HOLY WEEK FESTIVAL 2012
Malmesbury Abbey 29th March –8th April 2012
Welcome This is the 5th year of the Abbey Holy Week Festival and we’ve grown again. Alongside regular features like Riding Lights Roughshod, Late Night Music, and the Stations of the Cross art exhibition from Malmesbury School, this year we have a dramatic audio-visual performance from Steven Faux (see below), truly beautiful folk music from fair-trade campaigner Gareth Davies-Jones, a three day retreat with the author Ian Adams, and a conversation with the Christian palaeontologist Mike Taylor—how many dinosaurs have you discovered? You are welcome to come and join in with anything, simply take time out in the café, or listen to the monastic prayer and chant each day. Most events are without charge. Join us, beginners welcome.
STEVEN FAUX: THE PSALMS PROJECT Steven Faux is an award winning composer of TV and film scores. He also writes orchestral-choral music for concert performance and commercial release. The Psalms Project is contemporary journey through the vivid landscape of the Old Testament Psalms, told in the musical language of feature films: ‘the movie soundtrack to the Psalms’. The Psalms Project is music for the 21st Century. It has a contemporary feel, and a cinematic symphonic, choral sound. Lighting, video projection, and backing tracks are an integral part of this live multimedia event. The Psalms Project was greeted with unanimous praise at two concert performances in Bath in November 2009. People, who seldom enter a church, who in some cases knew virtually nothing about the Bible, were genuinely moved by these ancient verses, and astonished at how relevant they are to life in the 21st Century. Since then the piece has been performed live on BBC Radio 4 from Bath Abbey, at All Souls, Langham Place and at the New Wine Conference. www.stevenfaux.com Tickets £5 Adults, £2 Students/Children
Available from the Abbey Bookshop or on the door
Front Cover Riding Lights Roughshod are here with Take the World on Palm Sunday at 7.30pm
Thursday 29th March
29th March
An extraordinary journey through some of the first forty Psalms. As I listened to the opening performance in St. Michael’s Bath, I found myself deeply moved. Just for a while I realised that I had stepped aside and paid attention once again to the mystery and miracle of God. I had been refreshed and renewed!’ Rt Revd Peter Maurice, Bishop of Taunton
6pm Birdcage Café Opens
7.30pm The Psalms Project
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Each year young artists from the sixth form at Malmesbury School produce a provocative, beautiful and challenging body of work that is a highlight of our holy week festival. These final ASLevel pieces together tell the story of Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, his crucifixion and death, and his resurrection – known traditionally as the Stations of the Cross. Artwork right: Emily Hawkings THE BIRDCAGE CAFÉ is a very popular part of both Malmesbury Abbey Skate and our Holy Week Festival. One of the real joys of Holy week is simply to sit on leather sofa with a fresh fairtrade cup of coffee as the 12th century beauty of the Abbey is filled with life, music and prayer. The Birdcage Café will normally be open from 8.30am-11.30am, 2-4pm and 7-10pm.
30th March
THE LABYRINTH: From Friday at 2pm through to the late afternoon of Maundy Thursday we invite you to drop in at any time the Abbey is open to walk this ancient spiritual journey of reflection and self-discovery representing the journey taken by Christ towards the cross. Suitable for both adults and young people.
8am Morning Prayer
12noon Midday Prayer
2pm Labyrinth & Prayer Chapel Open
Friday 30th March DAILY PRAYER: From the opening of our Holy Week Festival through to the end of Good Friday we’ll be meeting each day in the Abbey for Morning Prayer (8am), Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer (4pm) and occasionally Night Prayer. This rhythm of prayer echoes the Jewish customs of the Old Testament and the practices of the earliest monastic communities. Our hope is that our (holy) week together will be shaped by the prayer and praise of God.
7.30PM: HOLY WEEK TIMELINE What actually happened when in the very first Holy Week? When was Jesus arrested? Who paid off Judas, when? When did Peter deny Christ? 60 minutes with Paul Tilley and Lee Barnes looking at Timeline of the very first Holy Week.
4pm Evening Prayer
7.30pm Holy Week Time Line: Paul Tilley & Lee Barnes
10pm Night Prayer
Saturday 31st March
STATIONS: MEET THE ARTISTS
Artwork left: Jesus Carries the Cross by Lily Thomson
At 10am a chance over a coffee to informally meet the young artists behind this year’s Stations of the Cross art exhibition in the Abbey’s south aisle. We will walk around the exhibition as the A-level students answer questions and talk about their work, from conception and engagement with the ancient biblical text, through extensive development to the final piece. Admission Free.
