• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

All Saints Parish Paper MARGARET STREET, LONDON W.1 APRIL 2007 £1.00 VICARʼS LETTER of ceremonies. This was the part of the A couple of weeks ago, I was a guest at evening which I found least convincing. The an “Introduction to Christianity” in a answers were just too slick and obviously famous evangelical church in the City of rehearsed in advance. There was no chance London. I wasn’t entirely sure whether I for people to put their questions directly or had been invited to see how people could for any discussion. Everything was just too be introduced to Christianity — or because carefully controlled. someone thought I needed to be introduced What was impressive was the degree of to it myself. When asked in such circles, professionalism with which the event was “When did you become a Christian?”, I organised. The investment of time, money usually say, “When my parents took me to and effort must have been considerable. the font”. There must have been 150 people there although it was difficult to tell how The church had been set out with tables many were guests and how many regular and chairs and a very good meal was served members of the congregation. A number of to us — complete with wine — whatever these evenings are run each year. happened to evangelical horror of the demon drink? After the first course, there was a talk And then the following evening, there by the Rector — an exposition of the raising was something rather different: our own of Lazarus in John 11. We were given “There’s Something about Mary” event copies of the Gospel, so that we could look based on the Anglican-Roman Catholic up verses as they were quoted. There was document “Mary: Grace and Hope in some spirited bashing of Richard Dawkins Jesus Christ”. This too was extremely and other apostles of contemporary atheism well-presented. A huge amount of effort by but controversies between Christians were large numbers of people, marshalled by Fr largely avoided, save for a dismissive Aquilina, went into preparation, publicity remark about Christianity and dressing up and execution. People were willing to in funny clothes. There were no “funny support it financially as well as with hard clothes” in evidence that night — everything work. The church was full. Indeed, a good was “upper-middle class casual”. During many had come on from a day discussing coffee and dessert we were invited to write sex at the General Synod! Our speakers, questions on slips of paper which were Bishop Michael Nazir Ali and Mgr Donald then collected. These were then fed to the Bolen were excellent and the meeting was Rector by a curate who was acting as master ably chaired by Clive Wright. Afterwards, 1 there was convivial hospitality with pasta tells its own story, has its own impact, but and good wine. it is important too that people realise that this is not simply a splendid and interesting Obviously, this was a rather different building, but a centre of living faith. kind of evening and audience. The kind of people who are likely to be interested in The previous week, the journalist Simon the ARCIC document on Mary will need Jenkins, author of “A Thousand Best no introduction to the Christian faith. The Churches” (in which All Saints is one of question that occurs to me is that if we the top 50) hosted a party for a couple of can do something as effective as that, can hundred of his friends, in part so that they we not do something similar with people could see the building which he regards who have no connection with the church? as the most significant Victorian church We are, I suspect, quite good at welcoming in England. You can read what are his people who are already “churched” to some thoughts on All Saints and its restoration degree; less adept at drawing in people who in this issue. There were people there who have no church connection. What would had not known of the church’s existence be involved? Well, hospitality — food and before and others who had found it a drink — seem to be essential — or so the spiritual refuge over the years. success of things like the Alpha Course would indicate. Then a willingness by A week later, the church was packed with parishioners to invite their friends along people again, this time for the funeral Mass to such an evening; a readiness to take the of Geoffrey Stephens. There were many risk of speaking to them about religion. people there for whom it was something There needs to be a clear presentation of out of the ordinary run of funerals. No the Christian faith. After that, an appropriate one complained about this, indeed people follow-up in which people can learn more. went out of their way to be complimentary about the way the service was conducted I do not want to suggest that we do — formal and reverent without being not exercise a considerable ministry of impersonal or remote. The choir sang as hospitality and welcome already. This goes beautifully as we would expect but it was on in a whole variety of ways, some small, clearly more than many attending had some great. anticipated. Members of the family read lessons, led prayers and carried the coffin. We have had a number of groups of Servers gave up their time to help make this visitors at church recently, some for services, an occasion which was both special and some to see the building. This morning we pastoral. At the funeral someone said to me hosted a group from the Glaziers’ Company that they had worked around the corner in who had come to hear Michael Kearney Wells Street for 11 years and never been in speak about our glass. Janet Drake provided the church. This is a comment I hear time coffee and biscuits for fifty or so people and again, often uttered with a sense of beforehand and I gave an introductory regret. If only they had known! talk about the church, not forgetting the Restoration Appeal, and Denzil Freeth, who The service was a celebration of was on church watch duty, sold them Pitkin resurrection faith — even if it was a funeral guides and postcards. The building itself in the middle of Lent. It was confident 2 without being strident. That seems to be Domenico then had to preach the sermon at the note we should aim for in all that we the school Mass in the cathedral. Alas, his do, placing our trust in the Christ whose episcopate lasted only one day and he now resurrection we celebrate at Easter and joins Bishop Ambrose in the ranks of our whose risen life we share day by day. retired bishops. With all good wishes for a Happy The Chinese New Year coincided this year Easter. with the beginning of Lent and a number Yours in Christ, of us were guests for tea at the Buddhist Alan Moses Temple on Ash Wednesday. PARISH NOTES Jack Parsons was baptised by Fr Gerald Reddington on Friday February 23rd. Father Ivan Aquilina The marriage of Nick Thomas and Father Ivan has been appointed Vicar of St Carishma Gillani was blessed at All Saints John the Baptist, Sevenoaks. We offer him on Saturday March 17th. The groom is our congratulations and assure him of our an Anglican and the bride an Ishmaeli prayers as he prepares for this significant Muslim. The service was conducted by post as the next stage in his ministry. Please Canon Michael Fuller, Principal of the remember him and Claudia, Domenico and Theological Institute of the Scottish Maria as they prepare to move to their new Episcopal Church, an old friend of the home. groom, assisted by the Vicar. Their last day with us will be August 15th The Vicar will be in Jerusalem on the — the Feast of the Assumption — when Sunday after Easter to represent USPG Fr Ivan will celebrate and preach at the at the Installation of the Rt Revd Suheil High Mass. His institution at Sevenoaks is Dawani as the 14th Anglican Bishop of likely to be on Saturday September 29th, Jerusalem, in St George’s Cathedral. Michaelmas Day. More information about both events will SEVEN WORDS FROM THE be published later. CROSS A Boy Bishop The Three Hours’ Devotion, so popular in many Anglican churches on Good Friday, Meanwhile, we were delighted to hear has a curious history. It began in Peru in that ecclesiastical preferment had come the 18th Century after an earthquake had to another member of the Aquilina devastated Lima. The local Jesuits led a family. Domenico was chosen as the three hour service with sermons on our “Boy Bishop” at Westminster Cathedral Lord’s Seven Words from the Cross. school where he is a pupil. This was on the strength of a sermon he had prepared Now that we combine our Three Hours on St Gregory the Great’s famous remark, with the Liturgy of the Passion, we have “Not Angles but angels”. Vested in cope only four sermons, not seven. This has and mitre and carrying a pastoral staff, meant that preaching on the Seven Last 3 Words has not been possible to fit into the recognition of his distinguished service to Three Hours. This year, we are going to the music profession. spread them over Holy Week. Andrew Arthur has worked with the Band Fr Aquilina will preach on the first as a continuo player since 2000, and more three at the 6.30 p.m.

Load more

  20

Copy Link