6 TheBRIDGE....May 2006 Bryan Harris’s

PARISHThe Vicar, Canon Patrick PROFILE Washington, describes the parish as “Typical of much of St Philip’s, Norbury... South ” – and certainly St Philip’s, Norbury... that’s the initial impression you can be difficult, especially where get. there are stairs. I find I do The church is set in a everything very slowly and I tire pleasant tree-lined street off easily.” Pollards Hill just a stones-throw “My writing is getting from the busy A23. St Philip’s indecipherable – and I can’t type was carved out of Christ easily. Fortunately my wife Jean Church, West Croydon as acts as Secretary, scribe and Croydon sprawled outwards administrator – without her meeting the rest of the London help and the incredible sprawl. Like much of the understanding of my surrounding property, the parishioners, I couldn’t church dates from the turn of continue.” the century. It was expanded in the 1930s but much of the The understanding is symptomatic of the genuine present internal layout and retail estates, the shops on the Nothing unusual so far…. ‘caring’ which Patrick says is at decoration is due to a major re- main road have changed over Patrick’s point about the the heart of the congregation. It ordering about 10 years ago. the past twenty years – now shifting congregation was amply is also shown practically by The church is very light and airy mostly estate agencies and illustrated on the morning I hospital visiting and phoning with a traditional nave, side restaurants. The population has visited. As part of the main people who are ‘missed’ on a aisles, chancel and sanctuary, a changed too, since Patrick The Baptism of Allie Goss Sunday service at 9.45am, Sunday morning. It extends to short north transept and arrived. Today about 50% of the Patrick was baptising baby Allie the building too with a lot of come just to hear them – we Philip’s. “We’ve also planned vestries to the south of the residents of the parish are from Goss – parents Andy and Monica time commitment to repairs had a ‘fan’ from Poland and one joint confirmation preparation”. chancel. ethnic minorities and while in a have been attending St Philip’s and maintenance. The £200,000 from the States came at Easter There’s also a small but All very ‘typical’ so far. recent census 56% of residents for a while, but not for much reordering 10 years ago was for example – and of course, dedicated Mothers Union branch claimed to be Christian, the Patrick Washington, has been longer. Monica is Polish and in managed by a church member training includes and a Women’s Fellowship with remainder are largely Muslim the Vicar there for 23 years – the near future the little family who made sure it came in on training in faith, which means around 2/3 of its members from and Hindu. long enough to have been part are moving to Poland “to look time and on budget! that a significant number stay outside St Philip’s regular of Canterbury Diocese for the It’s also a very mobile on as adult church members”. for a better quality of life”, As well as Vicar’s wife, aide- congregation. first year of his incumbency. population. Many of the ex LCC Monica told me. de-camp and carer, Jean St Philip’s also has a youth Finally I asked Patrick – what He told me “Like many parts properties have been bought The congregation numbered club which has seem a tenfold about money? “It’s always a under ‘Right to buy’ and sold Washington is also a Reader, of south London, it used to be around 75 plus the twenty five one of three in the parish and growth in numbers over the last struggle to meet the quota and on, and many of the larger an identifiable ‘village’ but that or so in the Baptism party. It the longest serving Reader in couple of months – and nothing other ongoing costs – because has diminished in recent years houses have been broken up was a mix of ages and ethnic to do with Libera! The Mayor of we’re not a wealthy parish by into small flats – so there’s a the Diocese still on the ‘active so that today it’s hard to see backgrounds and there were list’. Patrick also has an Croydon knew where there were any means” said Patrick “but degree of ‘churn’. Singles or where Norbury ends and say several children. Although Honorary Parish Assistant, Capt some funds available for youth somehow we always seem to Thornton Heath or Streatham couples move into the small Patrick Washington comes from work. With other local churches manage.” – back to a typical properties but as children come Terry Drummond CA, Bishop’s Vale begins. We’re surrounded an Anglo-Catholic background, Chaplain and PA, who lives in and faith communities, a south London parish… along, the need for a nursery, by seven parishes, and whilst, the style at St Philips is very the parish and ‘helps out most Detached Youth Worker was But at St Philip’s ‘managing’ and space, even a garden to play when I first came most of the ‘middle of the road’ – Common Sundays’. employed to work with local means not touching capital. congregation came from this in, means they move on. youngsters on the streets and in Worship, by the book. The It’s when the service begins The parish is fortunate in parish, nowadays people go “A lot of people stay here 4 or the hall at St Philip’s. The service is one of three each that you see and hear the having ‘money in the bank’ from wherever the church style, 5 years” said Patrick, “A major