All Saints Parish Paper margaret street, london w.1

JULY 2013 £1.00

VICAR’S LETTER the stage at which I find distinguishing words from music, when both are heavily The annual service for the Admission of amplified, a trial. Churchwardens is not usually the most exciting event in the liturgical calendar. There were three presentations or Most years, it happens after Evensong in a interviews, each focusing on one of the parish church large enough for the purpose. themes of Capital Vision 2020: building The archdeacon delivers a ‘charge’ in a Church in London which is Confident, which he usually tells the newly-appointed Compassionate and Creative. wardens the kind of practical things they are expected to know and do. Vastiana Belfon, a Churchwarden from St John at Hackney, spoke about being an This year things were very different. The ambassador for Jesus Christ in daily life. service took place at St Paul’s. Conducted by the Bishop, it was for all the Churchwardens Ben Bell of Urban Hope spoke about his from the diocese, accompanied by their experiences working with young people in clergy and other supporters, so that the deprived areas of Islington (yes, they do cathedral was full. People from each exist). Episcopal area gathered at a particular city Darren Raymond of Intermission Theatre church and then walked to St Paul’s for and Fr Rob Gillion spoke about their work the service. Instead of a charge, we had the involving troubled young people from launch of Capital Vision 2020. across London in theatre at St Saviour’s, The variety of life in the Diocese of Knightsbridge (in an unlikely setting behind London was represented in the service. Harrods). Before the service, a brilliant steel band from As well as our Churchwardens, All Saints Holy Trinity Primary School in Haringey was ably represented by Jeremy Tayler, our played for us. (This took me back to the time latest ordinand, who led one of the prayers. when David Craig and I had a steel band in St Paul’s for the Tercentenary of USPG in Programmes like Capital Vision have a 2001.) This was followed by the All Souls tendency, perhaps inevitable, to accentuate worship band. The Twyford School Gospel the new and underplay the old. I have been Choir sang and the Cathedral Consort gave arguing quietly but firmly for recognition of us James MacMillan’s “Christus vincit”. work that is already being done. At the last Inevitably not everything was to everyone’s Diocesan Synod, we were urged to open our taste. I think my hearing must have reached churches.

1 I pointed out that ours has been open ministry and mission in every community for more than 150 years. But we have also and in many hospitals, universities and managed to get the Annunciation re-opened other institutions. Our churches run over and St Cyprian’s from time to time. 1,000 projects serving local communities in the name of Jesus Christ. Over 53,000 When there is talk of engagement with children are educated in our church culture, this sometimes means only youth schools, up more than 5,000 in five years. culture, fashion or sport. I have nothing London produces more than 40 newly against engagement in these areas, although ordained clergy each year, many of whom sometimes that engagement needs to be serve beyond London. rather more critical — of a sporting world so obsessed with winning at any cost that “We have re-opened five churches that cheating is institutionalised, or a fashion had been closed for worship, and are industry that seeks to persuade people that planning the first new church presence in their worth is measured by how often they a new community in 40 years. Against this change their wardrobe. The hidden cost of background of growth we have recorded that is paid by factory workers in places like more than 20% in energy savings. Over Bangladesh; sometimes with their lives. In 50% of our parishes are officially Fairtrade the conversations about Capital Vision in (including ours) and over 50 churches which I have been involved, I have tried, and schools are twinned with partners in quietly but firmly, to remind people that Mozambique and Angola. But in a city churches like All Saints make a massive where the challenges are enormous, with a ongoing investment in maintaining and population expected to grow to 10 million, developing that deep-rooted Christian with a huge shortfall in housing and school culture which is expressed in art and provision, and increasing social division, architecture and music and liturgy; as well we cannot be complacent.” as simply being where we are. The other side of the card says: “As a As the Bishop wrote: “At the same Diocese we have reflected on the times we time we must of course maintain our live in, and sought to listen and to respond: day to day mission and ministry across In a city of many voices, we believe we need London. We remain committed to serving to change the public conversation about the communities where we are already: God. In a global city where people arrive through prayer, worship and practical open and hungry for a new life, we believe service in the name of Jesus Christ.” the Gospel has answers and changes the questions. In a mobile city where, for As a card handed out after the service many, networks across the capital are says, we have many reasons for celebrating more important than local roots, we need the marvellous things God has been doing in to make contact with a generation that recent years: “Electoral Roll membership has forgotten or never heard the Gospel in London has risen by 60% in the past (think of all those young people who work twenty years. Giving by individuals to and socialise around All Saints). In a city their churches has risen by 50% in the where people crave connection, we strive last decade. In very challenging economic to enable people to gather and belong. In a times, our churches have sustained their diverse city of poverty and riches, of young

