VI Chapel and Choir

Sacristans: F Riche and A Lawes. In the Michaelmas Term we studied extracts from the Letter to the Hebrews in Evensong. The series began with the Master reflecting on Hebrews 1 and he was joined during the term by, among others, Brigadier Rob Thomson (1985), Mrs Marsh, and Professor Sarah Coakley (Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity).

The carol services were well attended as always, and the Christmas Carol service was a particular highlight as we began a new ‘tradition’ of holding the service in St Clement’s (on the other side of Magdalene Bridge). We processed from First Court across the bridge, following the choir and attempting to join in with Once in Royal David’s City. We finished the term with a Christingle Service before the Staff and Fellows’ Family Christmas Party. The Master did a wonderful job at this service of helping some of the little ones in attendance construct their Christingles!

In the Lent Term the sermon series focused on the book of Genesis and we welcomed as our preachers, among others, Bex White (recently elected as the Labour Councillor of the Lansbury Ward, Tower Hamlets), the Revd Dr Michael Quicke (Emeritus Professor of Preaching, Lombard, Illinois), the Most Revd John Davies (Archbishop of Wales) and one of our former Chaplains, the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle (Dean of Bristol Cathedral).

In the Easter Term we followed the post-Easter liturgical pattern, returning to think about Pentecost on the Sunday after Trinity since Whitsunday is traditionally used for the Commemoration of Benefactors. This sermon was preached by Dominic Palmer (2017) who has been working part-time as a lay-assistant within Chapel and who had been an immense help, both practically and pastorally, to the smooth running and ministry of the Chapel. Dom has now left with his wife Hannah to begin a new ministry in Manchester. We were also delighted to welcome, among others, Dr Jones and the Revd Dr Vicky Johnson (canon of Ely Cathedral) as our preachers. We again celebrated Ascension Day with Sung Matins in the Fellows’ Garden and enjoyed fine weather and fine singing from the Choir.

Sunday morning Chapel saw an average congregation of 35 and several students have committed to serving as Chapel Wardens at this service to help the Chaplain both during the service and afterwards at breakfast. The Master again let us use his garden for an outdoor celebration of Holy Communion which was a real highlight of the year as it was also a service of Baptism and Confirmation. One Fellow and her son were baptised by the Chaplain, alongside a member of the Choir, before the Master confirmed three Fellows and four students. A number of students and Fellows were part of bible studies and discussion groups during the year which provided the opportunity for members of the College to ask questions about the Christian faith or to deepen their existing commitment.

Donations from Chapel collections went to SolidariTEE, a student initiative based in Cambridge, Wintercomfort and Christian Aid. The Remembrance Sunday collection was for the Royal British Legion, and the Commemoration of Benefactors’ collection went to the College Student Hardship Fund. N W

Choir Re ort. Organ Scholar: A Coutts; Assistant Organists: J Lim and M Van der Tol. The College Choir was fortunate to retain the vast majority of its members at the beginning of the Academic year, and so we began in October with confidence and in fine voice. Some new members were welcomed of course, and these swiftly integrated into the choral sound, joining the Choir for the two Matriculation services (one each for new undergraduates and postgraduates).

The Michaelmas Term featured two special services in quick succession: a visiting Evensong at St Alban’s Abbey, and on the following Sunday, a service, at which the Master preached, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chapel at Churchill College. This was sung jointly by the College Choir and Churchill Choir, and featured a new work by Mark Gotham, Director of Music of Churchill, setting new words by John Kinsella. The end of term witnessed the usual collection of Advent and Christmas Carols, including the annual London Christmas Carols, held on this occasion at All Saints’, Margaret St, where it turns out that Dr Lewins was a chorister during WW2.

At the beginning of the Lent Term the Choir travelled with members of the JCR and the College sports teams to Oxford, in our case to take part in a most enjoyable joint service at Magdalen. A visiting evensong sung in the Lady Chapel at Ely was a memorable, if cold, distraction from Week 5 rigours, while the end of term was marked by a Lent Service of words and music, the Passion story being sung to plainsong by members of the Choir.

During the Easter Term we began to prepare for our two major end-of-year engagements: our-first ever tour to the USA, and our first recording for several years. The first, largely organised by the Development Office, saw us perform in Concord MA, Darien CT, and Hyannis MA, with enthusiastic audiences enjoying our slightly unseasonal Ceremony of Carols. This work also formed the centrepiece of our new recording, made possible by the generosity of Tim McCarron (1980). We hope that the CD will be available in time for Christmas.

We are as ever enormously grateful to many people throughout the College, including of course the Master for his unstinting support; the Development Director and her team for their extraordinary work on the tour; William Wilson and Mr Chartener for their hard work and generosity in making the tour happen; and then so many others too numerous to mention, whose time, support and work make our work both possible and joyful. G H W