St. Nick's News

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

ST NICK’S NEWS: DECEMBER 2019 50p

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

From the Curate There is something unspeakably lovely about St Nicholas after night has fallen. Rather than grumble about the shortening days, I look forward to rediscovering the quiet of Morning Prayer in the shadows and Evening Prayer deep in the dark with the Rood Screen shining above us. It has been particularly moving, this November, to pray with the light of the candles we lit at All Souls for our loved ones. They have flickered patiently as we have recited the psalms and said the Magnificat, and kept us company in our time of silent meditation. For a little while they have made visible something that is always just beyond expressing about this holy, ancient place: the saints who have gone before us in this church, praying with us across the divides of time.

The holy intimacy that is somehow made tangible by candles in the dark accompanies us throughout our Advent journey. December holds as many night time services as it does Parish Eucharists! When the Brighton Chamber Choir sings the blessing of the light on the first Sunday of Advent, we will pass that light from the Advent wreath throughout the church, just as we pass the light from the Paschal candle as we wait for the dawn to break on Easter morning and Christ to rise triumphant with the sun. The pillars will be circled with dancing flames for the Patronal festival, and the whole church shine with them for joy at all that God does in this place and amongst these people. Through the Christmas tableau, the crib service and one final carol service, the candles will lighten our darkness until at last, in the thick night of Christmas Eve they will become the stars around the cradle and the sky full of angel song.

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

In our homes the Christmas trees, advent wreaths and candles on the dinner table, all speak of that same holy light. And they are all tiny rebellions, our little domestic proclamations that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it. It might seem strange to think of a Christmas tree as defiant, but it is. Evergreen, illuminated, it reminds us that these short days and long nights are the crowning of the year, for a child is born in Bethlehem. Ours gifts underneath its branches for family and friends, may seem small in comparison to the gift of God’s own son, but we give them in the certainty that love is what transforms this world.

In the old understanding of things, Christmas did not come to an end with Epiphany, but lasted all the way to Candlemas at the beginning of February and Simeon’s prophecy that the child Jesus was a light for revelation and glory. The Christmas light is not a fleeting one, it does not belong only to December; the joy of Jesus’ incarnate life lightens the darkness for all time, bringing hope where there is sorrow and sighing, promising peace on earth and God’s blessing on us all. Our Christmas celebration puts us at odds with a narrative of the world as despairing, fractious, and beyond hope. Year after year we share with all those in our community the good news of great joy for all the people. Let us pray that those who come to share in our worship through this season may find the peace and hope that God promises, and let us pray too that we may continue to rejoice at all that God has done and all that he is doing in us and through us. -- Mthr Jess

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

The Kempe Windows One of the treasures of St Nick’s is our wonderful windows by local artist Charles Eamer Kempe (1837-1907). There are 18 windows in St Nick’s, and they are all attributed to him. It is fairly unusual for all the stained glass windows in a church to be by a single artist or firm. The only other example I can find in Brighton is St Martin’s, Lewes Road. Lucky us....

Let’s all be proud of a local man who became famous for his work across the country and abroad too. They say “you are never more than 20 miles from a Kempe window.”

Kempe’s signature mark is a prial of three wheat sheaves on a red background, taken from the Kemp family coat of arms. This is on some but not all of the windows. How many can you spot? Later in his career Kempe adopted a single wheatsheaf as his mark. I had always thought that none of our windows contained a single one and this was also the view of the famous Anglo-Catholic priest, Brian Brindley, who produced a guide to the windows in 1993. I have now however spotted two ‘singles’ – can you find them? Clue: the window in question dates from 1882.

I have produced a laminated guide to the windows detailing year of creation, biblical theme, and New Testament reference in each case. This is kept in the visitors’ box by the main door. Do have a look! --Brian Ogilvie

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Sake Dean Mahomed Recently Michael Fisher and I were invited to the unveiling of an official City of Brighton and Hove Blue Plaque commemorating Sake Dean Mahomed who, you may remember from a previous Parish Magazine, is buried with his wife Jane, and at least one of their children, in our churchyard (the north side near the wall). The blue plaque was sponsored by The Chattri Foundation, Sussex Police, Brighton and Hove City Council, The Black History Project of Brighton and Hove and the Royal Pavilion and Museums Estates. The plaque is affixed to the main doorway of The Queens Hotel on the seafront, which is the site of the original vapour baths established by Sake Dean, who found fame as the “Shampooing Surgeon” patronised by the Prince Regent and other gentry in Brighton at that time.

