All Saints Fulham Magazine Easter 2024

Welcome to The Magazine

All Saints, All people.

www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk

All Saints Parish Office

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Bishops Park, Fulham

London SW6 3LA

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www.allsaints-fulham.org.uk

Magazine Volunteers

Editor: Paul McCarroll

Design Night Owl: So-Jin Holohan

Picture Editor:

Nicky Thomson

Photo Contributors:

Jess Armstrong

Mike Dudgeon

Ndacayisaba Epitace

Freya Firth-Robson

Harry Gostelow

Jenny King

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Nicky Thomson

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All Saints is a registered charity: 1130273

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.

Reasons to be cheerful is one of those songs from my youth that often pop into my head And after a dank, dark winter the occasional ray of sunlight, the blooming magnolia, the delightful daffodils and the longer days all point to the rejuvenation of spring

There have been plenty of other reasons to be cheerful too. The church has been filled with wonderful music, work on the hall has begun and our hunt for a new vicar to replace the almost irreplaceable Penny has come to a successful conclusion (see next page).

The thrilling finish to England’s Six Nations match at Twickenham (as I write it is still fresh in the mind) was another reason for personal joy, though I acknowledge rather less so for any Ireland fans reading this

The joy of giving is a theme which runs throughout this issue of the magazine. There are so many people who give so much of their time, money, commitment and it is always wonderful to see and be part of. The impressive contributions to our Church Hall appeal is a great example We’re already around the halfway mark but, with work now started, this is no time to rest on our laurels. We are still over £100,000 short of the sum we seek to raise

Of course, giving comes in all shapes and

sizes. It is the job of our Charities Committee to pinpoint the causes most important to the heart of the parish and Jill Wordley writes of their work.

Giving can also be about commitment. I find Robert Ashdown’s Mozambique article a quite remarkable and hugely inspiring story of confronting adversity (from so many people involved). It will be serialised over this and the following issues of the magazine

In a month or so, Christian Aid week will offer us a whole series of ways we can make a meaningful contribution, including but not limited to financial donations And you don’t have to wait till May. You’ll find more details in the mag or you can go straight to the Christian Aid website

This issue also contains a delightful reflection on the beauty of our churchyard, which I’ve long thought of as a wonderful haven of tranquillity away from the bustle of the traffic on the bridge and high street With so much conflict across the world, it’s the perfect place to enjoy the dappled light of a warm afternoon, the sounding of the hours and the beauty of our tower, sitting on a bench with a good book. After giving, it’s a lovely way of taking back.

Happy Easter, everyone

Paul McCarroll

VIEW FROM THE PULPIT

Rev’d Penny

Palm Sunday and Easter Day bookend the holiest week of the year and, this year, will be my last opportunity to experience the Triduum at All Saints: starting on the eve of Maundy Thursday, running through the desolation of Good Friday with the veneration of the cross, and finishing at the end of Easter Day. Three days of immersion in the gospel story, acted out as one life-changing experience of liturgy at its best

During this time, we participate in the last supper that Jesus shared with his disciples and hear the mandate he issues after washing their feet: I give you a new commandment that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another (John 13.35). Good Friday bears witness to the cost of that love, borne out on the cross where Jesus hangs for three hours – commemorated in the service held in church, stripped of

all colour, between noon and 3pm. After his body is taken down and sealed in the tomb, there is nothing more to be said or done – so we go home, like Mary, to rest and do all that needs to be done before getting up before dawn on Sunday to hear the astonishing proclamation as the sun creeps over the horizon: Jesus Christ has risen! He has risen indeed: Alleluia!

Awakening the dead

This is the cue for the organ strepitus: a crash of sound loud enough to wake the dead and announce the great news of the resurrection to the rest of Fulham. After all the bells and whistles of the Gloria and the sight of children processing the flower covered cross around church at 10.30, I find it difficult to keep tears at bay because of all that we’ve shared together

I guess I’ll feel the same at Pentecost on May 19th when presiding for the last time at the Eucharist after sixteen years at All Saints, but the announcement that the Rev’d Peter Dobson has been appointed Vicar, is great news and a tribute to the hard work that Paul and Laura, as Church Wardens have put in to the challenge of keeping the interregnum as short as possible. Usually there is a much longer gap – but with George holding the fort until The Rev’d Peter comes, it’s good to know that All Saints is in safe hands and well placed to flourish and make the best of the next season of ministry.

I’m sad to be leaving but go with wonderful memories of services held over the years and thank God for the blessing of such a great band of fellow pilgrims.

Penny’s last service

Feast of Pentecost, May 19th, united service for whole congregation, with Admission to Holy Communion 10.30am. Induction and licensing of The Rev’d Peter Dobson on Tuesday 10th September 2024.

VISIT TO ZOVE, MOZAMBIQUE-NOVEMBER 2023

Robert Ashdown

This is an absolutely compelling story which tells of Robert Ashdown’s recent visit to Mozambique and provides some important context. It tells of the extraordinary resourcefulness of the people involved, the huge challenges they face in everyday life and the dramatic and sometimes tragic twists and turns of Robert’s travels in this country. It will be continued in the Pentecost issue of the magazine.

BACKGROUND

This was my seventh visit to Mozambique. The first was 30 years ago in 1993 At that time the Lonely Planet Guide to Africa had two pages on the country with the warning “Don’t go there” It was at the end of the Civil War. Bishop Dinis drove us to the Cathedral (two+ hours outside Maputo): I vividly remember my apprehension as we approached a road block manned by what looked like 12 and 13 year olds, all armed with sub-machine guns. I thought we had run into a group of rebels who would rob and kill us but Bishop Dinis said that all was OK because this was the regular army – the rebels were all 7 and 8 year old boy soldiers, armed with sub-machine guns On our way back to the Maputo we passed the UN peacekeepers going north, all wearing blue steel helmets

Five years later, 25 years ago, I was asked to go again as part of a group of 3 from the Diocese London, the first visit by ALMA. I had just lost my job and thought that a few days in Africa would be a positive break from the chore of job hunting A wise old Africa hand warned me against it “When you’re down, if anything is going to be thrown against you, it will hit you in Africa.” I ignored him and went. We set off from Maputo in the Bishop’s car (Bishop, his wife Berta, his 4 children, three of us, and a lot of stuff) bound for St George’s, Beira, to mark that church’s anniversary

Three hours out from Maputo is the large seaside town of Xai Xai Bishop Dinis drove around, visiting every pharmacy he knew of He explained that three days earlier Berta had been diagnosed with inoperable breast cancer, that there was no palliative medicine to be found in Maputo, and that he was hoping, against hope, that some might be found in Xai Xai. There was none. We stayed the night at Maxixe, home of the first missionaries, and then, next morning, set off on the 800 kilometre drive to Beira

A moment of transformation

As we drove, we saw an eagle fly high across the road carrying a very long snake If we had recollected the

Greek myths, the thoughts of Nietzsche, or the work of Carl Jung we would have realised that a moment of closure and transformation was near After some 4 hours Bishop Dinis asked if I would drive for a bit I agreed – the road was almost empty, a lorry would drive the other way once every 15 minutes or so. All was well for 50 minutes but we came to a bit of a hill As I drove over the brow, I saw a large pot hole which had been hidden by the incline immediately in front of me I swerved to avoid it, lost control of the car, hit the side of the road. The car somersaulted three times before coming to rest

