St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019 ST NICK’S NEWS: DECEMBER 2019 50p 1 St. Nick’s News The Parish Magazine of St Nicholas of Myra, Brighton December 2019 2 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. 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 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) 7 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.