All Hallows News
May 2007
If you love Jesus Christ more than you fear human judgment, then you will not only speak of compassion, but act with it. Compassion means seeing your friend and your enemy in equal need, and helping both equally. It demands that you seek and find the stranger, the broken, the prisoner, and comfort him and offer her your help. Herein lies the holy compassion of God that causes the devil much distress.
Mechthild of Magdeburg
In this edition of All Hallows News:
Worship & Prayer
Regular Services
Holy Week and Easter Sermons on line
Discussion & Reflection
Benedict’s Toolbox
Angels in the North — Regional Greenbelt Day at All Hallows
What is your theological profile?
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins — A review by Terry Eagleton
Wilberforce, Newton and the abolition of the slave trade
Action in the Community
Enid, Becky and Natasha’s Asylum Campaigns
Iraq Solidarity Fund Update
Community Café — Changes and Developments
Makkah Masjid Open Days
Councillor’s Comments
Special News
Ray leaving All Hallows after 8 Years as Vicar
New Churchwardens and PCC Elected at AGM
Worship & Prayer
Regular Services
Every Sunday
10.30am Sharing the Feast of Life — a service of communion for all
This celebration of the liberating way of Jesus Christ forms our main weekly service.
First Sunday of Month (not in May):
7pm Holy Ground
Katharine Salmon writes:
Holy Ground began originally as a space where the spirituality of All Hallows could mix with more charismatic worship. It attracted both those who had been part of charismatic Christianity who wanted to revisit that, but also those from more ‘catholic’ church traditions. It has evolved as time has gone on, and is now really a quiet, reflective worship space, and includes every kind of music from charismatic praise, to Taizé, to an Arabic ‘Agnus Dei’! We use icons, candles, readings and times of meditative prayer to encourage others and ourselves to experience the presence of God in new ways. Holy Ground usually happens on the first Sunday of the month. If you would like to know more, or be involved in planning Holy Ground, contact Katharine on katharinesalmon@hotmail.com.
Holy Week and Easter Sermons now on line
You can download the Holy Week and Easter sermons at http://www.allhallowsleeds.org.uk/worship/sermons/HolyWeek_Easter2007.shtml
Other recent sermons can also be found at http://www.allhallowsleeds.org.uk/worship/sermons.asp
Discussion & Reflection
Benedict’s Toolbox
Alison Terrell writes
‘Was St Benedict a carpenter?’ was the question of one All Hallows member when this book was first mentioned! Well no, he wasn't, but he wrote pretty amazing spiritual advice and founded a religious community with a lot of common-sense ideas for busy, stressed people trying to live as Christians. This book is written by an Episcopal priest who developed a programme using St Benedict's ideas and suggesting ways to put them into practice. Benedict talks a lot about stability, humility and conversion of life, which sounds hard going, but the idea of studying the book together is that we support each other in putting some of Benedict's thoughts into practice. We take a chapter at a time, and decide on some ‘tool’ to use in our daily lives. That tool may be something different for each one of us, but when we next meet, people share how they got on with whatever they chose to try. The discussions have been really interesting — and, at times, very challenging! During the meetings we have also made time to pray for one another, sometimes using Compline, the night prayer of the church. If you want to know more, contact Alison on anchoritealison@homecall.co.uk or see www.stbenedictstoolbox.org.
Angels in the North — Regional Greenbelt Day at All Hallows
Steve Thackray writes
There is a full report with good links to audios of some of the talks and other resources of the different subjects covered by the speakers at the Regional Angels day held at All Hallows on Saturday March 10th on the Greenbelt website at http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/index.php?p=816.
Talks on the day included:
- Steve Hollinghurst — on 'Christianity and Paganism'
- Chris Howson — on 'fresh expressions and social justice'
- Annie Heppenstall — with a meditation
- John Davies — on finding 'Heaven in Ordinary' (including references to wheelie bins, LS Lowry and the Royle Family)
- Local poet Rob Dunsire
- Ray Gaston — on dialogue with the Muslim community
What is your theological profile?
