Archive 

2009

This year's editions

From the August issue 

Surely angels play Mozart at home

The German theologian, Karl Barth, is reputed to have said, ‘Whether the angels play only Bach in praising God, I am not quite sure; I am sure, however, that en famille they play Mozart.’ It is a lovely image of angels in the heavenly courts above mirroring the human enjoyment of music making here on earth. And what more wonderful music than Mozart’s! From child prodigy to fully mature composer in the space of just 35 years – encountering frustrations and disappointments, poorly paid and exploited, beset by problems of debt and ill-health – and yet rising above all that to create a wealth of music for voice and instrument that continues to lift the human heart.

 Mozart was nothing if not life affirming in his music. He enjoyed life in spite of the disasters and tragedies that occurred along the way. This from a letter he wrote to his father after the performance of one of his symphonies: ‘It was performed on Corpus Christi day with great applause. I was so happy that as soon as it was over I went off to the Palais Royal, where I had a large ice.’ Enjoying this world, he had that rare ability to transcend it and open up a greater world of beauty and harmony. That realization caused Schubert to write in his diary in 1816, ‘O Mozart, immortal Mozart, how many, how infinitely many inspiring suggestions of a finer, better life have you left in our souls!’

 As illustrations of that, we focus this month on two works, one early and one late in his composing life. In January 1773 Mozart wrote a motet, Exsultate, jubilate for a castrato who had appeared in one of his operas. It is almost a concerto in miniature for the voice. The opening Allegro calls on heaven to join in the praises of earth and leads into an Andante of great beauty, where Mary is praised as the mother who brings light to a darkened world. The work ends with a glorious Alleluia with notes cascading off the page and into the air. Perhaps Mozart had in mind a thank offering for the success of his opera Lucio Silla. Whatever the music’s origin, we cannot deny the inspiration and skill with which Mozart weaves together words and music to dazzle and transport the listener.

 In the last year of his life in 1791, when his mortal body began to fail, his mind took on a new vitality with the composition of two operas, a clarinet concerto, a Requiem, and a wonderful, concentrated setting of Ave verum corpus. This motet in praise of Jesus on the cross and in the sacrament was written for the choir-master at Baden. It is just two pages in the manuscript, written out by Mozart without any corrections. There are no flourishes and runs here as in the earlier work. The music is simple and yet sublime as Mozart conveys a sense of holiness and serenity. Michael Levey has written of this work: ‘Short but not slight, it seems to float like a cloud of incense on the air.’ Here, as in all Mozart’s music, a creation of this world opens up for us that greater world where all is light and joy. 

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Bishops highlight unchanging duty to share the Good News

The Church of England's long history of witnessing to the unique significance of Jesus Christ is a duty that continues in today's multi-faith environment, says a new report.

 Following a debate in February 2009, the General Synod asked the House of Bishops to produce a report on "their understanding of the uniqueness of Christ in Britain's multi-faith society [and to include] examples and commendations of good practice in sharing the gospel of salvation through Christ alone with people of other faiths and of none".

 A small group led by the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, drafted the document, which was subsequently commended by the House of Bishops at its recent meeting. The report affirms that missionary activity has always been a hallmark of the English Church's life, whatever the country's social and political context, and should continue to be so.

 While acknowledging the "shadow side" of some historic evangelistic endeavours, the report notes that: "...the fear of getting it wrong should never obscure the Christian's commitment to the good of all and to making Christ the centrepiece of that good. Too much reticence is as untrue to our history and our vocation as too much stridency."

 Within this context, the report urges caution about the language of 'market choice' when used in the context of religious belief. The foreword summarises this idea with the reminder that "it is not we who bring others to Christ but God working in them", suggesting that "when our encounters with our neighbours, of other faiths and none, are distinguished from exercises in salesmanship, we can be confident that we are sharing God's love rather than marketing another lifestyle choice."

 The report is on the Church of England website at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/july2010/gsmisc/gsmi...

From the June issue 

Using Rest to Pray

Most of us think of prayer as a very demanding activity, but did you know it can be extremely restful?

One of the great verses in the Bible says this: 'Be still and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10). It suggests we experience God most fully when we are still. When we cease rushing around, pausing for a moment of thought and recollection, we are becoming prayerful and God is very near. Even a break for a morning coffee can be a moment of prayer if we slow ourselves down and allow our thoughts to turn towards God.

An essential part of resting is to breathe slowly. Christian tradition has always made a connection between prayer and breathing. You can learn to pray to the rhythm of your breathing, using chosen prayer words to focus. As you breathe in, you might say 'Abba', and then as you breathe out, add the word 'Father'. Choose words which are meaningful to you, deliberately slowing your breathing so you become relaxed and peaceful.

