This was held in 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Brookland School Visit
Brookland Junior School Year 3 paid their annual visit to St Jude's on 13 October. Being very well brought up and educated children every single one of them wrote a letter of thanks to the Vicar.
Archbishops’ statement on swine flu
Following consultation with the Department of Health, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have recommended that the normal administration of Holy Communion ought to resume.
The full statement to the College of Bishops reads:
Dear Bishop,
In July, during the first wave of the Swine Flu pandemic we issued national advice with regard to the administration of Holy Communion.
This advice was based on information and guidance received from the Department of Health which was geared to the situation at that time and the projected levels of risk suggested by the potential course of the pandemic. Since then the scientific understanding of the Swine Flu virus has advanced, further experience of the course of the epidemic has been gained, and the first stage of a vaccination programme, targeted at those most at risk from the virus, is nearing completion.
Throughout this period, our advice has been driven by the interests of public health, particularly for the protection of the vulnerable.
In the light of continuing consultation with the Department of Health, and with updated information on the course of the Swine Flu pandemic, we believe that we can now advise that the normal administration of Holy Communion ought to resume.
This recommendation is subject to the guidelines issued in June which set out good hygiene practice for public worship and which allows for local discretion in the event of outbreaks of pandemic flu in particular centres of population. We shall also continue to monitor the situation.
We wish to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this challenging period for both Church and Community. We are thankful that the pandemic has so far proved less severe than was feared.
Please pass this on to your colleagues in the diocese.
With every blessing,
+Rowan Cantuar +Sentamu Ebor
The full statement to the College of Bishops reads:
Dear Bishop,
In July, during the first wave of the Swine Flu pandemic we issued national advice with regard to the administration of Holy Communion.
This advice was based on information and guidance received from the Department of Health which was geared to the situation at that time and the projected levels of risk suggested by the potential course of the pandemic. Since then the scientific understanding of the Swine Flu virus has advanced, further experience of the course of the epidemic has been gained, and the first stage of a vaccination programme, targeted at those most at risk from the virus, is nearing completion.
Throughout this period, our advice has been driven by the interests of public health, particularly for the protection of the vulnerable.
In the light of continuing consultation with the Department of Health, and with updated information on the course of the Swine Flu pandemic, we believe that we can now advise that the normal administration of Holy Communion ought to resume.
This recommendation is subject to the guidelines issued in June which set out good hygiene practice for public worship and which allows for local discretion in the event of outbreaks of pandemic flu in particular centres of population. We shall also continue to monitor the situation.
We wish to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this challenging period for both Church and Community. We are thankful that the pandemic has so far proved less severe than was feared.
Please pass this on to your colleagues in the diocese.
With every blessing,
+Rowan Cantuar +Sentamu Ebor
Advent Calendar
Take time out this Advent to slow down and consider your lifestyle with daily challenges and thoughts. The Church of England online Advent Calendar contains a range of reflections, actions and video clips.
In your own time click on the calendar.
"We hope for a world in which we have learned to live with the grain of things, to live patiently, to live respectfully, to live in a way that takes our environment seriously..."
Dr. Rowan Williams
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Handel in Little Stanmore
On Sunday 15 November the St Jude's choir under the direction of Nic Chalmers joined with the choir of St Lawrence's Stanmore at a Choral Evensong to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Handel. Handel was resident composer to the Duke of Chandos who had purchased the nearby Cannons estate in 1715 and whose family mausoleum adjoins the church. Our connection being through our organ scholar from Henrietta Barnett School, Anna Steppler, whose mother directs the choir at St Lawrence's.
Like St Jude's, St Lawrence's has a painted interior - although a rather grander one. The Duke employed fashionable artists of his day to decorate his great mansion of Cannons, then under construction (and since demolished). Those same artists - Antonio Bellucci, Louis Laguerre, Francesco Sleter - created the dramatic interior of the church. Walls and ceiling are covered with paintings of biblical scenes, some brilliantly coloured, others in sepia and grisaille, with trompe l'oeil used to considerable effect. The paintings were recently cleaned and restored. The splendid woodwork includes an organ case carved by Grinling Gibbons.
The Vicar of St Jude's particularly enjoyed being able to observe Divine Service in an eighteenth-century manner from the Chandos Pew - actually a kind of royal box in the gallery at the west end of the church (flanked by smaller boxes for bodyguards and flunkies).
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Visit to the Suburb
The London Branch of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation
visited St Jude's in May 2009 (the report has just been published).
Our thanks go to David Davidson for suggesting and organising this trip for the Branch. Probably most of the 19 members and friends who came were unaware of the extent and history of the Suburb.
Our thanks go to David Davidson for suggesting and organising this trip for the Branch. Probably most of the 19 members and friends who came were unaware of the extent and history of the Suburb.