2 and old, of many cultures and many faiths, we seek to transform society by speaking CORPUS CHRISTI truth to those in power and seeking change. The weather all week had been wet but the “In times of economic and financial forecasters held out hope that by Thursday restraint, we need to be compassionate evening the rain would have gone, and so in serving our neighbour and to use our it turned out, so we were able to have our influence for good in finance, law and outdoor procession. If it started raining public affairs. In a world city, we know our while we were outside we would just have actions and witness reverberate around the to emulate Gene Kelly “singing in the rain”. world. In a universal city, we have learned As things turned out, while the sun did not that we are part of creation — instead of shine, it remained dry. After an inspiring adding to human burdens on creation, we sermon by Fr Tim Sledge and a glorious must participate in God’s plan to redeem Mass, we headed out into the streets. it.” The preparation and execution of this At All Saints perhaps it would be more service is a major undertaking. As well as accurate to say that we have begun to think the normal duties of clergy and choir, sides- and take action about these things. We have people and servers, the procession has to only made a start. We will have to go on be marshalled to conform to the Council’s thinking and praying hard about them, and requirements, and we are grateful again to being willing to find new ways to share the Cedric Stephens and his squad of stewards in good things we have received. In churches of their high visibility vests who did a splendid our tradition, that will challenge what often job of shepherding us through the crowds of seems to be an obsession with defensive Thursday-night shoppers and stopping the postures or ideas of the “correct” way of traffic when necessary. Our thanks also to doing things, rather than a commitment to a the Events Committee who restored us in church life and mission which is “catholic”, body as the service had in spirit. that is universal and whole, rather than introverted and narrowly sectional. Fr Sledge’s sermon appears in this issue. We have already had one day with Some years ago, the Vicar celebrated people from the PCCs of our group of three and preached at Corpus Christi here on churches, and are planning to have another Thursday night, then flew to New York to day in the autumn, a Saturday when more of do it all again at the Church of St Mary the us can attend, when we can look at some of Virgin. Times Square, even on a Sunday these challenges and the resources we have morning, is a much more hazardous place or need, with the help of someone who can to hold a procession. This year, it was Fr bring a fresh vision. Julian’s turn but he only had to go as far as St Augustine’s, Kilburn. In the meantime, we can all pray and think and talk with one another about what THOMAS CROMWELL this might mean for us. Thomas Cromwell is an historical figure Yours in Christ, who has become much better-known thanks Alan Moses to the novels of Hilary Mantel. Friends who

3 watched Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch’s recent television programme about him, OFFICE REFURBISHMENT were surprised to hear the Vicar’s voice and see members of the congregation The parish office has been undergoing a celebrating Mass at the Lady Altar. We are major transformation. The partition which not expecting a BAFTA nomination for our divided a fine Buttterfield room has been brief appearance. removed and we now have a more open and lighter space for people to work in and Professor MacCulloch’s most recent book to which visitors can be welcomed. New is called “Silence” and he came to All Saints office furniture, more suited to the needs in person one weekday to record a radio of modern office technology and more piece about it. The book is based on his comfortable for those who work with it, Gifford Lectures delivered at the University will be installed. of Edinburgh. Fr Alan is reading it at the moment and will produce a review for our The room used to be the Vicar’s study August issue. in earlier times, and a relic of this is Prebendary Mackay’s desk. This is in a SMALL WORLD rather sorry state, but we are looking at having it restored. At an Anglican Catholic Future conference for priests on “Priesthood and the ALL SAINTS POETRY TEA Eucharist”, one of the speakers was Fr John Saturday 24 February 2013 Cullen, whom some members of All Saints will remember from his time here. He has Sandra Wheen writes of A Visit to John and now retired from parish ministry, but we are Paul’s Barge in Wapping: not allowing him to be idle. Emerging from the narrow platforms and At the conference, I fell into conversation steep iron staircases of Wapping Overground with an Italian priest who has been serving as Station, we wound our way between a Chaplain of the University of Birmingham converted wharfs and riverside houses to but is about to become the Priest-in-Charge the moorings where John and Paul keep their of St Alban’s, Birmingham. This is the barge. Here we paused to take in the wide parish of which Canon David Hutt was panorama of the Thames dominated by Tower Vicar before he came to All Saints and Bridge and the immense pale triangle of the where he was instrumental in saving the Shard. From this magnificent but chilly scene parish secondary school (now an Academy it was a relief to plunge into the warmth of in a state-of-the-art new building). Fr Nicola the small floating community hall where we lo Polito will be both parish priest and were to hold our poetry tea and where we chaplain of the school. quickly settled ourselves on wooden benches all around the walls. All Saints has a continuing link with St Alban’s because our Parish Paper is printed First John and Paul showed us their official there by the St Alban’s Church Litho Unit, DVD of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee River run by our friends Edward and Maureen Pageant celebrating the normally unsung Fellows. AM community of people who regularly take

4 to the river in all sorts of craft. After this was about a trip they had made to Faversham they read us their account of how they had with eight other barges from their moorings, managed to overcome all the obstacles for a little holiday. It sounded a lot of fun. to getting into the Pageant and how they had nearly met with disaster at one of the After a rapid clear-up of tea and as dusk rehearsals when another barge lost control in was falling, we finally got to see the barge. front of them. Then we fell upon a sumptuous In the hold, which had once carried cargoes tea, much of it baked for us by Pamela, John of potatoes in Holland, we found a charming and Paul. flat with an elongated living room and experienced the alarming shudder caused by After tea we started to read the poems we a passing river boat. Beyond the living room, had brought and suddenly everyone was part at the front of the vessel, were a kitchenette, of the action. Yvonne told us of her childhood bedroom, bathroom and toilet, all small but spent living in a bungalow far up the Thames perfectly formed. at Laleham and how she used to go shopping and to church by boat. She then read us a We thought we had seen everything, but short heartfelt poem about what happened to no, John and Paul then took us to the stern Laleham when the developers came in and of the barge where we found the old living huge blocks of flats stamped out all the life quarters. These consist of a tiny living and character of the place. There were poems area clad in beautiful varnished wood with historic, celebratory and dismal, reflecting oblong portholes, bevelled mirrors and the different moods of the river. The one that original fireplace with a warm stove. It took my breath away with its huge historical was completely uncluttered, tranquil and perspectives was the poem read by Christine classic. Behind this on a platform, was a bed and Francis Lillie. It was an extract from ‘The concealed by half-closed wooden panels. River’s Tale’ by Rudyard Kipling. “But I’d After this last treat, and having enjoyed have you know that these waters of mine/ John and Paul’s hospitality to the full, we Were once a branch of the River Rhine/When said our goodbyes and drifted away to our hundreds of miles to the East I went/And more prosaic homes. England was part of the Continent.” John and Paul closed our readings by singing a river This poetry tea raised £108.00 towards the shanty they had written themselves, “Away All Saints Restoration Fund. the Swale”, and we all joined in the chorus. It SERMON FOR Corpus Christi 2013, BY REVD TIM SLEDGE, Vicar of Romsey Abbey

