During Lent we'll offer Stations of the Cross at Noon on Fridays, just before the usual celebration of Mass.
Don't forget that Fr Nicolas is leading a course on the Nicene Creed on Tuesdays at 6pm, to help us deepen of
faith and mark the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. This takes place in the Lady Chapel.
Lent begins this week, with the day of holy prayer and fasting on Ash Wednesday (Wednesday 5th March). By custom,
God's people gather on this day to burn the Palm Crosses we received at the beginning of Holy Week in the preceding
year, and to receive the sign of the cross inscribed in resulting ash as a mark of penitence.
Lent can easily seem like an oft-watched box set of beloved old stories. We can delude ourselves into thinking that
we've gained all we can, but the celebration of Lent and Holy Week has also been described as a sort of "parish mission" -
one that deepens our faith, strengthens our resolve, and renews our focus on the coming kingdom. It provides us with
the opportunity to begin anew this journey into Christ's passion, so that we might grow to full maturity in our faith.
Worship will be offered at 12.30pm (Said Mass and Ashing) and at 7.15pm (Choral Eucharist and Ashing), and the preacher
will be Brother Steven Haws of the Community of the Resurrection, who is also our Holy Week preacher.
Let us join together to keep a holy Lent, that when he comes again in power and great glory we might, by his grace at
work in us, rise to the life immortal.
Ash Wednesday this year falls on Wednesday 5th March, and is the beginning of a season of fasting and penance that leads us to the
celebration of Christ's paschal triumph. While we received Palm Crosses on Palm Sunday last year, to recall the triumphal entry of Jesus
into the city of Jerusalem, we customarily return them to church in preparation for Lent.
These old crosses are burnt as part of the liturgy of Ash Wednesday, so that we might receive the sign of the cross, imprinted in the ash
of burnt Palm Crosses, as a mark of the penitential season in which we participate to prepare us for Easter.
So, please bring your Palm Crosses from 2024 back to church (including any from previous years that might have slipped through the net!) as
we begin the gentle process of preparing for a Holy Lent.
On Ash Wednesday, our liturgies will be celebrated at:
12.30pm Said Mass & Ashing
7.15pm Choral Eucharist & Ashing
| 8:00am | Holy Communion. |
| 10:30am | Choral Eucharist. |
| 6:00pm | The Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols. |
| 11:30pm | Midnight Mass. |
| 8:00am | Holy Communion. |
| 10:30am | Choral Eucharist. |
Thank you to all those who turned out to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. A particular thank you to all our staff, officers,
and volunteers who ensured a warm welcome to so many and who worked so hard to plan.
We continue to pray for all those who died in the tragedy of war, and for those in the Armed Forces today. Most especially we pray
for the peace of the world, and for an end to those conflicts which do so much harm to human dignity.
On Remembrance Sunday, which this year is Sunday 10th November, there will be the traditional church service at 10am, followed by the ceremony
at the Town and County War Memorial and Parade at 10.55am, just in time to keep two minutes' silence at 11 o'clock. To ensure a timely arrival
in the Memorial Garden, this service will begin very promptly. Please arrive in your seats no later than 9.45am to avoid disappointment, and to
enable us to make a timely beginning. Prior to the morning service, there will be a celebration of Holy Communion (according to the Book of Common
Prayer) offered for the fallen at 8am.
The day following is Armistice Day, Monday 11th November. There will be a short act of remembrance at the Town and County War Memorial, at which
wreaths will be laid on behalf of the Lieutenancy and the Mayoralty. This will take place at 10.55am, and will be followed at 12.30pm by our mass
for the feast-day of St Martin of Tours, the patron saint of soldiers.
All are welcome to come to any or all of these services.
The 131st Patronal Festival at St Matthew's Church, Northampton will not only celebrate St Matthew's feast day but also mark the anniversary
of the church's founding. The church was consecrated on St Matthew's Day, 21st September 1893, by the Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Revd Mandell
Creighton, who also appointed Revd John Rowden Hussey as its first vicar. The church was built in memory of Pickering Phipps II, a former
mayor and MP, with land donated by his family in honor of his legacy.
The festival will feature a procession and parish mass with guest preacher Fr Oliver Coss, Rector of All Saints Church, Northampton,
alongside Assistant Curate Nicolas Boisson as deacon. This day is a celebration of the faithful witness of generations past, offering thanks
to God for the blessings bestowed upon the parish over the years.
In the evening, the Ron Gates Memorial Organ Recital will honor the memory of Ron Gates, a highly respected organist from Northampton,
especially remembered for his work at All Saints Church. The recital, performed by Tom Moore, Director of Music at St Matthew's, will include
music from the British Isles and France, paying tribute to Gates' lifelong dedication to church music.
This year's festival is a reflection of St Matthew's long-standing commitment to spiritual growth, cultural enrichment, and community service.
The dedication of its founders and the support from generations of parishioners has cemented the church's role as a beacon in Northampton.
For more information on the event and to participate in the celebrations, you can
visit he St Matthew's website.
