#543 In which the Rector explains his hardness of heart
Fr Sam writes
I felt like a very hard-hearted Rector last Sunday at St Paul’s. I asked the congregation to refrain from applause at the end of choir anthems: I felt I should explain why!
What we do in church is the worship of Almighty God, lifting our hearts and souls and voices to join in the praise of Heaven. When our choir sings, they are not performing for everyone else: they are lifting their voices and talents to the praise of God. This is their act of worship, and their skill and hard work enriches the worship of others too.
The other thing I should mention is that others don’t get applauded for the parts they play in worship: we never applaud a reader, a server, or indeed a priest at the end of the sermon! (We do tend to applaud the organist after the service is over at the end of the voluntary: as the service is over this is quite different.)
So please do refrain from applauding the choir at the end of an anthem during the service. I for one am very grateful for the choir’s work in our worship, and I know that opinion is widely shared. The best appreciation we can show is that, as they raise their voices, so we raise our hearts to Heaven.
Image: The Choir of the Capuchin Church in Rome by François Marius Granet
This Sunday: the greatest law
This Sunday is the “Last Sunday after Trinity”, because from next week we start counting back from Christmas. It is sometimes celebrated as Bible Sunday: while we are not keeping that celebration here (after all, every Sunday is Bible Sunday!), our Gospel does lead us to contemplate our relationship with the Holy Scriptures.
Our first reading is St Paul’s greeting to the church in Thessalonica, rejoicing in the relationship he has with them (1 Thessalonians 2.1-8). In our Gospel, Jesus concludes a series of disputes with religious authorities by answering the question “Which is the greatest commandment?” (Matthew 22.34-46)
Image: Christ and his Mother studying the Scriptures by Henry Ossawa Tanner
Services this Sunday
| 9.30am | St Paul’s | Parish Mass | Fr Sam Tanna-Korn |
| Organ Prelude: Retrospection – Florence B. Price Anthem: Look at the world – John Rutter Voluntary: March on Siyahamba – Rebecca Groom te Velde | |||
| 10am | Woosehill Church | Holy Communion Signed BSL service | Revd Hannah Lewis |
| 11am | St Nicholas’ | Community Eucharist | Fr Sam Tanna-Korn |
All Souls
Our annual All Souls service, praying for the departed, will take place at 6.15pm on Sunday 1 November. A list for names to be read out during the service will be available at St Paul’s and St Nicholas, or names can be submitted to the parish office by email.
Signed service at Woosehill
On Sunday 25 October, Revd Hannah Lewis will be coming to take the service at Woosehill Church in British Sign Language (BSL). It was such an amazing service last year and it’ll be great to welcome her back to preach and preside, along with her BSL interpreter Lixi. We also have Chris and Tom playing for the service. Revd Cara
Parish Bazaar
7 November 12noon – 3pm
Grand Draw tickets are on sale now, available at the back of church. First prize is a Luxury Hamper, second prize a Wine Hamper and there are many more prizes. There is a sign-up list for prize donations at the back of St Paul’s and St Nick’s.
Cake and Produce Stall The Mothers’ Union will be running this stall again at the Bazaar so would be really pleased to receive donations of sweet and savoury bakes as well as jams, chutneys and marmalade. Please bring items along on the day or ask Teri Austen about delivering beforehand. Packing items for easy sale would be brilliant.
Tombola I will be running the Tombola at the Bazaar and I would be grateful for contributions for the stall – bottles, jars, cans, packets of biscuits, sweets, chocolates, toiletries, small gift items etc – almost anything that is not perishable. There will be a labelled box at the back of church on Sundays for donations. Many thanks Lesley Ruddock
Bric-a-Brac We would be most grateful for saleable items for the Bric-a-Brac stall. It is helpful to have donations beforehand where possible, although on the day are also welcome. Elizabeth Hunter can collect smaller items from church or you can deliver to her home; she is also happy to collect from you.
If you have large items that will not fit easily on or under the tables, please would you be kind enough to discuss with Elizabeth first as disposal and storage of unsold items can be awkward. 0118 978326 / 07956 280413
Bottle Tombola We need of lots of lovely bottles before the end of October, please! (In order to get them labelled and prepared before the 7th). Wine, spirits, ketchup, bubble bath, beer, fizzy drinks … as long as it was sold in a bottle and never been opened, it will be very welcome! Please contact Mary Cassidy if delivery is a problem – there is a box in St Paul’s church too.
“Books I have loved!” Dawn and Penny are having a book stall with a difference at the Bazaar. No old tired tomes, but lots of well-loved books you recommend to others. Let Penny know at pennywallace982@msn.com. and she will collect them in her van. Good books only please.
This week’s calendar
On 28 October, the Church celebrates St Simon and St Jude, two of the twelve apostles of Jesus. We know very little about them: Simon is called “the Zealot”, while Jude is remembered particularly as the patron saint of lost causes.
The Church’s tradition tells us that they travelled together to preach the Gospel and were eventually martyred for their faith. As with so many saints, their feast reminds us that much of the Church’s work is carried out by people whose names and deeds are largely forgotten. We may never know the full effect of our own words and actions, but even small, forgotten deeds are never a lost cause.
Image: St Jude by El Greco
