Dear members and Friends of Magdalen Chapel,
Holy Week and Eastertide
A quarter of the pages of the four Gospels cover the last week of the life of Jesus Christ. Another way of putting it might be that the story of the last week of Our Lord would completely fill the pages of one of the four Gospels! No wonder Christians are somewhat occupied during this “Holy Week”. Worship and prayer, popularly called “Church Services,” are a major factor in our diaries from Palm Sunday to Easter Day. Without the events of this week, we would be remembering a great teacher, a charismatic wonder-working holy man, or a failed revolutionary whose memory was kept alive by a few disappointed followers. As it is, Easter is the Queen of seasons, and the high-point of the Christian’s year. Lent has led us wonderfully into the Salvation Drama of Holy Week and Easter. Now we see how the first disciples’ lives were tested, changed, and renewed: as you walk with Christ so will you.
The “Last Supper Eucharist” is traditionally the occasion to remember the humility of Christ, washing his disciples’ feet. We echo that ministry in our offerings of service toGod and neighbour; particularly in the way we help others when we meet for worship and fellowship. It may be your gift is music, welcoming (as a Sidesman), coffee-making, floral decoration: whatever, it is an offering of ministry and service, and may perhaps only be possible with some effort and generosity. If you would like to develop your ministry in prayer and service, say, by assisting the Celebrant by serving at the Altar, or even as “an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” by administering the Chalice to Communicants, please talk to me about it.
There are some Friday Eucharist opportunities for us in Eastertide, as well as Sunday Evensongs (and will possible Choir volunteers please talk to Jules Addison).
On these and at other times we offer prayers and thanksgivings for all who are, or have been, associated with the Chapel: please note the new note-book for prayer requests on the books table, for your attention.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the Annual Meeting on Sunday 28th April at 11.15am.
With prayers and blessings,
Sincerely,
David
You will be welcome………
- Holy Week and Eastercards are now available for yourself and to pass on to others, as an invitation to be with us in worship and prayer. Please collect from the Chapel, or ask.
Saturday 23rd March 11am
The Service of the Blessing of the Holy Oils
at Bristol Cathedral – Celebrant, The Rt Revd John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth. Clergy renew their Ordination vows. All are welcome.
Saturday 23rd March 7.30pm
Chandos Singers Chapel Concert
In this concert the choir will be performing Passion Week, composed in 1911 by the Russian composer Alexander Gretchaninoff (1864-1956).
Gretchaninoff’s instrumental, operatic and vocal music was so much acclaimed in his lifetime that the Tsar granted him an annual pension. After the Revolution he emigrated, ending his long and productive life in the New World.
This is a rare opportunity to hear Passion Week, which is little known in Western Europe. Intended (as with the composer’s Liturgia Domestica, performed by the Chandos Singers in 2012) for concert performance rather than liturgical use, it sets thirteen Russian Orthodox Passiontide texts to music of great beauty.
The concert will be held in the serene setting of the Magdalen Chapel.
Tickets: £12, Students £6,
Bath Box Office 01225 463362 boxoffice@bathfestivals.org.uk
Further Details: Mandy Shaw – mandy.shaw@iperimeter.co.uk
Chandos Singers www.chandos-singers.co.uk
HOLY WEEK AT MAGDALEN CHAPEL
Palm Sunday 24th March
8am Holy Communion
10.30am Sung Eucharist with Procession & Blessing of Palms
Monday and Tuesday
The Salvation Army Hall at Oolite Road
will be open from 9am-7pm. Come and experience a time of quietness and reflection with us and with Jesus Christ.
Maundy Thursday 7pm
The Last Supper Eucharist
Good Friday 7pm
The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord, with Holy Communion
Holy Saturday 7pm
Vigil with Blessing of the Paschal Candle and Easter Eucharist
Easter Day
8am Holy Communion
10.30am Sung Eucharist
On Sundays & Weekdays Eucharist*
Week by Week:
8am Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer – BCP)
10.30am Sung Eucharist (& Coffee and Conversation)
On Sundays at 10 a.m. there will be opportunity for a short “singing practice”, with the Organist of the day, so if you’d like to make the most of singing the Eucharist, you will be welcome. You might even like to initial the Calendar in the Old Vestry to show your availability, week by week.
In response to requests, here are details of Readings on Sundays at 10.30am, in addition to dates of the occasional Friday Eucharist. Please keep this information by you as you seek to unite your prayer and discipleship with the Church.
