CONCERT at 7.00pm

Christopher Northam (piano) and Tim Bannerman (narrator)

An entertaining programme of Romantic piano music interspersed with poetry including works by Brahms, Schubert, Chopin and Schumann with a complete performance of L'Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant by Francis Poulenc.

Wine and soft drinks available at the interval (cash only). Tickets £10 on the door or call 01981 345135

BOOK HERE on Eventbrite

The beauty of the abbey church, wonderful music, and the ancient texts of the Bible bring the hope of Christmas to all.

CONCERT

Founded by Matthew Greenall in 1986, The Elysian Singers of London, under musical director Sam Laughton, is one of the UK’s leading chamber choirs.

Making a welcome return after 3 years, their programme includes music by Purcell, JS Bach and Vivaldi.

More info and tickets: https://concertsforcraswall.org/product/the-elysian-singers-with-sam-laughton/

Programme:

Purcell                  Come, Ye Sons of Art

JS Bach                 Cantata No.39

Purcell                  Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes

Vivaldi                  Gloria RV589

Known for their adventurous programming and imaginative repertoire, The Elysian Singers with Sam Laughton are a leading UK choir who regularly give concerts in and around London. Priding themselves on reaching consistently high performance standards, their entry requirements are rigorous. In spite of this, they maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere embracing singers from all backgrounds.

They have recorded a number of enthusiastically received CDs, the latest of which is “MacMillan: One Equal Music” released in 2019 celebrating the enormous and varied contribution of Sir James MacMillan, their patron, to the choral repertoire over the last 20 years.

As a former organ scholar at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he read music, their Director Sam Laughton now juggles dual careers as a barrister and musician. He is also the Director of the Craswall Players, the Chiltern Camerata, and the Speen Festival. Much in demand as a guest conductor, working with such orchestras as the Oxford Sinfonia, Kensington Chamber Orchestra, Kew Sinfonia, Orchestra of the City, Crendon Chamber Orchestra and Trinity Camerata. In addition, as a keyboard player he has worked with the groups as varied as Oxford Philomusica, the Joyful Company of Singers, English National Opera and Garsington Opera.

After a three year break, and with an intelligent programme again directed by Sam Laughton, we have no doubt you will feel amply rewarded by their performance. Not to mention the excellent turnout they always elicit at Dore Abbey.

Join the local churches as they celebrate local flora and fauna, and discover the moths that live in and around the Abbey.

Moths, gently trapped overnight, will be identified and released.

A celebration service Outdore will follow.

Cantorion Sanctaidd (Sacred Voices) invite you to join us for a lunchtime concert on Saturday 25th June at Dore Abbey at 12 noon.

Cantorion Sanctaidd’s motto is ‘Sing, Praise, Inspire’, and we perform in community halls churches and cathedrals.

We are a mixed choir which draws members from all over South East Wales and we perform a variety of short anthems and inspirational music by the likes of John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, Robert Arwyn and many others.

We very much look forward to singing at Dore Abbey and hope to see you there.

£5 – concert.

£5 – light lunch in the garden with the choir, following the concert

Discover more about the choir that brings together Christian choristers from across Monmouthshire on the website.

Four simple elements combine to make Taizé prayer:

Psalms / Chants

Jesus prayed these age-old prayers of his people. Christians have always found a wellspring of life in them. The psalms place us in the great communion of all believers. Our joys and sorrows, our trust in God, our thirst and even our anguish find expression in the psalms.

Readings

Reading Scripture is a way of going to “the inexhaustible wellspring by which God gives himself to thirsting human beings” (Origen, 3rd century). The Bible is a “letter from God to creatures” that enables them “to discover God’s heart in God’s words” (Gregory the Great, 6th century).

Silence

When we try to express communion with God in words, our minds quickly come up short. But, in the depths of our being, through the Holy Spirit, Christ is praying far more than we imagine.

Although God never stops trying to communicate with us, this is never in order to impose. The voice of God is often heard only in a whisper, in a breath of silence. Remaining in silence in God’s presence, open to the Holy Spirit, is already prayer.