Berta died instantly, Elizabeth Tucker’s foot was no longer fully connected to her ankle, two of Bishop Dinis’ sons were not in good shape and I was a mess of broken bones and was subsequently told I had lost half my blood We were in the middle of nowhere (there would be no houses visible from the road during the civil war – it would be too dangerous to live where you could be seen by strangers passing by), no phone connections, no emergency services

After 20 minutes a pick-up truck came up the road. It stopped to help. We were loaded onto the open back I knew that if I lost consciousness I might well die of shock so, for 4 hours, under the burning sun, I concentrated on the gap between Elizabeth’s foot and ankle Then a storm started and we spent two hours on the back of the truck getting wet I tell this story again not because I want any sympathy but because I want everyone to understand that this is the life still lived by Mozambicans today

It was subsequently discovered that, back from the road, was a small village called Zove which had a reputation as a “bad place” (aka witchcraft) The Diocese of Lebombo has built a church, a school, a health centre and a well Archbishop Carlos says that the incident has been turned into a celebration and gift of life to the many who worship there and go to school there Also that many are physically healed there and many new lives arrive into the world safely from the Zove Clinic

I was still unemployed and spent 11 months in Intensive Care, general hospital and rehabilitation ALMA sent me a letter saying that the car had not been insured and it would be better if I did not spend money attending ALMA events until I had bought Lebombo a new one. When I had got life back together again I found out that the car had been 50% insured: I sent the money via MANNA later but passed on the opportunity to attend ALMA events again

Wednesday

Rosangela and I arrive early on the overnight plane from Lisbon. These days you can ask for a tourist visa on arrival (US $10) but in the arrivals hall there is a growing line of agitated people waiting –Mastercard stopped working in Mozambique 3 months ago and anyone who came without cash has the first of many problems – how to pay to get in. (Mastercard’s decision is almost certainly linked to Mozambique being placed on the money laundering red list in August – it is the funnel for illicit trades from the whole of southern and central Africa’s link with Dubai)

It’s too early to go to the hotel so Elvis, Diocesan Secretary, and Zelfinia, Archbishop Carlos’ PA, drive us over the new bridge across the bay to Katemba The Chinese built bridge dominates Maputo We are the only car on the bridge; there is nothing in Katemba other than a beach, small restaurants and houses The purpose of this bridge is to proclaim the message, “China is your rich friend ”

In the evening we are invited to Archbishop Carlos’ flat for dinner. There are two heavily armed soldiers outside the entrance to the block, and a further two inside Archbishop Carlos has a lot on his mind. He faces acute pressure to stand down and retire. There are three reasons, all of which may be true Archbishop Carlos says that there is pressure from some younger bishops who want his job for themselves An alternative version says that there is a section of the Province (Angola?) that wants him to step down so that the new Province can pivot towards and join GAFCON.

The third strand is that Archbishop Carlos agreed to be appointed to the National Electoral Commission, the constitutional body that validates election results in Mozambique (the word “validates” is critical here because “validation” may well mean different things to different people). The results of the October Municipal Elections are bitterly disputed with widespread fraud alleged The previous week the main opposition party Renamo organised a march of many thousands to the Anglican Centre at Chamanculo to protest “Judas Matsinhe Bishop of Satan He is a man of God who has become a man of the devil. After his resignation he must be arrested. The floor of the jail awaits him.” The protesters have also tried to drive a wedge between Bishop Dinis and Archbishop Carlos by quoting a speech by Bishop Dinis which could be taken to criticise the National Electoral Commission Archbishop Carlos would clearly love to retire immediately and retire in peace to Inhambane (he is 69 so he has to retire next year anyway) but if he steps down now all his opponents will say “See, he admits his guilt, we were right ”

At the dinner is also his daughter Graça with her own daughter. Archbishop Carlos thanks me profusely for the support that some supporters on MANNA gave his family to pay for her training as a medical doctor. She is staying with him because her husband turned violent and tried to murder her It’s not at all easy in the Archbishop’s house at the moment.

Thursday

We get up at 4 30 to catch the early flight to Chimoio with Bishop Dinis This is a beautiful town, 5th largest in Mozambique, of Portuguese origin that I had never visited before, high on the plateau on the “road” from Beira to Zimbabwe

Bishop Paulo, bishop of the new Diocese of Rio Pungue, greets Outside Chimoio, to one side of the single track narrow gauge railway that links Zimbabwe to the Indian Ocean, lies a new suburb created to

house demobilised soldiers Bishop Dinis and Lina used the money collected for his Foundation at their wedding to build the new church of the Familia Sagrada. We are there to open the new toilet block which has been built using approximately 6,500 recycled beer bottles which are laid in rows and held in place with mortar made from crushed termite mounds mixed with water – incredibly strong. After a service of thanksgiving, attended by local dignitaries, we go across to the block which is adorned with balloons Rosangela and I are called forward – it is our job, as distinguished visitors, to cut the green ribbon at the entrance I join the ranks of politicians, B List celebrities and retired footballers. Bishop Dinis suggests that using recycled beer bottles is a variation on the theme of turning swords into ploughshares, but he then launches into one of his classic sermon opening lines “we may think that when we go to the toilet we are sitting there by ourselves but nothing could be further from the truth because God is also there with us because He is with us all the time ”

As soon as one service is decently finished it’s time for the next, this one at the Sanctuary Church of St Bernard Mizeki nearer the centre of town I realise why the choirs in Chimoio have the reputation of being the best in the Church in Mozambique The Mothers’ Union very generously makes us a gift of a large married couple’s capulana (sarong) The choir collapses in giggles as the elderly ladies wrap it around us and we sway together in sync with the music. Outside the world goes on – a group of (women) road menders are turning large blocks of granite into pieces of small gravel using sledgehammers. You wonder how much they must smash to earn a day’s food

To be continued…

Bishop Dinis with Robert in 2023

THE TAPESTRY OF TRADITION

Anastasia Gorokhova introduces us to Clean Monday, Bridegroom Matins and other Orthodox commemorations

As springtime renews the earth, Christians around the globe enter a period of renewal of their own through the observance of Lent and Easter. This season is a cornerstone of the Christian liturgical year, a time for reflection, penitence, and ultimately, celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ While these observances unite Christians in common purpose, the ways in which different traditions commemorate these events can vary significantly. This is particularly evident when comparing the practices of the Orthodox Church with those of the Church of England

Lent: A Time of Preparation

Lent is the 40-day period leading up to Easter, traditionally a time of fasting and preparation for the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. In the Orthodox Church, this period is known as Great Lent and is considered the most important and strictest fasting season of the year. The fast involves abstaining from dairy,

meat, dairy, and eggs and, in more rigorous practice, from oil and wine as well. This ascetic discipline is not merely about dietary restrictions, it is a holistic approach that includes increased prayer, almsgiving, and repentance Great Lent begins with Clean Monday, two days before the Western Ash Wednesday, and the faithful are called to cleanse their lives of sin and unnecessary distractions.

The Church of England observes Lent with a more relaxed approach to fasting There is no prescribed diet, though individuals may choose to give up certain foods or luxuries as a personal discipline. The emphasis is placed on self-reflection, repentance, and preparation for Easter. Services during Lent often include readings and prayers that call for self-examination and a recommitment to baptismal vows.