BCP Revised Common Lectionary (text is same as NRSV)
April 7th Easter 1 2nd Sunday in Eastertide “Divine Mercy Sunday”
Acts 5:27-32, Ps 118,:14-29; Rev 1:4-8; John 20:19-31
“The Upper Room”
14th Easter 2 3rd Sunday in Eastertide
Acts 9:1-6; Ps 30; Rev 5:11-4; John 21:1-14
“It is the Lord”
*Friday 19th 6.30pm – “St. Alphege”
21st Easter 3 4th Sunday in Eastertide– Vocations Sunday
Acts 9:36-43; Ps 23; Rev 7:9-17; John 10:27-30
“The Good Shepherd”
12.30pm Holy Baptism
6pm Evensong for St George
*Friday 25th 6.30pm – St Mark, Ev.
28th Easter 4 5th Sunday in Eastertide
Acts 11:1-8; Ps 145; Rev 21:1-6; John 13:31-35
“The New Creation”
*Friday May 3rd 6.30pm – St Athanasius, B. Dr.
May 5th Easter 5 6th Sunday in Eastertide
Acts 16:9-15; Ps 67; Rev 21:10, 22 – 22:5; John 14:23-29
“The Glory of God”
12th The Ascension of The Lord
Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47: 2-3,6-9; Eph 1:17-23; Lk 24:44-53
5pm Walsingham Prayers for Pilgrims, and all welcome.
Friday 17th 12noon.Wedding of Gavin McGuirk & Sian Mari Gronow
6.30pm – St Matthias, Ap.
19th Whitsunday– Pentecost
Acts 2:1-11; Ps104:26-36,37b;Rom8:14-17;John14:8-17,25-27
For the Record
- Day by day in Lent Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! If you counted your blessings during Lent and have a bag of Almisgiving to pass on to Christian Aid please use a blue envelope in Chapel – mark it Xn Aid – and it will be forwarded (Gift Aided if possible please)
- Fridays in Lent
Our Study and Prayer Group – “Worship and Christian Living” has nourished seeds of faith, as well as “feeding in” to Sunday Sermons. Thank you.
- Sunday 16th December – a special “Photo Session”, sponsored by Geoff Lee,
took place in the Chapel, after the Sung Eucharist. Copies can be ordered with payment of £2 per copy.
Farewell and Welcome
On Sunday 17th March we bid “good bye, and au revoir” to Debra Anderson, as Secretary of the Promotions Committee, and to Robert, as they begin their “Sabbatical” year.
Bequests – a Memo from the Treasurer
“Many will recall my mentioning at the last AGM that for all intents and purposes the Magdalen Chapel Foundation had been merged with St John’s Hospital, this we are told to make accounting easier. If you have left a bequest in your Will it is paramount that your bequest is worded such that the funds come to the Chapel [if that is your wish] and not be lost amongst the funds of St John’s Hospital which could happen now.
I have spoken to those I know that have left bequests and a couple of Solicitors. If you wish your donation to come to the Chapel in support of its work then you need to specify that any cheque is drawn to The St Mary Magdalen Chapel and sent to the Treasurer or Chaplain or Warden at PO Box 2152 Bath BA2 4YH
Please contact me for the Chapel’s bank account details.
If you are in any doubt then please feel free to contact me at my office on Bath [01225] 315428 or by e mail treasurer@magdalenchapelbath.co.uk “
Geoff Lee (Hon Treasurer)
Diary Dates
Chapel Annual Meeting – please now put into your diary Sunday 28th April at 11.15am, following the 10.30am Sung Eucharist. The Agenda of the Meeting will include our Finances, and plans and ideas for forthcoming events, particularly leading up to our Patronal Festival Sunday 21st July.
Glastonbury Pilgrimage Day – Saturday 15th June.
The main events take place in the Nave of the (ruined) Abbey Church.
12noon Solemn Concelebrated Mass followed by (BYO) picnic
3pm Procession and Benediction.
There could be no better reason for visiting Glastonbury! Pilgrims walk (or go by Car/Coach) from all over the South West and Wales. For further details please ask. For advance Programme and service book please sign the list in Chapel.
Bath – Walsingham Pilgrimage 15-18th July Coach transport and full board at Walsingham: in the footsteps of pilgrims for 1000 years, to “England’s Nazareth”. Enquiries and bookings to Mrs Sue Prothero.
The next Chaplain’s Letter will be published in time for Trinity Sunday 26th May, Notices for the attention of readers will be received conveniently by 19th May, please.