result, St Philip’s youth group Sunday with an 8am BCP Holy second reason why St Philip’s is legacies over many years – but service times or whatever suits factor is that local schools have of half a dozen or so youngsters Communion and, on most different – the choir. Men and that is strictly for capital them. So we have people come in the past had a few problems is now over 60 and still growing Sundays, a 6.30 pm Prayer Book boys in white robes - St Philip’s projects! The church lighting from all around and people in and parents move out to areas – enough to attract a visit last Evensong. choir equals the ‘boy-band’ system is now below standard this parish going elsewhere.” where the schools, especially month from Prime Minister’s And it’s at the Sunday Libera, present and past and needs modernising costing secondary schools, have a better wife Mrs Cherie Blair (page 3). Again very typical. worship you finally start to see members (see facing page) – and at least £20,000. However, track record. It’s a constant The parish divides neatly into why St Philip’s is far from a their sound is quite something! On the ecumenical front, St Patrick told me “careful challenge – we’re ever running Philip’s also works closely with three parts, a ‘posh’ bit around typical parish. “It’s a good noise” Jean investment and stewardship where the church is located, an faster to stand still. We have The first reason is Patrick the local Methodist church. means that the £20,000 lighting longstanding parishioners, Washington agreed “But what Patrick and the Methodist ex-LCC overspill housing estate himself. The parish magazine really matters is that it’s an costs will be no problem” – and at the far end ‘something in including some who’ve moved listing weekly services adds that minister have weekly ‘staff’ without making serious inroads but still come back on Sundays - inclusive noise. It would be easy meetings and there are joint between’, as Patrick put it. With “because of the Vicar’s for the congregation to sit back into the capital! the growth of supermarkets and but nowadays they are in the disability” the weekday evensong services at least monthly at St Now that’s not ‘typical’! minority.” and enjoy a performance, but is sometimes said at the they join in too”. Patrick & Jean Washington Vicarage. Patrick suffers from “We’ve always had a good Patrick Washington and St Philip’s choir aka ‘Libera’ Limb-girdle Muscular choir” said Patrick “Robert Dystrophy – a genetic complaint Prizeman was Director of Music where the skeletal muscle of the here before I came. The first body is destroyed. It has always opening up into wider things been there but in the last 10 came around 20 years ago when years the effects have grown they were asked to back a pop much worse. singer – I suppose Libera and its When I went to St Philip’s a distinct sound just grew from couple of years ago, Patrick that.” conducted the service from a “Their success is due largely wheelchair. That was a to Robert – he sets very high particularly bad spell – most standards and gets extreme weeks he’s able to get around loyalty and commitment from with some difficulty and the the boys. And as a church we help of two walking sticks. But benefit from that. “ it does hamper him in lots of unexpected ways. “When they are here on a Sunday we see more young “I can’t administer people in the congregation. We communion for example – so I very often have their parents preside while others administer with us, we have people who the chalice and patten. Visiting TheBRIDGE....May 2006 7

...and the phenomenon that is The distinctive sound of Libera has travelled the world in the last few years. The group’s albums have topped mainstream and classical charts in many countries, and their recordings hold their place in top-tens alongside the likes of Callum Bocelli and Pavarotti. Stop press... Payne While the boys who make up Libera have a new album “The thing the vocal band have been LIBERA out in October. The about our described as “normal” and current one ‘Visions’ is “ordinary” the music they also still available - EMI music is produce is extraordinary. Classics No. 3 39862 2 . that it’s With shimmering, mystical mainly chords and ecstatic harmonies, “It’s very visual ,” said Robert, ours – there’s no other act they are unlike any other group “a two hour stage show - fully lit you have ever heard. At times like us in the world. You’re and multimedia. A lot of work plaintive, at others climactic a bit nervous when you and very demanding”. and transcendent. These are go on stage – but once you truly sounds to lift the soul. Timing has to be carefully our own style of singing - less verses of ‘Away in a manger’ are into the ‘technology’ which organised – after all the boys are start singing it’s all right! Apart from their own albums, and less a conventional church which is all many can manage enables a Libera concert or millions know their music, at school. So, for example, tours choir”. and an aural test and I can recording, some now write the whether in the UK, US or the Ben without ever knowing their When Robert was asked to usually tell whether a boy will words and music which Libera name. You may have heard far east have to be geared Crawley create a piece of music for a TV make it.” sing and one designed the cover around school holidays. them singing the haunting programme, the