November is going to be as eventful as ever this year with some old favourites – our regular Scratch Requiem for instance, on 12th November; this year it’s Brahms. Come and sing or come and listen. Details on page 16. The next day is our Service of Remembrance at 10.30am culminating in the Act of Remembrance outside at the War Memorial [and, incidentally, work is due to start on the Memorial, underpinning the wall and correcting the lean towards the end of the month] Then things start hotting up for Arcadia. But before that we have the Christmas Market on Saturday 19th from 10.30am-1.30pm in the Crypt. Some of the major charities will have stalls selling their cards and gifts and there will be a Toy Stall run by and in aid of the Junior Choir, a Cake Stall in aid of the Fabric Fund, a church gift stall ditto and the Friends of the Music will, as always, be serving their excellent coffee and mouth-watering biscuits. Not to be missed [all of it, not just the biscuits.]
The next day [20th] sees a very special baptism. All baptisms are special, of course, but I’m sure no one will mind my singling out Andrew David Bell for attention – it’s a long time since we had a curate’s baby baptised in the parish [Elizabeth Kashouris in 1997 to be precise]. That evening we shall be celebrating again, this time with a special Evensong for St Cecilia which will be followed by a party in the vicarage. There will be a list at the back of the church for you to sign if you’d like to come.
The Hampstead Players present Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia from 24th to 26th – details of performance times and ticket prices are on page 12 preceded by an article from the producers on page 11. This production is closely followed [I told you it was an eventful month] on Advent Sunday, 27th, by the Confirmation, by the Bishop of Edmonton, of a number of candidates from this parish.
All this helps to take one’s mind off the rapid approach of Christmas – but it can’t be entirely avoided and if people in the parish are to know of our services we need to get leafleting. The parish cards will be ready for delivery by the end of the month and with your help we can give one to every household in the parish. This is less precise than the voluntary rate mailing as they’re not individually addressed. So it’s quick and easy but it gets good results. Some parishioners actually look out for their card from the church and ring me if it doesn’t arrive!
And finally an ‘office’ note. Dorothy Paton, who has been working in the office for the last six months, has decided to leave us. Dorothy comes from a very different religious background and has realised that she doesn’t feel comfortable with how we worship and what we are about so, very sensibly, she has handed in her notice effective from the beginning of November. This means that we are looking for a new admin. assistant. We want to be sure, this time, that whoever we appoint is in sympathy with our churchmanship and our vision for the parish. If you know anyone who might be interested please put them in touch with Father Stephen or myself. And please bear with me as I try to pick up the threads and put aside my not- very-successful attempt at semi-retirement for a month or so. Judy East
November
Judy East