: As cellarer of the monastery, there should be chosen from the community someone who is wise, mature in conduct, temperate, not an excessive eater, not proud, excitable, offensive, dilatory or wasteful, but God-fearing and like a father to the whole community. He will take care of everything but will do nothing without an order from the abbot Let him keep to his orders.

John was all those things and more He was a good man, honest and decent, whose values were tied to a strong sense of duty and service He was kind, loyal, curious about all sorts, and a great contributor. We will all miss him enormously.

Tina Ellis

KENNY’S FRIEND

It wasn’t love at first sight, but over the course of five years’ “Kenny sitting” while I was on holiday, John and Kenny developed that relationship unique to a former Guards officer and a rather stupid, ageing mog. I really appreciated John’s wholehearted enthusiasm for my rather undemonstrative cat, and appreciated even more evenings spent sharing yarns over a bottle of his unusual wine. He welcomed the guests to the Thursday lunches with the same aplomb Always with a twinkle in his eye, always with an idea to improve the lot of his fellow humans, he was a good man. Kenny and I miss him hugely.

Judy Graham

A FORCE FOR GOOD

I was stunned by the news of John’s unexpected death and, when I sat down to think why, it was because he was a man of so much energy and positivity that it seems almost impossible to have that enthusiasm taken from us. I loved the way he applied himself to projects for the All Saints Communications Group or writing an article for the magazine He preached an excellent sermon about the spiritual dimension of wine and we reproduced it as an article in the mag It began, in true John fashion, with knowledge, confidence and panache. He wrote “Under the Rule of St Benedict the Cellarer is second only unto the Abbot in importance to the community”

One sunny Saturday morning soon after John came to All Saints, a few figures could be seen kneeling in the church yard, heads bowed, shoulders hunched. “You know,” said John, to his fellow-weeder as he wiped his brow, “What we should do is run a few sheep here instead of us.” Straightening our backs for a moment we gave this idea our full attention. It would, as he pointed out, give the concept of the All Saints Flock a whole new dimension; it was trendily environmental; and it would entitle Father Joe to the shepherd’s crook if not the mitre. Sadly, this alluring project floundered on the twin rocks of yew trees (fatal to livestock) and the need, as we discovered when we looked into it, for 24 hour security. What Father Joe would have thought of it we shall never know. In the following years John showed himself time and again a good friend, thoroughly entertaining companion, full of originality, wit and surprises, and also a dedicated and

The excitement with which he approached events such as the opening of Battersea’s new shopping centre, where I believe he sang as part of the choir, or Music by the Bridge was inspiring. The way he would introduce the wines and describe how they complemented the MBTB music programme was a joyous way to start the evening And, of course, it helped sell more wine and raise more money. I was delighted to count John as a friend and will miss him greatly. It somehow seems fitting that the last thing John did was pull on a pair of running shoes. He was always someone looking for the next challenge.

Paul McCarroll

diligent hard worker in any of the aspects of All Saints life in which he served us.

As if he did not have enough on his All-Saints plate, he also showed up a few years ago for bee-keeping. He was lent a veil and warned to wear long trousers and keep his ankles covered This he did, but unfortunately his track-suit bottoms proved no match for an attack launched by defensive bees. Though thoroughly stung, like the Coldstream Guard he had once been, he stayed uncomplainingly at his post, but declined to sign up for another tour of duty. Renouncing the veil he continued to serve us as Sidesman, welcomer, lesson reader and expert Cellarer. Now to our great loss he has heard his final last post and reveille and been piped to his eternal rest

Charmian Martin

REMEMBERING JOHN CLARKE

An excerpt from Rev’d Penny’s address at his funeral

When I last spoke to John on the Friday before he died, there was no hint of what was to follow. He was on good form over the phone and ended the call by promising to send through a report for the APCM which duly arrived a couple of hours later. So I take some comfort today, in thinking that he was active and engaged in the fabric of the life he chose to live right up to the end A huge blessing for him, but leaving us reeling at the thought we’ll never hear his voice or see him again.

‘To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted.’