This feast day is one of the most powerful and being seen. statements the Church makes. Today, we demonstrate the outward, transforming I say this with something of the zeal of power of Jesus Christ — or put more simply, the convert as a somewhat late arrival to how we live and are seen “in the flesh”. the Corpus Christi Ball, not even knowing about processions until after ordination! As So let us first talk about demonstrating a curate in Huddersfield, in the reordered

5 church of St Thomas’, I was faced with my Last night, my wife and I went to watch first Corpus Christi procession. The parish a recording of QI at the London Studios. was predominantly Sikh and Muslim — a My wife is borderline obsessed with large golden topped temple stood just a few Stephen Fry. And to see him “in the flesh” yards away from our Gilbert Scott spire. was something of a thrill for her. There So I was troubled about how “culturally is something different, of someone you right” this was. Should we be processing have seen “on screen” or read in words, in this way through streets which were about seeing them in the flesh. More predominantly of a different faith tradition? tangible, more immediate. Sometimes more disappointing (although this was not the case But I was put right by a conversation just for my wife!!) but she longed to go and see before with a local Imam. Walking along him in the flesh. the road with him and chatting about all sorts of things, I did that deeply English Tonight is about living and being “in the and often Anglican thing, in a lull in the flesh”. We process behind the presence of conversation, which was to default and say: Christ — flesh in the world. We demonstrate “It’s a bit chilly at present, where has the sun — (which is where, of course, we get the gone?” (Actually — it rarely appeared in word Monstrance from) a showing, an Huddersfield but that’s another thing!) The outward living transforming purpose. So Imam rounded on me and said: “Why is it we are taking Christ out, at the end of this you Christians always talk about the weather Eucharist — we are dismissed! and don’t talk about God”. I was rightly chastised. It has stayed with me ever since. This is the model of what we should do The important link to my point tonight is that at the end of every Eucharist, to take Christ he went on to say we — all faiths — need out. It is one of the few times when we take to show, demonstrate and share our faith seriously the often forgotten part of the graciously and generously. liturgy — the dismissal. Ite Missa Est — the Mass has ended …No! The Mass has In the tense religious situation we find only just begun. Go in peace to love and ourselves in this city, this is a reminder to serve the Lord — it really means — Go us all of what we show and how and what in flesh — literally enflesh that which you we share and grow in understanding. Corpus have received — the real food and the real Christi does that, because it forces us to ask drink, which makes John’s account of the the question of what it means to live as the last supper so distinctive. body of Christ in the world. How do we show? How do we demonstrate this? Corpus Christi challenges us with this understanding of what it means to live and Tonight is about showing and ‘enflesh’ the Gospel beyond the confines of demonstrating, not in words, but in action. our church walls. Austin Farrar, the great It is one of those few times when we get out priest and preacher, spoke of the priest as of the church and are seen “in the flesh”. For a walking sacrament. And this is not just that is what we proclaim, profess, and live. exclusive to the priest — it is the call and There is something here about being “in the command for the whole people of God — flesh” which is part of demonstrating Christ. the royal priesthood. I think he is saying that each time we walk down the street, engage in

6 conversation (not about the weather), there 80s, clutching his breviary. No sooner had is that opportunity for Christ to be broken we cleared the north circular, when he asked open and shown, and for Christ’s life to be not ‘where are the rehearsals?’ not even ‘enfleshed’ — this is more than incarnate ‘where is Huddersfield?’, but what time is presence, it is incarnate proclamation. It is Mass tomorrow morning? I told him and the demonstration to live and to feed a world assured him that I would take and collect which is starving for substance, identity him. Which I duly did, I took him to Mass. and meaning. I think he had slept in the already crumpled jacket and shirt. He was still clutching In case you haven’t noticed, we are his breviary. I said I would see him in an swamped by the new growth in coffee hour. When I returned, what came out of shops and fast food chains who will ask us the church has formed my sacramental a question, or list two different prices — an understanding ever since. Put simply eat in or a take away price — or we will be Messiaen returned to the car, a changed asked which one of these we are doing. We man. The best way to describe him was that choose one. But… for us, as a Eucharistic he looked ironed. Gone was the crumpled movement, the answer is both. We are both worried man, gone was the burden, gone an ‘eat in’ and a ‘take away’ movement. was the sin he was carrying, and everything So unless we actually demonstrate and else known only to God, here was a man ‘enflesh’, we cannot be transformational utterly transformed. in the world. Here was a new man, a man who had met The best example I have ever seen Jesus in the flesh and was transformed, but of the transformational power of this who now had left the building, enfleshed, sacrament is the composer of our anthem ironed by the love and grace of God. this evening — Olivier Messiaen. Now, I Messiaen, transformed by his encounter, am going to name-drop here, but before set that encounter to music in response. In I was ordained, I worked as an arts and his music — which we are blessed with this music festival promoter for a number of evening — we hear demonstrated, sung, years. Back in 1990 — although it could lived, enfleshed, the transforming power of have been yesterday — I was running a this sacrament. This was Messiaen’s own festival in the North of England, where “eat in and take away moment”. we hosted Messiaen. We were premiering his 2nd piano concerto and a number of So tonight let us not just be an eatery, his other works. I picked him up from a but a ‘take away’ movement. As we receive recording in Maida Vale and drove him and the presence of Christ, let us be the “carry Pierre Boulez, and Messiaen’s wife Yvonne out”, and walk as the body of Christ as the Loriod up the M1 to Huddersfield. It was living, transforming body, demonstrating in London cab terms — my only time for what it means to be the Corpus Christi and saying — “you’ll never guess who I had in respond as Messiaen did to his own sacrum the back of my car!” convivium — his own sacred banquet, and carry Christ out to feed our hungry and I met him a crumpled up man in his early thirsty and broken world.

