Contacting the Abbey...The Abbey Office 12 Kingston Buildings Bath BA1 1LT

The office number is (01225) 422462 (Monday to Friday: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm). Answerphone service outside those hours. The office is normally open to visitors in the morning.

Email office@bathabbey.org Website www.bathabbey.org Facebook / Twitter @bathabbey Fax (01225) 429990

Office Staff Mrs Cheri Bragg, Mrs Annette Smith, Mrs Lyndie Sugden, Mrs Miranda Edwards

Clergy Prebendary Edward Mason, Rector (01225) 318267; Revd Claire Robson, Abbey Vicar (01225) 484469; Revd Dr Sarah Hartley, Self-Supporting Minister (01225) 442462; Revd Evelyn Lee-Barber, Curate (01225) 422462

Clergy Availability The clergy welcome communication on any matters by letter, email or telephone. Please contact the Abbey Office.

Services and Preachers...

Morning Prayer on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8.30 am Holy Communion on Thursdays at 11.00 am and Fridays at 8.30 am

Evening Prayer from Mondays to Fridays at 5.30 pm

Abbey Choir, priced at £10. Hymns from Bath Abbey features a great selection of beautiful hymns, including Abide with me, Lo He comes with clouds descending, Praise my soul the King of heaven, When I survey the wondrous cross and many more. Recorded in Bath Abbey with the Abbey’s choirs of boys, girls and men directed by Peter King, with Marcus Sealy – Organ.

We’re open from 10am-4.30pm Monday–Saturday, with late opening during the Christmas market. We look forward to seeing you soon.

The Abbey shop

November 2014

Abbey NewsChristmas shoppingWhy not visit the Abbey Shop for your Christmas shopping this year?

We have a wide selection of advent calendars, candles, Christmas cards, tree decorations, nativity sets and other seasonal treats, as well as postage stamps (why queue in the post office?) All profits go to support the work of the Abbey.

An ideal gift for music lovers is the new CD from the Bath

Hymns from Bath Abbey:

The latest CD from the Bath Abbey Choir, £10 from the Abbey Shop’

2 All Saints 8.00 am Holy Communion Mr Colin Maggs 9.30 am Parish Communion The Revd Evelyn Lee-Barber 11.15 am Sung Eucharist The Revd Roger Salisbury Missa Brevis Stanford Letallmortalflesh Bairstow 4.30 pm Sung Eucharist for All Souls The Requiem Howells 6.30 pm By the Way Evening Service Simon Barnes, Send a Cow

9 Remembrance Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion The Revd Claire Robson 9.30 am Parish Communion The Revd Claire Robson 10.50 am Morning Prayer for Remembrance Sunday The Revd Claire Robson Iustorum animae Hyrd Russian Contakion Nationshallspeakpeace untonation Rose Kyrie(WarRequiem) Britten Lord, thou has been our refuge Vaughan Williams 3.00 pm Remembrance Sunday Service With proud thanksgiving Elgar 6.30 pm By the Way Evening Service Michael Craine, St Swithun’s, Bathford

13 5.30 pm Choral Evensong, Sherborne School

16 The Second Sunday before Advent 8.00 am Holy Communion The Revd Claire Robson 9.30 am Parish Communion The Ven John Reed

11.15 am Choral Matins The Ven John Reed Stanford in C For lo, I raise up Stanford 3.30 pm Choral Evensong Almighty and most merciful Father Harris Stanford in A And I saw a new heaven Bainton 6.30 pm By the Way Evening Service Edward Mason

23 The Sunday next before Advent – Christ the King 8.00 am Holy Communion Mr Jeremy Key-Pugh 9.30 am Parish Communion Mr Jeremy Key-Pugh 11.15 am Choral Matins Mr Jeremy Key-Pugh BritteninC Iustorum animae Stanford 3.30 pm Choral Evensong OpraisetheLord Batten Stanford in G O where shall wisdom be found Boyce 6.30 pm By the Way Evening Service Steven Faux

30 Advent Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion The Revd Evelyn Lee-Barber 9.30 am Parish Communion Tom Peryer 11.15 am Sung Eucharist Tom Peryer MissaAeternaChristiMunera Palestrina No Choral Evensong 6.30 pm Advent Procession by Candlelight Entry by free ticket only. Available from Bath Box office from 10 November

N.B. Nine Lessons and Carols on 24 December, 7pm Tickets (free) will be available from the Bath Box Office from Monday 8 December 2014

Message from The RectorA few days ago I was asked to take part in the Battle of Ideas.

The Battle of Ideas is an annual festival of debate held at the Barbican, London. I had been asked to join a panel on the open stage to discuss Busking versus Noise Pollution. (I can’t think why I was invited!)

It was a thrilling event. There were 8 or 9 debates being held simultaneously every hour and a half or so. The subjects were topical and covered a vast range of issues concerning how we live together - health, economics, systems of government, justice, freedom and so on.

I really enjoyed the busking debate. There were five of us including a busker who was trying to keep the streets free of the regulation that’s appearing across the country (especially some boroughs in London), a deputy Mayor of London, a councillor from Bath and a professional cellist who had been inspired to learn by a busker. And me of course!

It took a while for arms to be locked in a decent wrestle but, over an hour or half or so, we exchanged views and argument. The debate was adult, informed and vigorous. It continued long after we had to leave the stage. Through the experience I know that my own views have taken a new shape and that came as a surprise.

It was also one of those occasions when being dressed as a vicar reminded me that the church is not expected to turn up. If I had been dressed as a clown I don’t suppose the empty circle around me would have been any larger. What was a vicar doing there amongst all those interested and interesting people?