Perhaps you have a favourite chair where you are able to unwind easily. For a few moments sit and do nothing. Simply become aware of the present moment, reminding yourself you are in the presence of God. As you feel yourself relax, bask in the knowledge of God's love and acceptance of you. Sense his smile of approval upon you. You don't have to do anything, just 'be' for a moment. This too is prayer.

Sometimes we are forced to rest by circumstances… illness, disability, growing older and so on slow us down and we can't rush around like we used to do. Never mind. Don't fight against your circumstances. Enter in to the place of rest that God is giving you. He loves you for who you are, not for what you do. Turn your thoughts into prayer and offer them to God. You don't need to advise God as to what He should do; simply hold people before Him, leaving the outcome to Him. 

Prayer should be a natural expression of our relationship with God. Sometimes we have words, sometimes silence is enough. We don't need to impress God with our fervour. We can relax and be rested, even as we pray.

From the May issue 

Cidade de Deus is drying out after the worst rains to strike Rio de Janeiro in 48 years brought the city to a halt this week and claimed the lives of over 200 people. Streets turned to rivers as enough water to fill 300,000 Olympic swimming pools fell in less than 24 hours. The storm brought chaos to the roads and closed schools for two days but it is the poor living in the hillside shanty towns who are bearing the brunt of the disaster. Almost all the victims so far have died in mudslides that have swept away their fragile homes. 

 And although the rain has subsided, the threat is far from over. A new mudslide is thought to have buried at least 200 people whose houses were built on what was once a communal toilet. 

 The City of God escaped the worst. Because it's a housing estate built on flatland and not a shanty town on a hillside, the risk is reduced. The river that runs through the heart of the community rose to dangerously high levels but didn't overflow as it did 15 years ago when more than 50 lost their lives. 

 As I walked round the neighbourhood there was relief that nobody had perished and resilience in the face of one more challenge to add to the daily routine. The residents of Cidade de Deus are quite accustomed to wading through pools of water after heavy rains thanks to the drainage system that is simply inadequate for the number of people who now live here. 

 Further afield, the recriminations have begun. From the politicians to the weather forecasters, the heart-searching and justifications have started to appear. "Where is the emergency plan?" demanded Rio de Janeiro's newspaper 'O Globo' on its front page. Some blame government for drains just not up to the task, others scold their fellow citizens for a wreckless attitude to rubbish that means even the best drainage system would get blocked by the refuse that litters the city's streets. Having assured the media that last year's street violence would not affect the World Cup or the Olympic Games, President Lula has been busy putting fears at bay that flooding could turn these upcoming sporting festivals into a fiasco. 

 The Mayor has announced plans to remove shanty towns from the worst hit areas but here the phrase 'favela removal' carries the same dark overtones as words like 'repatriation' and 'segregation' and it will take huge political determination to carry the policy through. At the end of the day there are plenty of people in Cidade de Deus who remember being moved there from favelas during the floods of the 1960s only to find that they were forgotten before they had even unpacked. 

 The appeal for donations to help the homeless has gone out. We'll do our best at church in spite of our own leaking roof. There will be a generous response from even the poorest of the poor who know the plea - "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?" - only too well. 

From the April issue 

General Synod on children, mission and science….

 The General Synod met in London from February 8th to 12th. Among other matters, it discussed:

 Children and young people Synod discussed Going for Growth, the Board of Education's strategy for working alongside children and young people, which offers both a theological framework and priorities for practical action at diocesan and parish level.

 Mission Synod considered research from the Mission and Public Affairs Council into the growth of the 'mixed-economy Church', and carried a motion encouraging further development of pioneer ministers and the making of Bishops' Mission Orders. The Rt Revd Graham Cray, Archbishops' Missioner and Fresh Expressions Team Leader, gave a presentation on Fresh Expressions.

 TV coverage of religion and ethics The Synod carried a motion expressing appreciation of the vital role played by those engaged in communicating religious belief and practice through the media, while also articulating deep concern about the overall reduction in religious broadcasting across British television in recent years.

 Legislation Synod completed several items of legislative business - including approving the Ecclesiastical Fees (Amendment) Measure, which introduces a new framework for the making of orders for parochial fees. Synod also approved two codes of practice setting out the capability and grievance procedures that will apply to clergy holding office under 'Common Tenure' when that is introduced early next year. 

Clergy pensions Synod approved changes to the Clergy Pensions Scheme, subject to the necessary statutory consultation with members, and approved the recommendations of a report on changes to ill-health retirement provision. Synod also carried a motion requesting changes to the pension scheme's rules to remove the remaining differences between the pension benefits for surviving civil partners and surviving spouses.

