KPN Autumn 2012

Kensington Parish News St Mary Abbots | Christ Church | St Philip’s stmaryabbotschurch.org

Autumn 2012 | Free

Harvest in the Parish

How long have you been in College which used to be at the top teaching? Oli: Eighteen years, the of Campden Hill Road. We moved L I N DA M O O D B E L L L EARNING C ENTRES last four as Head of Paddington to Bayswater recently so coming Academy. My subject? Biology. back here seemed the obvious Chris: This is my twentieth year. thing to do. And of course it’s I’ve been a Head for eight years, totally beautiful. When you live in the last two as Executive Principal London it’s good to have a church of Harris Academy Greenwich to belong to, in a city where there’s and Harris Academy Chafford so much going on. It provides a Hundred in Essex. I’m a mathema- community and it’s something you tician. But my first career was as a can do as a family. How have you professional footballer.

I became foundinstruction your first year at SMA? Oli: Our research-validated goes a teacher as it allowed me to play Fantastic. It’s so friendly and we’ve beyond traditional tutoring with: semi-professionally. Can you think loved every minute of it. We got inof one advantage andThe oneRight disad- Evaluation volved from the start in the Sunday vantage of being married to anoth- groups. Gareth and Gillean and The Right Instruction er head teacher? Oli: An advanabsolutely brilliant, both of them, The Right Learning Environment tage? That you can get an opinion for different reasons. Gillean’s serfrom someone who completely mons are fantastic. The downside understands the job. A disadvanof doing Sunday school regularly tage? That you can get an opinion is that I miss so many of them. from someone who completely Chris: Yes, fantastic. We walk to understands the job...! Chris: It’s church through the park in the th great to have someone a total from early morning Thursday 8 with November 6:30 p.m. - and 8:30then p.m.find the understanding of the circumstancgives us a grounding and a with a presentationservice at 7:00 p.m. es you work in. The disadvantage is chance to reflect every week. I have that education can be very ina tremendous amount of respect ward looking and you can get too for Gillean. He’s wonderful. He Call now for information and to reserveand yourinspiraspace: engrossed in it, losing perspective gives me the strength at tills. Do you ever talk about tion for the week ahead... [That’s anything else? Chris: When we talk enough about Gillean - Ed] What about our work too much Daisy role does faith House play at your school?

Eardley (our 2-year old daughter) asks Oli: My school is multi-faith 182-184 Campden Hill Road so we us to change the subject! What London Prayer W8 7AS have Friday and a Chrisbrought you to St Mary Abbots? tian meeting on the same day. Our www.LindamoodBell.co.uk Oli: I went to St Mary Abbots years daily assemblies are values and ago as a student. I was at Kings ethos driven, rather than religious.

W

e teach READING, SPELLING, and COMPREHENSION.

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A u tu m n 2 0 1 2

Contents 7

Vicar’s Voice - Fr Gillean Craig

8

Exciting Times for The Church of England - Fr Gillean Craig

10 Maryann Turner, In Memoriam by David Banks 12 The Birth of the Book of Common Prayer

by Rev’d Mark O’ Donoghue 15 Olympic Connections at SMA by Jane MacAllan 16 Interview with Chris and Oli Tomlinson by Barbara Want 18 SMA School’s Jubilee Street Party 20 Joint Schools’ Jubilee Service by Eloise Twisk 23 The Gospel by SMA’s Senior Sunday School Group 24

Christ Church Animal Service by Dido Weale

26

The Olympics at St Philip’s by Lesley Raymond David Wilson

Would readers wishing to submit articles for our next issue Winter 2012 or would like to advertise in the KPN (all proceeds to the church) please email kensingtonparishnews@googlrmail.com

Editors: Fiona Braddock and Olga Pantyukhova. Printed by Print Express. Distributed free through our three parish churches. Copyright remains the property of the respactive authors. Heartfelt thanks, as always, to all our contributors.

Chris: Both my schools are multi-faith and we have prayer rooms for students of all faiths. Sometimes we get the children in Year 7 to turn a classroom into a place of worship where they discuss features of different faiths and beliefs.

We get religious leaders in too.