The question provokes the challenge. How did the church get the reputation for not caring about how we live? I thought about this on the train back home. The Benedictine Abbey in Bath was at the cutting edge of education, health, farming, business, science, and architecture. One of the finest scientists that Europe has ever known, Adelard, was nurtured and supported at the Abbey.

I came back from the Battle of Ideas and walked straight in to the Great Bath Bake Sale. The Abbey was awash with people buying and selling, chatting and working. There were businesses, charities and community groups all involved in the venture and it was a joy to see. An organ recital followed by a Hungarian musician based in Germany. Then Harvest the next day with the wonderful talk by Shirley Fraser who spoke of her journey from addiction and catastrophe to faith and joyful purpose as a Lifeline volunteer.

This was the Abbey doing what the Abbey should do - engaging with society, learning, listening and shaping the future in the pattern of the ministry of Jesus.

Remember the 3 pillars of the Abbey vision to be a People and Place Fully Alive?

Worship, Hospitality and Engagement. Yes, all three in one weekend, and every day, and every hour…

Edward

Getting to know…Pastor Jacques René Balehen Tunen project Bible translator, CameroonAs part of our Mission Giving, the Abbey’s congregation has been supporting a bible translation project in Cameroon for more than five years. Little by little, verse by verse, the New Testament is being translated into Tunen, the ‘heart language’ of the thousands who live in the rural areas of Ndikinimeki and Makenene in south Cameroon.

53 year-old Pastor Jacques René Balehen is one of the team of translators based in Ndikinimeki who has been working on this project from the very start. Jacques is from the village of Ndema, 15 km from Ndikinimeki and grew up in this area. As a child, he attended a local school run by the Union of Cameroon Baptist Churches (UEBC). His father, Aaron Boaye Sale was a primary school teacher at the school and his mother, Rosaline, was a farmer.

After graduating from high school, Jacques left the village to study at the Baptist Institute of Theology and went on to attend teacher’s training college. In 2000, he got married to Celestine Abora Ngon. They have a son named Nathan, but also have several other ‘children’ from their family and church who they are taking care of.

Soon after joining CABTAL (Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy) in 2003, Jacques returned to the area where he grew up and has been volunteering as the Project Coordinator of the Tunen Bible translation and literacy project for the last eight years.

Life in this remote region is hard, even when it comes to communicating. The translators face many challenges and have to overcome many difficulties. As their language, Tunen, had never been formally written before, there wasn’t an alphabet or even one book, which meant that the translating team had to start from scratch. It is truly thanks to the dedication of the translation team comprising volunteers like Jacques, who spend hours painstakingly translating the gospel word for word, that more than half the New Testament is now available in Tunen. Although extremely hard work, there are many unexpected joys that the translation team say make it all worthwhile.

Jacques was ordained as a pastor in January 2011, and like many local pastors, is delighted to have the word of God in a language that local people finally can understand. Sadly, Jacques has been transferred to another region of Cameroon, Doula, by his Church. However, such is his commitment and determination to see through the completion of the Tunen project, he is going to continue volunteering part-time while in his new town.

Abbey hit by baking fever

On Saturday 18 October, more than 1,000 cakes, biscuits, sweet and savoury treats were baked, sold and eaten at the Great Bath Bake Sale, raising over £2,300 for the Abbey’s Footprint appeal, Bath FoodCycle and FareShare - two charities working towards reducing food poverty.

In an event first for the Abbey, the North aisle and part of the Nave were packed with enthusiastic cake-vendors and equally keen cake-buyers eagerly perusing and purchasing tempting treats of all shapes and sizes. The refreshments stand run by volunteers from Bath University’s Student Union also proved extremely popular.

There was a wonderful atmosphere throughout and we’re so grateful to all the different groups, businesses and organisations who took part. Among those who hosted tables were Bath University’s Baking Appreciation Society, Bonhams Auctioneers Bath, Cakeaway Cupcakes, City of Bath Bach Choir, Norland College, Piano Shop Bath, St Andrews Primary School and Three Ways School. There was a ‘Best of Bath’ table supplied by several of the city’s independent cafes and bakeries including Made by Ben, Thoughtful Bread Company, Sam’s Kitchen and deli, Vineyards Bath, Ora et Labora and The Pump Room Restaurant.

A special mention must go to the Abbey’s own congregation for turning up in droves – we had not one but five tables, including a team of stewards, welcomers and chaplains; the crèche and ‘Sparklers’ children’s group, Abbey staff and the Bath Abbey branch of Mothers’ Union. The Tower Tour guides also took part with Anna Wood’s gingerbread abbey being the talk of the sale!

We are also extremely grateful to Bertinet Kitchen who hosted free bread making workshops for children which proved to be a hit with parents and kids alike. One parent even asked us if we could do these activities more often saying: “For a busy Mum to have someone run a session for an hour is great.”

Harvest donationsThank you to everyone who very generously brought in all types of groceries from our ‘foodbank shopping list’ for Harvest Sunday (19 October). Together, you donated over 150 shopping bags of toiletries, tinned and dried food which have been delivered to Bath FoodBank where volunteers will sort and check the items before packing these into boxes ready to be given to people in need.

How a foodbank works Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, CAB and police identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a cup of tea or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem. The foodbank also runs a rural delivery service, which takes emergency foodboxes to clients living in rural areas who cannot afford to get to a foodbank.

A massive thank you to everyone who supported the bake sale by baking, donating, hosting a table, volunteering or by buying cake! But really for the Footprint team, the day was a huge success for more than just the amount raised. This really was a great chance for everyone to come together in support of the Abbey’s Footprint project, so it has been wonderful to have seen so much enthusiasm and had such a positive response. We really couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.