The Calendar Conundrum

One of the most noticeable differences between the Orthodox Church and the Church of England is the calculation of Easter. The Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian calendar for its liturgical schedule, which generally places Orthodox Easter later than that observed by churches that use the Gregorian calendar, including the Church of England. While the spirit of the season is shared, the timing of the celebrations can diverge by up to several weeks

Holy Week: A Dramatic Unfolding

Holy Week, the final week of Lent leading up to Easter, is observed with great solemnity and reverence in both traditions, but the Orthodox Church is known for its particularly rich and elaborate rituals. Each day of Holy Week has special services that recount the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion One of the central services in the Orthodox tradition is the Bridegroom Matins, which includes the reading of the "Hymn of Kassiani," a poignant meditation on repentance and forgiveness. Another unique service is the Holy Unction on Great Wednesday, where the faithful are anointed with oil for healing of body and soul.

The Church of England's Holy Week observances, while also steeped in tradition, tend to be more subdued. Services like Maundy Thursday commemorate the Last Supper and the washing of the disciples' feet, and Good Friday services reflect on the crucifixion. The Easter Vigil on Saturday night is a service of light, where the new fire represents the light of Christ coming into the world

Easter: Celebration of the Resurrection

The pinnacle of the Lenten journey is Easter, known in the Orthodox Church as Pascha. The celebration begins with a midnight service, where churches are initially darkened to symbolize the tomb of Christ. At midnight, the priest announces, "Christ is risen!" and the church is illuminated to symbolize the resurrection. The faithful exchange the Paschal greeting, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!" This is followed by the Paschal Divine Liturgy and often a festive meal breaking the fast.

The Church of England celebrates Easter with joyous services that proclaim the resurrection of Jesus The proclamation "He is risen indeed Alleluia!" is a central part of the celebration. Churches are filled with flowers, and music plays a significant role in the services. The Easter sermon often focuses on the hope and new life that the resurrection promises to believers

Cultural Expressions and Community Engagement

Easter is not only a liturgical event but also a cultural one In Orthodox countries, the entire Holy Week is often a public holiday, with traditions such as egg

painting and special foods like Pascha bread and lamb. In England, Easter customs include egg hunts, the Easter Bunny, and various local customs such as Morris dancing or egg painting

Both the Orthodox Church and the Church of England emphasize the importance of charity and community engagement during Lent and Easter Orthodox Christians often increase their charitable giving and service to others as part of their Lenten discipline. Similarly, Anglicans are encouraged to take part in acts of charity and social justice, reflecting the love and sacrifice of Christ

Conclusion

The observance of Lent and Easter in the Orthodox Church and the Church of England reflects the diversity within Christianity. Each tradition brings its own history, theology, and cultural expressions to these holy seasons, offering a rich array of practices for the faithful While the differences are notable, both branches share the common purpose of preparing hearts and minds to commemorate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the Christian faith

LOOKING BACK AT LENT

The Lent Groups have, as ever, covered a wide range of contemplative themes.

Lectio Divina

During Lent in 2020, shortly before the first COVID-19 lockdown and while our group was still meeting in person, we happened providentially to be reading about Lectio Divina in the book that we were studying. We adopted the practice when we regrouped online and quickly found that Zoom, a poor medium for proper collective discussion, was actually perfectly suited to our contemplative needs: it allows room for individual discernment of meaningful passages in our chosen texts, providing silent spaces into which each of us can drop thoughts and words to share with others Now that many people are once again living increasingly busy lives, this practice of communal reflection becomes even more precious and necessary for us.

Meeting God in Paul

The idea for looking at Rowan Williams’ book came from Sylvia Millier, who had originally recommended it to the ASF Wednesday afternoon Bible Study Group of which we are both members (new attendees always welcome!) Following her recommendation I read the book and similarly commend it to you

Williams’ book was written for a series of talks given at Canterbury Cathedral The three chapters don’t quite fit the five weeks available to us so we’ve split the first two

Loving my neighbour

We have been reading through this book of daily reflections and then coming together on Wednesday evenings to discuss questions and themes that come out of the readings Each week has a different author, with a different angle around the theme We have explored loving through suffering and being poorly treated, loving those who are very different to us as well as loving and being authentically ourselves, as God loves us and wants us to be. I chose the book because, as the Bible Reading Fellowship (who have this as their Lent book for 2024) put it: “it has never been more important to understand how much

This Lent we are using some beautiful poems by George Herbert, from a selection annotated by Mark Oakley in his book ‘My Sour-Sweet Days’, and biblical texts which relate closely to the poetry. Herbert was a fine musician as well as a famous poet, and we can appreciate not only his frequent musical metaphors but also the ‘music’ itself that is contained within the sounds and structures of his words. One of our number also sometimes brings a visual image to share, which reflects on a poem and enriches its contemplation

Rise heart; thy Lord is risen, Sing his praise without delays Easter by George Herbert (1593-1633)

Ian Ritchie & Kathryn McDowell

chapters into four as 1) Paul the GrecoRoman 2) Paul the Jew and Man to cover the background of Paul’s Letters, then we will be looking at 3) Breaking Down the Barriers 4) The Healing Sacrifice and finally 5) Seeing God in Jesus and in Us. We have been using readings from Paul’s Letters themselves alongside Williams’ comments and ideas I’m so grateful to all the participants who I’m pleased to say contribute fully and I’m sure we are all learning from one another

Douglas Downie

God loves us and wants us to love each other.”

Both nationally and internationally, we seems to be living through a period of intense division, polarisation and aggression to those around us with whom we differ The meetings have led to great conversation and fellowship What has struck me the most, so far, is that we have all found spending 3 minutes each day has been far more worthwhile and spiritually helpful than reading a lot more in one sitting. Little and often, or in the words of one of the contributors, slowly being changed by the ‘three mile an hour God’.

Godforsaken. The Cross – the greatest hope of all.

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell’s ‘Godforsaken’ is a short, thought provoking book about the heart wrenching cry of Jesus on the cross: Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me

Reported in Mark’s account of the crucifixion, these words echo the opening verse of Psalm 22 which groans with the pain of intense suffering, experienced not only by Christ, but by many when illness, betrayal, abandonment or grief leave us feeling forsaken.

Discussing what Jesus went through and

why it had to happen that way, opens up space for thinking beyond the group about personal history that has been difficult to process, but has helped us explore different theories of atonement and highlighted the theology of the cross behind Cottrell’s writing - summed up in the final chapter

Jesus’ howl of anguish from the cross is the cry of the human soul in all its suffering and the sign that our humanity in all its joy and sadness is taken into the life of God.

When we finish that chapter, I pray most of us can say Amen: I’m glad to have read it in the company of others.

Rev’d Penny

LOOKING FORWARD TO EASTER-LIFE AFTER DEATH

Rev’d George

Happy Easter one and all! Easter is the most wonderful time – new life, beautiful flowers and blossom all around us Children all around the world will be in churchyards, houses and gardens hunting for easter eggs, with shrieks of joy every time another chocolatey treat is found and stuffed into their collecting bag – or possibly straight into their mouth!

For Christians it is the ultimate. God’s own son, himself fully God and fully a human being, has come back from the dead Having entered into our world and all the challenges and joys that might come our way, he was and is fully with us But even more than that, having suffered the most horrible torture and death, Jesus ‘descended into the dead’ He journeyed through utter darkness and all that seemed eternally separated from life and the goodness of God. Jesus journeyed through even that and came back He came back from the dead. He defeated death itself and opened the way to life for all of us

Flight of death

I am writing this piece the day after World Book Day. Yesterday I went into All Saints Primary school and spoke about a book which has a similar theme of life and love ultimately

defeating death and darkness I spoke about the Harry Potter books, and specifically the character of Lord Voldermort For those who haven’t read the books, Voldermort, the chief baddie and agent of darkness, tries to make himself all powerful over everyone and live forever, by dividing his soul and trying to magically preserve the parts in various objects (horcruxes) Indeed, his name, broken up to ‘vol de mort’ in French can be translated into ‘flight of death’ or ‘theft of death’

It is a great irony, that the one thing that he yearns so much for and that his very self-selected name cries out for, is the one thing that eludes him and cannot be taken through his own power and strength Eternal life is given out of Love. Wise Dumbledore, in The Order of the Phoenix, tells Voldemort to his face: “your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness” and he speaks to Harry about this in relation to love on a number of occasion In the last book, The Deathly Hallows, he says “Do not pity the dead, Harry Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.”