 Science and religious belief Synod carried a motion urging the House of Bishops to promote a better public understanding of the compatibility of science and Christian belief.

 Church buildings The Synod carried a motion calling on government for a substantial increase in the amount of money available for the repair of listed church buildings, including a commitment to continue the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

 Relations with the Anglican Church in North America Synod carried a motion expressing its awareness of the distress caused by recent divisions within the Anglican churches of the United States of America and Canada, and recognising and affirming the desire of those who have formed the Anglican Church in North America to remain within the Anglican family. The motion asks the Archbishops to report back to the Synod on the issue in 2011. 

Other Private Members Motions and Diocesan Synod Motions Synod carried a motion expressing concern about the potentially damaging effects on young people of computer games containing violent and sexual content, congratulating the government on the action it has taken in this area and calling upon it to continue to keep under review the regulatory system for advertising video games. 

Synod also carried a motion requesting dioceses, deaneries and parishes to undertake initiatives to celebrate and teach the Bible to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Version.

 Women bishops The Bishop of Manchester updated the Synod on the work of the Revision Committee on Women in the Episcopate, explaining that having undertaken a considerable amount of work, the Committee was not yet at a position to bring forward revised draft legislation. It is anticipated that such material will be prepared in time for debate at the July Synod. 

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'Glorious the song when God's the theme': Allegri's Miserere 

In the 1980s thanks to Godfrey Smith, a columnist for The Sunday Times, there was a series of letters about particular pieces of music that have the TQ - the Tingle Quotient. As we listen, the music sends a shiver of excitement up and down the spine and opens out for us a new world of beauty and wonder. 

The letters started with a novelist writing about his travels across the Sahara. In moments of desolation and loneliness he would think of music that meant the most to him and which he thought he might never hear again. Then a schoolmaster in Rochester wrote of a production of 'Romeo and Juliet' where the funeral scene virtually brought the house down. Juliet entered a darkened school hall, lit only by glimmering candles with music sung that brought the audience to tears. 

For both novelist and schoolmaster the work that had that TQ factor was Allegri's Miserere. It provided consolation in the cold desert nights and it created the impact in that production of Shakespeare's play. Others readers supplied their list of TQ music, and always the Miserere was in the top five. I suspect that this music strikes the TQ for many of you as well. 

Why is it, I wonder? We can provide an answer by talking of the contrast between the plainsong sung by the men's voices and the responses from the choir that lead to that small group of solo voices where the treble or soprano reaches a high C and comes down the scale to the cadence. We can point to the intriguing history of this work for the setting by Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652) was the exclusive possession of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. To copy the music was a crime punishable by excommunication.

In spite of this, a 14-year old Mozart heard the piece in 1770 and wrote it down from memory, paying another visit to verify some of the notes he had copied down. The Emperor Leopold 1, the king of Portugal, persuaded the Pope to grant him a copy. When it was performed in his own imperial chapel, he was disappointed. He even thought the Pope had palmed him off with an inferior work. Then he realised that the beauty and magic of the music lay in its being sung in the Sistine Chapel where the plainsong and the high C cadences could ring out among the pillars and arches of that building.

The Miserere or Psalm 51 is sung at Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. In the 16th and 17th centuries Popes did not always attend this service because the length of the psalms set to music meant that the service itself was very lengthy. Pius VIII ordered that only six verses be sung in 'figured music' while the rest was sung more quickly in plainsong. Thus Allegri's work was born. Psalm 51 also forms part of the Ash Wednesday evening office. On both occasions - at the beginning of Lent and during Holy Week - it is the heart-felt cry of the Church for mercy. As one of the penitential psalms, it is a very personal expression of sorrow for sin and a moving appeal to God for mercy and restoration.

In Allegri's setting that high C is reached as the individual acknowledges his sin, and again as he cries for mercy and finally as he proclaims that his tongue will sing of God's grace and righteousness. A single voice in the music scales the heights of heaven to represent all of us as we turn to God with that same awareness of sin, that same plea for mercy, and that same affirmation that we will then turn to God with thanksgiving and the offering of a humble and contrite heart.

And so with the psalmist and with Allegri, we can pray 'Have mercy upon me, o God, after thy great goodness.'

From the March issue

 The latest letter from Nicholas Wheeler, lately Vicar of St Michael's Camden Town, currently a priest missioner in the City of God in Rio de Janeiro

Dear Friends

From bingo to bongo, parish life in the City of God has been stepping up a beat…

A full house

Since coming to Brazil, I have done many things I've never done before but perhaps one of the most bizarre was calling the bingo just 20 minutes before I was due to preside at the Patronal Festival service. Normally I would be urging the faithful to sit in silent reflection, not scrutinsing their bingo cards in search of a full house. But in the course of a fun-packed afternoon to celebrate the feast of Christ the King we got rather behind and suggesting that we left the bingo for another day was tantamount to proposing thecancellation of Carnival.

