Vicar's Epistle All Saints' '23

Max, Vicar of Chelsea Old Church by the will of God, to the Saints and Faithful Brethren in Christ which are on the Embankment and Beyond; Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

With the summer you have enjoyed a freedom from the Vicar’s Epistles, but they are now back with a vengeance, just in time for the clocks to change and the weather to worsen. These things, after all, come in threes.

We’ve had a fantastic Summer, including a charity dinner in the Petyt Hall attended by Councillor Preety Hudd, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, our Patron, Earl Cadogan, Wardens, former Wardens, and members of the PCC past and present. The dinner was organised around the illumination of a new plaque, dedicated to Petra Elvy (our guest of honour) and her late husband, our former Vicar, Peter Elvy, to whose imagination and determination we owe the building of our marvellous hall and vicarage.

The Guv’nor. A member of our congregation, Carla Muñoz Slaughter, is looking for volunteers who might be interested in boosting their LinkedIn profile with the London Diocesan Board of Schools… Her message is below.

‘Max has kindly allowed me to write a few lines about the London Diocesan Board of Schools and our need for school governors, while adding a shameless plug for my school, St Cuthbert with St Matthias in Earl’s Court.

Years ago, while attending the Children’s Service, I attempted the full tiger mother on my sons (not always successfully). Still, when my youngest went away to school, I found myself with a bit of surplus time and energy. I had a good, hard look at the dogs, but even border terriers are not up to Kumon maths. So, I became a school governor at St Cuthbert’s. The school has a high level of deprivation and untold other problems; despite the challenges, it has been both incredibly rewarding and eye-opening. We now have a vacancy for a governor, ideally a financially literate practicing Christian, and Chelsea Old Church seems like the ideal place to start. I am now also a trustee of the LDBS and we currently (in fact, always) have a serious shortage of governors who meet our faith criteria. No particular skill set is required and we welcome applications from all ages. I will leave it to Max to assure you of the spiritual brownie points (I have been told they are numerous).
https://ldbs.co.uk/becoming-a-governor/

Max has my contact details, and I would be only too delighted to discuss school governance with anyone and everyone at virtually any time and place, but in particular after the service.’

This is a great opportunity for us as at Chelsea Old Church to get stuck into the local and wider community, and to bolster Christian education in the Diocese. If you would like to find out more please email Sophie on office@chelseaoldchurch.org.uk to be put in touch with Carla.

This Sunday, the 29th of October, at Choral Evensong at 18:00 we will be anticipating the feast of All Saints’, our patronal festival. The visiting preacher will be Canon Jeremy Haselock, Assistant Priest at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, former Canon Precentor of Norwich Cathedral and Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II.
Beforehand, at 17:30, Oliver Lallemant will be giving our Organ Recital treating us to J. S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV565, Duruflé Sicilienne and Buxtehude Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne in C.

Parish Christmas Lunch Sunday the 3rd of December after Holy Communion please email Sophie office@chelseaoldchurch.org.uk to book in to this highly anticipated treat of the season, or sign up in the church porch.

Advent Carols will be held at 18:00 also on the 3rd of December, this is a deeply gorgeous service at which we kick off this season of anticipation as we look to the coming of Emmanuel, God with us, at Christmas.

Nine Lessons and Carols will be held at 18:00 on the 17th of December. There will be mince pies (thanks to the generosity of our friends at Auriens) and fizz served in the Petyt Hall afterward.

On Christmas Eve, which this year falls on a Sunday, there will be an
08:00 service of Holy Communion
11:00 Service of Mattins
16:30 Christingle Service
23:30 First Communion of Christmas (Midnight Mass)

On Christmas Day there will be a service of Mattins at 11:00

Sunday the 31st is NYE which will bring the joys of 08:00 Holy Communion, 11:00 Mattins; there will be no family service or evensong.

All the Saints salute you!
As ever,
Max
The Reverend Max Bayliss
Vicar
Chelsea Old Church

CONTACTS

VICAR

The Reverend Max Bayliss

vicar@chelseaoldchurch.org.uk

020 7352 5627

PARISH ADMINISTRATOR

Sophie Wilson

office@chelseaoldchurch.org.uk

020 7795 1019

Our mailing address is:

64 Cheyne Walk

Chelsea

London

SW3 5LT