And in the first book, The

Philosopher’s Stone: “If there is one thing Voldemort does not understand it is love. He did not realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.”

Love defeats all

Perhaps the greatest revelation of this in these books is through Harry Potter himself. When he finds his parents’ gravestones, engraved on them is ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’ On seeing this with his great friend Hermione, they say “It doesn’t mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters (Voldemort’s agents) mean it… it means… you know… living beyond death Living after death ”

With the risk of spoiling the ending for anyone who hasn’t read these books, it is a journey Harry makes himself, (via the purgatory of King’s Cross station!) to ultimately defeat Voldemort. It is the journey Jesus went through for all of us that we dig into during Holy Week and the Tridium. But it is not the end of the story, death has lost it’s sting because life and love defeats death and darkness. Christ is risen. Alleluia!

GIVING CHEERFULLY

Jill Wordley, the Chair of our Missions and Charities Committee, describes its role

‘God loves a cheerful giver’ writes St Paul to the Corinthians, encouraging them to give to the church in Jerusalem which was suffering the effects of famine. Paul goes on to remind them that ‘it is in God’s power to provide you richly with every good gift; thus you will have ample means in yourselves to meet each and every situation, with enough and to spare for every good cause’.

Sometimes it feels hard to keep up with all of the demands on our resources, with so many pressures and needs both at home and abroad. It doesn’t feel as though we have enough and to spare But here’s a reason to be cheerful! At All Saints, we commit 5% of the proceeds of Planned Giving to charitable causes That means that we have a pot of money – about £10,000 in 2024 - that has already been generously given, which we give away again to other good causes. All that we need is ideas for the best ways to spend the money!

That’s where the Missions and Charities Committee comes in.

The Committee meets twice a year to consider nominations and make recommendations to the PCC on which charities and mission activities we should support We are also ready to respond quickly between meetings if there is an emergency situation Donations are usually between £200 and £1000.

Anyone can nominate a charity or a good cause

Meetings are usually advertised for several weeks beforehand in the pew sheet, the weekly e-mail and announcements in Church There is information available on the website (under the ‘Community’ tab) and on the notice board in church You can make a nomination to charity@allsaints-fulham.org.uk but if you don’t want to use e-mail, just mention it to one of the clergy or drop a note in to the parish office, it will reach us.

What sorts of good causes are we interested in? We have a set of guidelines which we weigh up in the Committee to help us decide which to support We prefer charities where a member of the congregation has a strong personal connection, and especially like to look at the local impact of the charity in Fulham and the surrounding areas. For example, we usually donate to the Fulham Good Neighbours Service and Glass Door Homelessness Charity (both old friends of All Saints) and recently we have donated to charities working within HMP Wandsworth.

We are not only interested in the local

We regularly support overseas charities, often smaller ones where there is a connection with the parish. For instance, in 2023 we donated to help the Malawi Music Project build a hostel for girls and, in our first meeting of 2024, we agreed to support Gambia School Support and a project in Mozambique

Other factors we consider are whether the charity is well run, how much funding it has, whether its activities are consistent with a Christian outlook and – crucially –whether our support will make a difference This means we often prefer to support smaller charities to large and generally well-funded national charities But we do sometimes donate to the big charities if we can see a direct link to work being done locally Last year, for instance, we helped the local branch of Age UK purchase an accessible defibrillator and contributed to Parkinson’s UK in recognition of help to congregation members through a local support group

We like to ensure we have funds available to respond to emergencies or natural disasters – as in the last couple of years with the Turkey Syria Earthquake Appeal, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Gaza/Israel. In these urgent, difficult situations we prefer to donate through the Disasters Emergency Committee, as that way the big international agencies work together to target aid on the ground.

Missions and Charities Committee met in March and we shall be meeting again in the autumn so please think if there are any causes that matter to you or people you know that you might want to nominate. You can let us know at any time. We can either hold on to the nominations or, if there is an immediate urgent need, respond outside our normal meetings.

We would also very much welcome new members joining the Committee to help with this important part of All Saints’ mission to the local community and the wider world. Do get in touch if you are interested.

MY SACRED SEVEN

By Choral Scholar Ben Dennes

What does it mean for a piece of music to be inspiring? For some it’s their scale; their monumental structure, their scope, their wall of sound Others inspire me as a musician; whenever I hear them I start counting down the hours until my next service or concert. However the most inspirational pieces and those I love most inspire a true emotional reaction. Putting this list together I’ve realised that it is often contrasts in music (light/dark; rich/sparse; spiky/smooth) that connect with me most

Johannes Brahms – Geistliches Lied

A strong contender for ‘Best Amen’ in choral music, this gorgeous piece by Brahms is one of my absolute favourites. Bringing with it a dollop of nostalgia (it’s one of the first pieces I can remember singing at university), its combination of luscious harmonies and immediately singable melodies is breathtaking And it's not just a pretty face; written as part of a series of contrapuntal exercises exchanged with a fellow composer, the piece is inspiring in its cleverness. Brahms plays a difficult game of musical sudoku with this piece (it’s a double canon at the ninth) and is still able to create such transcendent music

Philip Radcliffe – God be in my Head

This absolute gem is often overlooked in favour of more popular settings of the text by Walford Davies and Rutter, but for me is the most beautiful of the lot. It perfectly balances interesting, rich harmony with a feeling of simplicity. I love his Responses but, if Radcliffe should be remembered for just one piece, it should be this.

Josef Rheinberger – Abendlied

Another Lied, this stunning Evening Song is exquisite. Thankfully I don’t have to wait too long before next

performing it, as it’s one of the pieces some friends and I are

performing it, as it’s one of the pieces some friends and I are bringing on a singing-hiking tour of the Camino pilgrimage route in Portugal in April! What I love most is the range of emotions it manages to elicit and the contrasts it presents plaintive then declamatory; delicate then rich; at times mournful, but ending on a beautiful note of hope.

JS Bach – Mass in B Minor

If pushed to name one single piece of music as my favourite, I usually choose this epic of the choral canon: Bach’s magnificent Mass in B Minor. A monument to his mastery, this work showcases some of the best of Bach’s solo, instrumental, and choral writing across a nearly two hour run time. I’ve been lucky enough to sing this with both my Dad and some of my closest friends, so it holds a special place in my heart. A particular highlight is the Cum Sancto Spiritu, the frenetic final movement of the Gloria.

Judith Weir – Illuminare, Jerusalem

I first sang this piece with Exeter Cathedral Choir in 2022 and even amongst a whole host of other amazing Christmas music we were preparing at the time it stood out as a particular joy to sing; there was something about its ‘soundworld’ that I found immediately engaging I really enjoy the piece’s spikiness and feeling of mysticism, which both suit the interesting text It’s mediaeval Scots, taken from a 15th century manuscript, and quite a tongue twister to sing!

