NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONS The ringing tills of Christmas are long silent. Food and drink are now taken in moderation. Diets commenced. Belts tightened. January sales are spent. VAT has increased. The "crunch" has come. How will we all cope? As we have done in the past. "Hang on in" as the colloquial saying goes. Black Death, Great Fire, South Sea Bubble, Blitz, Lloyds collapse, bank bailouts. All part of the eich pattern of life; all unwanted and all to be overcome. The human instinct for survival triumphs. But what about those who cannot adapt, who have too little to ease their belt-tightening and cutting back? The City churches are full of reminders of the care of Man for his fellow Man - bread shelves for the hungry, benefaction boards, inscribed memorials to the great and good recording donation of their estates to fund almshouses, schools, scholarships, coals and food for the poor and needy. Even the fabric of the buildings themselves have been shared in the past with those less fortunate, as at St Botolph Aldgate for the homeless or St Katharine Cree for meals for liverymen after the Great Fire. Driven by a Christian conscience to care for others and also perhaps to ensure a place in heaven, the City churches have plenty to remind us of their former parishioners "doing their bit". And so it will continue; looking after both body and soul in some unexpected ways. Remember the Salvation Army, whose headquarters are on Queen Victoria Street, an organisation founded in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth to care for the unloved and underprivileged; and two streets north, St Martin Ludgate is being adapted so staff can offer confidential counselling to those with mental burdens in these troubled times - the Gateway Project, see http://www.stmartin-within-ludgate.org.uk/home/gateway.php. Here is a church that is using its building in a practical new way. And as we walk up Ludgate Hill we will soon notice that St Martin's South front will have two newly re-opened doorcases as Wren had intended, providing step-free access for those with poor mobility. It will still provide regular services and spiritual refreshment as do all the other City churches. You can't miss then, but when did you last step inside one? Use them or lose them? Not if the Friends of the City Churches can help it. We make sure 15 of them are open at least once a week by Watching in them. Why not join the Friends and play your part too? Maybe not by Watching,, but by helping n some other way, by providing money or by joining in the churches’ worship and other activities, listed in these pages. In the words of a Japanese poem by Hô-ô called The Master Stroke: A seedling shoulders up some crumbs of ground The fields are suddenly green for miles around! _____________________________________________________________________________ Friends of the City Churches, Church of St Magnus the Martyr Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6DN, tel. 020 7626 1555 (answerphone) e-mail: [email protected] Why not visit our websites www.cityevents.org.uk for all the latest information, or www.london-city-churches.org.uk for downloadable maps and links to all the churches in the city? REGULAR SERVICES IN FEBRUARY 2011 Every Wednesday – continued 1310 Bible Talk, preceded by lunch at 1300, followed by The services below are the normal pattern for City Churches. They are Question Time at 1340 at The Cuban Citypoint, 1 Ropemaker Street subject to change during the major festivals and holidays. You are under the auspices of St Helen Bishopsgate advised to telephone churches to check the details. See also on our 1310 Holy Communion (1662 said) St Michael Cornhill website www.cityevents.co.uk which includes weekend services. 1315 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet Street 1700 to 1900 'Abundant' - Prayer in the City St Botolph Bishopsgate Every Monday 1730 Evening Prayer St Edmund King and Martyr 0805 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1730 Evening Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 0815 Morning Prayer in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 1745 Evening in the church St Mary le Bow 0830 Morning Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 1800 Taizé Service All Hallows by the Tower 0830 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet Street 1830 Mass St Alban the Martyr 0830 Morning Prayer St Giles Cripplegate 1900 Sung Eucharist St Andrew Holborn 0830 Morning Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 1100 to 1500 Listening Service St Andrew Holborn Every Thursday 1100 Morning Prayer (CW) St Martin within Ludgate 0805 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1215 Mass St Vedast alias Foster 0815 Morning Prayer in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 1230 RC Mass St Bartholomew the Less 0830 Holy Communion St Bartholomew the Great 1300 Prayer Meeting St Margaret Pattens 0830 Eucharist All Hallows by the Tower 1305 Holy Communion (1662) St Mary Aldermary 0830 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet 1305 Healing Service St Mary le Bow 0830 Morning Prayer St Giles Cripplegate 1305 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 0830 Morning Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 