The plaque was unveiled by The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Alexandra Phillips, and The Queens Hotel laid on a superb tea for all the invited guests after the ceremony. It was altogether a lovely afternoon shared with people who are interested in the history of Brighton and Sake Dean Mahomed in particular. --Jo Baker

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Theology Lab Theology Lab is bible study for the 21st century. It approaches the great issues of faith not through persuasion, but participation in a pattern of contemplation and discussion within a group context. Why not give it a try? The group meets twice a month as a house group and the sessions are stand alone; so if you miss a week it does not matter. In Advent we will be having a book club; this year we are reading The Archbishop of York’s Wake up to Advent. With prayers and stimulating questions for reflection at the end of each daily meditation, it offers fresh spiritual food for the Advent journey - a journey we can make together. We will meet to discuss what we have read and how it has influenced our journey with Christ. If you would like a copy of the book for group discussion or just for your private Advent journey please let me know. --Dominic Desouza-Campbell

Sing for Christmas If you would like to sing with the choir for the carol service on the 22 December at 6.00pm Dominic would love to hear from you - and as soon as possible. There will be plenty of rehearsal time and you don’t need to read music; just be willing to participate and enjoy singing.

Rehearsal dates: 12 December 7.00pm – 9.00pm 19 December 7.00pm – 9.00pm 22 December 4.00pm – 5.00pm followed by tea and cake (Service at 6pm)

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Where’s Michael? If you’re looking for one of Michael’s fascinating interviews, take heart. He’ll be back with the next issue!

Baby Café November saw the beginning of a new group at St Nicholas for mums and dads on parental leave. When I was on maternity leave, I found that the majority of drop-in groups are aimed at active toddlers with less to offer smaller babies. There was also nothing on in the afternoon when new parents are more likely to make it out of the house! On my return to work I shared this with PCC and we decided to begin a group to meet the need.

Through a birthday party hire, two mothers in the local community found out about our plan and wanted to help. They spoke of how frustrated they were that the groups for small babies were often expensive and focused on ‘skills’ your baby could develop, when what they actually wanted was a space to sit and talk with other parents, to enjoy something that felt peaceful, almost like a treat. We thought that St Nicholas could offer sanctuary, a place of peace and beauty and welcome, for parents in the local area.

The group is very new, and we are seeing how it will grow and what it will be like, but for now there is tea, coffee and (thanks to Hazel’s generous support) homemade cake every Tuesday between 1.30-3.00pm. We are offering this beautiful building as a gift to our community, and hoping that with time and nurture it will be a place where people can build friendships and encourage and support one another. -- Mthr Jess

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Mid-winter Stillness It seems that the Christmas decorations, cards and soundtracks appear in the shops and cafes earlier and earlier each year. As soon as the pumpkins and fireworks are over at the beginning of November, everything is suddenly festooned in tinsel and fairy lights, coffee chains are offering spiced lattes in red paper cups, and the supermarkets are full of Stollen, chocolate reindeer and other Christmas fare. I even saw mince pies for dogs in Tesco the other day. (No, I didn’t buy them!)

I confess I have a bit of an aversion to anything too Christmassy until at least the beginning of December, and even then, it always feels too soon. There is something about the heightened party energy of this time of year – not to mention the overt commercialism – which has always felt a little off to me. For me, this is partly because Christmas falls at the time of mid-winter in the northern hemisphere. The winter solstice – the shortest day - falls on the 21 December and the days leading up to it have been getting shorter and darker, bringing with them the desire for many of us to slow down and go inward which is essentially the opposite of what we are often asked to do which is go to parties, nights out and Christmas lunches.

And of course, for Christians, the time leading up to Christmas Day is Advent, in the Anglican tradition, beginning on fourth Sunday before Christmas day. Mirroring the natural quieting and slowing down of nature as we approach mid-winter, Advent invites a quiet and contemplative period of waiting, watching and praying. For some it is also a period of fasting. During Advent, we contemplate the light, the darkness and the depth of how it feels just to wait. We

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

know and anticipate the joy that awaits us in the coming of Christ, but we do still have to wait.

For several years now, I have been using the time of Advent as a period of meditation, reflection and devotion. There are many ways to meditate and to pray; it doesn’t always have to be about sitting or kneeling with your hands together. My Advent devotions in recent years have come in words and pictures. Each day, I wait to see what images inspire me and I photograph them. Then, through a period of quiet meditation, see what words come to me to match the image. Last year, I gave myself the task of writing a Haiku to match an image every single day!

If you fancy having a go at daily Advent devotions, there are many resources in books, online and in apps, for you to follow. You may also wish to use my weekly prompts below (based on last year’s Advent reflections) as a resource and see what inspires you. Perhaps record your reflections in a journal, or in art, photography, or on video or audio. Or like me, do a daily Instagram post!