John Adams – Harmonium

I was only recently introduced to this piece by a friend and it made an immediate impression Written during Adams’ “minimalist” phase, it slowly and dramatically builds in tension, the dense texture reflecting the first movement’s rather impenetrable John Donne text One thing I find interesting is how Adams uses harmony; the chords change so slowly that when the key eventually does change it feels like — in the composer’s words — a “celestial gear shifting”.

Gerald Finzi – Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice

Saving potentially the best till last, this epic anthem is another that is inspiring in its scope; wide-ranging and almost 15 minutes long, it is SO much fun to sing. It is full of contrasts, like the pairs of sections beginning Jesu Master and O let that love (the first: gorgeous, lyrical and floating; the next: rhythmic, brash, and consonant-heavy), as well as the minor-major switch from Rise, Royal Sion to Stretch all thy powers.

However, it is two other parts of this amazing piece that are my absolute favourite Firstly, the tenor-bass duet in O soft self-wounding Pelican absolutely stunning: truly one of the best of the repertoire The other highlight is the Amen; it’s probably the only other work that could have a chance of knocking Geistliches Lied off its ‘Best Amen’ perch

THAT WAS THE WINTER THAT WAS

The Shrove Tuesday Quiz

If I remember correctly, the word shriven means to confess and receive absolution for our sins and the annual quiz night in the Middle Room is an excellent opportunity to confess one’s ignorance and be forgiven by your team for proposing an entirely incorrect answer In 2023 the bell ringers were victors so they set the questions this year

As Owen Toller put it, “The teams were asked to answer questions that ranged from 'What name is given to the feral horses brought to America by the Spanish?' [Mustangs], to 'Which bell gives its name to the piece of music by John Philip Sousa best known as the theme tune to Monty Python’s Flying Circus? [The Liberty Bell]. Topics included bells, railways, fictional detectives, general knowledge, children's TV, and religions. The teams were also asked to identify and locate trees in the parish, and to pair up fictional characters with the schools they attended ” Competition was intense, the Wardens putting in a strong multi-generational performance but in the end (just like the Germans at football) the Choir won

Fundraising Bridge Drive

You may remember some rather delicious cake after the 10.30 a few weeks back, left from a fundraiser. A big thank you to Kate, Ingleby and Alex Jefferson for organising a hugely successful event. Ingleby tells us more: “The final event to be held in hall prior to the renovation was a Bridge Drive which was held on 22nd February It was very fortunate that there was a short delay in the start of renovation which allowed the venue to be in the Hall itself instead of the much smaller Middle Room. This allowed Alex Jefferson to plan on having 20 tables – a target reached a week prior to the event.

“Although Alex cannot be quite exactly described as a plagiarist, she based her fund-raising bridge afternoon on the highly successful ‘Lifeboats’ event held every autumn at St Columba’s. This is well-known for the quality and quantity of its afternoon teas and for the range of its tombola prizes, albeit mostly liquid Our teas were sorted in the weeks prior to the event by stint of pleas for assistance in the weekly Parish Notices handed all those attending any one of the four services at All Saints every Sunday The congregation answered the call as we knew they would and could; a plethora of cakes, sandwiches and biscuits were delivered to the hall, with the added attraction that almost everything was home-made. Thank you congregation (and others)!

“We did not have a tombola but instead a raffle; another big thank you to all those who donated or cajoled others

to provide an excellent range of prizes Our thanks to all those who bought raffle tickets; no doubt encouraged by the quality of the prizes they raised just over £900 –which represented about two strips per attendee.

“A major logistic headache was to accumulate 20 bridge tables; our thanks to Hurlingham for lending us the majority, the others coming from bridge players in Rivermead and Daisy Lane. Another huge ‘thank you’ to all those helping in the Hall, not forgetting those in the kitchen area The event also had a sponsor – Alex’s daughter Annabel whose company Annabel@Annabel covered the hire of crockery and the tea and coffee

“The bridge appears to have been fun and enjoyed The majority of tables opted to be competitive and play Chicago It was perhaps apt that the main bridge prize was won by Monica Sharpe, who happens to run the ‘Lifeboats’! She and her partner also won the prize for the first slam bid and made At the other end of the scale there was also a prize for holding a Yarborough (no card higher than a 9) This was won by Carol Gavin

“A very satisfactory fundraising event, which from tickets, donations and the raffle raised just over £3,000 towards the renovation of the hall.”

REVIEW OF ALL SAINTS CHOIR’S CONCERT

ON 25TH FEBRUARY

Justin Oglethorpe

I am fairly sure that everyone in the very full audience for the Handel concert on 25th February came away feeling that they had witnessed something very special The dedication that went into the performance and the pleasure that it gave surely deserve celebration. So here’s a personal attempt to unpick what made the event so special.

First, the concept and the programme. A modest-length evening of pure Handel on period instruments, consisting of two Latin cantatas for choir and soloists sandwiched around a concerto for organ and strings which took full advantage of both Tom, our superb organ scholar, and the sweet Baroque chamber organ (hired specially) sitting proudly at the front of the chancel It was a balanced, interesting programme that demonstrated Handel’s youthful ambition as a choral composer and extraordinary musical imagination, not to mention his technical prowess as an organist. And Jonathan, as usual, had judged perfectly that it would be a fine showcase for the home team

Which takes us to the musicians and their performance. It was a delight to watch as much as to hear We saw the Tamesis Early Music Ensemble players exchanging smiles of pleasure, the bass player in particular putting her all into every bow stroke, the choir clustered around the organ

rather like an operatic chorus, the choral soloists discreetly stepping forward for their moments then fading back into the crowd, and every performer focused intently on Jonathan’s masterly tempo-setting and admirably understated conducting.

The two cantatas, both written during Handel’s time in Italy in his twenties (before he reached London) were fascinating in different ways. The shorter “Nisi Dominus” (Psalm 127) felt like a miniature oratorio, a bit like an ambitious young composer’s calling card. “Dixit Dominus” (Psalm 120) was a marvel of inventive, almost pictorial writing - the percussive, detached syllables of “conquassabit” (“he will shatter”), virtually shouted by full choir, were almost rudely graphic Mr Handel himself would probably have had a beefier instrument for the organ concerto, but this chamber organ’s sweetness merely made us listen all the more intently, and Tom’s and the Tamesis Ensemble’s rendition felt wonderfully authentic

I have a feeling that Mr Handel would have enjoyed taking a boat upstream to Fulham and popping in on this concert. He might have been stumped by how the organ worked without anyone pumping its bellows, but, musically, he would have been gratified

Holiday flat for rent

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

SEVEN DAYS, SO MANY WAYS

With a general election expected in the near future, this year Christian Aid week invites us to get involved in tackling poverty in a variety of ways, helping people like Aline.

Pushed to the brink of survival

In Burundi, malnourishment and poverty affect more than 70% of the population, making survival a daily struggle Jobs and food are hard to come by, and those who have homes often have no electricity or running water.

For Aline, life was a constant struggle She was married young and gave birth to her eldest son, Fisto, when she was just 14 years old. Aline experienced constant abuse at the hands of her violent husband.

A few years later, Aline faced even more devastation Her husband married another woman, forcing Aline to flee. He prevented her from taking their children with her, and in a further act of cruelty, told the local community that Aline was mentally ill and unable to care for her children.

How Christian Aid stepped in

Hungry, scorned and alone, Aline took her first step towards her new life. She started by participating in a transformative three-day community workshop, funded by Christian Aid.

‘I came out with amazing knowledge and skills. The trainer restored a sense of hope and energy in me,’ says Aline.