boys sang it – Most of the boys don’t come for the last album. “All the soundtrack to Merchant Of and Libera (Latin for ‘free’) was from church backgrounds but Talking to Robert it’s clear Fan ‘frenzy’ songs are Venice; accompanying the born! being part of Libera means that choir rehearsals have tailored gruesome Hannibal; serenading It’s no exaggeration to say “Libera is a group of people – being part of the St Philip’s changed since my day! Practice Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & that they were treated like pop around but it’s also a style – spiritual Church Choir – and singing and scales are interspersed with Juliet; abetting Gary Lineker’s idols in the Far East – press voices and but accessible with words that regularly on Sundays. games and just having fun crisp-stealing TV adverts; conferences, TV interviews, are not off putting” said Robert. “You can only sing well if you together. Said Robert “What some are written with backing Pavarotti, , screaming fans. So why are sing regularly and Sundays are they do is very hard work and particular voices in mind or Bjork; supporting Hayley At first they tried to keep it there no screaming fans chasing just as important as the twice- they need to be supporting each Westenra and ; or under wraps that Libera was a them down the streets of south – that’s why Libera has weekly rehearsals. And of course other all the time.” bringing the long-running UK church choir. “Of course we London? the sound it does.” it can be ‘evangelistic’ as Libera made their first album TV series This Is Your Life to a want church people to enjoy it Says Robert “It’s perhaps parents, grandparents come to in 1999. close. but we also wanted to make cultural preconceptions that Joe music for everyone” church to support the boys”. “Over 3 or 4 years our style The boys aged seven to hold them back in the UK. The had evolved and we’d written Platt sixteen attend different local “We recruit from a wide range music isn’t hip enough for the Voices and practiced the music. We schools in South London and of backgrounds, mostly from ‘pop’ generation and not “Strange The core of Libera’s sound is looked for a recording company come from a variety of years 3 and 4 in local schools. traditional enough for the to think the treble voice – sometimes who’d not just make the CD but backgrounds. They don’t think But it’s very difficult these days. classics buffs”. reaching unbelievably high would issue it widely. We’ve that of themselves as choirboys, but We don’t always realise how Nevertheless they’ve reached registers. There are 28 trebles at never had a marketing budget millions as an alternative kind of boy separate our church culture is number one in the classical the moment. Always there are but somehow the word has of people band. from the rest of the community. charts and the album ‘Free’ Few people outside a church some in training, keen young spread – to a quarter of a Robert Prizeman, a freelance came second in the Best Album all over know what a choir is and most ones who copy what they hear million in sales! We’ve now done Music Adviser to BBC Religious category at last year’s classical the world listen to us – boys don’t know how to sing. and soon become part of the four albums and we’re working programmes like Songs of Brits Awards. gives you a strange feeling When I go to a school to ‘listen’ group on number five”. Praise, is to Libera what George Libera are definitely a class I usually take one of the older Inevitably there are those Libera is an experience to be – no pressure of course! Martin was to the Beatles – and act and that has advantages boys with me – when he sings whose voices have broken. seen as well as heard. It takes like George Martin is content to when dealing with classroom most of the pupils are amazed at Currently there are 16 adult several weeks to put a Libera Tom stay ‘off-stage’. When Libera is mickey-taking. Musical the sound. We look for voices, tenors to basses, who show together – it steadily performing he’s in the wings encounters with everyone from Cully potential rather than ability - sing with Libera on Sundays. evolves and the boys often learn not upfront – they don’t need Bjork and Elton John to sometimes we come across a Several have become mentors to the show from memory. They “We’re conducting anyway. And at his Pavarotti and Dame Edna carry really talented boy who has the younger boys and help with try to do a run of performances just insistence there no photos of a lot of street ‘cred’ – even in never sung before. A couple of rehearsals and training. Some to make it all worthwhile him or co-producer Ian Tilley in the streets of South London! normal this feature – “it’s the boys who boys from matter” . Nevertheless it’s Some of the fans at last year’s Japan concerts South Robert who delivers Libera’s London, but when we go professional focus and to Robert to another country we’re we turned to ‘lift the lid’ on Libera. like ‘superstars’” The beginning The origins of Libera stem The last word to Ian from Robert’s arrival at St Tilley, Co-producer Philip’s Norbury as Choir with Robert on Director 20-plus years ago. Libera albums...“it’s There was already an established choir but with Robert came a not exactly a difficult new focus. job because they’re “We began to do more outside all so talented”. concerts and started to develop