News from Friends of the City Churches

It is a shame that so many people’s contact with churches is to do with money. We are regularly made aware on the news and in the papers about the latest crisis of funding, be it the Church Commissioners having to cut back on clergy pension payments or major and unexpected repairs needed to a cathedral somewhere. But perhaps any news is worth having to raise the level of awareness about the treasures of church buildings under our very noses. Churches put on fund-raising activities, provide a service of some sort, a concert, exhibition, talk or sale of work and that encourages people to go inside a church who perhaps might otherwise not have done so.

Elsewhere you will see that St Bartholomew the Less, the parish church of Bart’s Hospital is having a craft sale on Wednesday and Thursday 12th and 13th May, featuring potters, jeweller, woodcarver and turner, silk weaver etc. Entry is free and it gives an opportunity to visit the church inside the hospital in West Smithfield and also buy a present for someone or to treat yourself! Whilst you are there it would logical to put your head round the door of St Bartholomew the Great just around the corner, famous for "Four Weddings and a Funeral".

In Venice, another city like the City with many historic churches for its shrinking resident population, 15 churches have banded together under the aegis of Chorus to market their attractions, and regularise their opening hours (remember the problems of entry in to Italian museums?). They have produced a pass valid for a year giving a considerable discount on individual church entry. They have regularised the presentation of their treasures, provided multilingual guide books and labelling and ploughed back money raised into taking on further churches to join with them. www.chorus-ve.org

In the City, those churches that are open (some only because The Friends of the City Churches "church watch") are free. But for two days in June, for a modest fee you can join in the Annual City Church Walks. This year the dates are Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th June. Reception will be at St Mary Aldermary, Bow Lane commencing at 10.00am each day. There will be a comprehensive range of guided tours provided by members of the City of London Guide Lecturers’ Association. These will leave between 10.30 and 10.45 in the morning and at about 2.00 in the afternoon. The registration fee will include the tours and a map with concise descriptions of the City Churches. Refreshments at nominal cost will be available at St Mary Aldermary on both days. It is planned to round off the occasion with a splendid concert on Wednesday 8th June at St Martin Ludgate. Doors will open at 4.00pm.

You can register in advance by phoning our office for an application form or it can be down-loaded from our website. You can even turn up on the day but it does help if you book ahead if you can. See you there.

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