7 Sunday 14 July at 7.15pm Organ Recital (following Benediction) James Perkins All Saints Organ Scholar Programme

Fantasia & Toccata op 57 — C. V. Stanford (1852 - 1924) Allegro from Concerto in A minor BWV593 — J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750) Capriccio — J. Ireland (1876 - 1962) Folk Tune — P. Whitlock (1903 - 1946)

Dankpsalm op. 145 — M. Reger (1873 - 1916) Four-manual Harrison & Harrison (1910) * * * * * * * * * * * * Retiring collection in aid of the All Saints Choir and Music Trust (suggested donation £3.50) Cash bar afterwards in the Courtyard, weather permitting. CDs of All Saints, Margaret Street choir and organ will be on sale. Future Organ Recital Dates for the Diary: Sunday 29 September and Sunday 24 November 7.15pm Charles Andrews, Associate Director of Music, All Saints

IONA PILGRIMAGE Easter 2015

Fr Gerald is thinking about organising a The group will stay at Bishop’s House. pilgrimage to Iona, Monday 6 - Sunday 12 There are 15 rooms (8 double, 7 single). April 2015. It was the Isle of Iona that St Depending on how many go the cost for Columba made his home in the sixth century full board will be £350 - £460 per person at and from where much of the north of the 2013 prices. In addition there are travel costs. British Isles was evangelised. Again this will vary depending on whether

8 the group goes by air, rail or road. We should Bishop’s House http://www.island- allow up to another £250 per person. retreats.org/iona Group members will need to be able- St Columba https://en.wikipedia.org/ bodied and not prone to sea sickness. It’s wiki/Columba impossible to predict what the weather will be like but group members will need to be If you would like to come please contact Fr prepared for all that Scotland is famous for! Gerald ([email protected]) as soon as you can. If there is sufficient interest For further information see the following he will convene a meeting in the autumn this websites: year to outline a programme and make some Iona http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona initial decisions about travel.

TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT: COMPANIONS IN CATHOLIC MISSION

A talk given by Canon Chris Chivers, Vicar, that has perhaps lain so dormant, now ignites John Keble Church, Mill Hill, London and him into something more like fullness of life. Chairman of Us (formerly known as USPG) for Anglican Catholic Future at All Saints, It’s a slightly contrived and eccentric Margaret Street, Tuesday 14 May 2013. opening. As my German friends remind me, only an English Anglican would dare Henry Pulling is a retired bank manager with to introduce some theological reflections via a love of dahlias and the bells of his local the outline of a comic novel. But Graham parish. But when his mother dies — at least Greene would surely forgive my pushing the woman he has always supposed to be the language with which I’ve conflated the his mother — he finds himself in one of the essence of his novel Travels with my aunt many north London Crematoria where I’m in a somewhat biblical direction; though occasionally also to be found. Accosted by he’d be less sanguine about my suggesting an elderly lady — who introduces herself that his church in Brighton devoted to the as the Aunt Augusta he had supposed to development of the spirituality of dogs — be long dead — he finds himself taking a and in which Aunt Augusta plays such a taxi ride with her that will change his life. starring rôle with one of her lovers — must Along the way — via Brighton, Boulogne, undoubtedly be the earliest reference to a a journey on the Orient Express from Paris fresh expression of Church that I can find! to Istanbul, and a longer plane journey to But ponder the shape that Greene Paraguay — he learns that his mother is not enunciates through the adventures that befall his mother, his father is not who he supposed Henry Pulling, and we discern a trajectory him to be either, love is for more than dahlias, that reaction to a death invariably invites. and a modicum of risk is needed if suburban respectability is to be transcended with Companions along a road move something more life-like. As companion to forward together from the disjunction of his aunt, his eyes are steadily opened to the death, pondering its antecedents and its joy and the pain of reality, and the fire within, consequences, engaging with the reality of

