It was on WELCOME BACK SUNDAY a year ago that I asked the music lovers in the congregation to give some serious thought during that upcoming week to joining the choir.  I had made a  promise that a decision at the end of the week to accept my invitation would not be regretted, that new members would be finding it most rewarding once they experienced what making music together can do for them.   Today I report that all our new choristers, bless them, are chomping at the bit to discover what pleasure awaits them during their second year.

Although the increase in our membership, resulting from my appeal last year, has been small, I am not disappointed. Some of you may have been thinking that it had fallen on deaf ears for the most part.  No! on the contrary, I was encouraged, I want you to know, by the number of you who spoke to me afterwards, explaining that at the moment you were not free to commit Thursday nights to CHOIR PRACTICE, but that when the kids are a little older, that should change. Until then, you will continue to worship God on Sundays in the nave of the church, thank you, not up here in the chancel.   In the meantime, though, I hope you will continue to keep in the back of your minds a clear image of interesting future Thursday evenings of enjoyable singing. Keep focusing on it and your family should soon lovingly embrace the idea.

To-day I am hoping to convince a few more of you to start making similar plans for when your Thursday evenings become free for whatever reason. You can expect our attempts from time to time to keep in touch with you I invite you, likewise, to feel free to keep in touch with us. We understand how important a guarantee of welcome can be to any one considering becoming an All Saints’ chorister and so I do not hesitate to assure you, that you will be made to feel most welcome. I believe we’ve become pretty good at being a friendly, welcoming group. Just ask Joan Sinclair.