1310 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1100 to 1500 Listening Service St Andrew Holborn 1730 Evening Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 1210 Holy Communion (BCP) St Botolph Bishopsgate 1730 Evening Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 1215 Mass St Vedast alias Foster 1745 Evening Prayer in the church St Mary le Bow 1230 RC Mass St Bartholomew the Less 1230 Low Mass St Magnus the Martyr Every Tuesday 1230 RC Mass St Andrew by the Wardrobe 0730 Morning Prayer in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 1245 Holy Communion St Clement Eastcheap 0745 Eucharist in the Crypt followed by breakfast St Mary le Bow 1245 Lunchtime Service Wesley’s Chapel 0805 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1245 Sung Eucharist St Stephen Walbrook 0830 Eucharist All Hallows by the Tower 1300 Holy Communion (1662 said) St Sepulchre without Newgate 0830 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet Street 1305 Mass St Mary Aldermary 0830 Morning Prayer St Giles Cripplegate 1305 Said Eucharist St Botolph Aldgate 0830 Morning Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 1305 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1100 to 1500 Listening Service St Andrew Holborn 1305 Sung Eucharist St Katharine Cree 1215 Mass St Vedast alias Foster 1310 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1230 Silent Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 1310 Eucharist St Andrew Holborn 1230 Holy Communion St Bartholomew the Great 1310 Bible Talk , preceded by lunch at 1300, followed by 1230 Said Eucharist St Dunstan in the West Question Time at 1340 St Helen Bishopsgate 1230 Low Mass St Magnus the Martyr 1315 Holy Communion (BCP) St Martin within Ludgate 1230 Holy Communion (Said) St Olave Hart Street 1315 Holy Communion St Margaret Pattens 1300 Bible Talk, with lunch at 1330 St Helen Bishopsgate 1315 Holy Communion Temple Church 1300 Bible Talk, with lunch at 1330 St Botolph Aldersgate 1730 Evening Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 1305 Eucharist St Botolph Aldgate 1730 Evening Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 1305 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1745 Evening Prayer in the church St Mary le Bow 1310 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1800 Said Eucharist St Dunstan in the West 1310 Eucharist St Andrew Holborn 1805 Eucharist in the church St Mary le Bow 1310 Eucharist St Mary Woolnoth 1830 Evening Eucharist St Andrew by the Wardrobe 1310 Holy Communion (BCP) St Margaret Lothbury 1730 Evening Prayer All Hallows by the Tower Every Friday 1730 Evening Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 0645 to 0845 'Prayer for the City' St Margaret Lothbury 1745 Evening Prayer in the church St Mary le Bow 0730 Morning prayers St Margaret Pattens 1815 Choral Evensong St Sepulchre without Newgate 0800 Eucharist St Mary Woolnoth 0805 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields Every Wednesday 0815 Morning Prayer in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 0805 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 0830 Morning Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 0815 Morning Prayer in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 0830 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet Street 0830 Morning Prayer All Hallows by the Tower 0830 Morning Prayer St Lawrence Jewry 0830 Holy Communion (in the crypt) St Bride Fleet Street 1215 Mass St Vedast alias Foster 0830 Morning Prayer St Giles Cripplegate 1230 Eucharist St Bartholomew the Less 0830 Holy Communion (BCP) St Lawrence Jewry 1230 Low Mass (usually with Benediction) St Magnus the Martyr 1100 to 1500 Listening Service St Andrew Holborn 1230 Confessions in the Sacrament Chapel St Mary le Bow 1205 Mass St Joseph Bunhill Row 1305 Eucharist in the church St Mary le Bow 1215 Mass St Vedast alias Foster 1305 Meditation in the Crypt St Mary le Bow 1230 Eucharist St Bartholomew the Less 1305 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields 1230 Holy Communion St Mary Abchurch 1310 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1245 Communion Service Wesley's Chapel 1310 Holy Communion (1662 said) St Michael Cornhill 1250 ‘Celebrate’ – ‘Informal Worship & Teaching’ St Margaret Lothbury 1315 Holy Communion (BCP) St Lawrence Jewry 1300 Holy Communion St Mary at Hill 1345 Benediction St Magnus the Martyr 1305 Eucharist in the church St Mary le Bow 1830 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1305 RC Mass St Mary Moorfields NIGHT PRAYER ON THE INTERNET 1310 Mass St Alban the Martyr 1310 Sung Eucharist St Botolph Bishopsgate Night Prayer is broadcast daily on demand on the Internet site of the 1310 Pause for Reflection St Ethelburga’s Centre Internet Church for London. To watch this service, which changes on a daily basis log on to www.londoninternetchurch.org.uk Friday 4 February SPECIAL SERVICES IN FEBRUARY 2011 1230 Organ Recital: Charles Andrews St Stephen Walbrook 1310 Recital: The Sweelinck Ensemble – Jenny Thomas (flute), Tuesday 1 February Mary Pells (viola da gamba), Oliver Sändig (violin), 1230 Said Eucharist for Candlemas St Dunstan in the West Martin Knizia (harpsichord) – will play Part 1 of the Paris Quartets by Telemann.