Schools have a responsibility to demonstrate religious and cultural diversity. Were you apprehensive about talking to the KPN? Oli: Yes, in our jobs we prefer to keep a low profile. But I simply couldn’t say ‘no’ to Father Gillean...W

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23/08/2012 17:33

FROM THE CLERGY

VICAR’S VOICE Fr Gillean Graig

I

wonder what the judgement of history will be – but I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if 2012 went down in the annals as The Great Year of London. I believe that we have been extraordinarily priveleged to live here throughout this remarkable period, with then the olympics and Paralympics.

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Any one of them would furnish a lifetime’s memories to treasure and events to ponder over – but to have all three within a few months will be something to tell the generations that come after for many, many decades. They have each provided us, as Christian people seeking to minister and witness to our community, with much that we can rejoice over and build on.

believe, that the overwhelming affection for and loyalty to our monarch lies far deeper within the nation (and far beyond these shores, of course) than anything merely personal to elizabeth II, important though that is. At the level that articulate I sense that we know the blessing of having an anointed, sacral monarch, uniting us far more than could any elected or appointed Head of State, complementing and sanctifying at atavistic level our democratic institutions. despite the rain, the glorious street parties, the pageantry, the fun all combined to build a new sense of neighbourliness that embraced all backgrounds and cultures. we found, once

‘what a privilege to welcome the world to our city...and to play so successful a part as host’ more, that all the best elements of our history developing in new and unforeseen ways.

And the olympics and Paralympics were more entirely glorious than anyone dared predict (although the indications were all there, if we were willing to look beyond our default

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REGULAR WORSHIP

FROM THE CLERGY moaning and whingeing). what a privilege to welcome the world to our city, to provide the venues and facilities that enabled astonishing feats of human endeavour and achievement, and to play so successful a part as host nation. For many, the Paralympics were the even greater

ST MARY ABBOTS

‘all the best elements of our history are still not as dead as we feared, that we can surprise

scarcely credible performances. These games made us reconsider so many assumptions, making us more open to the abilities of nations, cultures and people we’re too quick to write off, helping us to see everyone as children of the same heavenly Father, who endows his creation with almost unbelievable potentialities. And perhaps best of all the quite extraordinary volunteers, the Gamesmakers proving that the spirit of tireless and willing service of others is

unique events present us, as the Body of Christ in this place, with a challenge: how are we going to learn from this, how are we going to incorporate our new insights of inclusion and cross-cultural fellowship; how are we going to build on the welcome and celebration of others, and, inspired by the Holy Spirit, take to new breadth and depth our joyful service of our neighbours?

EXCITING TIMES FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND!

w

e’re exPerIenCInG lively days as members of the Church of england. To start with, any day now, and certainly by the time you read this magazine, two names will

once he receives the names to ask my opinion as to whether I think either of them is up to the job – but of course he acts with absolute scrupulosity and wouldn’t consider anything

the post of Archbishop of Canterbury, to take over once rowan williams steps down at the end of the year. People are constantly asking me if I have any idea of who will be chosen, but I honestly don’t, and the announcement will be as much a surprise to me as to anyone.

we will of course pray for God’s blessing on our Archbishop-to-be and prepare to receive his leadership with whole hearted loyalty.

Secondly, there is the continuing and often heated debate in the area of human sexuality, focussed particularly on the government’s desire to open the status of marriage to include

Cameron to have a quiet consultation with me 8

response which declared itself to be absolutely

opposed to such a move, but simultaneously the Archbishops had set up a commission to consider and write a report on Human Sexuality. Since the last major report on this theme Civil Partnerships have been established, and most commentators would say that British society as a whole has moved to far greater acceptance of same-sex partnerships -so it is right for the established Church to think hard Commission invited churches and individuals to make submissions for its consideration, and I feel strongly enough about the issue to do so.

I think it right that you should have the chance to know my opinions as your Vicar, so you can at www.stmaryabbots.com. Let me stress that what I wrote was very deliberately set out as my own, personal view. It is not in any way the view of our parish, nor the result of discussion with the clergy team. The thing that encourages me about these two matters is the way the media treats them as real news: the announcement of Archbishop rowan’s retirement produced wide spread discussion about the success or otherwise of his Archiepiscopate, and fevered speculation about his possible successor.