Imagine John reading that (cue for one of his dramatic pauses) and think for a moment, of what the words might have evoked in him. Memories perhaps of the times when Orielle, Ranald and Flavia were born, or of the death of his parents and sister Janet: of the bombs that were planted in Northern Ireland, and the courage he had to pluck up, to work on the front line and carry arms there during the Troubles

Imagine too, the trauma of that season of his life; following the two years that he did immediately after leaving school in Sherbourne with VSO in Botswana, which laid the seeds of his empathy expressed in Ireland when he took it upon himself to be the regimental advocates for young soldiers. He was held in esteem by the officers – some of whom are here today - or rising to that challenge. In later life, also explaining why Caius House and the Devas youth clubs and the Scrubbery, were such an inspiration to him. He was a huge believer in helping young people fulfil their potential and not be deterred by circumstances

The mere mention of his name evoked, and still evokes, a smile in those who knew him in the years after France, when he came back and settled

in Wandworth; worshipping here most Sundays, after discovering a church that suited his tastes, and enabled him to commune with God, as he had done, in the past – in the very different setting of a monastic chapel close to home in Toulouse, where he sought the peace of mind, that eluded him at the time.

John took this mandate as cellarer seriously and was in his element with his apron on, and when applying the polishing routine that he’d learnt in the army to the silver in church, in anticipation of Easter, when he took great delight in popping champagne corks open at breakfast after the dawn mass.

A couple of months ago, thinking that part of the light over the aumbry had been stolen, we checked a wonderful picture of John cleaning it within an inch of its life, only to realise that we’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. It was simply hung upside down and is now fully restored to its usual glory.

We will miss John but our loss is God’s gain. As a disciple of Christ, he knew that Good Friday was hell, but not the end of the story So let us bear witness to his faith, and ours, by commending him to the one who walked through the valley of the shadow of death to show us the way to the green pastures beyond I pray today, there will be rejoicing in heaven, when the pearly gates open, and John finds his place at the table, where – as at the wedding in Cana – the best wine is served last and is plentiful enough to restore his spirit and ours.

BUSTING MYTHS IN AFRICA

Paul McCarroll

By the time you’ve finished reading this article another woman will have received the unwelcome news that she’s HIV positive A new diagnosis is made every two minutes. Usually in parts of the world where there is inadequate medical care to provide the assistance needed and a social stigma that does almost as much damage as the virus.

Often the woman will also be told that she is pregnant. And sometimes that ‘woman’ is in their early teens or younger

Mothers2mothers

For the past twenty years charity Mothers2mothers has reached out to young girls living with HIV and unplanned pregnancy They train Mentor Mothers, who have themselves been infected, to provide primary healthcare and practical guidance to people like themselves. These Mentors are shining examples of why a diagnosis of HIV shouldn’t be considered the end of hope.

As an ad man I became involved with mothers2mothers this year. My task was to help educate adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa about the myths surrounding sexual health and pregnancy Two decades on from Jacob Zuma’s comments in court, it is still believed by many that a shower will wash away any infection. Crossing your fingers will stop you getting pregnant A handsome man cannot possibly have a sexually transmitted disease. Holy wine (Sobolo) will prevent HIV Drinking ice cold water or taking a pee are effective contraceptives.

These were just some of the myths Our job was to dispel them to as many young women as possible.

Don’t buy it

So we went to Ghana’s busiest market, during the busiest week of the year and erected a stall that sold nothing… but the truth.

On our ‘Don’t Buy it’ stall we offered ‘Don’t Buy It’ shampoo. ‘Don’t buy it’ toilet paper. And ‘Don’t buy it’ iced water flasks. We had Mentors on hand to provide advice to everyone who visited the stall And we created a discreet area at the back of the stall where people could be tested for HIV

Needless to say, the stall attracted a lot of interest We soon ran out of HIV tests and had to beg the government for more National TV (the Ghanian equivalent of the BBC) turned up and filmed us. National radio got involved. A celebrity went round the market to spread the message.

A long way to go

The stall in Makola Market was up for a week and, thanks to the media coverage, the message reached girls right across the country. But this is only a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the problem. The stall will go to other markets in other cities and countries – it’s coming to London in November – but it needs more than PR stunts like this to get the message across to the point where it will make a real difference

Sex education is the key and, talking to a teacher in the Accra suburb of Ashaiman, both boys and girls are receptive to learning. When governments get right behind this, the myths will start to disappear.