Week one - Illuminating the darkness Possible themes and explorations: candles; stars; dawn; sun; moon; Christmas lights; reflections; colours; windows…

Week two – Watching and Waiting Possible themes and explorations: patience; noticing details; quietness; being away from the crowd; solitude; creative projects e.g. making gifts or decorations…

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Week three – Moving into stillness Possible themes and explorations: meditation, contemplation & prayer; the winter solstice; learning to slow down or stop; nature – plants, trees, hibernating animals…

Week Four – The language of Love Possible themes and explorations: poetry; music; spoken prayers; carols; invitations; friends; family; journeys; food…

Here are just some of the Haiku that I wrote during Advent last year: The small door opened A candle flame, flickering First day of Advent * When no words are left or so it seems, to describe the light. The sunset. * Earth, pausing briefly Welcoming the light to come Mid-winter stillness * Lighting a candle Illuminating darkness Speaking quiet prayers --Jude Murray

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

The importance of being seen Over the last months, the theme of visibility has been very much apparent in the activity and reflections of the Sexuality, Gender and Faith Group.

In August, we had Brighton Pride, with an estimated 300,000 people taking part or observing the celebrations. Walking with our banner, ‘Christians at Pride’, we waved, did ‘high fives,’ sometimes prayed with people en-route and were welcomed by the people lining the streets. Although we had sixty wrist bands for participants in the Parade, the number turning up exceeded that. This large group of clergy and lay people proclaimed the inclusiveness of the Gospel, in a joyful and celebratory way.

In the Sexuality, Gender and Faith Group, some members have very powerfully described their experiences of being gay people in leadership roles in the Church, and how they perceived God speaking through the events of their lives, enabling them to grow individually and to be a witness to others. In our October meeting, Peta Evans, Pastor at Village MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) led us in considering creative ways of engaging with the LGBTQ+ community, some of whom may see Christians and churches as hostile and toxic; the question is how to overcome that. When people are looking for somewhere in which they can be themselves and feel safe, it is important for there to be signs and positive indications that they will be comfortable in that place. At St Nicholas’, we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and friendly church, and with very good reason, because we certainly are. But people coming to us for the first time, especially lesbian, gay or transgender people, will look for something to confirm that we are

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

genuine in our welcome. The sign could be a small rainbow flag in the entrance, or the transgender symbol. Most likely, other people coming through our doors won’t even notice these, because they are not looking for them; but for those for whom feeling safe and genuinely welcomed is essential, such signs are of real importance.

In the last meeting of the year, the Group will be reflecting on research commissioned by Brighton Council, undertaken by Brighton Switchboard, on LGBT people of other faiths, and the struggle they can face in terms of sexuality, gender and faith. The research shows that for many people there can be little integration of faith and sexuality, leading to feelings of isolation, having to be ‘different people’ in different situations. This in turn can lead to problems of mental health and conflicts of identity. We will be exploring with members of the Council and people of other faiths, how our group might facilitate a forum offering support, and a safe place to meet. Again, being able to display signs of welcome and acceptance in different ways will be key.

As Christians, we believe that in Jesus ‘what you see is what you get.’ There is no duplicity or hidden agendas. As we approach Christmas, we remember that being seen is at the heart of our faith. The words of the Preface for Christmas put this very beautifully, “In Him we see our God made visible, and so are caught up in love of the God we cannot see.” In reaching out to others, even when they may seem different to ourselves, we are expressing something of this love. --Nigel Nash

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

The View from Brighton University In May, Fr. Chris McDermott told us a bit about his work as chaplain at Sussex University and noted that university chaplaincy varies around the country depending upon the gifts and graces of the lead chaplain and his or her colleagues. I’ve recently become chaplain at Brighton University and would say that is very true; but as it happens, my role has another twist to it, because I’m part of a growing trend to re-brand chaplains as “Faith and Spiritualty Advisors.”

This re-branding is designed to try to fit in with where young people seem to be at the moment: not specifically religious but very interested in spirituality in the broadest sense. At the Freshers’ Fair, when explaining to students what Advisors were all about, they were replying with some enthusiasm, “Oh yeah. I’m not religious, but I am spiritual,” and happily signing on for more information.

The re-branding at Brighton University is also part of a move to broaden the university’s ways of enhancing student well-being. The mental health of students is a matter of grave concern at all levels and happily it is being recognised that the health of one’s inner spirit plays a vital role in promoting and maintaining good mental health. There are lots of ways to maintain one’s mental health besides through religious observance. So our team of Faith and Spirituality Advisors are rapidly trying to expand the things we offer – to include music, gardening, keeping fit, craft work, cooking - and having a lot of fun in doing it!