9 what is now to be faced, the pain and the expresses the being and nature of the Church, joy of the whole experience, and joined and the mission of the Lord who leads it. in conversation with a companion who acts as some sort of foil to the tension, the I suppose what I’m trying to do here is to introspection, the innate but as yet inchoate shift the ground somewhat. For in English and unrealised potential of the companions reflection on mission it’s Pauline theology in conversation, until there comes a moment — with very good reason — that has when it all comes together, eyes are opened characterised the framework that’s usually and truth becomes a shared reality. been offered. I don’t in any way dispute the validity of such an approach. This is one That’s also a somewhat contrived retelling of many cases in which ‘both-and’ must of Luke 24, and the journey on the road to triumph over ‘either-or’. But I do think that Emmaus. Contrived, in the sense that it feels however truthful and profound is a theology like I’ve made Luke fit Greene this time, of interdependence in Christ, as we have it rather than the other way round. from St Paul, there’s a need not just to inhabit an idea or an image of a body with its many My point here is not to get us into the limbs and organs, but a narrative that can act archetypal nature of narrative. That’s a as a corrective to some — at least — of the discussion for another place. But to offer practice that has tended to result from the some kind of framework within which to Pauline paradigm. tease out a number of issues about which I believe we need to reflect more deeply in I realise that I’m in danger of being both terms of Anglican catholic mission. too abstract and too general here. So let me be more concrete. When I sent the title for Let me bring something into sharper these reflections to Fr Alan Moses and Fr focus here by suggesting that the notion of a Philip Chester I believe that I typed, Travels framework itself is the first reality in respect with my aunt: partners in catholic mission. of which we need to give some thought. I cannot be sure because age does weary It’s always seemed to me that the Emmaus and the years condemn me to forgetfulness. narrative offers a picture — or what some But when I attended the launch of Anglican now call a guiding metaphor — for the Catholic Future I found that it was now gift that the catholic tradition celebrates as not ‘partners’ but companions in catholic the Church. People on a journey together, mission. moving from scriptural to sacramental That may seem more abstract again. revelation, guided by the Lord of life; a But allow me to suggest that whoever school for holiness, a learning community changed the title — whether consciously or — as St Thomas Aquinas would encourage unconsciously in a helpful act of translation us to think of it —in which faith seeks — knew exactly what they were up to and understanding — so says Anselm, experience the territory not only that the present speaker is tested, so says Henry James, eyes are but all of us should be inhabiting. opened, and the kingdom is experienced proleptically. Certainly, beyond my horribly It was Max Warren in the book he inadequate exegesis of Church from Luke published in 1958, Partnership: the study of 24, the narrative contains the shape of every an idea who got the C of E and its mission Eucharist and that above all else of course agencies — he was soon to head one of them

10 — onto the language and into the reality of to kneel down before the Lord of life and partnership. Partners in world mission was opened his eyes to find that the white man one of the strap-lines for USPG, now Us. now had the land and the black man the Partnership House was where USPG and Bible. Of course the roots of liberation lay CMS came together in, if not a marriage, in this reality. The Bible, the sacraments, the then at least a (mostly) civil partnership. teaching majesty of the Church invariably have a habit of triumphing over injustice. Partnership has undoubtedly been one of That’s what they’re there for. But the the defining ideas of post-colonial mission; point I’m making here of course is that and Warren was writing of course just as Iain many frankly still operate with a model of Macleod, as Colonial Secretary, was giving partnership where the west has the financial real impetus to the movement of colonies resources for “poor people” who are not in to independence; as also the ecumenical any way seen as resource rich. Of course movement was in its heyday, with the the Majority world Christian partners with dizzying hope that by 1980 denominational whom work is being done are not often Christianity as we’ve known it would be financially rich. But there are many other finished. The ASB when it arrived in that kinds of richness. year seemed somewhat of a poor consolation prize for Anglicans who had given their all It will seem disingenuous to some for me for that oneness of the Church into which to raise this issue in Christian Aid Week we are still called. itself, but as I played some of the DVD material Christian Aid has produced for this Partnership fitted the age as bonds of week — as brilliant as are the narratives control were loosened. But if we’re honest of the work in Kenyan, Bolivian and — and this is a complete hostage to fortune Zimbabwean contexts — the introductory remark of course — though there has been film with its language of partnership and poor great awareness of the Power dynamic as people — those two concepts leap out like a also the fact that this lay in Western hands, refrain from the material with the director of not in those of the Majority Christian world, Christian Aid protesting one feels just a little what we used of course to call the Third too much ‘we have to work in partnership’, or Developing World, when we were still as if trying to convince the organisation itself evaluating everything through the lens of a of the need to do so. All of which raises all Western prism — there’s nonetheless been sorts of issues about the power dynamic and very little real release of that power. to what extent this is being acknowledged in Partnership has good Pauline roots, as the partnership working itself. One pertinent I’ve suggested, and it’s not that the idea is question here might be how far such an wrong. But the reality, if we’re at our most agency sees its function as developing and self-critical, hasn’t been so often partnership strengthening the infrastructure of, say, the at all. Church as partner in development? When he talks of colonialism Archbishop Companion in this sense — and it’s Emeritus Desmond Tutu says that in the surely significant that the companion links nineteenth century the white man arrived in between dioceses of the communion use this Africa with the Bible and the black man had language — they aren’t partner links, not the land. The white man invited the black least because in origin they weren’t about