She was taught how to form a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) and establish a steady income. VSLAs mean people can save for their future and borrow money to kickstart small rural businesses.

With all she had learned, Aline’s dream of getting her children back finally felt possible.

Building a business

With a small start-up loan, Aline started trading avocados and peanuts locally. With her profits, she bought a bicycle so she could transport greater quantities of goods to markets further afield Eventually, her hard work had finally paid off, and she had earned the money she needed to rent a house.

Once Aline secured a home for herself, her three eldest sons were able to escape their father and join her. They told Aline that their father had abused them and sent their three young siblings to live with different members of his family.

Aline still hopes that she’ll be reunited with her youngest children in time

Today, Aline lives peacefully on her own plot of land in a remote village in the Kayogoro Commune in Makamba Province She’s baked her own bricks and is building a strong home for her and her children in every sense.

Now Aline can afford food, clothes and essential healthcare for her family She’s also purchased solar panels so her children can do their evening homework by electric light.

To get involved, go online and search ‘Christian Aid Week, 2024’ .

YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Every issue of this magazine, the budding writers from All Saints Primary School offer us their perspective. This time, it’s all about Easter.

Easter is very special to our church because it is a memorable occasion where we remember Jesus coming back from the dead It is not just about getting chocolate and taking part in Easter egg hunts.

I have had Easter in France and England. Although a lot of things are the same, there are differences. For example, in the area I was we were given chocolate fish But when I am at my mum’s house, as well as chocolate eggs we dye real eggs spring colours to represent new life.

Easter is really special to me because it is a time to be with my family and to celebrate springtime. After a cold, rainy winter I always feel happy to see new life and all the spring buds

This Easter, I will be with my mum and sister in London We will not only go to church on Easter Sunday but also, we will all then go on a big walk on Wimbledon Common. Then, we are also going to stay with my sister’s godmother in Frome where we will probably enjoy some country walks and special meals.

Lyra

At All Saints Church we celebrate Easter by having a special service. During the season of Lent, the church places a regal purple material over the crucifixes to signify sorrow for Jesus’ suffering. On Easter Sunday the children are treated with an Easter egg hunt in the church grounds Last Easter, me and my family gathered together to go to church for the Easter service. To celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, last year I created a window decoration in the shape of a cross at Pryor’s Bank. Easter is special to me because it’s all about when Jesus died and rose again. It’s all about enjoying life with others and to come together as a community At Easter, it is important to spend quality time with family and friends, to remember what Jesus did for us. Easter eggs symbolise new life and new beginnings, as well as embracing different changes

This Easter will be quite similar. After church we all go to my house, me and my cousins will have fun searching for Easter eggs After that we will play some fun family games and enjoy each other’s company. Later on we will watch a movie and eat popcorn, and our Easter eggs

Olivia

Easter is so special to me because it is a memorable occasion that only comes once a year and not just for the chocolate but we also get to remember the greatest sacrifice in the world; Jesus’s death. No one would be so brave to give up their life for the world That is why Easter is special

I have had many Easter celebrations in the past. When I was in Y4, Miss Ward set us an Easter egg hunt inside the class. She hid an egg inside a cupboard and one-at-a-time we would try and look for it. The whole school also does an ‘Easter egg-ercise’ where we would raise money for something the whole school wanted.

This Easter, me and my mum are going skiing We are planning on doing an egg hunt in the snow. Before we planned on skiing, me, my mum, and my step dad were going to ask everyone in our mews and their children if we could do a massive egg hunt.

One year, our church brought a donkey in to represent the one Jesus rode in on Palm Sunday. I remember everyone was desperate to ride on it but knew they weren’t allowed I was scared at first but after a couple of minutes I really loved it. Mathilda

WALKING WITH YOUTH

Luke Carson, our YMIC youth worker, updates us on his mission

Since writing last year about my journey into these fantastic Churches I can now say I am well settled and have been made welcome by all. There have been many exciting youth events I have been fortunate to be involved with, including the mini-YMIC Christmas party, the latest YMIC Lent event aptly named ‘Could you be tempted?’ and the weekly running of Youth Connect Each of these has had their own invigorating presence providing a hopeful light in a world where at times there seems to be so much darkness

Youth Connect has been a steady presence in my work and I hope for the young people that attend. It aims to be a relaxed safe space for youth to explore themselves and delve deeper into faith. We have had recent activities including baking cookies, judged by myself and Rev’d George (thankfully no one was sick!), designing tote bags and a quiz night to name a few. After joining together for games we then move towards stillness, collecting together to first eat, with one of our young people providing the food each week. Following this we begin our formal fellowship of compline, providing a restful and reflective end to the evening If you know anyone who might be interested to join youth connect please sent them my way by emailing me at: luke@ymic-london.org

A truly beautiful service

On Sunday the 25th February St. Mary’s Putney hosted our first YMIC event of the year, which saw strong numbers across all the Churches involved, with over 70 young people attending and participating in a Taizé style service presided by Rev’d George. Having so many young people gathered alongside members of the congregation was a truly beautiful service to witness, with those gathered stating the same We can often all feel isolated in our faith and, to have events like this, diminishes that feeling for all those involved Of course, this was not the only draw to the event, the bank robbery escape experience was certainly one to get people through the door

Congratulations to the team who cracked the code in what felt like record

time. It was certainly exhilarating to watch and I can only assume it felt more so to participate.

Exploring life’s big questions

Looking to the future, I hope to begin running a youth bible study called ‘Illuminate’. This group will aim to explore life's big questions through the lens of Scripture. Enabling our young people to further discover their purpose, identity, justice and love in a supportive community. Equipping their minds for a journey of faith and understanding as well as my own, youth have as much to teach us as we do them This will be running jointly with Putney Parish carrying over the collaborative nature of YMIC and growing together We also have our YMIC Youth camp running in the distant future (29th Oct - 1st Nov) but please show interest early as there is a reduced early bird price! See the YMIC London website to find out more.

This lent period I would like to leave you with a few verses from 1 Peter 5, 5-9 that I hope will provide some guidance and strength through the Lord:

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world ”

God bless,

Luke Carson

OUR CHURCH HALL RENOVATION ENTERS AN EXCITING PHASE

With the building team moving in, our Church Hall project has reached the point where old fabric and items are being ripped out and, wherever possible, recycled. Which means its even more important for our appeal to reach its target as quickly as possible. Rev’d Penny and lead fundraiser

Carolyn Leigh reflect on the meaning of giving.

I’ve been blown away by the generosity illustrated by our thermometer but, in thanking one particular donor, was reminded that the real thanks should go to God. For, as the Messenger translation of 1 Chronicles 29 14 puts it:

‘Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand ”

I’m struck, this Easter, by how Jesus’ own words in John 6, play on the meaning of that Old Testament verse when he says:

‘And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day’

Here we have the rationale for the sacrifice Christ makes on the cross for the sake of those who love him. He gives his all, to bridge the gap between earth and heaven To demonstrate how far God goes, to win people back; to lift them up and transform the fear of loss into the assurance of love, that is not scarce, but abundant.

In John that sentence comes after the story of the disciples wanting to dismiss the crowd, because they don’t relish the task of finding enough food to feed five thousand. They are preoccupied by scarcity, but Jesus sees things differently He sees the need of the moment and asks them to collect what they can from those who have brought food along. He then thanks God and prays for a miracle which happens when little is turned into much, and there is more than enough food for everyone, with twelve baskets left over

I imagine there was quite a party that evening and that everyone left in good cheer Feeling full and grateful for all they had received, heard and experienced I pray that the same multiplier effect might help us reach the target set for the hall, and that there is fun and fellowship to be enjoyed on the way as we thank God for his plenitude and grace.

