Songs of Praise factsheet for Sunday 10 December 2006

Advent 2 - Waiting

Presented by Sally Magnusson

General:
 PROGRAMME SYNOPSIS

Sally Magnusson explores the Advent theme of 'waiting' with a mother who had to wait to start a family and a refugee who awaits a decision on his future. Carols old and new look forward to the coming of the Christ-child, and include Come thou long-expected Jesus, Sans Day Carol, Creator of the stars of night and Born in the night, Mary's Child.


Produced and Directed by: Garry Boon
Editor: Hugh Faupel



TAKING PART

Presenter
SALLY MAGNUSSON


Performers

The Rodolfus Choir
Conductor
Ralph Allwood
Organist
Stephen Disley

Giltspur Voices
Exmoor Singers of London
Conductor James Jarvis

Tessera
Musical Director
Ken Burton


The Rev. John Bell of the Iona Community


Interviews:
 INTERVIEWEES

NICOLA CARTER

Nicky and her husband Nick married young ? when she was just 18. Nicky had always wanted children and it never occurred to her that things would not be straightforward. However, for years, she failed to get pregnant. They went for years of tests, before trying IVF three times, without results. Eventually, they decided to explore adoption. This involved another 18 months of waiting, being interviewed by panels, etc. Finally, Harry came into their lives ? a light at the end of a long dark tunnel! Then, earlier this year - a daughter. It took 10 years but with their two adopted children, the couple now feel a complete family.

The following web sites contain valuable information about adopting children in the UK.
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering http://www.baaf.org.uk/
General Registry Office http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro
Every Child Matters http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/adoption/




MATT CALVERT

Matt is a community worker living and working in a difficult community in London. His belief is that there are no quick fixes and you can only plant a seed of hope and then wait a long time. He?s in it for the long haul. His brief, when he came to London, was to get out onto the estate and work with the kids. For the first year, he sat around in stairwells and nobody would talk to him. He has been there 9 years and much of his time is spent just sitting in stairwells and on kerbs just waiting ? planting a seed of friendship and waiting however long it takes. His project is called Prospex.

Website: www.prospex.org
Email: gillie@prospex.org
Address: 334-336 Caledonian Road, London, N1 1BB
Tel: 0207 607 7626




NIA RHOSIER

After becoming disillusioned with traditional church, Nia started to develop a much deeper prayer life, where the emphasis was very much on silence and waiting on God, discerning the voice of God. She encountered Quakerism and Celtic Christianity and both were an important part of her spiritual journey. During her times of contemplative prayer, she felt God calling her to work for the reconciliation of all people, and to this end Nia pursued her vision of taking over a redundant Calvinist chapel and turning it into a Centre of Reconciliation.
HEN GAPEL JOHN HUGHES/JOHN HUGHES MEMORIAL CHAPEL
Built 1800 as Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, small cottage attached. Home of Revd. John Hughes, one of Rev. Thomas Charles itinerant teachers and a powerful preacher. The Centre hosts monthly Julian meetings where scripture and silent prayer are the main focus.




Address: Ty Hen Capel John Hughes, Pontrobert, Meifod, Powys SY22 6JA
Contact: Nia Rhosier, Custodian, Centre for Christian Unity and Renewal.
Tel/fax: 01938 500631
Open: Easter to end of September, Tuesday ? Friday 2pm ? 5pm.
Admission: No charge - donations welcome
Car parking. Minibus access, coaches at bottom of lane.


SHEKA TARAWALIE

Sheka is from Sierra Leonne. He was a journalist who had to leave his country because he was publishing anti-government views. He was in fear for his life and often in hiding. He is now seeking asylum in England. His case was rejected and an appeal is currently being launched. In the meantime he is doing his best to make a new life for himself, does lots of voluntary work, and is waiting in hope for a positive outcome.



