Lots to do this month, as ever. A glance at the Diary will show you concerts, talks, visiting preachers, open days and, as they say, much, much more. Where to start? Well we’ve a whole day’s entertainment [if that’s the right word] lined up for Sunday 13th, the start of Refugee Week. There are special preachers at the Parish Eucharist and at Evensong, which will be followed by drinks and a chance to talk to Father Nicholas Wheeler of Cidade de Deus, whose mission we have been supporting in the parish. Father Jim writes more about these visits.
Sandwiched between these two services is the Marie Curie concert featuring Gemma Rosefield at 3.00pm. Details of that and the Camden Choir concert on 19th, as well as the Friends of the Music BBQ and evening of German opera on the 24th led by Father Stephen, can be found further on in this issue and on flyers around the church.
Sunday 20th is a day for the children with an All Age Eucharist followed by the Sunday School Open Day when we have a chance to see what the various groups have been doing and share lunch before settling down for the Junior Choir prom at 12.45pm – always a delight.
On Sunday 27th we have the Volunteers Fair – your chance to look at volunteering opportunities around the church, meet the people who organise them [and hopefully some of the volunteers themselves] and sign up for anything that takes your fancy. There’s plenty of choice – jobs range from cleaning and gardening to flower arranging, serving at the altar, being a sidesman [although debate is hot on whether they should really be called ‘sidespeople’ in today’s pc climate. “A sidesperson, correctly known as a sidesman or usher, in the Anglican Church is responsible for greeting members of the congregation, overseeing seating arrangements in church, and for taking the collection. …..The name is a corruption of the term “synod’s man”, a title referring to prominent members of the congregation who represented the parish to the Diocesan Synod” [Percy Dearmer, The Parson’s Handbook, and if were going to be pc I’m with him in preferring ‘usher ’ to ‘sidesperson’! ]
The 15th June is the date of the death in 1941 of spiritual writer Evelyn Underhill, and for a staggering example of 20th century sexism go and read her gravestone [P80 in the ABG]. Some 20 years ago we commemorated the 50th anniversary of her death with the planting of a rosebush [Iceberg, I think, for the gardeners]. Perhaps in 2011 we’ll commemorate the 70th anniversary in some way too. 15th June is also, of course, the date on which, in 1215, Magna Carta was signed. I learnt my history from Herbert and Eleanor Farjeon’s* Kings and Queens and it says much for their verse that I can still remember much of it today [and still find it useful!]
Our regular hassock mending sessions [1st Thursday of the month, 2-5pm in church] got off to a gentle start in May. We had room for more so if you can sew [only a little, it’s pretty basic] and have some time to spare, please join us.
Looking a little bit ahead to 4th July we will be welcoming Emma Smith to the parish following her ordination to the diaconate on 3rd at St Paul’s Cathedral. Emma served a placement here last year so we know her and, more importantly perhaps, she knows us – so not too many shocks in store for her!
Finally, visitors to the Columbarium may have been shocked at the building site it’s turned into. Apologies to anyone who can’t get in to lay flowers by the plaques. It will, we hope, be better than ever after its makeover.
* Eleanor, who lived in Perrins Walk, is also buried in our churchyard [H104]