The tray of delicious cake to accompany coffee after church the other day was a consequence of the highly successful Bridge Day, left over from ample catering. To me that epitomises the generosity of cheerful giving.

What does a cheerful giver look like? Generosity isn’t to do with the sum given, but how costly it is to the giver We all donate out of taxed income and after essentials, which may leave a tiny or substantial pot of disposable income. Whatever the level, the cheerful gift of more than you first planned elevates a donation into an investment; the opportunities you’ve foregone by committing those funds to appeal represent skin in the game, especially if time or talent or experience is also part of your contribution

For an investment to work, you need trust in the undertaking I’ve been struck by the number of people who, unprompted, have been truly enthusiastic about the mix of community and commercial uses to make the Hall refurbishment work in the long term. And it would be difficult to be a cheerful giver without a well-founded expectation that the project will be cannily managed, with as little waste as

possible and suppliers paid on the nail

Cheerful givers create grateful recipients As for the outcome, we don’t know the snags along the way, but we can keep ourselves enthused by grateful thanks for continuing cheerful gifts - and by looking forward to a welcoming and generous Opening.

Carolyn Leigh

YOU CAN GIVE RIGHT NOW, USING THIS QR CODE

If you prefer, 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.

THE EGG-SELENT REASON WHY THE EASTER BUNNY IS A BUNNY

Will George tells us where the Easter bunny tradition originated… and the fascinating crossover with Christmas

Easter, a great time of the year Hiding eggs in the garden, making baskets, getting chocolates that won’t be touched until at least 3 months later Topped off with the main mascot himself, The Easter Bunny. But why is it a bunny? Why not a chicken seeing as chickens lay eggs? Well, keep reading and you’ll see exactly why

To understand the truth, we must go back in time. There was an old Pagan tradition called Eostre (Sound familiar?) where the goddess of fertility and spring was represented through a large rabbit. Why? I’ve got no clue; history doesn’t go back that

far sadly However, I can tell you how exactly that rabbit led to handing out eggs to people during Easter

Like most traditions, it originated in Germany in the 1700s (along with Christmas trees!), when good children would receive coloured eggs from the egg-laying bunny called ‘Oschter Haws’ Unfortunately, raw eggs just aren’t that tasty so, when the tradition spread to America through German immigrants, it was rebranded to be eggs made of chocolate (a much tastier idea). Interestingly, children used to leave out carrots for ‘Oschter Haws’ if he

got hungry on his journey, but this somehow got lost in translation and ended up being a Christmas tradition in the USA for hungry reindeer

Eventually, the tradition spread worldwide, and it was highly praised (especially by kids!) which led it to be cemented in history as a yearly festival where eggs and chocolate are given and received So, the next time you receive a tasty chocolate egg, be grateful for ‘Oschter Haws’ and the chain of events that unfolded from there to end up with confectionary being spread all over. Happy Easter!

SENDING GOOD WISHES TO SAM

If you’ve ever heard the Junior All Saints Singers, you’ll know what an inspirational musical director Sam Poppleton truly is. He’s not been too well recently and this is the card his choir sent him to help speed his recovery. The choir is for any child under 7, no audition necessary, and if you’d like your family to get involved just speak to one of the clergy.

AN UP-DATE ON THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR NEW VICAR

Following last week’s announcement about the appointment of The Reverend Peter Dobson as the new vicar of All Saints, the Church Wardens (Paul and Laura) thought you might be interested in getting a flavour of the day when the decision was made. Here’s their report.

On Tuesday 27th February your churchwardens travelled to the offices of the Bishop of Kensington in Twickenham, buoyed by the prayers and good wishes of the congregation, to interview the four shortlisted applicants for the role of next Vicar of All Saints. There had been 12 applicants, but the shortlisting meeting with the Bishop on 1st February had narrowed this down to four, any of whom would have been excellent in the role. We now had the difficult task of interviewing these four strong candidates and selecting one of them

The Bishop’s offices are at Regal House, a large modern office block next to the mainline station in Twickenham, named not in honour of the Head of the Church of England but in memory of the deceased Regal Cinema which had occupied the site. The interview panel comprised the Bishop, two clergy members, and the two churchwardens. The Bishop, who knows All Saints well having visited us twice since her appointment in early 2023, prayed with us at the outset of our day, seeking the Lord’s guidance in our deliberations, and prayed again with each candidate at the start of his or her interview.

There were 15 standard questions which were put to each candidate, including some which were specific to All Saints and which followed the priorities chosen by the PCC at its

away-day last autumn Each member of the panel asked three questions For instance, Laura asked three on mission and growth, and Paul asked three on organisation and finance. Each candidate was questioned for about an hour, which allowed time for un-rushed replies and a few supplementary questions. The answers were varied but all were intelligent, and some were quite funny The candidates were put at their ease, and the whole day was a productive mixture of seriousness and good humour.

A suggestion for the future

After each interview the candidate travelled to All Saints where Tina gave a tour of the church, the Hall, the School, the Vicarage and Pryors Bank, and the candidate was able to meet George and other key members of the All Saints team The programme for the day was managed by the Bishop’s office and, in our view, it would have been preferable for the candidates if the tour had preceded each interview, and the interviews had been conducted in Fulham rather than Twickenham We only mention this because it might be instructive to our successors when they come to select the next Vicar but one, hopefully in many years’ time!

At the end of the day the panel was unanimous in its decision to appoint The Reverend Peter Dobson, who we felt was absolutely right for All Saints, and Peter immediately accepted the post with great delight. Please join us in welcoming Peter, his partner Matt, and Finley their ‘scruffy’ Labradoodle, to Fulham over the summer months.

The installation service is on the evening of Tuesday 10th September.

THE CHRISTIAN MONTHS AHEAD: EASTER TO PENTECOST

Rev’d Penny

Easter Day is the high point of the Christian year; the day when we light a fire at crack of dawn in the churchyard and greet the news that Christ has risen, with a strepitus or wild din of joy loud enough to wake the dead and resonate until the sun goes down.

If 5.30am is too early for you, Fulham Brass Band will accompany the singing at the 10.30 Festival Eucharist when children process round church with a flower bedecked cross before heading for an easter egg hunt in the churchyard The 8am and 6pm services bookend our celebrations – paving the way for the quieter week that follows, traditionally known as Low Week

This is the first of seven weeks, ending on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. Otherwise known as the birthday of the church, Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by God, ten days after the Ascension. Having vested the church in gold throughout the Easter Season, we change to red that weekend – be sure to check out the frontal in the Lady Chapel to see how artist Jacqui Binns pictures the power of God uniting people all over the world to sing of his great goodness

CHORAL ADVENTURES

In between Easter and Pentecost the London Kalendar of prayer points us toward a number of saints called to glory during the season. Amongst them, on 4th April, Martin Luther King, American Civil Rights activist, assassinated that day in 1968, whose ‘I have a dream’ sermon delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in 1963 envisages a time when all God’s children will be able to sing of being ‘Free at last. Free at last’

A hope echoed in the last sermon that the German protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (9th April) wrote when imprisoned by the Nazi regime Anticipating his death by hanging at Flossenburg concentration camp in 1945, he reflects, ‘This is the end. For me the beginning of life’. Christina Rossetti (27th April) explores the same theme of resurrection in several poems worth reading, not least to discover words of comfort after a bereavement.