In the meantime, mothers2mothers provides the support for those poor victims of unwanted sex leading to unwanted HIV and unplanned pregnancy Often these girls are abandoned by the father and ostracised by their community One woman told us how villagers would no longer buy food from her family’s shop for fear of catching HIV themselves That woman is now a Mentor herself. Her two children both went to university and have successful careers. For her, and for so many others, mothers2mothers has turned things round

TWO DECADES OF VOLUNTEERING

Brown Owl, Claire Shirley looks back on twenty years of fun-filled challenges

excitement at completing even the simplest of tasks, particularly if there is a badge at the end of it, is just wonderful to behold! They give us leaders energy and fulfilment and they bring a smile to our faces

I do not have children of my own. To me the Brownies are an extension of my bigger family. I treat them as I would treat my own I am a big kid at heart and can relate to their needs and stresses I want them to develop and grow and there is nothing more fulfilling than to see a child who has joined us at age 7 come out of their shell and gain confidence and develop, through our activities and badge work, new qualities and life skills

Joining in

Little did I imagine when I picked up the pew sheet one Sunday back in 2003 and read that the 25th Fulham (All Saints) Brownie pack had been suspended due to a lack of leaders and was urgently in need of helpers to start it up again, that my life was to change in such a big way and mainly for the better!

My life was at a crossroads I had recently lost my father to cancer, been given early retirement on health grounds, been supporting my mother and needed something to help me focus and get my life back on track. This little ad seemed to be the answer to prayer! After a helpful discussion with our Local Division Commissioner, Jenny Whittle, I volunteered as the number two, Tawny Owl, and with Clare Burnill at the helm as Brown Owl, we restarted the Brownie Pack in April 2003

It was exactly what I needed!

Brownies are aged 7 – 10 years old It is a wonderful age They are full of energy and enthusiasm and yet still have a remarkable innocence. Their yearning for knowledge and capacity to learn new things is infectious and the look of wonderment on their faces and

I also love being Brown Owl (something I took on in September 2004 when Clare Burnill moved away) as I like to join in their activities and often can choose what we do! Nothing they like better is than to see Brown Owl join in, especially if she makes a fool of herself! On a visit to the Fire Station to learn about fire safety, when I was given the hose to try, the fireman made sure I kept missing the target much to the girls’ delight! Whilst on Zoom during lockdown, we sent Teddies down a zip wire in our homes and Brown Owl led by example with two zip wires going at the same time and both teddies travelling really fast!

One of my greatest passions is crafting, I love turning cereal boxes into something creative (just like on Blue Peter) Luckily for me it is one of the Brownies favourite activities During lockdown I encouraged them all to make monuments (either imagined or real) at home and you may recall seeing their fantastic results in an earlier issue of the magazine They also made their own room in a box and the variety of ideas that emerged was amazing.

Dressing up is another favourite activity for them. Not one I am so keen on. I

have been cajoled into wearing an Owl onesy for film night, dressed up as a girl from St Trinian’s and much more. Some of the choices they made for the theme of a party have been challenging to say the least!?!

Adjusting to lockdown

The pandemic meant we had to adapt to meeting on Zoom, which we did weekly I loved it as it gave my week some structure and I worked out fun activities which were part of the programme which could be adapted and shared on line I would set them a challenge each week which they would do at home and bring back and share the following Monday like the teddies!

I like encouraging and supporting the girls to get their badges and awards. I try and structure our meetings so that every girl has the opportunity to achieve them if they wish and let them know what they need to do at home It is great to see them respond and achieve their goals.

Absolutely fabulous

Life is never dull My greatest highlight has been taking eight Brownies for a sleepover at the Royal Opera House, sleeping in the amphitheatre restaurant after the public left, going behind the scenes and experiencing a fight workshop; followed closely by taking three Brownies to the Chelsea Flower Show to help demonstrate a self watering planter and getting to meet former Brownie Joanna Lumley!

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the changes over the years have meant the amount of admin, with risk assessments, safeguarding, health and safety and endless computer work has made the task more onerous. So much so, that I did question whether I wanted to continue However, I now have a leadership team of 6 and a wonderful D of E volunteer which means that I have been able to spread the weekly leading of meetings around and I

have got my love of guiding back I receive so much from our happy pack of 15 and their parents. Their support and occasional feedback make it worth all those hours of volunteering and gives me a lot of pleasure.