LATE NIGHT: POETRY EMERGING
31st March
At 10pm an opportunity to rest in the atmosphere of your imagination sparked by the poetry of Lee Barnes (right), the Abbey premiere of 'Son' by Tristan Cork, as well as visual poetry, and ending with a creative spoken word climax. Come and be part of a gathering and let words emerge like light from the darkness. All are welcome and all will be able to take some poetry home. Admission Free.
8am Morning Prayer
10am Meet the Artists
12noon Midday Prayer
7.30pm GARETH DAVIES-JONES
Professional since 2003, Irish-born singer-songwriter Gareth Davies-Jones has demonstrated an honesty, depth and passion with his beautifully arranged, evocative and challenging songs. Recognised by commentators as an established talent in the Troubadour tradition Gareth is a seasoned performer, activist and campaigner often using his music to promote social justice and working with organisations such as Traidcraft. With regular solo tours in the UK and Ireland his music has been featured on BBC National and Local Radio. Collaborations and support work includes Yvonne Lyon, Calum Stewart, Megson, Waterson Carthy, Spiers & Boden, Steve Tilston, Jez Lowe, Paul Field and Karine Polwart. Originally from County Down, Gareth now lives in the Tyne Valley in Northumberland. Gareth is collaborating with Lee Barnes & Neill Archer to create a Folk Eucharist for Palm Sunday at 4pm. www.garethdavies-jones.com Tickets ÂŁ4 Adults, ÂŁ2 Students/Children
4pm Evening Prayer
7.30pm Gareth DaviesJones
Available from the Abbey Bookshop or on the door
10pm Late Night: Poetry Emerging
Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is when the church globally remembers the entrance of Christ on the streets of Jerusalem prior to the events of Holy Week. Services in or outside the Abbey today are: 8am 10.30am 4pm
Palm Sunday
7.30pm
BCP Holy Communion (in the Choir Stalls) Outdoor Communion Folk Communion with poetry by Lee Barnes and music by Gareth Davies-Jones Riding Lights
8am BCP Holy Communion
10.30am Outdoor Communion
4pm Folk Communion
On a beautiful, crazed, spinning planet 7 billion people are making sense of it all. Ideas, opinions, disappointments and dreams compete while lives are lived and everyday miracles are missed. Riding Lights Roughshod Theatre Company presents TAKE THE WORLD, a thumping mix of physical theatre, comedy, music and story-telling. TAKE THE WORLD is an entertaining, comic ride that has a hard edge, cutting back to the message of an ancient book with a contemporary bite.
7.30pm. Tickets ÂŁ6 & ÂŁ4 (conc.) from the Abbey Bookshop
7.30pm Riding Lights Roughshod
Monday 2nd April
RETREAT: CAVE REFECTORY ROAD A Holy Week journey exploring personal transformation, the reshaping of community and renewal of the earth. Drawing on insights from ancient monasticism, modern jazz, contemporary art and the timeless gospels Ian Adams will help us to reimagine how we might live in the way of Jesus in our own contexts. Ian Adams is a poet, writer, and artist working with themes of spirituality, culture and community. He is a director of the StillPoint project nurturing spiritual practice from within the Christian contemplative-active tradition. He is the creator of the morning bell daily call to prayer, and author of 'Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living' (Canterbury Press). Ian is an Anglican priest and founder of mayBe, an experimental Anglican community in Oxford. He is an Associate Missioner with Fresh Expressions, he facilitates the Missional Communities, Orders and Projects Hub at CMS, and is a member of the Spirituality and Worship group at Greenbelt Festival. Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday at 2.30pm or 6pm. Cost: £10 for three sessions. Please book at 01666 826666 or sandie@malmesburyabbey.com
LATE NIGHT: SALLY ARCHER For a captivating performance, powerful vocals and a mix of interesting harmonies and soulful music, find Sally Archer on the late night stage with her band at 10pm.
2nd April
Admission is free and her EP “Wonder” will be on sale. sallyarcher.bandcamp.com
8am 12 noon Morning Midday Prayer Prayer
2.30pm Retreat: Cave
4pm Evening Prayer
6pm Retreat: Cave
10pm Late Night: Sally Archer
Tuesday 3rd April
INTERVIEW : GOD & DINOSAURS
At 7.30pm we are joined in the Abbey by palaeontologist and Christian Dr Mike Taylor to talk about the two dinosaurs he has discovered and named: Xenoposeidon (alien earthquake god) and Brontomerus (thunder thighs) seen above in a life restoration by the artist Francisco Gasco. Mike is a computer programmer by day, a campaigning writer in The Guardian on free access to publicly –funded research, and a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol. Admission Free.