11 money but resolutely about relationship — of mission in this way. this language of companionship is a helpful corrective to the power issues that may I wonder, for instance, whether each still bedevil partnership in mission or in piece of companionship working, or development. each companion link agreement is in fact animated and validated by a third party. Cum panis. With bread. Of course the Because such a third party would surely be catholic understanding of the Church would a continuing corrective to the undeniable favour such a reality. The word comes possibility that unacknowledged — or even directly from the Emmaus narrative and acknowledged but insufficiently controlled the truth of eyes opened in the breaking of — agendas may distort genuine partnership bread. It’s also of course entirely dependent and companionship initiatives. on that Pauline imagery of mutuality within the body. But I suspect it’s a word whose Again, I suspect our concept of ‘third time hasn’t quite — but ought now soon — party agreement’ may have its origins in the to come because companionship suggests an Emmaus story but I remain less convinced equality of relationship not always evident that this is the way we work in terms of in partnership. mission. I’m not being naïve here. Of course Yet work in this way we must because Augusta, the worldly-wise Aunt, begins the the mission is God’s — or as John V. Taylor journey with more of the power. But Henry correctly encouraged us to remember, it is Pulling for all his naïvety comes into his own Christ’s, the mission of his Church. because beyond his companionship with his Having set what I hope is enough of aunt, there’s always another companion who framework to take a conversation on a helps to clarify, to elucidate, to make more stage further — not least in questions and possible the opening of eyes. Wordsworth, dialogue at the end — let me now more the valet who attends to Aunt Augusta’s briefly enunciate some areas that I believe needs; Tooley, the pot-smoking student; this companionship journey ought to prompt Dorothy Patterson, the mistress mourning those of us concerned with the catholic at Henry Pulling’s father’s grave — these identity of Anglicanism to explore. All of are all classic Graham Greene characters which are in essence variations on the themes but they are more than this. They are a I’ve so far outlined. recognition of that deeper mutuality — all that is best in fact about the partnership One reading of Graham Greene’s Travels tradition — that comes when a two-way with my Aunt, as I’ve already suggested, becomes a three-way conversation. And I would see the journey as one in which Henry suppose we should not be surprised by this Pulling moves from naïvety — for want of truth either in terms of the Emmaus narrative, a better expression — to fullness of life, in which a two-way conversation between though to be more accurate the movement confused and even disillusioned partners, is really rather like the one implied by the companions in the Way, is energised and piano report I once received: ‘Christopher enlightened by a third companion, or in terms has had four mistresses in five terms and of the life of the Trinity itself. But I have a picked up a lot of bad habits!’ It’s an hunch that we have yet to shape our practice awakening that Pulling most needs — though

12 he does seem to pick up as I suppose one have the conversation that actually would often does — a few bad habits along the benefit both companions. way. But the narrative is not simply about a transfer of power or insight from aunt to For though we’re thinking here primarily nephew with the assistance of third party of the learning that might transform the companions, since if the process is to be one western church, a conversation more of integrity and equality, the aunt too has sensitive to its African context might also to be transformed. And of course she is. In have been and still be transformational there. old age, she at last settles into a relationship If in this regard we reach somewhat of a with Mr Visconti, her beloved rogue, which temporary dead-end we have only to look is more sustainable and sustaining. at the Province of Melanesia, for instance, Similarly we ought to ask — indeed, to see the impact of much more culturally if we are to correct the imbalances of sensitive evangelising bishops — Selwyn partnership working we must ask — how and Patterson — and the growth from the are we in the western world changed by the seeds of their work, through Ini Kopuria’s companionships we develop? inspiring witness, of what is now the largest monastic community in the Anglican Let’s answer that by thinking of one Communion, the Melanesian Brotherhood, concrete way in which so far we have not, one that is characterised by short-term vows. or at least our ways of being and doing as Church have not really been transformed. Literally hundreds of young men offer themselves for a few years as brothers The steady diminishment in numbers of — sent out in pairs to remote Island and members of Anglican religious communities village communities in true Emmaus Road ought to be, and is of course, a source of style, before moving back into the wider concern for us in Europe. As the archbishop community, after their period of service, of Canterbury said in his inauguration charge, and then fulfilling a calling as fathers, which the Benedictine tradition literally rescued meets a deeply-perceived cultural norm European civilization. Yet, transplanted into but which also strengthens this through the Africa, for example, though its work has discipline and spiritual depth of the monastic been unstintingly faithful and imaginative experience. in terms of worship and spirituality, health provision, theological formation, tertiary, We have sadly yet to do the learning it secondary and primary education, its ability seems in this country, and our monastic to attract indigenous African postulants has orders are dying a slow but inevitable death been almost negligible, save for the sisters as a result. Yet the learning is there for us at Masasi in Tanzania. But surely herein lies if we have eyes to see it and attend to our a headline example of how the power of one own context where celibacy — and let’s not cultural model — where long-term, if not get hijacked on to this area, but merely note life-long celibacy is a crucial requirement it — raises all sorts of issues not perceived — meeting the power of another — namely, effectively to have been addressed by the the importance in terms of identity and Church and where the reality is that few community recognition for both men and wish to offer themselves to a life-long women that is accorded through the birth of commitment of this sort but some may, like children — does not seem to find a way to the Melanesian Brothers, feel able to offer

13 a period of time to such a life. If they were Bland talk of a global village and internet enabled to do so, surely the impact on a connectivity will not overcome the western catholic understanding of the nature of the mind-set that is best transformed by sustained Church could only be enhanced. engagement in contexts other than one’s own. Perhaps the reality of a third order within the recently-reshaped Church Missionary Brighton — and Weymouth — which were Society and the similar structure now in the Henry Pulling’s imaginative suggestions Church Army is in some way a recognition to his aunt — wouldn’t quite (for all the of this need? excitements of the former if not the latter) have done the trick. The dahlias would have To use old — though sadly not entirely been just too close to hand for comfort! And anachronistic language — what we’re trying offered too limiting a vision, people have a to do of course is to transcend any lingering habit of cultivating dahlias not their love of sense of donor-recipient model, with a notion the divine. of companionship where each is a donor and each a recipient, and where the power It’s this necessary embrace of the other of the Western impetus always to be donor to the point where it’s not other at all but requires steady erosion. But equally we need recognised as equal companion in the Way, to transcend that sense in which we have tied that leads me to offer some remarks on areas ourselves up in knots over the business of the which, given the shape of my own ministerial sending of people. experience, people might perhaps expect me to have talked about at greater length. There are of course financial constraints The first is the ethnic and cultural diversity here that make the sending of mission around us. Still, too little attention is being companions from these Islands to the world paid to the fact that our companions from Church very difficult and increasingly other parts of the Anglican Communion, for unlikely — and, as the Chair of the Trustees instance, have already through the grace of of Us, I am only too painfully well aware of the Holy Spirit, come among us to reshape, them — as equally, there are good reasons redefine and reinvigorate our understanding to avoid that tendency to ‘mission tourism’ of Church and of mission. I wonder how far which sees the facilitation of short-term the institution of the Church is letting them encounters that are not part of a longer-term do so? companionship, and whose brevity and superficiality will only serve to destroy and For all Graham Greene’s inevitably not enhance the mutual building up of the somewhat colonial and orientalist models body. But — and here I speak as one who of thought, the presence of Wordsworth, has worked in another Province, an African Aunt Augusta’s valet from Sierra Leone Province of the Anglican Communion — the — and the pivotal, even sacrificial, albeit damage we will do to the oversight of the somewhat ambiguous rôle that he plays at Church in these Islands if we do not have the heart of the narrative (he’s disarmingly a sufficient body of clergy and laity with like that wonderful Caribbean cleaner who long-term mission companion or comparable looked after Alf Garnett in Till death us do experience, is incalculable. part (1968) — is testament to a developing awareness — Greene was writing in 1969

