OCTOBER 2024

Autumn at Sissinghurst

WRITING 

Introduction and Conclusion

October was a big month of writing of my new book ‘The Church has a Past – Has it got a Future?’  I had completed it apart from the Introduction and Conclusion to Part 3 ‘Being Credible in the Post-Modern World’. I had written a draft, but it didn’t hang together and I didn’t know how to make progress. Quite suddenly, during a lunchtime recital of Scottish fiddle musician Friday 18th, I realised that if I moved the first paragraph of the Introduction to the Conclusion, it made sense.  Linda still had several pertinent criticisms.  I then discovered that I had already written the conclusion as a blog.  With the added input I was able to craft a much better Introduction and Conclusion.

Beta Readers

At the beginning of the month I delivered my entire book (75,000 words) in hard copy to three friends who had agreed to read the book for me and make any comments they wanted.  By 31st October I had received comments from all three and had incorporated the comments of two of them.  This included spending two entire days with my friend Steve from South East London going through his comments.  So helpful.  In November my aim is to move towards a publishable book with the help of my Filament friends  Chris and Ana.

Marketing

I went to the Christian Resources Exhibition at Milton Keynes, sold a couple of books and had a useful meeting with Monkeynuts, my audiobook producer.

A week later I took part in a Christian in Media day at St Martin in the Fields.  Again I sold a couple of books, and may have the opportunity to have some stocked at St Martin’s shop.

Coffee at St Martin for  Christians in Media

CHURCH 

Retreat. I started the month with a two day retreat at my regular monastery at Crawley Down Sussex, during which I finished the large and fascinating book ‘Dominion’ by Tom Holland.  He describes the 2,000 year development of Christianity and its impact on Western thought.

Sunday Church.  The dispute in the Church of England about optional prayers for same-sex couples led me rethink my church commitments.  As a result, I now go to HTB Queens Gate alternate weeks and to the 10.00 Mass at St Cuthbert’s with Linda and to the 11.15 St Mary Abbot’s Choral Matins the other weeks.  I really enjoy the variety.https://www.smaw8.org

I continue leading a small Zoom Bible study group, working slowly through Romans.  

Holy Sepulchre and the City. On 23rd I went to Holy Sepulchre London, the church where Music at Hill has its free Friday lunchtime concerts.  The occasion was the induction of our friend Nick Mottershead as Rector as part of their regular Wednesday Choral Evensong.  https://hsl.churchIt was the Church of England at its pompous best, with bishop, archdeacon and city aldermen.  The choir sang Walmisley’s Magnificat in D magnificently.  During the service I realised that this was just the place for me to launch my new book after Evensong on Wednesday 4th June 2025.  Afterwards I met some of the City councillors and was invited to the private Tea and Evensong for the Worshipful Company of Fueller’s; they cover the whole energy sector.  I am going!

COMMUNITY

Residents Association.   For several years I have been a member  of Philbeach Residents Association (my street).  On 16th I became much more active and chaired my first committee meeting.  There was a lot of discussion about the plans for a giant new development with 4,000 new homes and with community spaces on the site.  We went to a presentation by the Earls Court Development Company, saw the model and plans, and discussed issues of the height of buildings and foreseeable transport problems.

The plans will be considered by the Council after 25th November.

Wellbeing Hub  As part of Kensington and Chelsea’s Faith Forum I was invited to the launch of Westminster’s (and Kensington and Chelsea’s) new Wellbeing Hub – a scheme to make information accessible about mental health support services to people in the both boroughs.  One simple way is to encourage the churches like St  Mary Abbots to display information on their notice boards. 

OUT AND ABOUT

Kent  Linda and I had two noteworthy trips, entirely caused by giving Peter a week’s holiday in the Scottish Borders for his birthday. He departed from and arrived at the Sainsbury superstore at Otford, near Sevenoaks, Kent.  We spent one night on two consecutive weekends in Kent.  Here are the highlights:

Otford:  a fascinating ancient village with lots to investigate, like the Archbishop’s Palace but no parking!

Ightam Mote: a mediaeval fortified manor house.  We had not been there for years. It’s been splendidly restored by the National Trust. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk It also had free deckchairs on the large lawn, ideal for hot sunny days.   

Sissinghurst:  Interesting Tudor manor house and wonderful gardens created by Vita Sackville-West.  (Both she and her husband Harold Nicholson had a bewildering variety of relationships). The gardens are fabulous, but really need to be seen in the spring.

Cranbrook is a lovely small market town with a particularly fine cafe/bistro ‘Willow and Sage’.  The town still has a windmill, simply because the last miller, John Russell, refused to sell the mill and land to developers.  Instead he sold it to Kent County Council for one shilling! 

FILM, TV & THEATRE

This month  we particularly enjoyed one TV series, ‘Ludwig’ – a very good portrayal of autism in a enjoyable crime drama; the film ‘Lee’ (portrayed by Kate Winslet) about a former model who became a WWII war correspondent – the British would not have her but the Americans did; and a lovely play about the amusing artist Beryl Cooke in our local pub theatre the Finborough. And, of course, Strictly each week.

WEDNESDAY SAINTS

The weekly reflection and prayer on a saint of the week continues every Wednesday at 10.00 a.m.  It lasts half an hour, followed by half an hour coffee and chat – on Zoom.  Last month we remembered 

• Francis of Assisi
• Thomas Traherne
• Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, martyrs of the Reformation
• Alfred the Great
• James Hannington of Uganda

If you would like to join us one Wednesday, drop me an email and I will send you the link.