Music:
 MUSIC

Music 1:
Name: Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus
Tune: Cross of Jesus
Music: John Stainer (1840-1901)
Words: Charles Wesley (1707-88)
Arranged by: Geoff Ellerby
From: Songs of Praise Hymnal #30
Verses: 1-4
Performed by: The Rodolfus Choir and musicians 5 fixed by Colin Sheen, accompanied by organist Stephen Sisley, and conducted by Ralph Allwood


Music 2:
Name: Born in the Night, Mary?s Child
Tune: Mary?s Child
Music: Geoffrey Ainger (1925- )
Words: Geoffrey Ainger (1925- )
Arranged by: Geoff Ellerby
From: Hymns and Psalms, #95
Verses: All, 1-4
Performed by: The Exmoor Singers of London and the Giltspur Voices, conducted by James Jarvis


Music 3:
Name: Sans Day Carol
Tune: Now the Holly Bears A Berry
Music: Cornish Trad. carol
Words: Cornish Trad. carol
Arranged by: John Rutter
From: Carols Vol.2 #25
Verses: All
Performed by: The Rodolfus Choir and musicians 5 fixed by Colin Sheen, accompanied by organist Stephen Disley, and conducted by Ralph Allwood


Music 4:
Name: Just A Tale
Tune: A Song for Christmas
Words: Stephen Clark
Music: Howard Goodall
Arranged by: Geoff Ellerby
Performed by: The Exmoor Singers of London and the Giltspur Voices, conducted by James Jarvis



Music 5
Name: Mary, Did You Know?
Music: Mark Lowry
Words: Buddy Greene
Arranged by: Ken Burton
Performed by: Tessera
Website: http://www.kenburton.com/


Music 6
Name: Creator of the Stars of Night
Words: Unknown author, 7thCentury (Conditor Alme Siderum)
Translated to English by John M Neale (1852)
Music: Malcolm Archer (b.1952)
Arranged by: Malcolm Archer
Performed by: The Rodolfus Choir and musicians 5 fixed by Colin Sheen, accompanied by organist Stephen Disley, and conducted by Ralph Allwood


Music 7
Name: Glory to God, All Heav?n with Joy is Ringing
Tune: Highwood
Music: R R Terry (1865-1938)
Words: John E Bowers (b.1932)
Arranged by: Geoff Ellerby
From: Songs of Praise Hymnal #269
Verses: All, 1-4
Performed by: The Exmoor Singers of London and the Giltspur Voices, conducted by James Jarvis



Locations:
 LOCATIONS

Presenter
Pieces to Camera with Sally Magnusson were filmed at various locations in central London.


The Rodolfus Choir;
The Rudolfus Choir were filmed on location at St Jude?s Church
Address: Central Square, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, NW11 7AH
Contact: The Revd Alan Walker 208 455 7206
Web site: www.stjudes.org.uk



Giltspur Voices and Exmoor Singers of London
The Giltspur Voices and were filmed on location at Lacock Abbey and recorded at the City of London School for Boys.

Lacock Abbey
Country house created out of a medieval abbey, the home of William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of photography

Address: Lacock, nr Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2LG
Telephone: 01249 730459 (Visitor Reception)
Directions: 3 miles south of Chippenham. M4 exit 17, signposted to Chippenham (A350). Follow signs for Lacock Abbey.
Email: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-lacockabbeyvillage.htm

The City of London School for Boys
Address: City of London School, Queen Victoria Street, EC4V 3AL
Tel: 0207 489 0291
Logistics: Barry Darling, Deputy Facilities Manager
Mobile: 0798 464 4059
Email: bd@clsb.org.uk
Organ/Piano: Michael Smedley: Music Department
mcs@clsb.org.uk
Website: www.clsb.org.uk


Tessera were filmed at a central location in London



Other Information:
 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING:

Title: The Art of Waiting
(Daily Reflections for the Advent Season)
By: Wendy Bray
ISBN: 1 84101 296 3
Publisher: BRF, (Bible Reading Fellowship)
Address: Elsfield Hall, 15-17 Elsfield Way, OXFORD, OX2 8FG, England
Price: ?6.99 for paperback (at 28/11/06)


Title: Waiting and Watching
(A Reflective Group Study Course for Advent to Epiphany)
By: Joyce Huggett and Catherine Laidler (Editor)
ISBN: 1 84003 950 7
Publisher: Kevin Mayhew Publishers
Address: Buxhall, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 3BW
Price: ?7.99 for paperback (at 28/11/06)


Title: The Stature of Waiting
By: W H Vanstone
ISBN: 52558 7
Publisher: Darton, Longman and Todd
Address: 1 Spencer Court, 140-142 Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 4JJ Price: ?9.95 for paperback (at 28/11/06)



POEM
Title: Kneeling
Author: R S Thomas
Available in: Collected Poems, 1945-1990 (Paperback) #199
Publisher: Phoenix Press (5 Oct 2000)
ISBN: 0 75381 105 7
Price: ?9.99 for paperback (at 28/11/06)