 We kicked off at midday with a delicious lunch. The weather was unspeakably hot but at least it helped sales of cold drinks. We weren't aiming to pocket lots of money but we did discover our capacity to fundraise, which is going to be an essential aspect of life in the years ahead. 

A youth band played the music for the Eucharist in a packed church and an icon of Jesus Christ led the outdoor procession through the back streets. Much later, we all headed home to the sounds of the neighbouring samba school's first Carnival practice. The rhythmic drumming was full of the promise of the spectacle to come and I couldn't help but feelthat what we'd seen that day at church was similarly a glimpse of an exciting future. 

Streets apart

'Have you got any sandals?' came the little voice as I unpacked my bag. I had just arrived in one of the run-down squares in the city centre to celebrate the Eucharist for the street population of Rio de Janeiro. Nothing that came out of my bag looked of much use to 10-year-old, bare-footed Jean. 

When the time came to give Holy Communion to the crowd, Jean pointed at the wafer I held between my fingers and said: 'I think my grandma would like some of that,' and took me over to her. Maria told me that Jean's father was shot dead some years ago. His mother is using her money to fund a cocaine habit. 'She's spent all she has,' explained Jean, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for your mummy to buy drugs and then discover she has nothing left to buy your rice and beans with. Maria showed me her grandson's shoe-shine kit which he uses to earn a little cash. I asked her how she managed to keep going and she said that God was good and gave her the strength to get through each day. 

I caught the bus home and looked up at the statue of Christ the Redeemer embracing the city. Jesus looked so small and the stories of people like Jean and Maria are so many that I wondered whether he could save any of us. But Maria at least seemed to have already discovered in the misery of her existence that hope was not to be found in hand-outs or cheery words from on high but in the God who she found on he ground and who accompanied her on her journey. 

Follow the star

Are you ashamed to tell people where you live? Many would be over the moon to have a Rio de Janeiro address, but when you're from the City of God it's not something to boast about-in fact it's tantamount to confessing to be a drug trafficker. Turning those fears and prejudices around has prompted a new mission initiative we're calling Changing Places. The aim is threefold: to take people from the City of God to places in Rio de Janeiro they've been unable to go to before or where they haven't felt welcome; to provide opportunities for Rio residents who have never stepped foot in Cidade de Deus to visit the community for the first time; and to ensure that in both cases mutual encounters break down barriers and build new attitudes and alliances.

 The first step was a visit to the city's Planetarium. We were treated to a tour of the solar system in the Star Dome, discovered our weight on other planets in the Museum of the Universe, enjoyed a piece of street theatre in the gardens, and even met Father Christmas. And just to make the connection between science and religion, some of our young people staged a short nativity play recalling that the wise men were led to the Christ Child by a star.

A positive note

Despite hosting a world famous carnival it is perhaps surprising that in Rio de Janeiro music doesn't feature in the school curriculum. We've recently begun a relationship with our local state primary and I was amazed to discover they don't have one single musical instrument.

 So thanks to a Church of England school in London we're buying everything from maracas to bongo drums and will shortly be hosting music lessons in church for the children of Alphonsus de Guimaraens. It's just another example of the financial generosity being shown by parishes and individuals in the UK supporting us. One parish has bought a new noticeboard, another has paid for us to replant the garden and another to hang the bell bought for the church 20 years ago which has never been rung. As we begin 2010, security measures funded by another parish are enabling us to keep the building open all day and the gift of an aumbry to reserve the Blessed Sacrament means that visitors may pray in the presence of Jesus Christ for the peace of the City of God. 

With much love and every blessing,

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'Glorious the song when God's the theme': Hildegard of Bingen 

In this series we have looked at the psalms of the Old Testament and the songs of the New Testament, and now we enter the Middle Ages. But it is the Middle Ages through the eyes of a record producer in the last century. 

In 1980 Ted Perry decided to found a new independent record company, Hyperion. If that was not financial risk enough, in the following year Hyperion issued a CD of a composer virtually unknown in the 1980s - Hildegard of Bingen. The risk paid off, and Gothic Voices' recording of the music of this remarkable medieval nun became a best seller. The CD sold in its thousands and received awards from the gramophone industry.

'A feather on the breath of God', the title of the CD, is how Hildegard described herself. 'Listen, there was a king sitting on his throne. Around him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself, but because the air bore it along. Thus am I a feather on the breath of God.'