And where the national Church positions itself in respect of Civil Partnership and ‘Gay the subject of great public interest. I welcome all this media attention: it gives the lie to the received wisdom that the Church of england has now withered into a minority sect of no consequence or importance. The truth is quite the opposite: what we believe and what we This underlines our Gospel challenge, the task set before us as Christian people, to minister with loving service to our community and our society.

Sundays 8.00 am 9.30 am 11.15 am 12.30 pm 6.30 pm

Mondays 8.30 am 1.05 pm 5.30 pm Tuesdays 8.30 am 9.15 am 11.30 am 5.30

xxx

Holy Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST (with Creche & Sunday School) Choral Matins & Sermon Holy Eucharist Evensong with Sermon & Holy Eucharist (1st Sunday of month: Taize Prayer & Holy Eucharist) Morning Prayer Sunday on Monday service Evening Prayer Morning Prayer Informal Holy Eucharist Holy Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer) Evening Prayer

Wednesdays 7.10 am 7.30 am 2.00 pm 5.30 pm

Morning Prayer Holy Eucharist 3rd Weds in the month: Holy Eucharist with Laying-on of Hands & Anointing Evening Prayer

Thursdays 7.10 am Morning Prayer 9.30 am St Mary Abbots School Eucharist (in term time - all welcome) 5.30 pm Evening Prayer Fridays 7.10 am 7.30 am 5.30 pm

Morning Prayer Holy Communion Evening Prayer

Saturdays 9.40 am 10.00 am 5.30 pm

Morning Prayer Holy Eucharist Evening Prayer

On MAJOR FEASTDAYS additional Services also offered: see the Bulletin & Noticeboard.

CHRIST CHURCH Sundays 8.00 am 11.00 am 11.00 am

Holy Communion (on 1st, 3rd &5th Sundays in the month & on major Feasts): SUNG EUCHARIST with Sermon (Sunday School) (on 2nd & 4th Sundays in the month): Sung Matins with Sermon (with Sunday School)

ST PHILIP’S Sundays 8.30 am 10.30 am 9.00 pm

Holy Communion SUNG EUCHARIST (with Sunday School) 1st Sundays: all- age service with Eucharist Night Prayer

Monday to Friday 9.10 am Morning Prayer

‘the sensitivity of her faith and her professional training for the theatre enabled her to bring special enrichment to our worship...’

MARYANN TURNER 23 August 1934 - 17 July 2012

by David Banks

ArYAnn Turner kept a long succession of blue budgerigars, eighteen of them in all, named George I, George II, George III and so on, right up to George xIx – since there was, of course, no George xIII. The last of the

She knew my favourites were broad beans

she charged me a premium. The proceeds from her sales of produce and handicrafts were given in aid of one of her many causes, Cricket Club - of which she was patron. over the years the parochial church councils

Born in India in 1934,

commitment and wisdom. The sensitivity of her faith and her professional training for the theatre enabled her to bring special enrichment to our worship when she read from Holy Scripture at the lectern.

new Zealand followed by drama school in London. was the stage, and who continued to work until shortly before she died,

springing from her strong Christian convictions, were married to an infectious

appeared in EastEnders, Casualty, The Bill and several other highly popular television programmes. dividing her time between London and

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humour and sense of fun. Her gentle inquisitiveness and capacity to relate to people of all ages and backgrounds led her to extend a warm welcome and hand of friendship to many newcomers and

in many aspects of community life both

an active member of the Conservative Party in both Kensington and norfolk.

Always busy baking and preserving, knitting

she had a cottage, longstanding family connections and, it seemed to me, cousins in almost every nearby village. She was

output was spectacular. Fruit and vegetables she grew in norfolk were sold from her shopping trolley during Sunday morning coffee

she and her mother, Kathleen, were devoting much of their time to running an old folks’ club in Chelsea, even though many of the elderly were in fact considerably younger than Kathleen.

to the nearby churchyard so that I could pay now lies there too, her body committed

by Father Gareth to the norfolk soil and her soul to the love of her redeemer.