And what a fascinating place it turned out to be – every type of house for every grade of society, open spaces, wild woods, distant views, sympathetic street landscapes, intimate squares and greens, the Great Wall and of course, Lutyens’s Squares: South, North and Central Square – the latter containing not only Lutyens’s buildings for Henrietta Barnett School, now being extended by Hopkins Architects, but also the extraordinary St Jude’s Church which is gothic and vaguely Germanic on the outside and classical – sort of – on the inside, with a wonderful display of wall paintings of biblical scenes and worthy Christian women by Walter Starmer (1877-1961). Basil Bourchier, the first vicar of St Jude’s, commissioned Starmer having met him at Arras in 1918 when Bourchier was an army chaplain and Starmer was a war artist! Starmer is little known mainly because he spent most of his working life on this one set of murals!
We ended our tour here and were kindly greeted by the vicar, Rev. Alan Walker, who explained the church, often used for films, concerts, recordings etc. David, who is architectural advisor to the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust, gave us an inspired talk and tour, at the gallop, around as much as he could in 2 hours!! It was all so gripping and exciting that we hardly noticed until we were able to sit down n the church!
The Suburb was looking charming, on a sunny May evening and we were able to appreciate those ideals of Henrietta Barnett who founded the Suburb in 1907 – one of which was that there should be no walls but plenty of hedges, trees and open spaces. We even walked through a wood! And, of course, the brilliant designs of Raymond Unwin and his partner, Barry Parker, the former being appointed as the Architect for the project in 1906. Interesting to note, in this egalitarian age, that Eton College who owned the land sell to Henrietta Barnett as she was a woman so she had to enlist her men friends to negotiate on her behalf!
If anyone is interested to read further, ‘Hampstead Garden Suburb – Arts and Crafts Utopia’ by Mervyn Miller, brought out to coincide with Hampstead Garden Suburb’s centenary, is recommended. The Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents Association web site - http://www.hgs.org.uk/ also provides a wealth of in-depth history and information.
Thanks again to David Davidson and Rev. Alan Walker for such an interesting trip.
Kate Ainslie Williams
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
C. S. Lewis at St Jude's
C.S Lewis and his signature in the St Jude's Register for April 1945
An enquiry today from Professor Joel Heck of Concordia University in Texas about wartime talks given in St Jude's by C. S. Lewis, the author of the Narnia books and Christian classics like The Screwtape Letters.
Lewis's first visit was announced in the St Jude's Gazette September 1942 (for 27 September) as part of a series called 'The Voice of the Laity'. It is made clear there that these talks followed Evensong, so it is strictly speaking inaccurate to describe them (as some have done) as 'sermons' or to say the speakers 'preached'. Lay people were not (and, unless licensed, are not) permitted to preach in the Church of England. The talk was printed in full in the October edition under the title 'The Brilliant Exposition on "Miracles" given by "C. S. Lewis, M.A.' (It looks like a good hour's worth.)
His second visit was announced in the April 1945 edition (for April 15) and printed in the May edition as 'The Grand Miracle By C. S. Lewis'.
The 'Voice of the Laity' series was widely advertised, 'featured' (as we would say today) 'high-profile speakers', and attracted large audiences. Other speakers in the 1942 series included the Headmaster of Rugby and (rather oddly) the Archbishop of Canterbury. The American Ambassador had to cancel his appearance because of ill health. In 1945 the speaker the week before Lewis was the prominent wartime government minister Sir Stafford Cripps.
Lewis's first visit was announced in the St Jude's Gazette September 1942 (for 27 September) as part of a series called 'The Voice of the Laity'. It is made clear there that these talks followed Evensong, so it is strictly speaking inaccurate to describe them (as some have done) as 'sermons' or to say the speakers 'preached'. Lay people were not (and, unless licensed, are not) permitted to preach in the Church of England. The talk was printed in full in the October edition under the title 'The Brilliant Exposition on "Miracles" given by "C. S. Lewis, M.A.' (It looks like a good hour's worth.)
His second visit was announced in the April 1945 edition (for April 15) and printed in the May edition as 'The Grand Miracle By C. S. Lewis'.
The 'Voice of the Laity' series was widely advertised, 'featured' (as we would say today) 'high-profile speakers', and attracted large audiences. Other speakers in the 1942 series included the Headmaster of Rugby and (rather oddly) the Archbishop of Canterbury. The American Ambassador had to cancel his appearance because of ill health. In 1945 the speaker the week before Lewis was the prominent wartime government minister Sir Stafford Cripps.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Praying the Office
The beginning of Mattins 'daily through the year' from the first English Prayer Book (1549)
'Office' is another example of a word the Church seems to use differently from everyone else. The office is not a place but a service. Matins and Evensong are both offices, and, although most Anglicans probably think of them only as Sunday services, there are actually offices appointed for every day of the year.
