Tapestry from the 'Communion of Saints Tapestry Cycle' for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California
THIS WEEK'S READINGS
Daniel 7.1-3,15-18 · Psalm 23 · Ephesians 1.11-end · Luke 6.20-31
‘ …for yours is the Kingdom’ (v.20)
Here is the world turned upside down! A blessing on those who suffer that we quite reasonably try to avoid - poverty, hunger, sorrow, defamation - and then a corresponding 'woe' to those who have actually achieved the goals for which we are all supposed to be striving - wealth, happiness, satisfaction, reputation. What are we to make of it?
It is not in itself blessed to be poor or hungry; if it were, then Jesus would not be asking us, as he clearly does, to relieve the poor and to feed the hungry. Nor is it necessarily a blessing to weep. And yet, paradoxically, Jesus asks us to look deeper, to look beneath the veil of these present sorrows and privations, and glimpse a change, a reversal, a hidden glory waiting to be made manifest. Everything turns on the movement in these verses from 'now' to 'will', turns on the hinge of hope: you weep now, but you will laugh; you are deprived now, but yours is the kingdom. We must dare to see through the veil of the present, and dare also to tear aside the veil of the false fulfilment, the temporary satisfaction, the purchase of the world that lost us our souls. I recently reflected in a sonnet on the Beatitudes, that Jesus speaks these words not to condemn, but to challenge and change, to lift the veil of time just enough to see that.
'...longing is the veil of satisfaction,
And grief the veil of future happiness.
We glimpse beneath the veil of persecution
The coming Kingdom's overflowing bliss.'
Malcolm Guite
Bishop Rob and Janine back from the outback
They're back! In 2014, Fr. Rob and Janine Gillion left Holy Trinity for a new life in the Diocese of Riverina, Australia where Fr. Rob had been appointed Bishop.
They returned to the UK in 2018 and this Sunday (November 3) they will be at Holy Trinity at the Sung Eucharist when Bishop Rob will preach and then at a Sunday Conversation in the Parish Room he and Janine will share their experiences of life in a Diocese with a land mass bigger than England, Scotland and Wales combined!
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord
This Sunday evening (November 3) we keep the Feast of All Souls with a Requiem Mass to pray for the faithful departed. It gives us a special opportunity to come together to share the Eucharist with all who mourn the loss of a loved one. We remember; we celebrate; we give thanks; we pray.
The Choir will be singing the Requiem Mass by Tomás Luis de Victoria.
Patio Garden wins first prize
Congratulations and thanks to Gogo-Rose Ilo, mastermind and manager of our Patio Garden at Holy Trinity, which has won First Prize for the best garden display in a public place at the London Garden’s Society All London Championship. Gogo was presented with the Noel Buxton Cup at a ceremony at the Guildhall.
Bishop takes us beyond the Brexit debate
Holy Trinity hosted a teaching evening this week for the Chelsea Deanery at which the Bishop of Kensington, Dr. Graham Tomlin, explored the church’s task in reconciling the nation beyond the Brexit debate through a radical living out of the command to love our neighbours.
Carolyn is now official!
Our new Churchwarden, Carolyn Hallett, was sworn into office this week by the Archdeacon of Middlesex, the Ven. Stephan Welch, in one of his last archidiaconal duties ahead of his retirement at the end of the month.
General Election 2019 hustings
With a General Election called for December 12, the next few weeks will see the political debate in our country intensify. As in 2017, I am inviting the candidates for the Chelsea and Fulham parliamentary constituency to come to Holy Trinity to present their policies and answer our questions. Watch this space for more details of the date and time.
Fr. Nicholas Wheeler
Packs of kindness
As we continue to reach out to our community through our Winter Breakfast Club, we now have packs of kindness which we offer to our visitors. The contents of each pack includes:
A bottle of water
An energy bar
Wet wipes
Tissues
A pair of warm socks
A prayer card
We would love people to help by donating such items for us to use in the packs of kindness as we are expecting that they will be in demand over the coming weeks as we head towards even colder weather. Please continue to pray for this initiative and for those we are reaching out to.
Fr. Grant Bolton-Debbage
A Sloane Square Christmas card
Our charity Christmas card shop opens its door on Sunday (November 3) from 12.15pm to give members of the congregation an opportunity to buy Christmas cards early.
