News

This Saturday, 2 November is the feast of All Souls (when we commemorate the faithful departed). At 17:00 the St Thomas Becket Consort will be singing Choral Evensong with music by the English Tudor composers Thomas Tomkins, Orlando Gibbons, William Smith and Thomas Weelkes. Choral Evensong is one of the treasures of the Anglican tradition and has inspired some of the best English choral music from the Tudor period to the present day. If you've never been, this is your chance. The service lasts about an hour. You can find out more about the music here

The Bible Study group will be meeting as usual in the Chaplain's flat 7:00pm on Wednesday 16 October. The study of the Book of Job (cheerful character) will be led by Fr Clifford Poole who is standing in for Fr Matthew while he is on holiday.

All are welcome.

The next Wanderers walk is on Saturday 12 October. The route will be from Wedel S-Bahn station along the Elbe to the NABU CarlZeiß Vogelstation and back. approx. 10 kms in all.

Meet at the exit from Wedel station at 11.20am. The S1 train dep. Hbf at 10.39 (Altona at 10.52) arr. Wedel at 11.19. (Please remember that trains as far as Wedel run every 20 mins. only!)

Bring a picnic lunch. There are good tables and benches at the NAbU site. Afterwards one can observe the birds. There will be an opportunity for further refreshment at the Fährmannsand Café or in Wedel.

Please let Cicely know by Friday, 11 Oct. 5pm please: 040/86 07 90; mobile 0162 635 93 98.

Martin Leafe, former Lecturer at the Study of Religions Departments of Hannover and Bremen Universities, presents his final lecture in a series on the history, theory, leading personalities and practices of four controversial religious groups.

The lecture to be given on Thursday 10 October, 7-9pm in church will be on Scientology.

Attendance is free, but a donation to the church would be welcomed.

Becket News hot off the press in time for Harvest Festival! (Click reference to Becket News in text above to obtain a PDF version).

Once again a big THANK YOU to the editor for getting this together.

Now is the time to start thinking about the next issue: roving reporters required to write up events as they occur. Thanks!

Those who followed the 400th anniversary celebrations in 2012 will be aware that the church was founded as a concession to the Merchant Adventurers, a trading guild. This ancient trading fraternity still exists in York, and a number of their members visited STB for the celebrations in 2012. As a result of the contact, STB's Chaplain, Father Matthew was invited to York to preach the 'Thomas Herbert Sermon' on 26 September. Thomas Herbert was a traveller and historian who bequeathed a sermon to be held annually – which it has been since his death in 1682.

Fr Matthew has kindy provided a copy of his sermon here.

This week at STB

Tuesday 1 October 7:30pm Healing Service with Taizé music.

Thursday 3 October 7-9:00pm the third of Michael Leafe's Lectures on controversial religions: this time on Jehovah's Witness

Saturday 5 October 5:00pm Evensong

and don't miss Harvest Festival 6 October 10:30am. Bring along a pumpkin (or other veg or items of use for the homeless).

29 September was the culmination of a month of prayer about Giving to the church. STB does not receive any money except what it receives by voluntary giving. This unfortunately not currently enough to cover the costs of running the church.

Due to the current situation we are asking parishoners to fill our a Pledge Card in order for the Chaplaincy Council to better able to get to grips with the likely income and expenditure. Please pick one up in church and return to the Treasurer.

All donations to the church are tax deductible.

THANK YOU!

Fr Matthew will be returning to his native Queensland for a month 7 October to 5 November.

During this time we welcome back Revd Clifford Poole, who was one of our locums in 2011, together with his wife Jean.

Pope Francis has given an extensive interview to a fellow Jesuit which has been reported in the The Economist among other prominent publications. The full interview can be read here . It makes very interesting reading.

Thanks to Jo for drawing attention to this.