Category: News

Unfortunately, due to Covid and social distancing, we’re not able to hold our normal bell ringing practices at Kingston for the foreseeable future. Normally we’re very pleased to see visitors and encourage them to learn to ring.

The only ringing we can do now is to ring four socially distanced bells for 15 minutes on a Sunday morning – we can’t accommodate visitors then either. Do listen out for us on Sunday morning after 9am.

Many ringers have turned to online ringing on Ringing Room. There is a very nice explanation of bell ringing and what ringers are doing in during shutdown here: https://ringingroom.com/about 

Article about the silencing of our historic bells during lockdown, in SWLondoner, local online newspaper https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Booklet_final-min.pdf

Surrey Association has launched a new community website to support its members.

“Together we face an extraordinary challenge, to maintain our community during a period when we are denied the very activity that brings us together.

We’ve set up this website to keep in touch and to share information, ideas and stories. Even when we can’t meet in person there is still a wealth of opportunity to discover and learn about our exercise and to connect with other ringers.”

https://community.surreybellringers.org.uk/

We’ve just been alerted to the fact that All Saints, Kingston has been chosen by National Churches Trust’s CEO Claire Walker as her favourite church. Thanks for the inclusion. https://www.explorechurches.org/our-favourites

Spotted this on Twitter, but not sure who created it. It also has 31 days in April, but at our tower, I’ve said that you can either do all 31 or skip one, but choose carefully as you can’t read through the challenges before the day! Tweet us or send us pics via Instagram your entries for each challenge.

Our bells will fall silent during this difficult time. Stay safe and we hope to be making our joyful sound again soon 🔔

Services

For the foreseeable future we are having to suspend all public services and activities (all 3 Sunday services, midweek Communions and Evensong, Silent Prayer, Praytime for Toddlers) until further notice. 

However, on Sundays at 9.30am Holy Communion will be celebrated in Church and also ‘live streamed’ on our website (www.allsaintskingston.co.uk). Please do join us virtually.

Church opening

The church will continue to be open for private prayer between 10am and 4pm from Monday to Saturday and from 12 noon until 4pm on Sunday. 

The church office will be staffed every week day as normal.

Support

Though we are needing to keep apart let’s stick together – by staying in contact with one another and making sure that those of us who may be facing this “distanced time” alone are in good touch in the ways that are possible.

So, please do make an extra effort to keep in contact and if you know of people who are isolated and on their own then please do let us know so that we can be in touch with them.

Jonathan Wilkes – Rector

020 3132 8717/07986 629657/jonathan@allsaintskingston.co.uk

Quarter peal dates

Please note: Sunday Evensong ringing will not take place when a quarter peal is booked.

12 January
2 February
9 February
8 March
12 April
10 May
14 June
12 July
9 August
13 September
11 October
8 November
13 December

VE Day 75
Ringing will take place for VE Day 75 celebrations. This coincides with Quarter Peal Week ringing. Our ringing will take place on 8 May. More details to come.

• Wednesday 4 December Normal practice
• Sunday 8 December Normal morning ringing, with a Quarter Peal attempt in the evening.
• Wednesday 11 December Normal practice 7.45 pm
• Sunday 15 December, Normal morning ringing. Community Carol Service at 4.30, replacing normal Evensong . Ringing from 3.45 to 4.30.
• Wednesday 18 December No practice – Tiffins Carol Service.
• Sunday 22 December and Sunday 29 December. Normal morning and evening ringing.
• Tuesday 24 December Ringing for midnight mass 10.15-11 pm.
• Wednesday 25 December Morning ringing 8.30-9.30 am followed by coffee etc somewhere. No practice.
• Tuesday 31 December We will gather for drinks somewhere from around 10.30. Ringing from midnight. Contact Kate if you are coming.
• Wednesday 1 January No practice

There will not be a ringing practice at Kingston on Wednesday 20 November as there is a concert in church. See everyone for normal morning and evening ringing on Sunday 24 November and for practice on Wednesday 27th.