From the Subversive Christianity blogspot
So where do you fall on the theological spectrum? Emergent/postmodernist? Neo-orthodox? Charismatic/Pentecostal? Modern Liberal?
Wonder no more!
(or at least have some fun):
What’s Your Theological Worldview?
Ray writes:
This is how I came out when I first did it a couple of months ago …
Neo orthodox 82%, Catholic 71%, Emergent/Postmodern 64%. Classical Liberal 46%. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 43%, Charismatic/Pentecostal 39%, Reformed Evangelical 25% Modern Liberal 25% Fundamentalist 7%
And then the other day …
Catholic 79%, Neo orthodox 71%, Emergent/Postmodern 54% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 50% , Classical Liberal 39%, Charismatic/Pentecostal 29%, Reformed Evangelical 25%, Modern Liberal 18%, Fundamentalist 0%
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins — A review by Terry Eagleton
‘Dawkins quite rightly detests fundamentalists; but as far as I know his anti-religious diatribes have never been matched in his work by a critique of the global capitalism that generates the hatred, anxiety, insecurity and sense of humiliation that breed fundamentalism. Instead, as the obtuse media chatter has it, it's all down to religion.’
‘Lunging, Flailing, Mispunching’ Terry Eagleton’s excellent critique of Richard Dawkins’ latest rant against religion: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n20/eagl01_.html
Wilberforce, Newton and the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Who was William Wilberforce and what was his role in the abolition of the slave trade? Some Christians are getting very excited about the positive spin on faith given by the film Amazing Grace, but Wilberforce was a complex character; read more about both Wilberforce and the movement to abolish slavery and his role in it:
Ship of Fools website has published two extracts from Steve Tomkins’ biography of Wilberforce: http://ship-of-fools.com/Features/2007/wilberforce_1.html.
And Socialist Worker did a surprisingly balanced piece on Wilberforce in their very good supplement on the movement to abolish slavery, which looks at the often ignored more radical elements in the movement and the role of freed slaves like Olaudah Equiano and the slave rebellions: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=10973
Also check out leading Black intellectual and activist Paul Gilroy of the London School of Economics on the official commemorations of the abolition of the slave trade that the Church had a major role in …
'The commemoration is a fantastically important moment for this country. It's a chance to reflect, a chance to remember, a chance to honour a history of struggle. But it's also a chance to make an assessment of black social life in this country, about the shape and place of racism here and about the contemporary relevance of racial divisions to the politics, economics and cultural life of this country. Like many of you, I'm sure, I really wanted to support the commemoration. But I found it hard to join in the official version of it. For me it felt too much like a ‘business as usual’ operation. Read more …
Back at the Ship of fools website …
Steve Tomkins writes:
Here’s an incongruous image for you. A devoutly religious ship’s captain, leading compulsory services for his crew every Sunday, while under his feet his cargo of African slaves lie or sit crouched in chains. We all know the Sunday-School story of John Newton. He was a hard-living slave-trader, then found the Lord, gave up trafficking, became a minister, wrote ‘Amazing Grace’, and campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade. The reality is a little more complicated than that, and not quite so edifying.
Read Amazing Guilt, Amazing Grace.
Action in the Community
Enid, Becky and Natasha’s Asylum Campaigns
Sarah Fishwick writes:
As most people reading this will know, Enid, Natasha and Becky are living in the vicarage at All Hallows, supported by the church, and seeking asylum in the UK. There have now been two meetings of a group of members of the congregation specifically set up to support Enid and Sophie’s joint campaign to stay in the UK (Sophie is a friend of Enid’s whom she met in Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre).The aim of Enid and Sophie’s campaign is to run alongside the legal process of their asylum claims to demonstrate widespread support for their cause and disgust at the way in which they have been treated by the UK government. So far they have produced a petition (see Sophie and Enid Must Stay on the All Hallows website) for which we are trying to gather signatures.
