NEWSLETTER Parish of St George Hanover Square St George’s Church Grosvenor Chapel November 2016-February 2017 Issue 35 A computer-generated visualisation of the new St George’s Undercroft derived from the architect’s plans. ther contributions not- we raised £5,000 as part of a Inside this issue withstanding, two con- Christian Aid partnership pro- trasting matters domi- ject which, because of a triple The Rector writes 2 O nate this issue of the funding arrangement with the Organ Concerts 3 Parish Newsletter: on the one EU, resulted in £20,000 going to hand plans to bring St George’s support maternity and child Services at St George’s 4 Undercroft back into parish use health care in Kenya. More Assistant Director of Music 6 and, on the other, the further modestly the needs of a parish development of a prisons mis- in Botswana run by a former The Undercroft 7 sion, now adopted by Churches Parish Administrator of St Services at Grosvenor Chapel 10 Together in Westminster, but George’s were met within days driven by an indefatigable mem- of the publication of the previ- Prisons Mission 11 ber of the St George’s parish ous edition of this Newsletter community. John Plummer and which highlighted the need in Hyde Park Place Charity 15 Sarah Jane Vernon’s pieces on question. Contacts 16 the 2016 Prisons Week speak for themselves but they illustrate a And so we come to the question Not that one has to visit Worm- willingness by parishioners to of UK prisons, not of prison re- wood Scrubs or Pentonville to en- engage with matters outside the form but of a wish to engage counter those at odds with socie- obvious comfort zone of the collaboratively with those who ty. St George’s engagement with Mayfair parish. minister to the welfare and rough sleepers continues on a dai- spiritual needs of people at ly basis through its food voucher This willingness was also exem- odds with society in our over- scheme now in its fourth year. plified earlier in the year when populated prison system. Continued on page 15 The Rector writes . pendent churches) began co- in Germany were practising rec- operative preparation of materi- onciliation by offering hospitality als for the Week of Prayer. This to the numerous refugees arriv- has increased steadily since, re- ing from Syria, Afghanistan, Eri- sulting recently in joint publica- trea, as well as countries of the tions. Western Balkans, in search of protection and a new life. The Next year is the 500th anniversary practical help and powerful ac- of when Martin Luther in 1517 tions against hatred for the for- raised concerns about what he eigner were a clear witness to saw as abuses in the Church of reconciliation for the German his time by making public his 95 population. As ministers of rec- theses. A key event in the refor- onciliation, the churches actively mation movements that marked assisted the refugees in finding the life of the Western Church new homes, while at the same over several centuries. This time trying to improve the living event has been a controversial conditions in the countries they theme in the history of inter- had left behind. Concrete acts of church relations in Germany, not help are just as necessary as least over the last few years. praying together for reconcilia- he Week of Prayer for After extensive, and sometimes tion and peace, if those who are Christian Unity (18th – th difficult, discussions, the church- fleeing their terrible situations 25 January) began ten- es in Germany agreed that the are to know some hope and con- T tatively and modestly in way to commemorate ecumeni- solation. 1908 as the Octave of Christian cally this Reformation event Unity, and focused on prayer for should be with a Christusfest – Christmas Services church unity. The dates of the a Celebration of Christ. If the Given the popularity of Chil- week were proposed to begin emphasis were to be placed on dren’s Crib Services we now have with what Protestants kept as Jesus Christ and his work of rec- a service on Christmas Eve at the Feast of the Confession of onciliation as the centre of 4.30pm. This year there will Peter (the Chair of St Peter for Christian faith, then all the ecu- again be a Solemn Sung Eucha- Roman Catholics) ending with menical partners could partici- rist of the Vigil of Christmas, the Feast of the Conversion of St th pate in the anniversary festivi- with half choir, which will in- Paul on 25 January. ties. clude the singing of children’s carols around the crib. The ser- Protestant leaders in the mid- Separating that which is polemi- mon will be short and geared 1920s also proposed an annual cal from the theological insights towards