Hildegard was born in 1098, the tenth child of noble parents who lived in western Germany. Aged only eight, she was given into the care of Jutta, abbess of a monastery in the Rhineland, near Bingen. There she lived the life of an enclosed nun, her only contact with the world outside via a grille through which food was passed.

After thirty years, Hildegard left that cell and was assigned a scribe, who wrote down her visions and meditations in two volumes. She founded two monasteries, wrote books on medicine and natural healing and the first morality play, and composed a great range of songs. She corresponded with the great and the good, and as the 'Sybil of the Rhine,' her advice was sought by popes and emperors, by kings and bishops. A truly creative life of prayer and service until her death in 1179.

The starting point for her own compositions was the plainsong of that time. Modern techniques of singing and performing often make plainsong slow and heavy. The secret to bringing plainchant alive is to sing it with relaxed attention. In many ways that is the secret of the life of prayer: that paradox of resting in the Lord while being alert to the promptings of his spirit. Hildegard realised that secret as she brought to her music, as she did to everything, an intensity of emotion and faith, developing the medieval plainchant into melodies that flowed off the page and soared into the skies. 

It is all there in the chant 'O ignis spiritus' on the CD - an ecstatic song, praising the life of God's Spirit as breath and spark of flame, as a power within and armour without. As Hildegard contemplates this gift, her music moves and grows, reaching upwards to God's throne of glory in praise and adoration and outwards to those who listen. For all music is at heart song. We breathe in the air around, we breathe in the gift of the Spirit, and in that power, we open our voices to sing and praise God. That movement of song is only kept alive by the breath, the Spirit within. It is a gift, a grace, which leads us into wonder and joy.

As we listen to Hildegard's music, we sense something of the presence of the Spirit in her life, wafting her like a feather through the sky of the world. And we realise how such music can move us by that same Spirit.  

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Why pride really does come before a fall....

How much temptation can you resist? Probably a lot less than you think... or so a recent study in Massachusetts has found. So people who congratulate themselves on their self-control are in danger, because they will often put themselves in the path of temptation.....and we know what happens then. 

People who are proud - ie over-estimate their self-control, often make poor decisions and indulge in impulsive or addictive behaviours. As one professor, Prof Loran Nordgren, puts it: "The key is to avoid any situation where vices and other weaknesses thrive and, most importantly, for individuals to keep a more humble view of their own willpower."

He warns: "We expose ourselves to more temptation than is wise, and subsequently we have millions of people suffering with obesity, addictions and other unhealthy lifestyles." His study appeared in the journal Psychological Science.

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2009

From the December issue

Shelter For The Homeless

 As the bells of waiting Advent ring it may seem very premature to think about Lent. When we reflect on the Nativity again this December, however, one of things that the story of Jesus's  birth will bring to mind is how important shelter is and how, in an emergency, even a stable will do. We have no stable at St Mary, but we do have a Hall, and this March we will open it one night a week to the Camden Churches Cold Weather Shelter.The Christmas Festival has come to be a time when, as individuals, we cannot help but reflect what home means to us.  When we hear the Christmas story, almost nobody is at home. Joseph, Mary and Jesus are taking shelter in a stable. The Shepherds are spending the night under the stars. The Wise Men have left their homes far behind them in their Spiritual quest to find the King of the Jews. All sorts of people can find themselves without a roof over the heads, for all sorts of reasons. 

Tonight and every night in winter there are many people in London who are without a roof to call their own. Some will be strangers who came to London to work, itinerants just like the Shepherds, some, who were not as wise as they thought they were, will have gone astray while following a Star, and some will be pregnant, like Mary.

The Camden Churches Cold Weather Shelter is now in its fifth year. Every night of the week a different Church makes space available to just over a dozen people who are in need of hospitality. Each Church provides a hot dinner, a bed, breakfast and company. The scheme as whole also does its best to help its guests on their way to a home of their own, and has been remarkably successful in this.This will be our first year as part of the Winter Shelter. By the time we open our own doors in March, some of us will have acquired some experience as volunteers in neighbouring Churches. 

If you are a visitor to St Mary's for our Christmas services, and would like to help with the shelter as a volunteer or with a donation, please contact Bill Saunders telephone 0207 503 1422 or e-mail balder@freeukisp.co.uk

Blood minerals from Congo.... to you?

 From the latest flashy phone to an endless choice of PCs and DVD players, we're all pretty obsessed with the fast-moving world of new technology these days. But have you ever wondered about the real story behind the seductive TV ads, or how those 'must have' gadgets actually end up on the shop shelves?

