Amid the mix and celebrations at the Notting Hill Carnival, stands All Saints Church, tall, elegant and majestic, with it's doors open, welcoming the crowds from all over the world, who after dancing or walking, enters, either to rest their weary legs, to pray or just walk around the church.
It was during one of these visits that a member of the congregation, while manning the church was able to help a visitor, who was in a state of despair, almost to the point of suicide, just listening and talking to the person in the house of our lord, was the spiritual stimulation that was required to alter the state of the visitor's perception.
Since then many instances where several members of the congregation have stories to tell of help they have given during the carnival festival. The church also plays a very important part in the facilities offered to the carnival crowds, for example, in providing refreshment, rest rooms and bathroom amenities, and judging by the long queues it is a welcome addition.
From the beginning of the carnival back in the early 70s the doors of All Saints have always been open. I cannot say if we have made many converts, but I can say with pride that many of our visitors have been lapsed members of the church who were looking for a reason to return to the traditions that they knew when they were young, but through pressure had drifted away.
Whether it was divine inspiration or the sight of our young curate holding a can of beer in one hand and a pretty young lady on the other, I am not sure but what ever the formula is it works. Every year we receive messages of thanks from our visitors who have returned home and find that they are able to resume their worship once more.
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