From the Rector
“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom-friend of the maturing sun” is arguably one of the best known first lines in poetry, and the one most often quoted at this time of year. The opening line from To Autumn, has a particular significance to St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate. Its author, John Keats, one of the second generations of Romantic Poets, was baptised at the church on 18 December 1795. The font in which he was baptised, to the joy of adults being christened, is the same font we use for baptisms today and has become known as the Keats Font.
Poetry, with its ability to conjure up mystique beyond its words, is a natural medium through which to explore faith. A plethora of Christian poets including Christina Rossetti, John Donne, T. S. Eliot, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins, John Milton, G. K. Chesterton, Henry Vaughan, William Blake, and the present-day Malcolm Guite, have just the poetic power of words to express evocatively the depths and understanding of their faith.
Poetry can also be found directly in the Bible. Its five Poetical Books of the Old Testament, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, add richly to the majesty and romance of faith.
Poetry itself is a cross-cultural concept. Nearly all cultures differentiate between day-to-day factual discourse, or prose, and the more redolent, heightened discourse of poetry. It is fitting that such an elevated, sophisticated form of language is used to express concepts of Godliness and divinity to draw us into the mystery of faith.
In this month of National Poetry Day, why not take the opportunity to indulge yourself once more in some of your favourite poems? Often, it is by stepping back from the prosaic that we find the space to wonder. Happy reading…
With God’s love and blessing, Fr David
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Regular church opening and service times
The church is open for public worship and private prayer every Monday to Friday from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm, continuing to maintain God’s physical presence in the City of London. Our regular services are Choral Mass with sermon on Wednesdays at 1.10 pm, and Said Masses on Tuesdays at 8.10 am and 12.10 pm and Thursdays at 12.10 pm. Choral services are livestreamed on our YouTube channel (accessible from the church website www.botolph.org.uk).
Music at choral services in October
Wednesday 8 October in the week of The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Messe brève Delibes. Ego sum panis vivus Caldara. Fugue in B flat Handel.
Wednesday 15 October upon the Feast Day of S Teresa of Avila
Missa ‘Veni sponsa Christi’ Palestrina. O doctor optima Victoria. Tiento de falsas de primer tono Bruna.
Wednesday 22 October in the week of The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity
Messe basse Fauré. Plein jeux (Messe pour les couvents) Couperin.
Wednesday 29 October of the Feast Day of Ss Simon and Jude, Apostles
Communion Service in C Ireland. Give us the wings of faith Bullock. Fugue in G Nares.
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Notices:
Lily May Tyler-Jenkins was baptised by Fr David on Thursday 25 September. The photo shows Lily with her mother Liz and grandmother Angela following the ceremony.
Ailish Brennan and Tom Gildersleve were married at St Botolph’s on Saturday 27 September.
The marriage of Chris Watkins and Assefa Abraha was blessed after Mass on Wednesday 1 October. Chris is a long-standing member of St Botolph’s congregation and a former Churchwarden.
Animal blessing service
A larger than usual gathering of all creatures (mostly dogs, and one very brave cat named Maharajah) great and small with their human companions took place in church on Friday 3 October for our annual Animal Blessing Service on Feast Day of St Francis, Patron Saint of animals. The animals were well behaved during the hymns, prayers and music, and reacted well to being blessed with a splash of holy water. All present enjoyed the refreshments which followed and a chance to meet other animal lovers.
Our service was once again listed among events to celebrate World Animal Day – we managed to persuade Freddie the church dog to wear his special WAD bandana for long enough for a photo opportunity.
A diary date for animal lovers: Freddie the church dog looks forward to welcoming animals and humans back to his territory on Friday 2 October 2026 at 12.10 pm.