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CHRIST CHURCH

CHRIST CHURCH

1662 & ALL THAT!

the Lord’s Supper and the Pope. Cranmer was pulled from the pulpit, in a scene immortalized

to understand and respond to God’s purposes in Christ. As the account of Cranmer’s martyrdom reminds us, the Prayer Book was born out of

out through the streets of oxford to the stake where Bishops Latimer and ridley had died

and, moreover, comes from the Protestant side of the debate. The emphasis in the Prayer Book would be on hearing and understanding rather than seeing as in the mediaeval church. However, all involved were clear that the gospel proclaimed by the BCP was far from abeth I stressed ‘that there was no new faith propagated in england, no new religion set up but that which was commanded by our Saviour, practised by the Primitive Church and approved by the Fathers of the best antiquity.’

Cranmer stretched out the hand with which he had signed the recantations for all to see and condemned ‘his unworthy right hand’.

Rev’d Mark O’ Donoghue celebrates the 350th Birthday of the Book of Common Prayer

A

x still marks the spot in Broad Street, oxford, where Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, chief architect of the Book of Common Prayer, was burned at the stake in 1556. no doubt hoping for a reprieve from arrest and execution, Cranmer had made several recantations of his earlier Protestant views. Assuming he was still willing to do so, the authorities gave However, all did not go according to plan as the

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brave archbishop explained: ‘the great thing, which so much troubleth my conscience.’

The authorities thought Cranmer would go on to denounce his own ‘untrue’ writings and declare his belief in the roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. However, to their great surprise, he referred instead to his recantations as ‘contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart’ and written ‘for fear of death’ and went

As striking a death as his was, an even more remarkable legacy survives Cranmer and his ‘unworthy’ hand, not only in the Church of england but across the globe, in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. earlier this year, at a wonderful service in St Paul’s Cathedral, to celebrate the BCP’s 350th anniversary, the Bishop of London described the Prayer Book as ‘an audacious attempt’ to reshape the culture of england by collapsing the distinction between private personal devotion and public liturgical worship. The goal was to create a godly community in which all and not just the clergy had access to the ‘pure milk of the Gospel’. The result, Bishop richard argued, was nothing less than a cultural revolution, in which our Island Story would crystallize ‘around the biblical narrative of God’s dealings’ with his people.

And what glorious english, as regulars at Christ Church, where the BCP is used every Sunday, will testify! The combination of Tyndale’s translation of the english Bible and Cranmer’s new english liturgy enabled all people

Today, whenever clergy are ordained in the Church that the Church: ‘professes the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds … Led by the Holy Spirit, it has borne witness to Christian truth in its historic formularies, the Thirty-nine Articles of religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the ordering of Bishops, Priests and deacons.’ foremost, to ‘the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures’ underlining that Anglicans, historically, are Bible-believing Christians. nevertheless, the formularies of the 39 Articles, the ordinal and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer are held up as repositories of this scriptural faith. Indeed, the Bishop of London, in 13

CHRIST CHURCH that service at St Paul’s, declared that the BCP remains ‘a doctrinal standard for the Church and an indispensable part of our identity.’ of course, the Prayer Book doesn’t only serve the church today, it enables us to serve the nalast few years and with London becoming increasingly a cosmopolitan city, enriched by a multitude of distinctive narratives, there is a real desire for a new Island Story. By immersing us in the whole symphony of Scripture and opening up for us a treasury of ancient Christian devotion, the Book of Common Prayer offers us both noble beauty and digestible accessibility. As Bishop richard concluded at St Paul’s: ‘If our civilization is to have a future, the roots must be irrigated and the texts

FROM THE ARCHIVE which we choose to pass on to our children have the power to create a community which ting and spending, but which sees visions with prophets, pursues wisdom with Solomon and lives with the generosity of the God who so loved the world that he was generous and gave

Archivist, Jane MacAllan, recently received an intriguing enquiry from a musician searching for the resting place of composer Francesco Bianchi.

Lord.’

Cranmer quotes came from diarmaid Thomas Cranmer.

and relevance of the Book of Common Prayer, please join us at Christ Church, Victoria Road for an Evensong and Lecture on Thursday 18th October.

T

He musician, who had a particular interest in composers and music of the 18th century knew that the Francesco Bianchi, who was apparently well known in his day, had died in Hammersmith on 27th november 1810 composer’s last resting place.

Bianchi came to London in 1795 to direct a revival of La Vendetta di nino, performed 41 times in six seasons. Between 1795 and 1802 he prepared 14 other works for the King’s Theatre – six of them in collaboration with da Ponte, the poet there from 1793 to 1798.