We have produced a 5-minute DVD introducing their stories and campaign to invite people to sign the petition. We will be showing this DVD after church onSunday 29th April, otherwise just ask Enid for a copy to have a look at and to show to any groups which you may have contacts with.
Our local MP, Greg Mullholland, has been very supportive of the campaign, as has Sophie’s local MP Alastair Burt. They will be shortly organising a joint meeting in Parliament about mistreatment of asylum seekers in detention, which Enid and Natasha will both speak at. We aim to coordinate a delegation to go down to London to hand over the petition signatures so far to Greg and Alastair to pass on to Liam Byrne, the Minister for Immigration (we’re hoping we get atleast 1000 signatures by then) to show our support for the campaign and get some publicity at the same time. We don’t yet have a date for this, but please think about whether you might be able to be part of this delegation,and watch this space for the date when it’s confirmed with the MPs.
Natasha is also in the process of setting up a campaign to go alongside the legal process of her asylum claim, and her petition will shortly be on the All Hallows website too.Contact me on sarahfishwick@btinternet.com for details of the next meeting.
Iraq Solidarity Fund update
Ray Gaston writes:
The last of the ISF was distributed a couple of months ago. Since it was formed in 2004 following Hussein’s and Ray’s visit to Iraq, money has been raised and distributed to various initiatives. In Al Michri village in the South of Iraq we have funded the rebuilding of a road which enables children to get to school more easily throughout the year, and we have helped fund the completion of a Community Centre for the village. We funded the Nasariyah Puppet Theatre project that is working with traumatised children in Nasariyah province, and we provided emergency funds for medical supplies for a team of doctors during the conflict between the US army and the Mehdi militia in 2004. We have also been able to purchase a number of computers for use in local schools.
Community Café — Changes and Developments
Elaine Wilford writes:
Many of you reading this will already know that Ruth Hutchison will be leaving the Project at the end of June. We will miss Ruth and all that she has brought to the Project in recent years, and thank her for all her efforts.
Ruth's leaving has presented us with an opportunity to look at how the Project is running and to assess just what we need from a paid worker in the future.
Over the years, the All Hallows Community Project has constantly changed to meet the needs of the people it serves. The café is at the core of all that we do — bringing people together and giving them an initial point of contact with the church.
In the early years of the Project, we started with vocational courses, aiming to build up skills, qualifications and confidence to help people who wanted to return to work. We offered free access to computers and to the Internet long before the library service caught on.
We then moved into leisure activities, with yoga, aromatherapy and rather a lot of parties, bringing local people together.
Sandra Scott and Ruth Hutchison changed project management into project ministry. The Community Project is All Hallows Church during the week and is as much a part of the church as the Sunday morning service. In addition to groups and leisure activities, the Credit Union runs in the café every Thursday, and many local people use the café not just as a meeting place but as somewhere they know they can find a sympathetic ear.
The salary of the Project Co-ordinator was originally funded from trust fund money. As the Project developed, we found that the changes and growth that the funders wanted to see were not what we wanted to happen in our Project. In order to qualify for funding, we would have to make changes that we felt were not acceptable. The Project Co-ordinator's salary has been paid by the congregation of All Hallows for the past two years, so that the Project can develop as we want.
There is now a stable group of café volunteers who are meeting with the idea of running the Project without a Project Co-ordinator over the summer months. This will help us to see what we need from a paid worker in the future. It's a bit scary, but we work well together and we will do our best to keep things running smoothly. If you have any time to offer — you don't have to cook — chatting to people, washing up and bits of admin work all need to be done — and the more people there are involved, the easier it will be all round.
Please talk to Iris, Sonia, Lois, Pam or Elaine at church if you have time and enthusiasm to offer, or email me at e_wilford@another.com.