14 — that the Western landscape of life had ought surely to be our cue to witness. Failure changed and was still changing. Does our to do so for fear that we may be perceived catholic worship, our incarnational model as saying the wrong thing — the scourge of ministry, our apologetic truly reflect such of political correctness — or attempting to change? convert — an often heard sentiment within, as much as without the Church — is a denial Mention of apologetic leads me to a of the Gospel, a denial of the God who second assertion. Until we see interfaith converts — we don’t do that let’s remember companionship as part and parcel of our — and the divine mission in the world, which mission we shall not be able to advance the means that God is quite capable surely of mission of the whole Church. implanting the desire to hear and to question Five years trying to be a companion to in anyone’s mind and heart. (mainly) Muslims in Blackburn taught me that as Anglican Catholics we are simply It’s not our job to get in the way of such failing to engage at the level of faith, prompting but to companion it, and go where especially in terms of apologetic. love would have us go. Graham Greene sees this in terms of the Browning couplet which If I were asked to attend another samosa Henry Pulling and his bride-to-be share with and cucumber-sandwich sharing event in one another and with which he ends Travels my life I should probably have to be taken with my aunt — “God’s in his heaven. All’s out screaming. For if the incarnation means right with the world!” For us who hold the anything for our mission as the Church it catholicity of the Church and its calling as means having the conversation with anyone the agent of divine mission so dear, that’s not and everyone which sets the very framework such a bad Ascensiontide place to be — at before them of our life with which I began, least if where we suppose the Church to be namely an Emmaus framework. is somewhere in the gap between those two sentences: “God is in his heaven... all’s right Conversation is the very means of God’s with the world!” self-revelation. It is our means of mission. And conversation must not be restricted simply to chats with the choir — which, 100 YEARS AGO in reality, is what so much contemporary “A priest has lately passed away who mission in the C of E can look like. For what leaves sincere and sorrowing friends in so many of our neighbours, companions and our congregation, Mr Killin-Roberts, the — please God — friends — of other faiths Rector of St Andrew’s, Hertford. It is well- want to hear is the heart of the Gospel. known that Mr Killin-Roberts was Welsh They do not want some watered-down Chaplain at All Saints for some years. No mushy liberalism. They actually want to one could possibly have been better fitted to know from us of the Christ-likeness that is carry out the interesting experiment which of course most often a scandal to their world Mr Whitworth tried. Mr Roberts was a man view but is of the essence for us. The much of the kindliest nature and possessed all the bigger scandal is to fail to witness to them genial social qualities of his race. He joined with integrity, honesty and sensitivity the the All Saints staff while I was a member of love of God in Christ. Their desire to hear it, and his colleagues soon became warmly

15 attached to him. I remember how diligent he which he went to St Paul’s for the Three was in visiting his scattered flock and how Hours, and how amazed I was to find out cheery the Welsh tea parties were after the quite by accident on Holy Saturday that he Welsh Evensong which was sandwiched in had not broken his fast even to drink water between the four o’clock and seven o’clock since Maundy Thursday. services. *The Baptism service I took part in was “The annual Welsh Evensong in St Paul’s bi-lingual but I left the Welsh bits to Canon Cathedral arose out of a conversation Graham Holcomb of Llandaff Cathedral. between Mr Roberts and myself. I undertook AM to put the idea to the Archdeacon of London when I was at Fulham Place before my Sundays and ordination as priest. The Archdeacon promised to lay the matter before the dean Solemnities and so the thing was done. Every year Music and Readings the newspapers attribute the origin of the service to somebody else, I forget whom at  the moment, but that is how it really arose. SUNDAY 7 JULY Sixth sunday “There was an enormous crowd at the first Welsh Evensong in St Paul’s. Numbers After Trinity of Nonconformists sang in the choir. They wore surplices and took part in a procession HIGH MASS AT 11am for the first time in their lives. Their Entrance Hymn: 103 relatives in the congregation regarded them Introit: Dominus fortitudo with much pride and pleasure. Setting: Mass in four parts — Monteverdi “Killin-Roberts and I carried the Lessons: Isaiah 66: 10 - 14 collection homeward with much difficulty Psalm 66: 1 - 8 and counted it in my room at 84. I never Galatians 6: 7 - 16 saw so many pennies in the whole course Hymn: 379 of my life. Gospel: Luke 10: 1 - 11, 16 - 20 Preacher: Fr Julian Browning “Once Killin-Roberts gave me an Creed: Credo II acutely nervous moment. He had to leave Anthem: Os justi — Bruckner the Welsh Evensong before it was over Hymns: 95, 481 (T 462), 447 and he got me to sing the blessing in (v 5 Descant — Caplin) Welsh. It is an illustration of the innate Voluntary: Toccata in E, BWV 566 — courtesy of that agreeable race that the Bach congregation crowded round me afterwards to congratulate me on the exquisite purity Choral Evensong & of my Welsh accent.* Benediction at 6pm “I have one wholly different memory of Psalms: 65, 70 our friend. I remember his spending a very Lessons: Genesis 29: 1 - 20 hard-worked Good Friday in the middle of Mark 6: 7 - 29