Between 1802 and 1807 Bianchi travelled between London and Paris, composing operas and directing revivals in both cities. on 15 november 1800 Bianchi married, but separated soon afterwards. Tragically his only

Francesco Guiseppe Bianchi was born in Cremona, Lombardy c1752, he studied with worked mainly in London, Paris and in all the major Italian operatic scenes, Venice, naples,

1807, aged 5. In 1810 The Morning Chronicle and the Gentleman’s Magazine reported that Bianchi had committed suicide at his home in Hammersmith.

The burial services for both Bianchi and for his

He wrote at least 78 operas of all genres, mainly French opera too. These included the drammi per musica (opera seria) Castore e Polluce (Florence 1779), Arbace and Zemira (both naples, 1781), Alonso e Cora (Venice, 1786), Calto and La morte di Cesare (both Venice, 1788), and Seleuco, re di Siria (Venice, 1791), and the opera giocosa La villanella rapita (Süttör, 1784).

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(30th november 1810 and 2nd February 1807 respectively) and they were interred together in the churchyard. Alas the tombstone no longer survives.

The ‘olympic’ connection: in 1781 Bianchi

L’olimpiade - set at the olympic Games!

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INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW Chris: It’s great to have someone with a total understanding of the circumstances you work in. The disadvantage is that education can be very inward looking and you can get too engrossed in it and lose perspective.

Do you ever talk about anything else?

Chris: when we talk about our work too much daisy (our 2-year old daughter) asks us to change the subject!

What brought you to St Mary Abbots?

Oli studen t. I was at Kings College which used to be at the top of Campden Hill road. we moved to Bayswater recently so coming back here seemed the obvious thing to do. And of course it’s totally beautiful.

Chris: when you live in London it’s good to have a church to belong to, in a city where there’s so much going on. It provides a community and it’s something you can do as a family.

HEAD 2 HEAD Barbara Want meets St Mary Abbots second head couple

S

recently welcomed its second ‘head teacher couple’ in the guise of olivia and Chris Tomlinson, both secondary school heads and both of whom

Principal of Harris Academy Greenwich and Harris Academy Chafford Hundred in essex. as a professional footballer. I became a teacher as it allowed me to play semi-professionally.

(we already boast the doyles, nicola and Barnabas and St Philip’ respectively).

How long have you been in teaching?

Oli: eighteen years, the last four as Head of Chris: This is my twentieth year. I’ve been a Head for eight years, the last two as executive 16

Can you think of one advantage and one disadvantage of being married to another head teacher?

Oli: An advantage? That you can get an opinion from someone who completely understands the job. A disadvantage? That you can get an opinion from someone who completely understands the job...!

What role does faith play at your school?

Oli Friday Prayer and a Christian meeting on the same day. our daily assemblies are values and ethos driven, rather than religious.

Chris: Both my schools are multi-faith and we have prayer rooms for students of all faiths.

Sometimes we get the children in Year 7 to turn a classroom into a place of worship where they discuss features of different faiths and beliefs. we get religious leaders in too. Schools have a responsibility to demonstrate religious and cultural diversity.

Were you apprehensive about talking to the KPN? Oli: Yes, in our jobs we prefer to keep a Father Gillean...

Chris in his football days

Oli: Fantastic. It’s so friendly and we’ve loved every minute of it. we got involved from the start in the Sunday groups. Gareth and Gillean and absolutely brilliant, both of them, for different reasons. Gillean’s sermons are fantastic. The downside of doing Sunday school regularly is that I miss so many of them.

Chris: Yes, fantastic. we walk to church through the park in the early morning and

a tremendous amount of respect for Gillean.

He’s wonderful. He gives me the strength and inspiration for the week ahead...

[That’s enough about Gillean - ed] 17

SCHOOLS

SCHOOLS

JUBILEE STREET PARTY AT ST MARY ABBOTS SCHOOL

Fr Gillean and Mrs Doyle under triumphal arch

The teachers in jubilee spirit

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Yummy!

19

SCHOOLS

SCHOOLS

‘the church was completely packed...it was like a wedding’ like ‘All People that on earth do dwell’ and impressive. And the roof was nearly blown off the church when it came to the national Anthem.