It’s been an exciting few months for music at All Saints – and beyond. In fact the choir’s trip to the wonderful York Minster seems to have taken them back in time.

One of the great unsung things about choirs is the nonsinging talents that lie within. Jane Metcalfe, who has sung soprano with us for many years, also doubles as a professional period-instrument viola player and so, when she suggested that we put on a concert of Handel’s Dixit Dominus with professional instrumentalists, it was hard to resist!

It's one of Handel's masterpieces, and was tremendous fun to sing, play and conduct And we had a big audience too, which was extremely pleasing The work is for five soloists plus choir, and all solo parts were taken by our own choral scholars and choir members Tom Dilley, our Assistant Organist, who has been working extremely hard since his arrival in September, was a superlative soloist in Handel's G minor Organ Concerto.

Mothering Sunday also doubled as Women Composer’s Sunday this year, and all the sung music was by female composers – a great opportunity to revisit music we already sing, such as the fabulous Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Ruth Gipps. There were new works by contemporary composers such as Kerry Andrew and Jo Forbes-L’Estrange together with recognition of unjustly forgotten composers such as the 20th-century Swedish musician Sara Wennerberg-Reuter

One unforeseen but exciting opportunity to arise from the Dixit concert is that we may shortly be able to borrow the beautiful chamber organ we hired until the end of the year – I do encourage you to come and have a look at it when we use it, it really is a thing of compact beauty –and makes a really splendid sound.

Jonathan Wikeley

All Saints Fulham

Our recent choir tour to my hometown of York was a blend of history, harmony, and a dash of adventure, making it a truly memorable experience. Among the cobbled streets and ancient stories of York, we found ourselves right in the middle of the Jorvik Viking Festival. Hundreds of Vikings lining the street added an unexpected yet fascinating backdrop to our visit

A quirky highlight was our stroll through Whip-Ma-WhopMa Gate Despite its size, this street with the peculiar name certainly sparked a few laughs

Of course, singing the services at York Minster was a joy. In contrast to the grandness of the quire, the setting felt very intimate. A personal favourite was 'It is not for kings, Lemuel' by Sacha Johnson-Manning during the final evensong. This composition, drawing from the Book of Proverbs, presents a more solemn perspective on alcohol, warning leaders against letting "the demon drink" distract them from their duties Of course, we didn't let this message deter us from exploring several of York's finest pubs

Jenny King

During our recent tour to historic York, we were privileged enough to sing four services in the Minster, accompanied by the magnificent organ - overall it was a captivating experience.

We were a little surprised to be in York on the same weekend as the Jorvik Viking Festival - the parade, which started in the shadow of the Minster in the Dean's Park, was packed with Viking warriors, Anglo-Saxon villagers, and plenty of beards which certainly rivalled those of the tenors and basses in All Saints' Choir

A real highlight was the short sing in the Chapter House that we managed to squeeze in between a rehearsal and our final service on Sunday afternoon. The acoustics in the beautifully ornate, octagonal room were stunning, and it was such a treat to sing with such a lovely group of people in there – thank you all for making my first tour with the choir so memorable!

Freya Firth-Robson

CALLING ALL CRICKETERS

For our cricket captain Harry Gostelow, the season is already upon us. So get your diary out and make some dates to get involved with what is surely the most beautiful sport of all?

It is already summer, at least as far as our Cricket Captain is concerned, and matches and practice nets are being organised

No one can quite remember when Andrew Downes first led out an All Saints XI, but for many years now we have played a summer series of very friendly games against other churches.

A team for the ages

We try to be as inclusive as possible, and everyone is welcome to play. We have had some older church members keen still to swing the willow, many who haven’t been able to play

play in recent years for one reason or another and welcome the chance to revive formal glories, and plenty of parents and kids who enjoy playing a game together.

We have even managed three generations from one family in the past

The games will be taking place on Saturday (and 1 Sunday) afternoons at Barn Elms Sports Trust playing fields. We are usually on the Astroturf pitch beside Rocks Lane and spectators are always welcome too Sandwiches and cakes are usually on offer to sustain everyone.

Our oldest fixture is against St Martins-in-the-Fields, as well as Penny’s old church of St Mary’s Wimbledon St Paul’s Hammersmith is a newer fixture as well as the combined Chelsea Parishes of St Luke’s and Christ Church, where curate James Heard went to

LOOKING BACK

Baptisms

January 7th Ted and Millie Kelly

21st Spencer Horne

February 5th Alec James

James Kit Watson

25th Alba Moore

Henrietta Hackman

March 3rd Luke Francis

17th

This year St Andrews, Fulham Fields have asked us to play a game as part of their church’s 150th anniversary.

We are currently planning to play at 2 pm on the following dates

May 25

June 8

June 23

June 29

July 6

There will be some practice nets in South Park in the lead-up to the first games.

More details of all these will be publicised in due course, but if you are at all interested or know a friend or family member who might be, then please get in touch with harry@gostelow.co.uk Roll on our first match!

Roby Louise Talbot

Toby Guthrie

Lydia Roberts

Memorials

January 24th George Harcourt

25th Barry Gane

March 12th Peter Lewis

Funerals

February 26th Norah Casey

27th Michael Bostelman

UPCOMING DATES

March

2nd

24th

Contemplative prayers in the Lady Chapel

Palm Sunday family service with Donkey procession starting in the Rose Garden

Donkey procession preceding the 10.30 service starts at Pryors Bank (donkey willing)

with foot washing and Watch

April

am Pray-ers Group meeting in the Lady Chapel

pm Wedding of Marina Phelan and Charles Beddington

pm Baptism preparation

Music by the Bridge

am Baptism of Alexander Geensen Monday 15th School term begins Tuesday 16th

PCC meeting Wednesday 17th Admission to Holy Communion classes begin

25th

May

Hurlingham Club Dinner for Church Appeal

pm Wedding of Amber Coleman and Hector Llewelyn

pm Baptism of Poppy and Archie Hall

Saturday 4th 9.15 am Contemplative prayer in the Lady Chapel

Sunday 5th 10.30 am Baptism of Gigi and Margot Harrison Baptism of Maxine Fisher 3pm Max Powell

Ottilie Scott

Thursday 9th Ascension Day

Sunday 12th APCM

Sunday 19th

Pentecost and Admission to Holy Communion

••• Farewell party for Rev’d Penny •••

Sunday 26th 3 pm Baptism of Daisy Dixey

A Spring contemplation of our beautiful churchyard

Sally Wimbush

When you walk alone in the churchyard you are never lonely as the gravestones leave their presence Some of the stones have, over the years, got closer together – rather like a married couple.

Over the last year or two there has been a rewilding in the churchyard which has defined the short, winding path through the gravestones that leads to the gateway to Fulham Palace. This is also the area of the rectangular tomb of the family of Granville Sharp (1735-1813), one of the earliest of the slave trade abolitionists. Those people who regularly walk around the square of the churchyard now have a pathway with a different perspective of the graves and of the church itself

The wind blows through the hair grasses on a hot, sunny day, the butterflies hover, the squirrels dash up the trees out of the way of dogs In the summer, the yellow of the foliage of the Solidago plant is a beacon that offsets the dark green of the Irish yew trees, signifying eternity. Nearer the church, the shade of the lime trees is a welcome umbrella when rain falls.

On a cheerful note, some years ago the Rev’d George Meyrick played hide-and-seek with his daughters between the tombstones and the sounds of joy still abide in the memory It is fitting that the gravestones now offer a hiding place for children’s Easter eggs, celebrating the Resurrection of Easter Sunday morning.