children, and the style octave of prayer for unity of the Reformation, Roman Cath- of worship relaxed, although still amongst Christians, leading up olics are now able to hear Lu- with a normal sung setting of the to Whitsun (the traditional com- ther’s challenge for the Church Mass. memoration of the establishment of today, recognising him as a of the Church). witness to the gospel. And so I would encourage as many as after centuries of mutual con- are able to come to the main Abbé Paul Couturier of Lyons, demnations and vilification, in celebration of the Nativity of Our France, who has been called the 2017 Lutheran and Roman Catho- Lord, which is the glorious father of spiritual ecumenism, lic Christians will for the first 11.00am Sung Eucharist on had a slightly different approach time commemorate together the Christmas Day. Please do invite and advocated prayer for the beginning of the Reformation. your family and visitors to join unity of the Church as Christ you for this, or to the Christmas wills it, and in accordance with The Theme of the Week of Pray- Eve service if you find Christmas the means he wills, thereby ena- er for Christian Unity 2017 and Day impracticable. bling other Christians with differ- Biblical text from 2 Corinthians ing views of the Petrine ministry Chapter 5 vv 14-20 announces The Parish Carol Service (the to join in the prayer. In 1935, he that God has, in Christ, recon- traditional Nine Lessons and proposed naming the observance ciled the world to himself. The Carols) is to take place this year Universal Week of Prayer for love of Christ compels us to be on Sunday 18th December at Christian Unity, a proposal ac- ambassadors of this reconcilia- 6.00pm followed by refresh- cepted by the Roman Catholic tion, which is enacted by dis- ments. Again this is a wonderful Church in 1966. mantling the walls. With the fall service to prepare for Christmas of the Berlin Wall, Germany ex- and a good occasion to invite In 1958, the French Catholic perienced how a seemingly insur- friends along. We always invite group Unité Chrétienne and the mountable wall could be brought people from local hotels and em- Faith and Order Commission of down. The fall of this wall is a bassies and shops and businesses, the World Council of Churches (a symbol of hope that, with the as this is a wonderful celebration body which includes, among oth- love of God, nothing is impossi- for the whole community. In ad- ers, most of the world's Orthodox ble. dition I also invite members of churches as well as many Angli- various organisations to which I can, Baptist, Lutheran, Method- As the text was being written in am Chaplain (The Royal Society ist, Reformed, United and Inde- 2015, many people and churches 2 of St George, the Gastronomes, Mayfair Organ Concerts the Royal Society of Musicians, and others) who are most wel- Every Tuesday at 1.10pm come. Admission free-retiring collection Dates for diaries: www.organrecitals.com/1/ We shall be continuing to cele- mayfair.php brate the Friday Eucharist (and all Red Letter Saints Days) at November 1 Grosvenor Chapel 1.10pm before making a final Andrew Benson Wilson decision about the best time for (Basingstoke) it (12.10pm or 1.10pm) – hopeful- Music by Matthias Weckmann ly this will be announced in the (b1616) next Newsletter. November 8 St George’s There are daily prayers in Robin Walker (Cambridge) church, Monday – Thursday at Schlick, J.S.Bach, Frahm, Reger 12.10pm The Mid Day Office is Including Canzone op. 65 no. 9 said on most days except when and Introduction and Passacaglia the Eucharist is celebrated on in D minor, Max Reger Fridays and Saints Days. Please join us if you are in the area. November 15 Grosvenor Chapel Thomas Allery Requiem for departed loved (Marylebone Parish Church) ones will be celebrated on Friday th 13 January at 13.10pm. Please November 22 St George’s inform the Verger if you wish to David Saint December 13 Grosvenor Chapel include names for prayer. His (St Chad’s Cathedral, Richard Hobson contact details are on the back Birminham) (Grosvenor Chapel) page. Alain, J. S. Bach, Mendelssohn Stanley, Walond, J.S.Bach, Franck, and Vierne Reger Holy Cocktail Hour Open House – all are welcome for drinks on November 29 Grosvenor Chapel December 20 St George’s Wednesdays 11th January and Wyatt Smith nd Peter Stevens 22 February at the Rectory, 21a (Westminster Cathedral) (Seattle, USA) Down Street W1J 7AW - entrance Buxtehude, J.S.Bach, Böhm, in Brick Street opposite the tapas December 6 St George’s Bruhns bar 18.30-20.00 – top bell. David Ponsford (Cardiff University) Concerts resume on Tuesday 3 J.S.Bach, Pierre Du Mage January.