The Parish Church of St John-at-Hampstead

Those familiar with the goals of Capital Vision 2020 will know that the Diocese is encouraging the church in London to be more confident, compassionate and creative in reaching new people and places in the power of the Spirit. “Through being an open presence in the midst of the city our church buildings will bear a welcoming witness to the Christian faith to all who enter them. A locked door is an almost universal symbol of exclusion. The first and most important step to fulfilling this ambition for us is that we should open our doors”

I was lucky enough to be at the back of church as welcomer for the two concerts in the church at the beginning of July, the culmination of the 2014 School project, Community@War. Staged as World War One musicals, the first was for the Key Stage One pupils and the second for the older Key Stage Two pupils and in both the children performed acts relating to the First World War and their own projects developed at school. They came from four local primary schools – Hampstead Parochial, Christ Church Primary, New End Primary and South Hampstead Junior School. The church was decorated with bunting and Union Jacks and with  newspapers that the children had created as their response to the material they had been given. This information, put together by Sheena and Peter Ginnings from stories in the Parish magazines and local newspapers of the time, documented the way of life in Hampstead in 1914 and how it changed after war broke out. The children had also been taken on tours of old Hampstead organised and devised by Chris Money and Marilyn Brooks. On the tours children were “introduced” to members of the Friends of the Drama dressed up as characters from the past. (The washerwomen, the butchers and soldiers also appeared during the concert and added a touch of authenticity!) Through the stories and tours children were encouraged to connect with their own local history and understand how the First World War impacted their community.

As for the concerts themselves – what a remarkable variety of acts this project had stimulated, from haikus to Punch and Judy shows, from music and singing to dance, drama and so much more. It was all enormous fun but with a suitable undertone of solemnity and sacrifice

What will always remain in my mind about this event, apart from the exuberance of both the children and the adults and the quality of the work displayed round the church, was the response of the many parents who attended. “What a beautiful church – do you know, I live round the corner and I have never been inside the door” was typical of many. We owe a huge thank you to the team who put this together, Sheena, Peter, Chris and Marilyn, for helping St John’s to open its doors to welcome new members of our community.

A website is in the process of being set up so that all Camden schools can access the material.  The website will be live in September.