Join us

We’d love more Brownies, if your daughter is aged 7+ why not tell them about the Brownies and put their name down to join us?!

Claire practising her circus skills last year

FUN FOR EVERYONE AT SUMMER CLUB

FUN FOR EVERYONE AT SUMMER CLUB

Summer Club is an important part of All Saints life. This annual children’s club, run by Julia Chittell and her team, is committed to the idea that all children in the local community, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, abilities or which estate or street you live on in Fulham, should be able to enjoy the summer at its best.

The Club is open to all primary school children and works on the principle that financial constraints or additional needs should never be a barrier to joining If you can arrange for your child to be delivered to the church hall in the morning, they are welcome to spend the day with us.

Focus on fun

From building dens to climbing trees, from playing sports to inventive games, from creating stories to arts and crafts, from making music with Sam Poppleton to dancing with Patricia there’s so much to do If the weather is wet, you’ll likely find the Club playing games in the church hall If the sun is shining they’ll be out in the paddock – the

green space beyond the Hall itself There are trips planned to Go Ape, Fulham Palace (where last year the children built labyrinths using only materials found in nature), the Thames at low tide and Wimbledon Common. The Wimbledon trip will have a whether the wild things are theme and even involve some litter picking

Godparents who regularly donate the money needed to be truly inclusive

Looking ahead, the Church Hall and paddock is a safe space for holiday clubs as well as our weekday baby and toddler groups, but it is cold and leaky in the winter. The proposed refurbishment will enable Julia to create a happy hub for families, with ample storage space for all her equipment, and where parents and carers know they can bring their children to a warm, safe and inviting space to share creative and inspiring play, friendship and fun.

To contact fulham

A serious message

Our story telling will focus on the theme of Embracing Difference and will reference the importance of loving your neighbour, whoever they might be A special performance, informed by this creative thinking, will be made to our pop-up

Claire receives her 20 years of service award

FIRST COMMUNION

Rev’d George and Sienna (second from right in first picture)

It was an utter joy to prepare this year’s group to be admitted to receive their First Communion There were over 20 young people ranging in age from Year 3 (7/8 years old) to Year 8 (12/13 years old). They were engaged throughout the course. They explored their faith by acquiring more knowledge as well as prayerfully, with some spiritual wondering and exploring. The day itself was both holy and joyful in equal measure There were over 250 worshipping in church, which required three stations for Communion, followed by a great celebration in the vicarage garden, where the candidates each received a certificate and a wooden cross from the Holy Land. Huge congratulations to all who took this important step forward in your faith this year – each and every one of you are a tremendous gift to the Church. Thanks be to God!

For six weeks Revd Penny, Fr. George and Julia led us in holy communion preparatory classes We met every Wednesday afternoon for an hour in the church hall and discussed what it means to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion We talked about Jesus’ teachings, about the Last Supper that he shared with his disciples where they broke bread and about his ultimate sacrifice of dying on the cross for us

We studied parables and looked into their meanings and tried to understand what they meant, and how they are still relevant today

The one that stuck with me most was the parable of the Good Samaritan. This story says that a Samaritan saw a man who he took pity on, so he

helped him by cleaning his wounds, then took him on the back of his donkey, and led him to an innkeeper, whom he paid to look after him Jesus teaches us that we should all do the same as the good Samaritan, which is to go out and be a good person to all. It also teaches us that we have been put here on Earth to work and do good things within our society, our community and within our own relationships

Our Holy Communion ceremony on the 11th June was a very special day. There were twenty of us who received the sacrament on this day We were surrounded by friends and family I really enjoyed it and am thankful for all the work Penny, George, and Julia put into making our classes fun and interactive as well as to the parents for their help in making it such a memorable event for us all.

Sienna Grandbesancon (a Year 8 pupil from Lady Margaret’s School) writes:

MISSA OMNIUM SANCTORUM FULHAMENSIS

In my setting of the ordinary of the mass (which I’ve portentously designed Missa Omnium Sanctorum Fulhamensis (The Mass of All Saints, Fulham)), each section is based on a musical cypher (sometimes called cryptogram). Cyphers are musical ‘codes’ and have a long history in church music going at least as far back as Josquin des Prez in the 15th century. The most famous is probably the B-A-C-H motif, which J S Bach used to spell his own name on the stave by using the notes B-flat, A, C, and the German name for B-natural, H Shostakovich did something similar with his D-S-C-H motif by punning on the German name for E-flat ‘Es’.