St Barnabas and St Philip’s made two Head of the Church and as monarch, and an extraordinary collage – so large that it was longer than the High Altar -showing the great river pageant that was to come that Sunday. banner showing the range of peoples and nations that form the Commonwealth.

Handmade banner by SMA pupils

A

the many celebrations of the

schools. Parent, Bettina witheridge said, ‘It was rather like a wedding – St Barnabas and St

one of the undoubted highlights was the joint service held by two schools in the parish.

Philip’s schools came together for a very special service.

The church was completely packed with hundreds of pupils, staff and parents from both

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extraordinary stories came from Harry Stiff, General Colin wallis-King. “on 6th February 1952, King George VI died

brought to westminster Hall, where he lay in state for the Last Salute.

queued for three miles along the embankment throughout the night. during the vigil, King

But perhaps the most impressive creation of and protected by four uniformed guards, one at each corner.

JOINT SCHOOLS JUBILEE SERVICE Eloise Twisk reports from a memorable service

means to them. others told about a time they, or a member of their family had had the

He had to stand in the same position, with his Said Father Gillean Craig, ‘This was so remarkable that we couldn’t bear to take it down – it featured in the joint schools service, in the great school tea party, then at the united

his head bowed in respect. He was in full dress uniform and wore his heavy bearskin.

Because the bearskin was so heavy they could only stand there for 20 minutes otherwise they

attended by half of Kensington!’ schools) walking down the aisle hand in hand!’ song together - words specially written by St Pupils from both schools did readings and shared the prayers. They had rehearsed the hymns, which included many familiar ones

set to the tune of Greensleeves.

As the people walked past, my grandfather remembers a little girl dropped her bunch of snowdrops by mistake at his feet. She picked them up and asked her mum “do you think 21

ST MARY ABBOTS

Parish Directory Clergy, wardens, vestry and office THE PARISH Vicar of the Parish The Rev'd Gillean Craig Parochial Church Wardens David Banks Adrian Weale Children’s Advocate: Alex Dijkhuis Electoral Roll Officer: Sally Bessada Parish Administrator: Susan Russell

020 7937 6032 07732 743 228 020 7937 0765 07500 607 433 07733 316 063 020 7937 2419

gillean.craig@stmaryabbotschurch.org dcjb@btinternet.com adrianweale@mac.com childrensadvocate@stmaryabbotschurch.org er@stmaryabbotschurch.org susan.russell@stmaryabbotshurch.org

ST MARY ABBOTS Associate Vicar Honorary Priests

The Rev’d Gareth Wardell The Rev’d Mark Letters The Rev’d Peter Stubbs Deputy Churchwardens for St Mary Abbots Church: Carole-Anne Phillips Thomas Williams Vestry/Virger George MacAllan St Mary Abbots Centre Adam Norton (Manager) Director of Music Mark Uglow Stewardship Secretary James Egert Children on Sunday Valerie Eikelberg Friends of St Mary Abbots David Banks (Chairman) Bellringers Rachel Titmuss (Secretary) Kensington Parish News Fiona Braddock (Editor) Friday Playgroup Cosi Middleton-Roy

020 7937 2364 gareth.wardell@stmaryabbotschurch.org 07896 646 878 mark.letters@stmaryabbotschurch.org 020 8868 8296 peter.stubbs@stmaryabbotschurch.org 020 7937 3448 07768 166 422 tw@thomaswilliamsfineart.com 020 7937 5136 george.macallan@stmaryabbotschurch.org 020 7937 8885 adam.norton@stmaryabbotschurch.org music@stmaryabbotschurch.org 07920 591 553 stewardship@stmaryabbotschurch.org children@stmaryabbotschurch.org 07732 743 228 friends@stmaryabbotschurch.org -rt-@live.co.uk kpneditor@stmaryabbotschurch.org 07954 559 905 playgroup@stmaryabbotschurch.org

CHRIST CHURCH Associate Vicar with Special Responsibility for Christ Church The Rev’d Mark O’Donoghue 020 7937 2966 Deputy Wardens: Adrian Weale 020 7937 0765 Philip Witheridge 020 7937 5184 Administrator Adele Pye 020 7937 2966 Director of Music Rupert Perkins

mark@christchurchkensington.com adrianweale@mac.com pip@thewitheridges.com admin@christchurchkensington.com

