Issue 4 Spring 2016 An Occasional Contents CTiW 2016 Pentecost Service 1 “Meet the Neighbours” at Notre Dame de France on 19th May 2016 2 The CTiW 2016 United Pentecost Service Archbishop Silouan’s held on 15th May Enthronement 3 Street Pastors 3 ne of the fixtures of Churches O Together in Westminster’s “Meet the Neighbours” at The calendar is our united Pentecost Salvation Army’s Regent Hall on service. This year, 55 of us, from a doz- 1st March 2016 4 en churches met together to share Evening Prayer at St Giles-in-the- Fields. Our Pentecost service is in the Dates for your diary tradition of “receptive ecumenism”; that is, instead of putting together 2016 something that reflects a variety of 1 June—“Meet the Neighbours” at traditions, we attend a “normal” ser- The Royal Military Chapel, The vice of the host church, and participate Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in their tradition. This service at St Birdcage Walk, SW1E 6HQ at 11am Giles is regularly a 1662 choir led ser- vice, and it was a delight to share in 9-15 October Prisons Week resonant phrases, and be led in beauti- ful music. Sunday, 27 November—CTiW Advent Service (details to follow) For some of those attending, this was a familiar pattern and the language Note: Venues and dates may be and cadences were old friends. For some, especially those from other coun- subject to change tries, this was very new, and a fascinating and illuminating encounter. The rector, Alan Carr made sure we knew what to do, and welcomed us so that we felt at home. Preaching on the theme of Pentecost, and introducing us to Samuel Pepys’ experience of attending Pentecost worship in 1662, he encouraged us to know the Spirit as the gift to a community, and bringing If your church is interested in the capacity for resilience as we live in a complex world. hosting a future “Meet the Neighbours” we should be The sense of continuity, of joy, of rootedness in the depth of tradition, and pleased to hear from you. the openness of the welcome exemplified the Pentecostal reality of the coming of the Spirit to renew the world, and further deepened the sense of Churches Together as a community of believers seeking to serve and to understand in the middle of the city. Thank you to St Giles for the welcome, thank you to so many for coming – and if you didn’t make it, put the date in Contact us th the diary for next year; June 4 , at Hinde St. Website: www.ctiw.london Rev’d Ruth Gouldbourne Email: [email protected] 2 “Meet the Neighbours” at Notre Dame de France on 19th May 2016 eave behind you the razzama- now, with many of the Franco- L tazz of Leicester Square, animat- phones coming from parts of Africa ed by film premieres and excited as well as France and Belgium. tourists, take ten steps up Leicester Place and you will find a beautiful, The site chosen has its own fasci- peaceful and restorative space. nating history, being the location for a rotunda housing The Royal Pano- About forty five of us, coming from rama, created by the painter, Robert fifteen different places of worship Baker, in 1791. When this came on gathered for an evening of worship to the market, it became the site for and learning more about each other the similarly circular church building. and, in turn, more about ourselves It was an architectural wonder, con- Tapestry designed by Dom Robert at the Church of Notre Dame de structed, as it was, from cast iron, over the main altar (above) France. The evening started with the yet displaying the features of a tradi- ancient “office” of Compline, during tionally French Gothic structure. Chanel. Those in need queue from which we were calmed for the night, Sadly, like many London churches, it early morning to gain access to the after the work and activity of the suffered bomb damage in the Sec- wide variety of advisers available to day. ond World War and had to be de- help them re-settle. There are also molished. A new building was erect- many classes and activities: lan- Fr Kevin Mowbray, one of the Marist ed, still fitting into the same circular guage classes, CV creation guidance, Fathers who serve this church, then footprint, by 1955. job application support, drama gave us a brief history of the French group, sewing group, art therapy, Catholic Community and its church The art work of the church is re- health advice to name a few. building. In the late 18th Century and markable, containing the famous early 19th Century many French na- murals, depicting The Life of Mary, This work has been going on since tionals found themselves in this part painted by Cocteau. There is also a 1996 and is widely