But this is all quite new, and for me it is very early days. Just finding my way around the three campuses has been a challenge, let alone discovering how best to be in contact with the university’s

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

very diverse and scattered student population. But there is much good will and encouragement from all levels and it is certainly keeping me out of mischief! I’ll let you know more as the role unfolds and in the meantime I would be very grateful for your prayers. --Cynthia Park Top Ten Hymns The nation’s favourite hymns were recently announced and were: 1. Jerusalem 7. Guide me oh 2. How Great Thou Art thou Great Jehovah 3. In Christ Alone 8. Amazing Grace 4. Dear Lord and Father of 9. Be Still for the Presence of mankind the Lord 5. Abide with me 10. I the Lord of Sea and Sky 6. I vow to Thee my Country What do you think of that selection? Any of your favourites left off? Thoughts to the editor (Brian Ogilvie henceforward – see Last Word at the end), please!

Family Support Work Update We had a very busy time during the October half-term holiday. With many services closing for the week, the families we support needed extra help from us to manage their days and keep their children occupied. We held extra half-term activities in Bognor, Rustington, Pulborough, Haywards Heath and Crawley that were very well attended and very much valued.

With shorter days and the temperatures dropping we know that the next few weeks can be very tough for families trying to cope with their children’s excitement in the lead-up to Christmas, particularly

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

when finances are difficult and more money is needed for heating homes. We have launched our Winter Fuel campaign, asking those who receive a Winter Fuel payment from the Government but who may not need it, to consider donating it to us so that we can help families with their fuel bills over the winter months. We would be so grateful for donations of any size that we could pass on to families who aren’t eligible for this support.

October’s work in numbers  196 individual meetings with families supporting 25 grandparents, 235 parents and 320 children  44 supported meetings with other agencies  35 group sessions supporting 19 grandparents, 254 parents and 379 children  190 food deliveries made Prayer points  Give thanks for our overflowing foodbank as a result of extremely generous Harvest donations  Pray for the family of M, the mother in a family we have been supporting. She died from cancer last week at the age of 30 leaving two young children behind and a husband who does not speak English. The family does not have permanent leave to remain in the UK even though the children were born here, and they cannot access benefits, so the future is extremely uncertain.  For all of our practitioners as they enter an incredibly busy time of meetings, training and planning Christmas parties for their families. Thank you as always for your ongoing support of FSW. --Nikki Kerr, Director of Fundraising& Marketing

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

From Dorset Gardens: Getting Creative One of the things that we’ve always loved about Dorset Gardens is the sense of creativity there; for many years we held exhibitions in the Artists’ Open Houses – part of the Brighton Festival Fringe. Sadly we can no longer maintain that particular outreach, but we do still have our Art & Craft club. Meeting monthly on the third Thursday (except August and January) the craft group bring their own projects to work on, or equipment is provided to knit for a community project such as hats for the homeless. The art people are currently looking at the work of famous artists, discovering their techniques and styles and then having a go. There is some amazing work going on! We all have a cuppa and a biscuit or perhaps cake to help keep the creative energies flowing. If you’d like to come along (£2.20 session including refreshments), just turn up at 2 pm. --Sue Harrington & Shirley Veater

News from the Regency Society The Regency Society of Brighton and Hove is a registered charity, no 210194 The last meeting of 2019, will be on the 4 December at the Friends’ Meeting House in Ship Street when Jeremy Tomlinson will give a talk about the Lancing College Chapel. Admission is free and all are welcome. --Roger Hinton

From the Register Funeral: On 4 November we said farewell to our brother, James Walker. Holy baptism: On 24 November we welcomed Benjamin Owen Critchfield into the Christian community.

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Mental Health Training Peace of Mind will be offering another mental health training event on February 1, 2020, when the topic will be dementia awareness. It will be held at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church from 10:00 to 3:00. Booking forms will be available soon. For more information please contact Cynthia Park [email protected]

Advent Activity Sunday, 1 December at 6pm: Advent Carol Service

Friday, 6 December at 3:00 – 4:00pm After School Crafts and Cake a children’s party celebrating St. Nicholas

Saturday, 7 December at 5pm - Festival Eucharist in honour of St. Nicholas - Preacher Fr. Ryan Green, vicar of All Saints, Hove. Followed by canapes and fizz.

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

WHAT’S ON Thursday 5 December 2pm & 7.30pm, Lantern Light theatre will be putting on a production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in our lovely church. Suitable for ages 11+, for tickets please contact: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/lanternlighttheatrecompany/30 3170. St Nicholas’ has a 20% discount so please use the code: CAROL when booking tickets.