ST PHILIPS Associate Vicar with Special Responsibility for St Philip The Rev’d David Walsh Non-Stipendiary Ministers The Rev’d Lesley Perry The Rev’d Ijeoma Ajibade Deputy Wardens: Anne Steele Callum Stewart Licensed Reader Rupert Steele Administrator Liz Christie Membership Secretary Chris Luxton Director of Music Rebecca Taylor

020 7603 4420 vicar@specr.org lesley.perry@specr.org ijeoma.ajibade@specr.org wardens@specr.org 07860 579 838 callum.stewart@specr.org 020 8747 1556 rupert@specr.org 020 7938 1367 admin@specr.org 020 7937 4159 chris.luxton@specr.org rebecca.taylor@specr.org

days after her father died. She later met my grandfather and all of the other guards. She thanked them for watching over her father so well. She was very grateful, very brave and very young.

This happened 60 years ago at the very

The Gospel according to the St Mary Abbots Church Senior Sunday School Group

The Kingdom of God is like... *

A novel that starts off with only a few readers, but when it is turned into a motion picture millions of people want to read it.

*

Computer memory – it seems tiny but can hold many gigabytes.

*

A youtube clip that starts off with only a few hits, but as word spreads thousands and then millions of people watch it.

60 years on the throne.

‘The whole Church was very still when he read and very movingly broke into spontaneous applause at the end which was incredibly touching. There then followed a series of other stories, all very well weighted in their choice. There was never a sense of any child boasting as such over a connection, more a sense of highlighting both the solemnity of the

considers the service a huge success. ‘It was a privilege to be Headteacher and experience the school celebrations along with the pupils – for all of us it felt like a real moment in history.’ how many of my predecessors had, down the centuries, presided over great national services on royal occasions, gathering the children of the parish – and was certain that none had experienced more diverse, open, heartfelt celebration, affection and loyalty.’

* degree increase in temperature led to an explosion of life (and beach holidays). *

The Solidarity movement. It began with a meeting of a few dockworkers but grew and grew until the Berlin wall came down.

*

The end of patent protection for a medicine. Suddenly many companies can make it, and everyone can afford it.

23

CHrIST CHurCH

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL Animal lover, Dido Weale reports from Christ Church’s recent animal service

I

T’S noT very often you walk into a church

one Cleopatra, my very beautiful corn snake.

Sunday school are feeling very naughty) but it does happen once a year at Christ Church when they hold an annual animal service. It’s something I look forward to very much.

charming as she is – at least she doesn’t make any noise or growl at anyone.

This year, I was carrying a brown shoebox and my mother had our new puppy that was being a bit wriggly. we settled down as we waited for Andrew Pearson our previous vicar to take the service. He brought his Lurcher, Issy. He really understands how much we all love our pets.

All around us there was an assortment of animals, mainly cats and dogs emitting occasional mews and barks. There was a serious looking pug in the pew across the aisle that kept staring at our puppy who was rather frightened by it and wouldn’t stop whingeing to start with.

People kept asking what was in my cardboard box. To my surprise no one had a hamster or rodent of any sort, so it was safe to show every24

“all things bright and beautigusto. one of the readings was about a dog from puppyhood to old age, which reminded us of how loving our pets are and how we need to love and look after them in return.

The service was serious but very chatty and friendly. It felt really nice when everyone was talking together about his or her pet because then we could learn something about that person that we didn’t know before. The lady in the pew in front of us had a beautiful greyhound rescue dog that still trembles with nervousness because she had been treated so badly before coming to her. She told us how much enjoyment the dog had bought her, and I kept thinking how lucky the dog was too.

I can’t wait for next year. I won’t sit near the pug this time though.

ST PHILIP’S

ST PHILIP’S

CELEBRATING THE OLYMPICS AT ST PHILIP’S

from Atlanta Georgia and had had a brilliant view of the rowers at eton dorney as he came in to land, to the delightful Irish family who sat and had tea with us.