Since the earliest times Christian have prayed throughout the day and principally at sunrise, sunset and before going to bed. The official services for those times are known as the 'offices' or sometimes as the 'hours'. Before the Reformation there were seven such offices, but the full recitation of them was probably confined to monasteries and cathedrals. Archbishop Cranmer, the architect of the English Reformation, reduced these to two - Mattins and Evensong (actually since 1552 just called Morning and Evening Prayer) by amalgamating parts of the old Latin offices. He saw this as a way of encouraging their wider use in parish churches and by individuals - indeed the clergy are supposed to say them publicly in church every day and to ring the bell to gather their parishioners or remind them to join in wherever they are. Common Worship has restored Night Prayer ('Compline') and a short daytime office.
All offices have a simple structure made up of a psalm or two, scriptural readings and prayers. There are special variations for saints' days and other festivals. Saying (or rather praying) the office has usually required an office book, a Bible and a 'lectionary' (to tell you what to read). However now you can find the offices for each day by clicking on Common Worship Daily Prayer. When you pray the office (or part of it) you are joining with Christians around the world listening to the word of God and seeking to incorporate it into their personal pilgrimages.
Since the earliest times Christian have prayed throughout the day and principally at sunrise, sunset and before going to bed. The official services for those times are known as the 'offices' or sometimes as the 'hours'. Before the Reformation there were seven such offices, but the full recitation of them was probably confined to monasteries and cathedrals. Archbishop Cranmer, the architect of the English Reformation, reduced these to two - Mattins and Evensong (actually since 1552 just called Morning and Evening Prayer) by amalgamating parts of the old Latin offices. He saw this as a way of encouraging their wider use in parish churches and by individuals - indeed the clergy are supposed to say them publicly in church every day and to ring the bell to gather their parishioners or remind them to join in wherever they are. Common Worship has restored Night Prayer ('Compline') and a short daytime office.
All offices have a simple structure made up of a psalm or two, scriptural readings and prayers. There are special variations for saints' days and other festivals. Saying (or rather praying) the office has usually required an office book, a Bible and a 'lectionary' (to tell you what to read). However now you can find the offices for each day by clicking on Common Worship Daily Prayer. When you pray the office (or part of it) you are joining with Christians around the world listening to the word of God and seeking to incorporate it into their personal pilgrimages.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Organ Recital by Nic Chalmers
St Cecilia’s Day 22 November 2009
Nicholas Chalmers – Organist and Director of Music, St. Jude-on-the-Hill
Pièce d’Orgue (BWV 572) J. S. Bach
Larghetto from Organ Concerto in F major G. F. Handel
Sonata in C minor, Op. 65, No. 2 F. Mendelssohn
Grave, Adagio, Allegro maestoso e vivace, Fuga- Allegro moderato
Suite from ‘Henry V’ W. Walton (arr. Robert Gower)
March, Passacaglia, Touch her soft lips and part, March
Symphony No.5 in F minor, Op. 42 C. M. Widor
Allegro vivace, Adagio and Toccata
Nicholas Chalmers is the Assistant Chorus Master of English National Opera, and Musical Director of Second Movement (a London based music and drama production company). He directs the music at St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb. From 2003 until July 2008, Nicholas was the Director of Music at Westminster Abbey Choir School and Musical Director of the Bromley Youth Choirs.
Nicholas began his musical training as a chorister at Tewkesbury Abbey. After a year as Organ Scholar at Chichester Cathedral, Nicholas studied music at Oxford University where he was Organ Scholar of Lincoln College and conductor of the Oxford University Chamber Choir.
After graduating, Nicholas moved to the organ scholarship at St Paul's Cathedral where he spent a year working under John Scott, teaching in the Cathedral School, was Musical Director of the Yateley Choral Society and Head of Chapel Music at Forest school, east London. In August 2001, Nicholas moved to Lodi, Northern Italy, where he spent a year working with the choir of the cathedral and studying with the harpsichordist, Laura Bertani, at the Piacenza Conservatoire. He returned to London in 2002, and for six months was the assistant organist of Westminster Abbey.
From 2007-2008 Nicholas was the choral conducting scholar of the London Symphony Chorus. Nicholas has directed two productions as musical director of Hand Made Opera; Le Nozze di Figaro (2002) and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2003). For Second Movement he has directed Mozart and Salieri (October 2004) and Trouble in Tahiti (June 2005) The Medium and Impresario (January 2006) to wide critical acclaim and directed their triple bill of Les Deux Aveugles, Rothschild’s Violin and The Knife’s Tears at the Covent Garden Film Studios (May 2007). With Chelsea Opera Group Nicholas has been chorus master for Beatrice di Tenda (March 2007), Maria Stuarda (November 2007) and Macbeth (March 2008). In addition to his work at ENO, Nicholas works regularly with the BBC Singers and leads numerous choral workshops throughout the UK.