I did something similar while devising my cyphers, starting with (of course) A-S-F (A, Eflat, F) This wasn’t especially inspiring as a melodic idea, so instead I built it into a series of major chords: A major, E-flat major, F major If you play these at the piano you’ll

find they sound quite dramatic! So these became the basis for the Kyrie and Agnus Dei, the most emotionally and spiritually intense texts of the mass

Feeling on a roll, I decided to see what other cyphers I could make. By borrowing some of the French names for the notes, I could spell F-Ut-La-H-A-Mi (F-C-A-B-A-E) This was the opposite of the A-S-F cypher in that when put into chords it sounded quite plain, but when played as a melody in canon (layered over itself) it had a rather mystical quality. With this in mind, I decided to use it as the basis for the Sanctus-Benedictus, where we hear the seraphim calling to one and other described in Isaiah; the two sides of the choir sing ‘Sanctus’ and ‘Hosanna’ to one and other in increasingly elaborate ways

Finally, I had to write the Gloria. This is a notoriously difficult text to set well, not least because it covers a lot of complex moods

MEET THE NEW PCC MEMBERS

and thoughts in a very short space of time Writing music which doesn’t lurch from one mood to the next while also being short enough to use on a Sunday morning is quite a challenge, so I needed something which would tie the whole Gloria together.

Another technique related to cyphers is the idea of a so-called ‘parody’ mass, where composers would take an existing (well known) tune and weave a composition around it, so I took a hymn tune well known and well loved by the congregation at All Saints and built the Gloria around it At first it appears quite heavily disguised, but gradually becomes closer and closer to the original. I’m interested to hear how long it takes listeners to recognise it!

It has been both enormous fun writing this piece, and a great honour that it’s receiving its first performance at Fr George’s welcoming as Associate Vicar of All Saints

Following the APCM in June, we are delighted to welcome four new faces to the PCC.

I have been actively involved at All Saints Church for many years as a crucifer with the serving team and have always gladly helped with any technical requirements such as the recent new live streaming cameras. I feel the church is a very important part of our community having had clergy in my family for three generations! Running a local business puts me in a good position to provide valuable ideas and assistance to the church’s future

My name is Maria Tomlinson and I have attended All Saints for the last seventeen years. I have also served as an acolyte and lay deacon for much of that time I was on the PCC before but had to step down during Covid for personal reasons and would now be happy to serve again if elected

I joined All Saints church in 2015 My son was baptised at All Saints and is now in Year 3 at All Saints school I work in social investment with a focus in Health and Social Care I am persistent, driven and fun - will bring all of these to the PCC!

I joined the All Saints’ congregation in 2018 and have always been struck by the welcome and warmth that our Church offers During lockdown the Vicar asked me to lead the Wednesday Bible Study Group and in March of this year I was elected our bellringers’ Tower Captain I have long experience of serving on committees, from my 42 years of teaching (27 as Head of Department) to the Councils of The Mathematical Association and the London Symphony Chorus. I hope to have the opportunity and privilege of serving the busy and vibrant community of All Saints.

Maria Tomlinson

Katy Saunders

Nicholas Young

Owen Toller

The Mass which the talented Mr Elliott Park wrote for the Welcome of Rev’d George won much praise and many of us showed a keen interest in the notes he wrote at the back of the order of service. Here, he expands on those notes.

THE CHRISTIAN MONTH AHEAD

Rev’d Penny

Between now and the end of August, the church remembers a range of saints who have much to teach us about the different ways in which faith is lived out This time last year, I noted how many of the founding fathers and mothers of monastic communities – Benedict, Dominic, Clare of Assisi and Ignatious Loyala - are recalled over the summer months. This year, you might like to find out more about three people, honoured for the mark they made in the 18th century.

John Keble, Priest, Tractarian and Poet, d. 1866. Remembered 14th July.