Makkah Masjid Open Days
Peter Dale writes:
The Makkah Mosque on Brudenell Road, with which All Hallows (in particular Ray) has strong connections, is opening to the public as part of the Treasures Revealed events in May in Leeds and is well worth a visit.
The times of the exhibition and the open days are: Thursday 10th May 10am—7pm, Friday 11th May 10am—1pm and 2.30pm—8pm and Saturday 12th May 11am—7pm.
The Mosque’s website says:
The mosque was built some 3 years ago in the Hyde Park area of Leeds. Its exterior design, selection of unusual colours and architecture is reflective of classical Persian influences. The mosque's presence at the heart of the local community symbolizes the positive contribution the Muslim community has made to this rich and diverse part of Leeds. In particular, the mosque has assumed a significant role in promoting understanding and tolerance during recent difficult times … To continue to improve understanding and mutual respect with the wider community, these open days have been planned. The main objectives of these open days are to explore the theme of beauty and how it is expressed through the Muslim faith. There will be a tour of the mosque, an exhibition of Islamic art and history, and an opportunity to meet and interact with some of the Muslim community.
http://www.makkahmasjid.co.uk/wp/
Councillor’s Comments
Jane Astrid Devane and Mike Birtill tell us:
Our friend and local councillor David Morton runs a blog site called The Republic of Hyde Park where he reflects on local life in Hyde Park and Headingley and on the life of a councillor. David occasionally pops into All Hallows, and after his last visit on Maundy Thursday wrote some nice things about us in his blog — see http://republicofhydepark.blogspot.com/ and scroll down to April 6th 2007 and the piece entitled The Parish Church.
Special News
Ray leaving All Hallows after 8 Years as Vicar
Ray Gaston writes:
Although it’s been known in the church and local community for a while that I would be leaving this year, others on this email list might be hearing this for the first time. I’m leaving All Hallows on 20th May to initially have a sabbatical for 3 months in order to try and complete some writing, and then to go in October to the Centre for the Study of Islam and Muslim—Christian Relations at Birmingham University to do a research MPhil supervised by Dr David Thomas. I have funding to do this.
I hope then to return to Leeds in Autumn 2008, possibly moving into Harehills to develop a grassroots Christian—Muslim dialogue initiative — some funding has been secured for this but more is needed. You can read an edited version of my project proposal at the following website: http://solidarityandtruth.wordpress.com/.
I feel I leave All Hallows at an exciting time in its development. The church is strong spiritually and numerically, and new patterns of ministry are developing. For the last year we have been exploring as a church the future of ministry at All Hallows, and I feel strongly that my leaving at this time facilitates rather than stalls that development. You can read a summary of the process of our exploration of ministry on our website at http://www.allhallowsleeds.org.uk/allhallows/fomreport0704.shtml.
I am having a leaving walk and picnic on Monday 7th May. If you are not on the All Hallows announce list and want to come, please get in touch with me ( contact@allhallowsleeds.org.uk) and I'll let you know the details.
My last Sunday service will be Sunday May 20th at 10.30am at which I will be presiding and preaching. The service will be followed by a vegetarian buffet lunch — all are welcome.
It will be strange for me to leave All Hallows, as this was the church in which I came to a new sense of faith back in 1988, leaving here to go for training for ordination in 1994 and returning 5 years later as Vicar after 3 years as an Assistant Priest at The Church of the Epiphany in Gipton.
I have been really blessed to have been involved in All Hallows at really exciting times in its history, and I have learnt so much here over the last 8 years as Parish Priest from so many people. Thank you.
Love & blessings
Ray
New Churchwardens and PCC Elected at AGM
On Sunday 22nd April All Hallows held our Annual General Meeting and elected Jan Betts and Sheena McMain as Churchwardens. Six new people were elected to the PCC — see http://www.allhallowsleeds.org.uk/allhallows/pcc.shtml for details.