There was the woman from

When St Philip’s opened its doors for the Olympics they were joined by many interesting visitors, Lesley Raymond tells us more

she had ever been inside (“I members of the ukraine olympic coaching team who spoke no english, and people who worked locally and just wanted to spend their lunch hour with us and catch up on the games.

T

wo of St Philip’s goals are to make the building more accessible to the local community, and to make a visible contribution to the local community and the wider world. But for most of the week the main double doors opening onto the earl’s Court road are kept shut – mainly for security reasons and also to keep out the

‘A fortnight with the doors open has transformed our experience of St Philip’s’ 26

The London 2012 olympics provided an opportunity to work towards these goals. with volleyball taking place at earl’s Court exhibition Centre and many new visitors in the area, the PCC agreed that the church should remain open from 12.30 noon until 8.00pm every day of the olympics. It was an opportunity to share our new 60-inch TV with neighbours, visitors and our wider congregation. Keeping the main doors open meant that volunteers were needed to welcome whoever came into the church and to serve drinks and biscuits. Colourful bunting attached to the front and a doublesided board outside the church let passersby know we were open for business, then we waited to see who would turn up.

our visitors came from the uS, from Belgium, Germany, France, romania, new Zealand, Australia, Finland popped in, several of whom had never been inside St Philip’s and said they while we were setting up we suddenly heard the roar of the red Arrows in the distance, as outside, we were able to catch them as they white and blue vapour. It was a great start to the evening. different people arrived at St Philip’s congregations, and we probably had around 25 visitors in all.

had previously thought the church closed.

So, what of the ‘L’ word? will St Philip’s, like London and the rest of the uK, have a lasting legacy from its involvement in the olympics? Associate Vicar david walsh is hopeful: “For those of us used to being on the inside of the church, a fortnight with the doors open has transformed our experience of St Philip’s. I know many of us will want to build on that. The

over the next two weeks our church had a whole range of visitors, from the delta Airlines 27

ST MARY ABBOTS

ST MARY ABBOTS

BATTLEFIELD CROSS “it marked the site of those who gave their lives serving in the (Kensington) battalion of the Royal Fusiliers during the battle of Oppy Wood”

Oppy Wood, 1917. Evening

by John Nash

David Wilson asks us to take a closer look at a WW1 relic that hangs in the Resurrection Chapel

A

for some land near Horsham where he billeted his men in the homes of local families while he built a hutted camp which served until they were drafted to France. For this reason the Battalion didn’t

SurVIVInG relic from ww1 hangs near to the roof of the resurrection Chapel in the south west corner, probably overlooked by those who worship there each week and certainly by those who pass through the chapel on Sundays on their return from the High

and the old Comrades Association held it’s reunions at Horsham.

recovered from oppy wood where it marked the site of those who gave their lives serving in the 22nd (Kensington) battalion of the royal Fusiliers during the Battle of oppy wood.

1916 and were reasonably successful in the battles leading up to 1917, but then came the very costly battles of 1917. They suffered nearly 300 casualties at the drawn out battle

The Battalion was partially raised in 1914

low in numbers when committed to take oppy wood in April where they were decimated to only 40 men. The reduced Battalion was then attached to the 23rd Battalion, but the

(wm davison) who had already been instrumental in successfully raising and kitting 28

out two battalions of the Kensington Territorials.

Sadly he only succeeded in recruiting men to form a half battalion, but there was also a half battalion of Colonials in Kensington and the two were amalgamated to form the 22nd. Training was originally carried out in white City where the men were grossly overcrowded,

november 1915 as part of the 99th Brigade, later to become part of the 2nd division. They

two were still below strength and thankfully avoided Passchendaele and they completed their service at the Battle of Cambrai at the end of the year.

and oppy wood the Battalion’s pioneers erected a big wooden cross at each site to commemorate the men who had fallen.

In 1929 the old Comrades Association became aware that the Cross from oppy wood had become redundant when the war Graves Commission replaced the wooden grave markers with its familiar headstones in rolincourt military cemetery. The oppy cross then began a tortured course via Horsham Parish Church and several other churches over the years the Cross has darkened and the inscriptions are virtually unreadable; as you can see from the photograph on the 1977 and then disbanded.

Credit must be given to the late robert Cook who worked with me toward publishing this archivist of the 22nd who kindly placed his researches at our disposal.

29

xxx

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