The road to contemplation is not one of achieving inner silence at all costs by following some technique that creates a kind of emptiness within. If, instead, with a childlike trust we let Christ pray silently within us, then one day we shall discover that the depths of our being are inhabited by a Presence.

Prayers of intercession

A prayer composed of short petitions or acclamations, sustained by humming, with each petition followed by a response sung by all, can form a kind of “pillar of fire” at the heart of the prayer. Praying for others widens our prayer to the dimensions of the entire human family; we entrust to God the joys and the hopes, the sorrows and the sufferings of all people, particularly those who are forgotten. A prayer of praise enables us to celebrate all that God is for us.

CONCERT

It is a rare treat indeed to have such leading international musicians perform amidst the remote hills of south west Herefordshire!

Comprising leader of the London Symphony Orchestra Roman Simovic; principal viola with the Ulster Orchestra Milena Simovic; principal cello with The London Symphony Orchestra David Cohen, and multi award winning pianist Wu Qian, this is an impressive international piano quartet not to be missed.

Featuring music by Mahler, Fauré and Brahms.

Tickets and more info: https://concertsforcraswall.org/product/piano-quartet/

The offering of prayer late in the evening, by laity, religious orders or clergy, often called Compline, has sometimes been described as the ‘goodnight prayer of the Church.’ It rounds off the days and prepares us for a quiet night. As the psalmist wrote:

I lie down in peace and take my rest
for it is in God alone that I dwell unafraid.

Night Prayer derives its content from the wisdom of centuries in Scripture and above all in the psalms, but also from contemporary Christian experience of God. It celebrates the awareness that each of us who tries to pray is a part of the human whole. So we are taken over from the threshold from daytime, not in a mood of self-centered spirituality, but as representatives of humanity, acknowledging our creaturehood before God.

Join Archdeacon Derek Chedzey to celebrate the foundation of the abbey in 1147.

WALK

Join a ramble with Lenten reflections in the Moccas area, followed by refreshments.

Details from Anne Lloyd, [email protected]

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, and the journey towards Holy Week and Easter. Services on this day help prompt reflection on what it means to be human and how Lent invites us to be more adventurous.

A contemplative eucharist helps us dwell with silence and music rather than a procession of words. The Unicorn Singers will provide a wonderful setting of Psalm 61, the Miserere, by James McMillan.

Those who wish to may receive the sign of the cross on their forehead in ash made from last year’s Palm Crosses.

Sarah Roberts and Annie Robertson, two of the local team of worship enablers, invite you to join them for an uplifting service.

Drawing on the ancient rhythms of Celtic prayer from Northumberland there will be times of praise, prayer, silence and music.

An Outdore Event

Wear wellies, hats and scarves!

Christmas outfits and costumes, too.

30m minute, family friendly nativity for everyone

(in the abbey if wet so please bring face coverings)

The Mission Hall is part of the Parish of Abbeydore

Cockyard Mission Hall was a blacksmith’s forge and shop until the occupant, Mr Hancocks, moved his business to Hungerford shortly after the end of the First World War. The premises belong to Whitfield Estate and are loaned (firstly by Lady Mary Clive of Whitfield Court) to the people of the Cockyard as a place of worship and for community use. The blacksmith’s anvil survives as a table near the door. Although there is a dearth of recorded detail, it has been verified from eye witness accounts that the Mission Hall was in use for a Sunday School in 1924. It was also used for special events such as Christmas parties etc. The ladies of the Cockyard set up and ran the Mission Hall; these included Emily Powell, wife of Edward, a groom at Whitfield Court, and later, and for many years until her death, Nellie Price, who was cook there. 

Cantabile and Le Voci

present a Christmas Choral Concert

£10 adults

£5 concessions

Email [email protected] to reserve a place

Advent Light and Winter Darkness

Music, poetry, prayer and silence for Advent.

A contemplative, candlelight service with songs from Taizé and Iona, and periods of silence.