The Parish Church of St John-at-Hampstead

1/1/2010

January Judy East

Christmas is over, the decorations are down, the music, the services, the festivities are only a memory – and the baby, the centre of it all, has fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. It�s appropriate then that we particularly think of the homeless in January – not just because it�s cold but because the Holy Family were homeless once too, having spent Christmas is less than ideal surroundings, they then had to flee for their lives, not knowing what they would find at the end of journey. So many of the people on our streets could tell a similar story of urgent flight into the unknown. Homelessness Sunday always falls on the last Sunday in January which this year is the Feast of the Presentation [Candlemas] – and I�m struggling to tie those two together in any meaningful way! The Cold Weather Shelter will be launching it�s appeal that Sunday – not for goods this year because the home starter packs are being provided from another source, but for money, and you can read more about the appeal and the work of CARIS Camden and C4WS in Bill Risebero�s article further on in this issue.

I don�t know what to think of the tradition of keeping decorations up till Candlemas. I love lighted windows, twinkling lights in trees, anything to brighten up the dark evenings – but I don�t know that I�d like to live for longer amongst the tinsel, the mess and glamour. Rather like de-toxing the body after too much food and drink, I feel the need to de-tox my flat [and the church], to tidy away the decorations and put it all back to normal, if anything about the church year can be said to be �normal�. I see from the lectionary that �ordinary time� starts on the day after Candlemas. Sadly it doesn�t last long because Lent begins on 17th February – so make the most of it!

Not that I�d want to imply there�s nothing happening in January. We have the Friends of the Music AGM on 24th when, following a brief business meeting, we will be entertained with a talk by Father Stephen entitled �A rapid sketch of Humour in Music – Haydn to Hoffnung�. The following Sunday Burgh House are holding a concert in the church featuring guitarists Julian Williams and John Etheridge. The Study Centre is briefly revisiting us for a series of 3 sessions on St Mark�s Gospel: the first, on 20th January, being a recording of Alec McCowan performing the whole Gospel. Auditions for the Hampstead Players� production of Antony and Cleopatra are being held on 17th and 19th; as well as performing in church the production will tour to Pimlico and The Lot Valley during the summer. Most important of all, Mother Sarah�s installation as a Minor Canon of St Paul�s Cathedral will take place on 21st January at 5.00pm.

There�s an Events Committee meeting in the Gregory Room on 24th January which provides me with an opportunity to make the first mention this year of the SPRING FAIR to be held in the church and parish rooms on 24th April. This is our big fundraising event and we need everyone�s help to make it a fun day out as well as a successful fund-raiser. Please come to the meeting if you can or offer your help to one of the churchwardens if you can�t. The meeting will also be looking at plans for other forthcoming events. And, of course, all the regular events such as Holy Hamsters and the Bible Study groups will be starting up again. So if you�re feeling a bit flat after the festivities take heart, the sun that rose at 8.06 on the 1st January will rise at 7.41 on 31st and not set till 16.48, giving us a whole extra hour of daylight – it�ll be spring before you know it.

Judy East


For our feathered friends:
By special request we�re reprinting the recipe for Bird Cake from last January�s magazine:
1kg self-raising flour
500g butter
a little sugar and water to make a thick dough
Add grated cheese, apples, raisins, seeds and then form into little balls.
Bake in a moderate oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
The birds will love them!

And don�t forget in this cold weather to put out a shallow dish of water or make sure your bird bath hasn�t frozen over.