Just as new home owners and new parents find their first Christmas with their new home or child is rather special, so we in the Friends of the City Churches are celebrating our first Christmas in our new offices in St Magnus the Martyr on Lower Thames Street. As a link with our previous home, however, we have commissioned one of our Executive Committee members, Sue Booth, to produce a Christmas card for the Friends using an image from St Margaret Pattens. She has chosen a very appropriate feature, the splendid tondo of the Virgin and Child over the altar in the North aisle, installed by a late 19th century rector, the Reverend J L Fish. Cards are in full colour and measure 4in square with the greeting Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year and are available now from the Friends’ office at £4 for 10 including p&p. We have taken a leap of faith and ordered 2,000 so very much hope that you will want to order some. (cheques payable to Friends of the City Churches)

We have decided to run an “open office” at St Magnus on a trial basis each Thursday from 11am until 2pm. Please do ring in or call in to see us at that time. Entry to the office is not through St Magnus Church itself but via a separate entrance round the east side of the church, between the church and the large office block next door. You then come across the patio, which overlooks the River Thames. Enquiries at other times are best dealt with by post, e-mail or by leaving a message on the telephone, which will continue to be checked regularly.

It will be Fr Philip Warner’s first Christmas as Priest in Charge at St Magnus; we were delighted to welcome him formally at his recent licensing.

Also new to the City is the Historic Churches Conservation Trust.
Previously in Fulham Palace, this organisation has now moved into offices behind St Bartholomew the Great (31 Newbury Street EC1A 7HU). It gives grants and interest-free loans to bridge the gap between money raised by the local community and the total cost of the repairs. Around 300 churches annually qualify for grants totalling up to £1million in association with the Incorporated Church Building Society, also sharing the same office. This Society was set up in 1818 by Act of Parliament to assist in building and repairing Anglican churches. tel 020 7600 6090 www.historicchurches.org.uk.

Long term residents in the City, of course, are the Friends of Friendless Churches, now linked with the Ancient Monuments Society whose home is St Ann’s Vestry Hall, 2 Church Entry EC4V 5HB (off Carter Lane)
tel 020 7236 3934 www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

We all three work in our individual ways to support communities in keeping their church buildings open and allowing visitors and worshippers the opportunity to share in our Christian building heritage.

Friends of the City Churches, St Magnus the Martyr, Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6DN tel 020 7626 1555

e-mail      www.london-city-churches.org.uk