Holy Week
Festival 2013 Malmesbur y Abbey
20th –31st March
Welcome Jazz, Science, Dance, Blues, Café, Poetry, Art, Soul, Choral, Dr ama, Prayer, Labyrinth Hospitality has been at the heart of Malmesbury Abbey for over 1,300 years; it still is. Last December we welcomed over 3,500 people through the doors of the Abbey for our Christmas celebrations; people young and old, coming to both our brand new Malmesbury Nativity and to our many traditional carol services. We ran out of chairs, we ran out of mulled wine, we loved every moment. This March, we want to make a similar warm invitation to the entire community to join us for our seventh Holy Week Festival, which begins on Wednesday 20th March with breathtaking professional theatre from Riding Lights (see right) and culminates in a special Easter from Malmesbury Abbey, broadcast on BBC Radio Wiltshire. In between, the amazing spiritual and dramatic space of the Abbey will be a venue for jazz, soul, organ improvisation, French poetry, dance workshops for children and young people, blues/rock, an art exhibition from Malmesbury School and of course a café, monastic prayer and a prayer labyrinth. And, following on from the immense success of our God and Dinosaurs evening last year, this year a professor of biochemistry asks: Does science disprove God? You, your friends and your family are very welcome to be a part of everything in this brochure; and if you only come to church once in a blue moon, well, one of our services on Easter Day should probably be that blue moon. As a vicar, when I look in the mirror I know when the man looking back at me needs a spiritual MOT. You’re invited to join us for yours this Holy Week. Neill Archer.
www.malmesburyabbey.com
Wed 20th March
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Riding Lights Theatre What does it mean to say that “we’re all in it together”?
“Riding Lights’ talent for delving into and exposing those emotions that drive human endeavour excels in this play.” “The quality of the music was exceptional” “There is a lot of laughter, with Riding Lights’ knack for interjecting just the right amount of humour in the right places.”
7.30pm Riding Lights Theatre: A Different Drum
In the blood of a flea, wrapped in a bundle of French silk, the plague arrives in the Derbyshire village of Eyam. With it comes a devastating decision. As the entire community chooses the bold path of sacrifice… they begin to march to the sound of a different drum. Beginning in the 17th century, the play follows a thread through history to the present day, picking up accounts of other men and women who dare to break the boundaries of self-interest. Beating with a heart of resistance and selflessness, these are stories of individuals who set out in hope and discover their potential for remarkable love in action. Full of life and colourful music, a different drum imagines how different the world could be if we responded unswervingly to the golden rule – ‘do unto others as you would have them do to you.’ Recreated for 2013, one of Riding Lights’ most inspirational plays is arriving at Malmesbury Abbey on March 20th. (Pictures left.) Tickets £10 on the door, at the abbey or online at www.ridinglights.org/drum. Café
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Fri 22nd March
Tristan Cork
At 10pm, get ready for the world's only Scrumpy & Western wurzelrapper. ‘Corky’ appears at pubs in the winter, festivals in the summer (WOMAD, Summer Breeze, SOLAM, SomerFest and CalneFest) and across the West Country, supporting the likes of Mr B. Gentleman Rhymer and The Wurzels. The Late Night gig for Holy Week festival will see a gentler, laid-back acoustic side with a mixture of originals, unexpected covers, some high-tech gadgetry and maybe the only rap song about how good he is at skittles. Admission Free.
Passion for God At 7.30pm on Friday, be inspired by an evening of passionate worship and challenging teaching, with guest speaker Revd Si Jones. Si is a conference speaker and vicar at St Michael's Church in Stoke Gifford, North Bristol, where they have a vision to serve the community and build up people in their discipleship. Previously, Si spent the last 11 years in London, developing alternative community within the Anglican church and pioneering the Youth Alpha course. Married to Karen with two teenage children, he is an avid Rugby fan! Admission Free. Café. Abbey Café open from 9.30am during the Festival
9am Morning Prayer 9.30am Café & Labyrinth open 12.30pm Midday Prayer 4pm Evening Prayer 7.30pm Passion for God 10pm LATE: Tristan Cork
Stations of the Cross:
Sat 23rd March
Meet the Artists
Raw emotions, passion, beauty. At 10.30am 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 together, 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 their final piece. Admission Free. Café.