recognised for its of London, fleeing persecution and large Aubusson tapestry, maintained excellence. Maison Pierre Chanel dangers in France, experienced par- by the French State. There is of also offers shelter, food and convivi- ticularly during the French Revolu- course, much more and a visit is ality in the rather challenging and tion. In 1865 a building in the neo- recommended, to appreciate the full sometimes hostile environment ex- Gothic style was begun. The spiritual picture. perienced by many refugees and needs of the French speaking Catho- asylum seekers. lic population of the area were now We moved to The Refugee Centre, being met more effectively through where we were inspired by Ivan’s The evening ended with delicious this initiative of Cardinal Wiseman. talk about the work which goes on refreshments and an opportunity to The congregation is more diverse in the rooms of Maison Pierre socialise with fellow Christians from the fifteen churches. Of necessity this report is brief. A book, specially written for the 150th Anniversary “Rendez-vous Leicester Square: A History of Notre Dame de France 1865- 2015” by Isabelle Le Chevalier, is full of interesting detail. The Refugee Centre has an informa- tive website. The internet gives information about the Marist Fathers and Brothers. Ray Crocker Cocteau murals in Our Lady’s Chapel (left) 3 The Enthronement of Archbishop Silouan at The Orthodox Cathedral of St George, Albany Street, Regent’s Park represented the CTiW Executive at by two choirs. A men’s choir sang in good deal from my partner in the pew I this event on Saturday 27th February Arabic (I think). The words looked Ara- as her husband is an Orthodox priest 2016. I have attended parts of Ortho- bic in the pamphlet) and a women’s and they have a parish in Dorset. He dox services before as a tourist in East- choir sang in English. The words were had been an Anglican Priest most of his ern Europe, Ukraine and Russia but I not dissimilar to those in Western Ves- life but decided to leave the C of E have never attended a whole service per liturgies. They were unaccompa- when the ordination of women was so was somewhat apprehensive since I nied, which, of course, is the age-old celebrated by many of us. She tried to like to understand what is going on tradition within Orthodoxy. tell me the joys and wonders of Ortho- and I like to sit down. Fortunately, the doxy and its strength in the lack of pews from the Anglican church which After the Liturgy, His Eminence was change in two millennia. I was a guest this building was until 1989 are still welcomed by several other eminent so desisted from putting the case for there and used! Fortunately, too, I sat men, each introduced by a young liberal Christianity which takes note of next to a very helpful English lady who woman who holds an important posi- historical, sociological and psychologi- gave me a booklet and who explained tion in the Antioch Society. There were cal changes and discoveries. This was parts of the liturgy. representatives of The Archbishop of Receptive Ecumenism, after all, and it Canterbury and The Cardinal Archbish- was no place to express one’s views. This was an important event for the op of Westminster. What was remark- Antiochan-Orthodox Community in able was that several of the welcomers A word about the building: It was England as the Archbishop spoke warmly of ecumenism. There Christ Church, an Anglo-Catholic parish (Metropolitan) was being enthroned as was a strong theme of Christian love church until 1989 when it was taken Head of the newly formed arch- crossing all barriers of denomination. over by the Antiochan Orthodox diocese of The British Isles and Ireland. Church. Christina Rossetti was a parish- This comprises nearly twenty parishes There was rather a scrum leading to ioner and her brother, Dante Gabriel with gathered congregations. He will the refreshments in the church hall so I produced the Sermon on the Mount be doing a lot of travelling! gave up and returned home. I was a bit stained glass window. More recently, disappointed at this point as it is al- in 1950, the funeral of George Orwell The enthronement took place within ways interesting to sample the refresh- was held there. the liturgy of Vespers, which was sung ments of other churches. I learnt a Ray Crocker About Street Pastors Rev. Les Isaac, the founder of Street Pastors, recently gave a talk to the CTiW Executive about the organisation’s work and mission in Westminster and elsewhere. treet Pastors, a well-known sight in many city and town centres on busy nights, S are always looking for more people to be involved.