Judy East
Looking back to May for a moment the spell of dry weather almost, but not quite, let us down on the day of the Spring Fair which hinted at rain early on but cleared up in time for the usual fun and games in the churchyard. Angela James’ photos in church give a good idea of just how much went on. Not entirely sure whether takings were up or down on last year – but does it matter? We raised over £6,000 for charity, all worked hard and played hard and welcomed lots of visitors through our doors. If you like figures you can find a list of the takings stall by stall further on in this issue but not last year’s because Odyous of olde been comparisonis, And of comparisonis engendyrd is haterede .
And so to June: We have reports on Wednesday’s Child and Refugee Week, a look ahead to The Winter’s Tale in July and two concerts, the Choir of the 21st Century making a return visit to sing Rachmaninov’s Vespers and a Hampstead and Highgate Festival event featuring students of the Solti Foundation, as well as our regular lunchtime events on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays.
We’re still in Eastertide which makes Sylvia Fry’s poem most appropriate but also looking ahead to Ascension and Pentecost. Ascension with one of the Children’s activity days culminating in a short service which have become a feature of weekday festivals. Pentecost: Usually we celebrate the church’s birthday with an All Age Eucharist but this year because it’s so close to another ‘Children’s Day’ – the day of the Sunday School Open Day and Junior Choir Prom, we’re saving the All Age Eucharist for 26th. Which is, of course, most importantly, Emma Smith’s first Celebration of Mass, following her Ordination on Friday 24th, an occasion we’re hosting and sharing with other parishes in the Deanery. We hope as many as possible of you will come to support Emma on both these occasions although, as she indicates on her Ember Card [page 11], parents might find the Sunday service more child-friendly.
I’ve no details about the Junior Choir Prom on 26th – David’s mind being very properly fixed on his forthcoming marriage. We wish him and Lucinda all the very best for the future. Lucinda has been pastoral worker at St Peter’s, Belsize Park for some time, doing sterling work there and at St Saviour’s so she’s no stranger to the workings of a parish.
Erratum
One correction to the information in the May magazine and possibly other places as well relates to the Lunchtime concert on 22nd June which isn’t Angela Brownridge but one of her students. The mistake arose, I think, because it was Angela who made the booking and we apologise to all her fans who were looking forward to hearing her play. But as a student of hers I’m sure Alexandru Negruic will be well worth hearing too.
Reviewing what I’ve written I see we have four concerts and the prom this month – what a musical feast! Perhaps I should redress the balance by mentioning that the Literary Hour on 15th June is a reading of Eliot’s Four Quartets and in slightly different vein the Hampstead Players are auditioning for Fiddler on the Roof on two dates during the month [though actually that’s more music isn’t it?]