LATE NIGHT: MOZART REQUIEM
3rd April
At 10pm a late night preview of Mozart’s Requiem. Sung in a darkened Abbey sung by the Abbey Choir & soloists, conductor John Hughes, with Mark Bensted organ. Lasts for approximately 45 minutes. Admission Free. (More details on Good Friday)
8am 12 noon 2.30pm 4pm 6pm 7.30pm 10pm Morning Midday Retreat: Evening Retreat: Interview: Late Night: Prayer Prayer Refectory Prayer Refectory Mike Taylor Mozart
Wednesday 4th April
Prayer Walk
Artwork: Jesus carries the Cross by Nile Hoskins
At 7pm a chance to get on the streets of Malmesbury, to pray for our town and to ask for God’s blessing upon it. Leaving at from outside Dyson, the Activity Zone and Athelstan House and converging on the Abbey at 8pm for Anthem (see below.) More details from the Abbey cream sheet on Palm Sunday.
Anthem At 8pm an hour of passionate praise and anthemic worship led by Tom Price and his band. A chance to be together with the church and alone with God, abandoned in worship and prayer with songs by Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Dave Crowder and Lisa & Michael Gungor.
LATE NIGHT: ROSIE ARCHER It’s a man’s world, At Last, Trust in me...Rosie Archer and friends with a late night tribute to the late, great Etta James and classics from Billie Holiday and Mama Cass Elliott. Admission Free.
April 4th
Artwork Left: The Women of Jerusalem by Tilly Thompson
8am 10.30am 12 noon 2.30pm/6pm 4pm Morning Holy Com- Midday Retreat: Evening Prayer munion Prayer Road Prayer
8pm 10pm Anthem Rosie Archer
Maundy Thursday
10am: Treasure Hunt
Artwork Detail: The Resurrection by Francesca Cook
At 10am children aged 3-11 can join Revd Katie Windle at the Abbey for a treasure hunt that tells the story of Holy Week. We’ll be going outside so please bring your wellies and some money for cakes in the Birdcage Café afterwards. Katie is the Anglican Chaplain at Malmesbury CE Primary School
Holy Communion with Footwashing
12noon & 4pm
Maundy Thursday
‘Jesus knew that the Father had put all things in his power...so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet.’ (John 13:3-5) Our Maundy Thursday Communions at 12 noon and 4pm re-enact the meal and the footwashing of the Last Supper.
8am Morning Prayer
10am Treasure Hunt
12 noon & 4pm Holy Communion with Footwashing
7pm Youth Event
9pm Stripping the Sanctuary
Good Friday
A day of prayer and worship, silence and stillness as we join with two billion Christians around the world to reflect on the crucifixion and death of Jesus of Nazareth: 8am Morning Prayer 10.30am Service of the Cross—for all ages 12pm March of Witness & Churches Together service in Birdcage Walk 6pm Devotional Concert: Mozart’s Requiem with readings from St John’s Gospel John Hughes, with Malmesbury Abbey Choir and soloists perform Mozart’s astonishing Requiem, left unfinished at his death in 1791 and completed by his friend and copyist Franz Süssmayr. Admission is free.
9pm Service of the Tomb—Night Prayer
Good Friday
After this service all activities cease at the Abbey until The Vigil begins at 11pm on Saturday Night.
8am Morning Prayer
10.30am Service of the Cross
12noonMarch of Witness
6pm Devotional Concert
9pm Service of the Tomb
Easter Eve THE VIGIL: The Abbey is deliberately silent and empty on Easter Eve as we identify with the loss and nothingness of the tomb of Jesus. But at 11pm the spiritual preparation for Easter Day begins with an all-night vigil with worship and readings every half hour telling the story of the redemption of God’s people. This year, weather permitting, we hope to re-enact the Christian tradition of having a outdoor fire throughout the night. Details from lee@malmesburyabbey.com. Artwork left: The Resurrection by Francesca Cook
Easter Day is a day of joy and celebration for the global Christian community. As the Sun rises we begin a day long celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are very welcome to join us for:
Easter Day
6am Renewal of Baptismal Vows & Dawn Holy Communion 8am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion with Choir & Organ 4pm Informal Family Worship and Baptisms 6.30pm Choral Evensong
Easter Day
Easter Day brings our Holy Week Festival 2011 to a close but the Stations of the Cross art exhibition remains in the South Aisle for some time.
6am Dawn Service
8am BCP Holy Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Informal Worship
6.30pm Choral Evensong
Photo: Walter Dirks
Malmesbury Abbey Parish Office The Old Squash Court Holloway Malmesbury Wiltshire SN16 9BA 01666 826666
www.malmesburyabbey.com