Holy Trinity Church is selling two Christmas cards this year. One a reprint of last year's sell-out card which is a detail of Christopher Whall's 'Incarnation' window in the souith aisle. The other - which should arrive in early November - is 'The Annunciation' by Sir Edward Burne-Jones in the East Window. Both packs include ten cards and envelopes and sell for £5.
Remember that for every £1 you spend in the Cards for Good Causes Shop, Holy Trinity Church receives 10p. All sales from Holy Trinity's own cards go direct to the church.
Calling all young people
It is with great joy that we are fast approaching the ‘Church at Night Sleepover’ Event taking place on Friday 8th November – Saturday 9th November 2019 at St John the Baptist Church, Holland Road W14 8AH.
This event aims to draw young people (ages 11-16) from our churches and schools to experience the catholic expression of faith in Jesus Christ. The evening is for young people of all denominations and all expressions of our shared faith. It is a time to ask questions and to build relationships with other young Christians!
The event will be opened by Bishop Graham (Bishop of Kensington) and the activities for the evening will be drawn to a close with Midnight Worship led by The Venerable Luke Miller (Archdeacon of London). Throughout the night, there will be various activities ranging from Pizza Making to Sumo Wrestling, whilst also having the opportunity to speak with real life monks and nuns, to seek spiritual direction, to worship God in music and in calligraphy or to sit quietly in prayer!
If you should like to ‘come and see’ please sign up via the website churchatnight.org.uk or contact us at office@hollandparkbenefice.org
Fr. Grant Bolton-Debbage
Curtain up on 'Excluded' this week
It's 2019, inner city London. Hamlet is grieving, Othello accused and Isabel forced against her will. Just some of the goings on at William High as Shakespeare's most iconic characters prepare to sit their GCSEs.
Tensions are rife and tempers high as Miss Portia battles to navigate this class into the next chapter of their lives. Things take a turn for the worse when Cassius leads a conspiracy to bring down Caesar - an action that could change their lives forever!
Excluded delves into the lives of young people in education and holds a mirror up to unearth some of the issues affecting them today.
Each performance is followed by a TalkBack with the cast.
6 - 30 November 2019
7.30pm Weds - Sats
Intermission Theatre, St Saviour's Church
Walton Place, London SW3 1SA
Tickets
Adult £20, Concession (65+,12-25) £13,
Under 12 £7
Special Bonanza Thursday: all tickets £10 on Thursday 7 November! Tickets available here
Maddie does Mozart
Maddie does Mozart next Wednesday 13 November
This Wednesday there is NO Free Teatime Concert because of an external church booking. But the series continues on Wednesday 13 November (5.30 for 30 minutes) with super soprano Madeleine Holmes singing music by Mozart, Purcell and Schubert. Admission is free and there will be a retiring collection. The series runs every Wednesday (except this week) up until 27 November. We have a stellar line-up of local and national talent. See you there! Please pick up a few flyers from the desk and give them to your friends and family or put them in a library near you.
Beat the January blues… with some January blues! Sunday 12 January
Christmas hasn’t yet come, and the goose hasn’t yet got fat... but it’s not too early to put the date of our next jazz event in your diary. On Sunday 12 January 1.15–3.15, we’ll be trialling “AFTERNOON Holy TriniTEA" – our very own take on the Ritz’ special offering. There’ll be food, bubbly, and wonderful jazz from the Oliver Lallemant Trio. You need do nothing now except ink it in; further details will follow soon.
Private view launches contemporary art show
A Private View got commission4mission's art exhibition at Holy Trinity underway this week. The exhibition entitled 'Creation' includes the work of 25 artists with works which range from depictions of the Genesis Creation stories to future creation using AI and genetic engineering.
Commission4mission was founded ten years ago to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary worls of Christian art in churches.
The exhibition in the Parish Room runs until Saturday 9 November and is open every day from 10am to 4pm. For more details visit commission4mission.org
FORTHCOMING CONCERTS
News from THE DIOCESE OF LONDON
Listening to God, listening to London
Dear Friends,
Last week the Senior Staff Team gathered at The Royal Foundation of St Katherine to listen to God and listen to London. We had the joy of reflecting on what the bible seeks to tell us of being a city, we prayed and we began to look at the conversations we have had with over 6,000 people as we seek to discern what God is calling us to do over the next 10 years. We also took time to look at the plans that the Area Teams have been developing.