Listen out for Nic conducting the BBC Singers live on ‘The Choir’ –Radio 3 at 6pm on Sunday, 6th December and live on Radio 3 Lunchtime concert at 2pm on Wednesday, 16th December.
The Organ
Built by Henry "Father" Willis (one of England’s most distinguished organ builders) the organ in St Jude’s was originally installed in St Jude’s Whitechapel in 1899. It was moved to St Jude’s in Hampstead Garden Suburb when the Whitechapel church was demolished. Originally installed at the west end of the church on a gallery, it was subsequently moved to its present position on the north and south sides of the choir. It underwent a major restoration in 1935 by Hill Norman & Beard. A further comprehensive restoration and refurbishment was completed in October 2002. David Wells Organ Builders of Liverpool undertook the complete overhaul and refurbishment of the organ. The work included a new drawstop console to replace the previous "theatre organ" style console.
Nicholas Chalmers – Organist and Director of Music, St. Jude-on-the-Hill
Pièce d’Orgue (BWV 572) J. S. Bach
Larghetto from Organ Concerto in F major G. F. Handel
Sonata in C minor, Op. 65, No. 2 F. Mendelssohn
Grave, Adagio, Allegro maestoso e vivace, Fuga- Allegro moderato
Suite from ‘Henry V’ W. Walton (arr. Robert Gower)
March, Passacaglia, Touch her soft lips and part, March
Symphony No.5 in F minor, Op. 42 C. M. Widor
Allegro vivace, Adagio and Toccata
Nicholas Chalmers is the Assistant Chorus Master of English National Opera, and Musical Director of Second Movement (a London based music and drama production company). He directs the music at St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb. From 2003 until July 2008, Nicholas was the Director of Music at Westminster Abbey Choir School and Musical Director of the Bromley Youth Choirs.
Nicholas began his musical training as a chorister at Tewkesbury Abbey. After a year as Organ Scholar at Chichester Cathedral, Nicholas studied music at Oxford University where he was Organ Scholar of Lincoln College and conductor of the Oxford University Chamber Choir.
After graduating, Nicholas moved to the organ scholarship at St Paul's Cathedral where he spent a year working under John Scott, teaching in the Cathedral School, was Musical Director of the Yateley Choral Society and Head of Chapel Music at Forest school, east London. In August 2001, Nicholas moved to Lodi, Northern Italy, where he spent a year working with the choir of the cathedral and studying with the harpsichordist, Laura Bertani, at the Piacenza Conservatoire. He returned to London in 2002, and for six months was the assistant organist of Westminster Abbey.
From 2007-2008 Nicholas was the choral conducting scholar of the London Symphony Chorus. Nicholas has directed two productions as musical director of Hand Made Opera; Le Nozze di Figaro (2002) and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2003). For Second Movement he has directed Mozart and Salieri (October 2004) and Trouble in Tahiti (June 2005) The Medium and Impresario (January 2006) to wide critical acclaim and directed their triple bill of Les Deux Aveugles, Rothschild’s Violin and The Knife’s Tears at the Covent Garden Film Studios (May 2007). With Chelsea Opera Group Nicholas has been chorus master for Beatrice di Tenda (March 2007), Maria Stuarda (November 2007) and Macbeth (March 2008). In addition to his work at ENO, Nicholas works regularly with the BBC Singers and leads numerous choral workshops throughout the UK.
Listen out for Nic conducting the BBC Singers live on ‘The Choir’ –Radio 3 at 6pm on Sunday, 6th December and live on Radio 3 Lunchtime concert at 2pm on Wednesday, 16th December.
The Organ
Built by Henry "Father" Willis (one of England’s most distinguished organ builders) the organ in St Jude’s was originally installed in St Jude’s Whitechapel in 1899. It was moved to St Jude’s in Hampstead Garden Suburb when the Whitechapel church was demolished. Originally installed at the west end of the church on a gallery, it was subsequently moved to its present position on the north and south sides of the choir. It underwent a major restoration in 1935 by Hill Norman & Beard. A further comprehensive restoration and refurbishment was completed in October 2002. David Wells Organ Builders of Liverpool undertook the complete overhaul and refurbishment of the organ. The work included a new drawstop console to replace the previous "theatre organ" style console.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Henrietta Barnett Literary Society
Henrietta Barnett Literary Society 12 November 2009
An Evening with Shrabani Basu (in conversation with the Reverend Alan Walker) in the HB School Hall.
Shrabani Basu is the author of Curry - the Nation's Favourite Dish and The Spy Princess, the life of Noor Inyat Khan, Muslim princess, Indian nationalist and British secret agent. Noor,also known as Madeleine of the Resistance, was murdered in Dachau, and is the posthumous holder of the George Cross and the Croix de Guerre.
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