Tuesday 3 December 6.30pm, Oasis Project presents: A Celebration of Christmas featuring the Brighton Girls’ School “Cantabile” choir and special guests. Open to all, entrance is free (donations may be given on the night).

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Evening of Friday 6 December: Festive music concert featuring the fantastic Good Vibe choir. Details to be confirmed.

Tuesday 10 December 7.00-9.00pm, Grace Eyre Christmas Carol Concert. Join them, Dave Stewart, Resound and the Rebelles for an evening of music, raffle prizes, mulled wine and mince pies. Tickets £8/£4 concessions in advance from www.grace- eyre.org/christmas-concert or £10 on the door.

Recitals (Wednesdays at 12.30pm) December 4th – Cocktails: The Cocktail Party are Cara, Jayne and Michael, a three-part vocal group from Brighton. We invite you to step inside our own special musical world of glittering satire, ravishing harmonies, fatuous puns and fabulous frocks. Come and forget all your troubles, forget all your cares, and let us transport you to a place where everything is beautiful. 11th – Frantisek Brikcius, Czech Cellist: plays Johann Sebastian Bach, Irena Kosíková, Fred Katz, and James Simon 18th – St Nicholas’ Mary Thomas (soprano) & Muriel Hart (piano): songs for the festive season 25th – No recital (Christmas break)

January 1st – No recital (Christmas break) 8th – Man Lok (piano): “Entering my Fantasy World” 15th – Marco Leung (flute). When East meets West: enjoy a musical journey across time and culture, featuring solo flute works by Marais, Bozza, Uebayashi, Ferneyhough and more. 22nd – tbc

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

29th – The Gin Jazz trio (Flute, Guitar and Bass) will be playing some original and some well-known tunes in an easy listening style February 5th – Simon Watterton (piano): A recital of music by Beethoven and Schumann, the two great composers for the piano, whose vision and virtuosity led to some of the most beautiful music of the early Romantic period. 12th – Martin Smith - The Lyrical Euphonium 19th – Sonorous and Sparkling, Belladonna (Sue Mileham, soprano, Jane Plessner, clarinet and Nicola Grunberg, piano) present a programme from Mozart to McCabe covering the contemplative to the carefree 26th – Duo: Anne-Sofie Jensen (mezzo soprano) and Guy Murgatroyd (pianist) perform songs by Britten, Horowitz, Schubert and Lange-Müller portraying different and dark fates of women, including Lady Macbeth (from Shakespeare’s Macbeth), Bess of Bedlam and Gretchen (from Goethe’s Faust).

The Last Word And this time it really is my “last word.” I am taking off my editor’s hat with this issue – and, happily, placing it into the very able hands of the perfect successor: Brian Ogilvie. Thank you so much, Brian for taking it on. And a very big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the newsletter over the past two years. Such imaginative and wide ranging contributions have really enlivened this aspect of our church life. And it’s great that the future of the newsletter looks so bright! With Brian’s energetic direction, Jo’s creative shaping and Joanne’s careful printing, it will be going from strength to strength. Thanks again and all blessings on St. Nick’s News! --Cynthia Park

St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019

Regular Services at St Nicholas’

Sunday Masses

8.00am Holy Communion 10.30am The Parish Eucharist with Junior Church and Refreshments

Weekday Masses

Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat 12.00pm; Weds 10.30am

Meditation and Evening Prayer

Thursday 5.45pm

Confessions may be heard after any Mass, or by appointment

People and Contacts

Parish Office, St Nicholas’ Church, Church Street, Brighton, BN1 3LJ Parish Administrator: Mrs Joanne Morrell Tel: 01273 205360, email: [email protected] Office Hours: Weds 10.30am-2.00pm; Thurs & Fri 9.00-11.45am; 12.45-3.00pm

Vicar: Fr Dominic Keech Tel: 01273 770324, email: [email protected]

Fr Dominic’s rest day is Monday

Churchwardens: Mrs Amanda Ogilvie Tel: 01273 709385, email: [email protected] Mr Stephen Tucker Tel: 01273 453169, email: [email protected]

The Friends of St Nicholas’ Formed to support the PCC in maintaining the building (Charity No. 1046054) Contact: Josephine Baker, Membership Secretary c/o The Church For further details of membership and events see: http://stnicholasbrighton.wixsite.com/thefriends

Website: www.stnicholasbrighton.org.uk /Facebook: www.facebook.com/StNicsBrighton Twitter: @StNicsBrighton / Charity No.: 1131831