We were delighted to announce at the beginning of April that the BBC will broadcast our Pentecost morning service live on BBC One. This special airing will seamlessly
integrate with our standard worship practices, likely eliminating the need for our own livestream of the service.
The service will be led by the Reverend Oliver Coss, Rector of All Saints' Church, and the preacher will be the Right Reverend Debbie Sellin, the Bishop of Peterborough
on her first visit to All Saints'. The choirs will be singing a mass setting by Franz Schubert, and the anthem is Mozart's setting of Veni sancte Spiritus.
Intensive planning is now underway for the BBC Broadcast of 'A celebration for Pentecost'. While the broadcast will begin at 10.30am, we invite you to come a little
earlier from 9.30am and take part in the congregational warm-ups before the service begins. This will ensure we're all in good voice ready to share our worship with
the nation. Please note that it won't be possible to enter the church once the broadcast has commenced.
Please do pass the details around - it would be splendid to see a good crowd. On the day of Pentecost, you're also invited to Pentecost in the Park
from 2.00 pm at Abington Park Bandstand, joining with other Christians from across the denominations to give thanks for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Please remember our staff and volunteers in your prayers as this special act of worship approaches, and don't forget to turn up or tune in on the day itself.
We announced recently that Mr Nicolas Boisson is to become our Assistant Curate this summer. His ordination as deacon will take place in All Saints'
Church on the evening of Thursday 18th July 2024, at 7.15pm. Please mark the date in your diaries. We hope that refreshments will follow.
Please pray for those to be ordained. This prayer comes from the Book of Common Prayer:
| ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who hast purchased to thyself an universal Church by the precious blood of thy dear Son: Mercifully look upon the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of thy servants the Bishops and Pastors of thy flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred Ministry of thy Church. And to those which shall be ordained to any holy function give thy grace and heavenly benediction; that both by their life and doctrine they may set forth thy glory, and set forward the salvation of all men; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
In the gospel reading from John 10 Jesus declares himself to be the Good Shepherd,
who lays down his life for the sheep. We recall that we are part of one flock because we have one shepherd, and that - as our Lady
Chapel window pictured here shows - Jesus called Peter to feed his sheep and care for his lambs.
The preacher at 10.30am this week will be the Reverend Haydon Spenceley, Diocesan Director of Ordinands. He's visiting us following
the announcement last week that Nicolas Boisson will be ordained to our parish in the summer to serve as Assistant Curate for the
next three years. It's also Vocations Sunday, and we pray for vocations to the sacred ministry and to the religious life, praying
that God's voice will be heard and responded to by those whom he is calling.
There's music by Stanford and Mendelssohn's epic 'I waited for the Lord' to look forward to. At 8.00am we'll celebrate Holy Communion
according to the Book of Common Prayer.
All are welcome, no charge to enter. It'll be really good.
Easter, surely the greatest festival of the Christian faith, is a celebration that lasts for eight days. The Paschal Candle has
been burning throughout our worship this week, and this Sunday - known as the Octave Day of Easter - marks the end of this
celebration and our settling into the season of Eastertide.
In tomorrow's gospel reading, from John 20.19-31, we'll hear about the appearance of the risen Lord to the disciples, but not to
Thomas. When Thomas hears about this, reacts indignantly to the idea that Jesus has risen, and yet a week later Thomas is on his
knees before the Lord, declaring 'My Lord and my God!'
Worship at All Saints takes place at 8am, 9.15am, and 10.30am tomorrow -- and all are welcome. May the light of Christ, burning
in glory, aid our unbelief.
The Announcement of Easter, and of the Holy Feasts for 2024 is part of our Epiphanytide celebrations. All are welcome at our acts of
worship, and there's no charge to enter. Our 10.30am Sunday services are livestreamed through the church's
YouTube Channel.
Traditionally, members of the congregation have helped sponsor the Easter candle and other essential sundries for Holy Week and
Easter. This includes items such as flowers, incense, candles etc. We would be most grateful for any financial help to cover the
costs this year. Please contact the wardens if you are able to help.
| 8:00am | Holy Communion. |
| 10:30am | Liturgy of the Palms, Procession and Solemn Mass. |
| 12:30pm | Mass. |
| 12:30pm | Mass. |
| 12:00 noon | Stations of the Cross &Mass. |
| 5:30pm | Choral Evensong. |
| 7:45pm | Mass of the Lord's Supper followed by the Gethsemane Watch. |
| 12:00 noon | Stations of the Cross. |
| 1:45pm | The Good Friday Liturgy. |
| 9:00am | Morning Prayer followed by Church Cleaning & Decorating. |
| 7:45pm | The Easter Vigil. |
| 8:00am | Holy Communion. |
| 10:30am | Choral Eucharist for Easter Day. |
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and the very beginning of Holy Week. Holy Communion will be celebrated at 8:00am.
As part of the Choral Eucharist at 10.30am, we gather on the portico to bless palm branches, process around
the church, recalling the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The Passion according to St Mark, arranged
by Lassus, will be sung.
All are welcome at any of our acts of worship. Please be advised that the annual Laforey Day parade will also be
taking place on Sunday morning - please leave a little extra time for your journey
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