9am Morning Prayer 10.30am Meet the Artists 12 .30pm Midday Prayer 4pm Evening Prayer 8pm Live: Josh Flowers & the Wild with support from Sally Archer (see over)
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6 Sat 23rd March
Sally Archer Be at the Abbey at 8pm on Saturday March 23rd for a stunning night of live music with a café and bar by donation. The soul of Sally Archer opening up at 8pm, followed by the blues rock of Josh Flowers & the Wild (see right.) Originally from London, Sally Archer is a 23-year-old singer songwriter. With influences ranging from Regina Spektor to Frank Sinatra, her music “channels emotions that everyone can relate to”. Described as ‘Daughter meets Florence’, Sally brings together soul, pop, blues and folk, resulting in beautifully harrowing, organic and unpretending music. Her profoundly honest songs and heartfelt live performances have been impressing audiences all over the UK. Her most recent EP, Fades, was released early January 2013 and can be found at www.sally-archer.co.uk/fades.html Admission for both bands: £3 & £2 (students, unwaged etc.) Café etc.
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Josh Flowers & the Wild Josh Flowers & The Wild infuse searing blues vocals with organic folk musicality, and raw rock and roll sensibilities. The London-based five-piece are fronted by esoteric frontman Josh Flowers, whose evocative lyrics and bucolic image organically compliment the rustic quality of the band’s inimitable ingenuity and sound. The band’s high energy live performances grip audiences with sumptuous vocal harmonies, permeated by Josh’s transition from passive, opulent folk-inspired tones to a blues-ridden, blistering growl. Josh’s multi-faceted musicality is effortlessly complemented by the inspired musicianship alongside him. The result is a flawlessly in-tune performance, both aurally and visually, that feels as fluently natural as it does scrupulously rehearsed. "Amazing vocals, contagious beats and a mischievous set full of fun and enjoyment. Josh Flowers & The Wild clearly love what they do, and they aren’t the only ones. Josh Flowers & The Wild had the crowd in a folk induced frenzy." The Grapevine Music www.joshflowersandthewild.co.uk
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Palm Sunday
There was confusion as the very first Holy Week began. Some were planning to betray Jesus and plotting his crucifixion, some were shouting ‘Hosanna’ (save us) and waving palm branches, and others were yet to hear of this Jesus of Nazareth. Holy Week proper begins today, and the church worldwide remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with palms and shouted hosannas. Our journey continues throughout the week with the Last Supper on Thursday, the crucifixion and burial on Good Friday, and finally the resurrection, celebrated on Easter Day. Four services at the Abbey today: the 10.30am outdoors if the weather allows.
The Labyrinth 2011
8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Outdoor Communion 4pm Informal Café Service 6.30pm Night Prayer with Plainsong
Stations of the Cross 2013
Mon 25th March 9
Anthony Hammond Recently a soloist at St Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco, the National Cathedral in Washington and Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, Dr Anthony Hammond (above) joins us for a unique evening of organ music and poetry. Anthony will be performing a cycle of improvisations conceived around Le Chemin de la Croix, a series of poems by the 20th Century French poet Paul Claudel—a tradition of French organists in Holy Week. 14 poems in translation, 14 improvisations, and an inspiring ‘Way of the Cross' that we will all walk together over an hour and a quarter. Based in Cirencester, Anthony Hammond has recorded numerous CDs on the Priory label and is also known for his improvised accompaniments to classic silent 9am Morning Prayer films, in particular The Phantom of the Op12.30pm Midday Prayer era. He has broadcast for the B.B.C. and has 4pm Evening Prayer given recitals in churches, cathedrals and 7.30pm Anthony Hammond concert halls throughout the U.K. and 10pm Night Prayer Europe. www.anthonyhammond.com Admission £3 & £2 (students, unwaged)
10 Tues 26th March
Peter James Jazz Trio Pianist and composer Peter James returns to the Abbey, after his breathtaking performances in 2009 with the Kairos Ensemble. Pete met his fellow trio members, drummer Thomas Hooper and double-bassist Jeremy Brown, when he moved from North Yorkshire to London in the early 90s to study jazz at the Royal Academy of Music. The trio was formed in 2008 with the release, to critical acclaim, of their debut album Visions and Vistas. Their second album, Soul Story (2011), reflecting on themes of death and resurrection, was listed among the best releases of the year by Jamie 9am Morning Prayer 11am Dance Workshop 1 12.30pm Midday Prayer 2pm Dance Workshop 2 4pm Evening Prayer 7.30pm Peter James Jazz 10pm Night Prayer
Cullum, on Radio 2 and Jazzwise magazine. "A musician with a strong identity and inner calling... as an improviser James is lucid and imaginative and truly communicates...a talent with a lot to say and the vocabulary to say it soulfully!" Julian Joseph. Tickets £3 & £2 on the door at the Abbey. www.peterjamesjazz.com Café open.