 Often dubbed 'Africa's First World War', the long and bitter conflict between government forces, rebel militia, and neighbouring armies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in the deaths of a staggering five million people in the last decade alone.

 But while simmering internal and external political tensions continue to devastate lives, there is another crucial catalyst for the bloody conflict - namely the highly lucrative illegal mining trade.

 Fuelled by an insatiable global demand for minerals such as cassiterite (tin oxide) and coltan - vital in the manufacture of our DVD players, mobile phones and computers - the illegitimate mining industry in the DRC is booming like never before.

 However, while local people and the economy reap - at best - negligible rewards from the DRC's vast wealth of natural mineral reserves, the only real winners are the corrupt mine owners and multinational export companies.

 Christian Aid met two women miners in Congo. Here are their stories:

 AIMEE BAGALWA, 29 "Before the war it was only the men who worked in the mines but now I am a miner myself and my husband takes care of children," mother-of-four Aimee explains. Aimee works in the tiny settlement of Szbira, 90 kilometres from Bukavu in South Kivu province. "I have been here for one year now, often doing 24-hour shifts, and I think that working in the mines is a form of slavery because people are kept in a state of real dependency. We are in deep misery and I only do this work to feed my family."

 TUMAINI MUNGUAKONKWA, 25 "I have to work everyday, seven days a week, just to feed my family and even then we struggle," says Tumaini, who is married and has four young children to support. "I don't know any of those people who get rich from cassiterite, like the mine owners and dealers, and I cannot imagine how anyone like me could ever make any money from this work, it feels like slavery."

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From the November issue

 Children see angels

 Children see angels a lot more often than you know - because they aren't likely to tell you. 

And if they do confide in you that they have had some sort of 'spiritual experience', the worst thing you can do is to discount it. Failure to respond properly can leave a child feeling misunderstood, and determined to retreat into silence. 

So says an expert in children's dreams and spirituality. Dr Kate Adams is senior lecturer at Bishop Grossteste University College, an independent Anglican higher education institution in Lincoln. During wide-spread research she interviewed many dozens of children who attested to a spiritual experience of some kind. One little girl of seven had mentioned the angel that came and sat by her bed each nigh - only to be dismissed by her parents. 

Dr Adams stresses that the awakening spiritual dimension in a child's life is vitally important, and that we ignore it at their peril. 

 From the October issue

'The trumpet will sound…and we shall be changed': Joseph Haydn (part 2)

  A few months ago Bernard Haitink, the great conductor, was interviewed on Radio 3 about his love of the music of Haydn. He said that whenever he conducted Haydn, it gave him the conviction that everything was right with the world and that all would be well.

It is true that there is a positive, optimistic, life-affirming spirit that inspires so much of Haydn's music. It is there when we sing the hymn 'Glorious things of thee are spoken' to his tune 'Austria' which became an iconic melody, much loved and performed in the composer's own lifetime.

When Haydn visited England in 1791, he was already known as a great composer through his scores, and so he was hailed as a celebrity. Salomon, the impresario, invited him to London, which was then a magnet for musicians. Haydn was enthralled by the city, which had over a million inhabitants, far more than the Vienna he knew. His enquiring spirit led him to collect data about the consumption of coal and the price and preparation of food. He certainly found it a noisy city, but his constant curiosity and love of life and people brought him back again in 1794, when he met William Herschel.

Herschel was himself a musician and a composer, but more importantly for Haydn an astronomer. In 1782 Herschel had enlarged the understanding of the universe with his discovery of the planet Uranus, and with his mighty telescopes, he probably showed Haydn the Orion nebula where stars were born and glowed in the night sky above.

In 1791 Haydn had attended a performance of Handel's 'Messiah' and witnessed the king and audience standing for the Hallelujah chorus. It convinced him of the power of oratorio. It is believed he was shown the libretto of an oratorio based on Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' which had been compiled for Handel.

Haydn returned to Germany with that libretto and began work on his own oratorio. It took him two years to complete, but the text inspired some of his greatest music. 'Never before,' he wrote, 'was I so devout as when I composed 'The Creation.' I knelt down each day to pray to God to give me strength for the work.'

He had already composed six large-scale settings of the Mass for Prince Nicholas II of Esterhazy, but the oratorio gave Haydn the opportunity to go further in expressing his own deep faith. The combination of that faith with his consummate musical skill and his understanding of the universe resulted in his first religious work that used German instead of Latin words.