We were encouraged and it was a joy to see what people and God have been saying. I was reminded of Acts 2:42-46. After Pentecost we are told that the disciples:
“devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
There is a sense among us that we are being called to: deepen our discipleship by devoting ourselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship; seek the wellbeing of our communities through ministries of compassion and service; and to grow – as God adds to our number those who are being saved, especially among younger generations.
We have started a conversation about our vision, which we hope to continue over the coming months, for every Londoner to encounter the love of Christ in God. This will involve further work on our priorities as a Diocese, how these link to our Area plans and how the Diocesan staff support parishes in the ministry and mission of the Church.
Please join me in praying for God’s vision and priorities for every Londoner. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel.
With blessings,
+Sarah Londin
THE OLD DEANERY - DEANS COURT - LONDON - EC4V 5AA
DIARY DATES
Sunday 3 November 2019 at 12.45pm Sunday Conversation
with Bishop Rob and Janine Gillion to hear about their ministry in the Diocese of
Riverina, Australia
Sunday 3 November 2019 at 6pm Requiem Mass for All Souls’
Sunday 10 November Remembrance Sunday
10.50am Act of Remembrance in Sloane Square
11.00am Service of Remembrance
Saturday 30 November at 10am Advent Quiet Morning at St. Mary Magdalene, Paddington
Sunday 1 December at 6pm Advent Procession
Sunday 15 December at 11am Sung Eucharist with Christingles
and Junior Church Nativity Play
Sunday 15 December at 6pm Carols by Candlelight
Tuesday 17 December at 1pm Sloane Square Community Carol Service
Thursday 19 December at 7pm Parish Carol Singing
PARISH DIARY
All events at Holy Trinity Sloane Square unless otherwise stated
SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER ALL SAINTS Intention: Parish and People
8.30am Holy Communion
11.00am Sung Eucharist Holy Trinity Choir
O King all glorious Healey Willan Communion Service in F Harold Darke Gaudent in coelis Peter Philips Preacher: The Rt. Revd. Rob Gillion
ALL SOULS
6.00pm Requiem Mass for the Faithful Departed Holy Trinity Choir
Requiem Mass Tomas Luis de Victoria
Monday 4 November Intention: Artists 7.00pm Sloane Square Choral Society
Tuesday 5 November Intention: Refugees 6.30pm Eucharist
7.00pm Bible Study
'Twelve Steps to Heaven'
Wednesday 6 November Leonard, hermit, 6th century Intention: Local businesses 1.00pm Holy Communion
4.30pm Lecture by Classical Opera 6.30pm Eucharist
7.00pm Opening Night of 'Excluded' at St. Saviour's
7.00pm Chelsea Deanery Synod at Chelsea Old Church
Thursday 7 November Willibrord, bishop, 739 Intention: Unity 6.30pm Requiem Mass
Friday 8 November Saints and Martyrs of England Intention: Those in need 7.30am Winter Breakfast Club 4.00pm Events Committee meeting
Saturday 9 November Intention: Casualties of war 7.30pm Goldsmiths Choral Union concert
SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER The Third Sunday before Advent REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Intention: Parish and People
8.30am Requiem Mass for the Fallen
10.50am Act of Remembrance in Sloane Square
11.15am Service of Remembrance Preacher: The Revd. Grant Bolton-Debbage 12.30pm Holy Communion in the Lady Chapel 6.00pm Choral Evensong and Benediction
WHO'S WHO and CONTACTS
RECTOR The Revd. Canon Nicholas Wheeler E-mail: rector@sloanechurch.org
ASSISTANT PRIEST The Revd. Grant Bolton-Debbage E-mail: priest@sloanechurch.org
HONORARY ASSISTANT The Rt. Revd. Dr. Michael Marshall
CHURCHWARDENS Jeffrey Kabel Carolyn Hallett
ASSISTANT CHURCHWARDENS Gill Dunley
John Renz
TREASURER David Fairlamb
PCC SECRETARY Martin Bonham
PARISH ADMINISTRATOR Sophie Wilson E-mail: parishoffice@sloanechurch.org
Telephone: 020 7730 7270
FACILITIES AND EVENTS MANAGER Clinton McMaster E-mail: manager@sloanechurch.org
Telephone: 020 7730 7270