Keble was fellow of Oriel College Oxford, elected Professor of Poetry for the university in 1831 but better known as one of the priestly forerunners of the Oxford movement, which paved the way for the Anglo-Catholic style of worship practised locally in churches like St Mathew’s West Kensington or All Saints’ Margaret Street and epitomised architecturally in the neo-Gothic buildings designed by Pugin and Butterfield – whose chapel at Fulham

Palace was commissioned by Bishop Tait, and consecrated in 1867. Sadly the decorative brickwork of Butterfield’s original design was overpainted in the 1950’s but discussions about how best to restore the chapel to its former glory are well advanced

William Wilberforce, Social Reformer and Abolitionist, 1833. Remembered 30th July.

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall had Wilberforce ever conversed with Keble, because he was an evangelical, associated with a group called the Clapham Sect, less concerned by the orthodoxy of sacramental worship than social injustices of their time Wilberforce spent forty years of his life campaigning for the abolition of the slave trade, dying just three days after the ban in the UK was extended to all British Territories in 1833 He is interred in the northern transept of Westminster Abbey, unlike his fellow abolitionist Granville Sharpe whose grave at All Saints was restored about 20 years ago.

LOOKING BACK

Baptisms

4th June Ludo Knox

18th June Sebastian Bridger

25th June Rocco Martin

Funerals & Memorials

4th May Tony Phillips

1st June Peter Huhne

5th June Patrick Crabbe

8th June Peter Greenaway

26th June John Clarke

3rd July Brian Lees

6th July Michael Heath

Elizabeth Fry, Prison Reformer, 1845. Remembered 12th August.

Elizabeth was born in Norwich twenty years after Wilberforce and was brought up as a Quaker in a prosperous banking family. Being a ‘plain friend’ she chose not to flaunt the wealth she and her husband Joseph enjoyed and so may have had some qualms about the elaborate vestments favoured by Keble’s circle of Anglo-Catholic clergy but was a strong advocate for the abolitionist movement This chimed with her own passion for prison reform, prompted by seeing the dehumanising conditions in which women and children were kept under lock and key Drawing these to the attention of her middle class friends, she formed Ladies Associations whose members taught the women and children basic hygiene, life skills such as sewing or knitting, and RE Her parliamentary lobbying eventually led to the reforming Gaols Act in 1823 and paved the way for the abolition of transportation after her death, in 1866

Blessing at All Saints

Blessings at Fulham

Schmitt & Alex Meiklejohn 24th

Hsu & Mark Pandrich

Admission to Holy Communion

Jack Ashby, Kendal Crawford, Alice Fawcett, Polly Fay, Olivier Grandbesancon, Sienna Grandbesancon, Dulcie Griffiths, Jasmine Heard, Harvey Lee, Thomas Mensah Saunders, Isolde Meyrick, Maximilian Modeland, Victor Modeland, Sophie Pascal, Sophia Spratt, Dakota Tufts, Theodore Watt, Thalia West, Cassandra Young and Alexander Zoghbi

UPCOMING DATES

July

Monday 17th 7pm Parish Visitors

Wednesday 19th 2pm All Saints School Leavers’ Service

Thursday 20th Memorial Service for Melvyn Coleman

Friday 21st 2pm Wedding of Rebecca Wright & Richard Jennings

Monday 24th July – Thursday 17th August Summer Club in the hall

Monday 24th July – Sunday 30th July Choir Tour to Southwell, Nottinghamshire

August

Saturday 5th 9.30am Pray-ers group meeting in the Lady Chapel

Friday 25th 3pm Wedding of Martha Williams and Robert Akehurst

September

Saturday 2nd 9.15am Contemplative Prayer in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 3rd Choir returns

Tuesday 5th 8pm Baptism preparation

Sunday 10th Backpack Sunday

Tuesday 12th Blessing at Fulham Palace of Teresa Hunt & Joe Hall

Saturday 16th 2.30pm Blessing of Holly Catto & Luis Rodriguez

Sunday 17th Disability Sunday

Monday 18th 7pm Parish Visitors

Saturday 23rd 3pm Wedding of Hebe Cockcroft & David Goddard

Monday 25th 8pm Marriage Preparation course I

Saturday 30th 2pm Wedding of Julia Sutherland & Zach Johnson

Other key autumn dates

October

Sunday 1st Harvest Festival

Wednesday 4th Confirmation course begins

Friday 6th 7.15pm Concert given by Ian Ritchie & Michael Koenig

Saturday 7th 9.30am Pray-ers group meeting in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 8th 3pm Pet Blessing

