Our Parish Profile

On behalf of the Parish Leadership Team and the Parish Panel, we wish you a Happy New Year. With hope, 2022 will start to ease many of the stresses that we have all felt during the past year.

The Parish Panel has been able to meet all of its scheduled milestones and are pleased to let you know that just prior to Christmas, first interviews were held with two candidates who were provided to us by the Bishop. Second interviews are scheduled for this coming Saturday.

As part of the Panel's information-gathering process, we administered a survey, held a series of focus groups, and received input from the leaders of all the various groups in the parish. That culminated in a comprehensive Parish Profile, which we are sharing with you today. You can read it HERE. We believe it represents an honest reflection of where we currently stand as a parish and where, with hope, we're heading as a faith community.

Rob Castle, Rector's Warden

Heather McGregor, People's Warden

An organ recital in progress: part 115

Dear SMM Community,

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, the instrument is a musical facsimile of the great 'Father' Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral.

Today, I present Sverre Eftestøl's Seven allegorical pictures based upon the Norwegian folktune 'Kling no, klokka'.  

The  Seven allegorical pictures based upon the Norwegian folktune 'Kling no, klokka' by Sverre Eftestøl (born 1952) are dedicated to the concert organist Christopher Herrick. Eftestøl studied piano and organ in Kristiansand and Oslo, and composition with George Crumb and Mauricio Kagel in Salzburg. The Norwegian folk tune  Kling no, klokka (Sound the bell) comes from the Oppdal region, though a variant of the tune can be traced back to Halle from 1705 or 1708.

With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music

Poetry at SMM

Following on our Advent Prayer Calendar, we are beginning a new series of poems and meditations for 2022. Once a week, we will be offering seasonal poems and meditations for your enjoyment and inspiration, each read by a member of our parish. Our first poem in the winter season, for New Year's Eve, is Alfred, Lord Tennyson's, "Ring Out, Wild Bells".

You can watch the complete series HERE.

An organ recital in progress: part 114

Dear SMM Community,

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, the instrument is a musical facsimile of the great 'Father' Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral.

Today, I present Helmut Walcha's Quem pastores.  

The blind German organist and composer Helmut Walcha (1907-1991) became well-known for his recordings of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach. His delightful setting of  Quem pastores calls for high-pitched flute stops, giving the work a charmingly light texture.

With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music

Christmas Eve - 24 December 2021

We weren't able to meet in person for Christmas Eve this year, but we didn't want to leave you without any Christmas Eve service at all.

We present a Said Mass for Christmas Eve, with the Procession to the Creche, and the Last Gospel, with incense, poinsettias, and brightly lit Christmas trees. A slightly unusual service, to be sure, but these are unusual times.

You can find the service HERE.

You can find the leaflet HERE.

Greening the Church

Look HERE to see what a wonderful job our volunteers did making the church look festive for Christmas!

Our flowers are made possible by memorial donations from generous parishioners.