16 Office Hymn: 150 (R) Preacher: Fr Gerald Beauchamp Canticles: Service in B minor Hymn: 350 — Noble O Salutaris: Francis Jackson Anthem: Geistliches Lied — Brahms Hymn: 70 (i) Preacher: Fr Neil Bunker Tantum ergo: Francis Jackson Hymn: 170 (i) Voluntary: Magnificat anima mea O Salutaris: Byrd Hymn: 416 (ii) Dominum, op 18 — Dupré Tantum ergo: Byrd Voluntary: O Gott, du frommer Gott,  SUNDAY 21 JULY op 122 no 7 — Brahms Eighth sunday  SUNDAY 14 JULY After Trinity SEVENTH sunday HIGH MASS AT 11am After Trinity Entrance Hymn: 148 (omit *) Introit: Suscepimus HIGH MASS AT 11am Setting: Mass for four voices — Byrd Entrance Hymn: 351 Lessons: Genesis 18: 1 - 10a Introit: Omnes gentes Psalm 15 Setting: Mass in G — Schubert Colossians 1: 15 - 28 Lessons: Deuteronomy 30: 9 - 14 Hymn: 339 Psalm 25 Gospel: Luke 10: 38 - 42 Colossians 1: 1 - 14 Preacher: Fr Julian Browning Hymn: 367 (ii) Creed: Credo III Gospel: Luke 10: 25 - 37 Anthem: Ave verum corpus — Byrd Preacher: The Vicar, Hymns: 73 (i), 410, 424 Prebendary Alan Moses Voluntary: Prelude and Fugue in G, Creed: Sung by the Choir BWV 541 — Bach Anthem: Ave Maria — Stravinsky Hymns: 422, 431, 372 Choral Evensong & Voluntary: Prelude and Fugue in B, Benediction at 6pm op 7 no 1 — Dupré Psalm: 81 Lessons: Genesis 41: 1 - 16, 25 - 37 Choral Evensong & I Corinthians 4: 8 - 13 Benediction at 6pm Office Hymn: 150 (R) Psalm: 77 Canticles: The Second Service Lessons: Genesis 32: 9 - 30 — Gibbons Mark 7: 1 - 23 Anthem: O clap your hands Office Hymn: 150 (S) — Gibbons Canticles: Service in A flat Preacher: Fr Neil Bunker — Harwood Hymn: 244 Anthem: Hail, gladdening light O Salutaris: Schumann — Wood Hymn: 383 (ii; omit *)

17 Tantum ergo: Bruckner Voluntary: Fantasia — Cosyn KEEPING IN TOUCH As well as the monthly Parish Paper, you  SUNDAY 28 JULY can keep in touch with life at All Saints through: NINth sunday The All Saints Website After Trinity www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk The Parish Email HIGH MASS AT 11am This gives weekly news of events, people Entrance Hymn: 498 to pray for, and a short letter from one of Introit: Ecce Deus the clergy. You can subscribe through the Setting: Missa Brevior All Saints website. — James Sherwood The Weekly Notices included in the Lessons: Genesis 18: 20 - 32 Sunday service booklet, which worshippers Psalm 138 are encouraged to take away. Colossians 2: 6 - 15 ------Hymn: 406 Vicar: Prebendary Alan Moses Gospel: Luke 11: 1 - 13 020 7636 1788 / 9961 Preacher: The Vicar, Honorary Assistant Priest: Prebendary Alan Moses Creed: Credo II Fr. Neil Bunker Mental Health Liaison Chaplain Anthem: I give you a new for Westminster. commandment — Sheppard Hymns: 273 (T 302), 442 (T 74), 499 Honorary Assistant Priests: The Revd Gerald Beauchamp Voluntary: Præludium in D, 020 7258 0724 BuxWV 139 — Buxtehude The Revd Julian Browning 020 7286 6034 Choral Evensong & Parish Administrator: Benediction at 6pm Please email [email protected] Psalm: 88 Sundays Low Mass at 6.30 pm (Sat), 8am. Lessons: Genesis 42: 1 - 25 and 5.15pm. Morning Prayer 10.20am I Corinthians 10: 1 - 24 HIGH MASS and SERMON at 11am Office Hymn: 150 (S) SOLEMN EVENSONG, SERMON and Canticles: Tone vi — Victoria; BENEDICTION at 6pm. Tone vi plainsong Monday to Friday Morning Prayer at 7.30 am. Anthem: Laudem dicite Deo Low Mass at 8am, 1.10pm and 6.30 p.m. — Sheppard Confessions from 12.30 - 1.00pm and 5.30pm Preacher: Fr Julian Browning Evening Prayer at 6pm. Hymn: 368 Saturday Morning Prayer at 7.30am. O Salutaris: Bach (no 2) Low Mass at 8am and 6.30pm* Hymn: 276 (ii) (* First Mass of Sunday) Tantum Ergo: Bach (no 2) Confessions 5.30pm, Evening Prayer 6pm Voluntary: Ave Maria, op 80 no 5 Confessions are also heard by appointment — Reger 020 7636 1788

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