November

Saturday 4th 9.15am Contemplative Prayer in the Lady Chapel 5pm Bonfire night in the paddock

Sunday 12th Remembrance Sunday 6pm Requiem Mass

December

Saturday 2nd 9.30am Pray-ers group meeting in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 3rd 10.30am Confirmation with the Bishop of Kensington 6pm Advent Carols

Sunday 5th All Saints Patronal Festival

Sunday 10th 4pm Carols in the Churchyard

Sunday 17th 6pm Nine Lessons and Carols

A CHOIR GOING PLACES

Much like an uninviting sea to a psychrophilic bather, these early morning services are nice when you’re in, or in this case on, church That said, I’ve always been fond of Ascension Day The music tends to succeed in its uplifting intentions, and it makes for an optimistic start to the morning just as summer ponders her arrival All Saints is in possession of a fine tower and the views from its roof on a bright, clear, warm morning more than made up for the curtailed night’s sleep Credit is due to the old hands who remembered their shades. The sun’s rays inspired us to sing joyfully and we were reliably informed there was a healthy congregation out of sight below As a result, the race was on for the last few croissants and the spiral staircase is never so easy on the way down Ascendit Deus Chorus descendit!

Three Choirs

Madeleine Kelly looks back on the most recent Three Choirs Evensong.

Good things often come in threes: the Trinity, the days between Christ’s death and resurrection, and of course, the beloved trio of All Saints Fulham, St Luke’s Chelsea, and St Matthew’s Kensington. Since 2013, we’ve participated in a termly Festival Evensong, where choirs under the direction of Jonna, Tom Williams, and Jeremy Summerly join together in harmony. This summer, the Evensong took place in sweltering conditions on Sunday, 11 June at St Luke’s Chelsea. This is the church where Charles Dickens married Catherine Hogarth, just two days after the publication of The Pickwick Papers

The Festival Evensong featured Stanford’s Magnificat for Double Chorus, Holst’s Nunc Dimittis, and Patrick Gower’s Viri Galilaei – music which is extremely varied in terms of style, yet equally epic in their own unique ways

An invitation to sing Evensong at St Paul’s Choir member Francis Letschka’s lightheated report suggests the service was attended by the tobacconists guild and a Warner Brothers crew. We think that’s what he means

Joined by the Worshipful Company of Tobacconists, this was a visit that played all the hits: uncertainty over vestry access (subsequently discovered to be the fault of Warner Bros), idiosyncratic vergers, and then that dopamine (or was it nicotine?) hit as the choir re-discovered the joy of a resonant yet clear acoustic Never mind Kings Cambridge, this building would make a smoker’s cough sound like a sevenfold amen

It was the perfect cathedral evensong: music from the heart of the Anglo-Irish tradition Herbert, Bernard, and Charles Villiers elegantly accompanied by friend of the choir Ben Collyer We prayed for those tobacconists together with our sister churches in the diocese and were out in 35 mins. Our procession, set at a ‘proactive’ pace, leading almost directly to the Cockpit, where Revs Penny and George now joined us in ale.

Music by the Bridge

Two chances to hear Zadok within a few weeks! Emma Rednall tells us more.

May called for celebration, with the coronation of King Charles III requiring music of royal proportions. This included a performance of Handel’s Zadok, the Priest, sung with a gusto rivalling that of the Coronation choir. This was complemented by Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C and William Child’s O Lord, Grant the King a Long Life

We revisited this material and more for our annual Music by the Bridge concert on Friday 9th June, giving another blast of Zadok, as well as Parry’s iconic I was Glad A new monarch means new vivats for this piece, so we now wish a long life to our very own Camilla, queen of the altos (or perhaps that refers to someone else?). Our programme centred on kings and coronations, with repertoire ranging from the relatively subdued Byrd motet, O Lord, Make thy Servant, Charles, to the unbridled pomp of Parry’s Blest Pair of Sirens, and a choir favourite in the form of Howells’s solo song, King David, arranged for full choir by Iain Farrington Stay tuned for our premiere of a new jazz mass by Farrington later this year!

The choir has been busy over the past few months and had to set their alarms early for our Ascension Day service. Rory Booth takes up the story.