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Dance Workshops Springs Dance Company prides itself on offering workshops that are immense fun for young people but also an exceptional educational experience, described recently as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Dancers Naomi Cook and Claire Rodemark from Springs join us to lead four dance workshops based on Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant, a story about the joy of childlikeness which encourages us to open our hearts to others. It tells of compassion, repentance, forgiveness, selflessness and acceptance— portraying beautifully, for Holy Week, the transforming power of friendship with Christ. Parents are advised to book their children and young people in for either Sessions 1 & 3 (Years 3-6 at 11am) or Sessions 2 & 4 (Years 7 and above at 2pm). The workshops take place in the Abbey itself on Tuesday and Wednesday and the café will be open. www.springsdancecompany.org.uk Tickets £10 for two sessions ( 1&3 or 2&4) from the Abbey Bookshop or on the day, if available. Sessions limited to 30 young people.
12 Wed 27th March
Does Science disprove God? At 7.30pm on Wednesday a talk with Q&A by Professor Andrew Halestrap. Andrew is Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Bristol and chairs the Steering Committee of The Bristol Heart Institute. His research interests include the transport of lactic acid in and out of cells and protecting hearts from the damage that occurs following a heart attack and during heart surgery. He has published more than 200 research 9am Morning Prayer papers, was awarded the Keilin Memorial Lecture 11am Dance Workshop 3 of the Biochemical society in 2010 and is a Fellow 12.30pm Midday Prayer of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He is on sev2pm Dance Workshop 4 eral Editorial Boards and is on the council of The 4pm Evening Prayer British Heart Foundation, for whom he chairs the 7.30pm Andrew Halestrap Project Grants Committee. Professor Halestrap 10pm LATE NIGHT: also chairs The Bristol School of Christian studies Vaughan Williams Mass in and is Chairman elect of Christians in Science. In G Minor his talk "Does Science disprove God?" Professor Halestrap will consider the relationship between Science and Faith, and more specifically counter the arguments of those, such as Richard Dawkins, that Science makes belief in God untenable. Admission Free. Arrive early.
Maundy Thursday 13
9am Morning Prayer 12.30pm Midday Prayer 4pm Evening Prayer 6pm The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday—including Holy Communion
14 Good Friday
Good Friday A day of prayer and worship, silence and stillness as Malmesbury Abbey joins with two billion Christians around the world to reflect on the crucifixion and death of Jesus of Nazareth. At 6pm there is a special devotional concert, where John Hughes with Malmesbury Abbey Choir and soloists perform Vaughan Williams’ modal and atmospheric Mass in G minor, interspersed with readings from St Mark’s Gospel. Admission is free. At 8pm, a simple service of Night Prayer brings our day to a close as await our Easter Eve service and our Easter Day celebrations.
9am Morning Prayer 10.30am Service of the Cross— for all ages 12 noon March of Witness & Churches Together Service in Birdcage Walk 6pm Devotional Concert: Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G minor & readings from St Mark. 8pm Service of the Tomb— Night Prayer
Easter Eve & Easter Day 15
Easter Day Easter Eve and Easter Day are slightly different at the Abbey in 2013. On Easter Eve , Saturday 30th March, Malmesbury Abbey is delighted to be working in partnership with BBC Wiltshire, recording Easter from Malmesbury Abbey for broadcast on Easter Day and Easter Monday. Unfortunately tickets are no longer available for this event, but you can listen in on BBC Radio Wiltshire. On Easter day, we join with the joy and celebration of the global Christian community for a day long celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are very welcome to join us at any of our four services. You are particularly advised to arrive early for our 10.30am and 4pm services if you would like a seat. Easter Day 8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Family Celebration 6.30pm Choral Evensong
12th Century Beauty 21st Century Church
Malmesbury Abbey Parish Office The Old Squash Court Holloway Malmesbury Wiltshire SN16 9BA 01666 826666 www.malmesburyabbey.com