Its premiere was an overwhelming experience for the audience inside the Schwarzenburg Palace and the large crowd gathered outside. It would be nice to think the work's opening 'Representation of Chaos' was inspired by what Haydn saw of the stars through Herschel's telescope. Gradually that darkness gives way to light, and the C major chord that sounds through the work at that point was met with such a rapturous outburst from the audience that it halted the first performance with its applause. The first part of the oratorio ends with the exultant chorus, 'The heavens are telling the glory of God' while here on earth soloists, chorus and orchestra lead the work to its final outburst of thanksgiving and Amens.

Earlier in 1785 Haydn had composed music for 'The Seven Last Words of our Saviour from the Cross.' It was performed in Cadiz Cathedral. After each reflection on the seven words, the bishop would kneel before the altar while Haydn's music was played.

Music can bring us to our knees like the bishop in that cathedral, but Haydn's music with its grace and beauty, with its power and rhythmic energy lifts up our hearts and minds to rejoice in the greatness and goodness of God's creation. It makes us rise to our feet to acclaim both composer and the muse inspiring him. And more than that, it can lift our eyes to heaven. When Haydn was asked about the inspiration behind 'The Creation', he pointed upwards and said 'It came from there.'

Many of the manuscripts of his music end with the words 'Laus Deo' - Praise be to God. The words are his own Credo, and so his tomb in Eisenstadt fittingly bears a quotation from Psalm 118: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.'

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'The trumpet will sound…and we shall be changed': Joseph Haydn

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From the May Issue

As Pentecost Sunday approaches... we are ALL charismatics - biblically speaking!

Love is ... the energy of life!

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From the April issue

"I suppose you're quite busy at this time of year Vicar" is a comment frequently made as I do my
shopping or walk Berty the dog on the Heath. Most of those who make such remarks seem to think that we might have a service on Good Friday and Easter Day, but would have no idea that from
Palm Sunday to Easter Day there are twenty three services! Not all of them require careful
preparation, but nine of them certainly do. 

So why do we make all this fuss about Holy Week and Easter? Well elsewhere in this issue you 

will find a couple of articles about Easter, so I want to think here about Good Friday. 

With the changes that have come about over the last forty years, with shops now open and it remaining a public holiday the whole conception among the public of "Good Friday" has changed. No longer do people see it as a day of quiet reflection as perhaps they did in the past. My father, not a church goer, always spent it in the garden, but none the less he knew and understood what we were about. So perhaps we need to be clearer what are we celebrating on Good Friday. 

Well the simple answer is the triumph of love over hate, because Christ, through his death on the cross calls all of us to love, not only him, but others as well. The heroes of so many people today are pop idols, sports stars, or actors and actresses. Their lives are picked over in great detail by the press and media, and in them the world looks to find inspiration and a model for life. 

Sadly of course they let themselves and us down time and time again. They are ordinary fallible human beings who like most of us mess up their lives from time to time. But the Christian faith brings with it the ideal of love and tenderness, and a saviour who did not fall into the trap of self aggrandisement, great wealth and status and a failure to recognise his need of his Fathers love. 

Perhaps the most striking episode in the gospels which demonstrates Christ's love and tenderness for others comes in St. John's account of the crucifixion, where as he hangs on the cross he commends to his friend and disciple John the one whom he loved best of all, his Mother, our Lady Mary. 

But it is also the love demonstrated for the whole of humankind in his willingness to accept the suffering which he was made to endure that is so striking. Here is a hero who not only cares for those close to him within his circle of friends, but offers that care to the whole human race. The hymns of Good Friday are full of wonderful images which stretch across the  centuries from Venantius Fortunatus writing in the sixth century to Isaac Watts in the eighteenth century. 

Thirty years among us dwelling,

Now at length his hour fulfilled,

Born for this, he meets his Passion,

For that this he freely willed,

On the Cross the Lamb is lifted,

Where his life-blood shall be spilled.

*******************

Were the whole world realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

You will find all the services of Holy Week and Easter in the parish Easter card, and on the notice board of the Church. Please do try to come at least to the five main services so that you will be able to follow in the steps of Jesus as he moves from the Palm Sunday procession down the Mount of Olives, through Maundy Thursday, to the crucifixion on Good Friday, and on to the Resurrection during Easter night. 

May God bless you and fill you with his love this Easter tide

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From the March issue

Prayers for those made redundant

STATISTIC OF THE MONTH: "Yes We Can"

New prayers for those made redundant published on CofE website

 The Church of England has published two new prayers to comfort people made redundant, and those remaining in the workplace following a round of redundancies, at the beginning of a year in which the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has predicted that at least 600,000 people could lose their jobs.

 The 'Prayer on being made redundant' helps to put into words the anxieties of those who are losing - or who have already lost - their job in the wave of recent redundancies. It includes the verse: "Hear me as I cry out in confusion, help me to think clearly, and calm my soul." 

 The 'Prayer for those remaining in the workplace' focuses on the guilt and increased workload associated with redundancy. It asks of God: "In the midst of this uncertainty, help me to keep going: to work to the best of my ability, taking each day at a time."

 The prayers emphasise how the Church is there for people at all times - especially in times of crisis. The prayers are the latest release from the Church of England website 'Matter of Life and Debt' section. They are offered alongside common sense advice for those with financial worries from Resources and Stewardship Officer, Dr John Preston. These include helpful resources for working out a balanced household budget; and other prayers and intercessions for those worried about debt, suitable for church and personal use. 

Prayer on being made redundant

'Redundant'-the word says it all -

useless,unnecessary,without purpose,surplus to requirements.

Thank you, Heavenly Father,

that in the middle of

the sadness,the anger,the uncertainty,

the pain, 

I can talk to you.

Hear me as I cry out in confusion,

help me to think clearly,

and calm my soul.

As life carries on,

may I know your presence with me

each and every day.

And as I look to the future,

help me to look for fresh opportunities, for new directions.Guide me by your Spirit,

and show me your path,

through Jesus, the way, the truth and the life. Amen. 

Prayer for those remaining in the workplace

Life has changed:

colleagues have gone - redundant, out of work.

Suddenly, what seemed so secure is now so very fragile. 

It's hard to know what I feel:

sadness, certainly,

guilt, almost, at still having a job to go to,

and fear of the future:

who will be next?

how will I cope with the increased pressure of work? 

Lord Jesus, in the midst of this uncertainty, help me to keep going:to work to the best of my ability,

taking each day at a time,

and taking time each day to walk with you

for you are the way, the truth and the life. Amen.

STATISTIC OF THE MONTH: "Yes We Can"

 Time magazine (issue of 22nd December) voted a sentence in the new American President's victory speech on 4th November 2008 as the Number One Quote of the Year. "It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America." The magazine also voted his slogan "Yes We Can" as the outstanding slogan of the campaign.

 Wouldn't it be great for that magazine, or any other, to vote the Christian church as the Number One Organisation of the Year 2009? What might we have to do to make that happen?

 One hundred years ago in 1909, UK church membership stood at 9.5 million people, almost a quarter, 23%, of the then population of 41 million. In 2009 the projected church membership is 3.6 million, 5.8% of the country's 61 million people. 

To reach the 1909 percentage of 23%, church membership would have to quadruple to 14 million. Maybe our slogan should be not "Each one reach one" but "Each one reach three"!

 Each existing member would need to see a friend, a relative or a neighbour join him/her church every 4 months in 2009 to make that happen. Is that possible? Could revival happen again? Can people be brought back to church? Could new people join in? The answer is a simple YES to each of these questions, given the grace and energising power of the Lord in the process. 

What are some of the problems? There needs to be a resurgence of confidence in the gospel. A willingness to talk to others about our faith. A warm welcome to newcomers as they visit our churches. Preaching that helps people understand what Christianity is about. Belief in the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. A strategy to do something today, and not leave it till tomorrow. Above all, we need a fresh vision of the risen Christ this Easter - and a realisation that the next time he comes will be in judgement. 

Can this happen? Again a simple YES, "for nothing will be impossible with God" as the angel said to Mary. Amazingly, he deigns to use us in bringing about the impossible.

Mary, the Blessed Virgin

Mary - the virgin mother of Jesus. For centuries the eastern and western churches have considered her pre-eminent among all the saints.

In the gospels, Mary makes her first appearance as a teenager. Nothing is known of her childhood, and what we do know of her is found mostly in Matthew 1 - 2 and in Luke 1 - 2. If you read both accounts, you'll notice that Luke's account seems to give the story from Mary's standpoint, whereas Matthew concentrates more on Joseph's side of things. In both accounts the virginal conception of Christ is clearly stated. Mary's quiet devotion to God and her acceptance of his will shine forth. 

After Jesus is born, Mary fades into the background, and makes few appearances: when the family visits Jerusalem and she loses her son on the way home; when she urges him to help the wedding party in Cana with its wine problem; and when Jesus gives her into the keeping of the beloved disciple when he is dying on the cross. Mary's last appearance is in Acts chapter one, just before Pentecost.

Mary obviously joined the early Church, but her role was never one of teaching and preaching, and indeed she remained so much in the background that nothing more about her is known for certain. Both Ephesus and Jerusalem have claimed to be the place of her death. 

Mary, chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ, one who is both God and Man, holds a unique place in the history of mankind. Down the centuries that have followed, the Church has paid special honour to Mary - and well deserved it is. "All generations shall call me blessed…" 

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