We recently had a visit from Ben Maton and wanted to share this charming film on YouTube about All Saints' Church and the organ.Ben is a local man, who went to school at Bishop's, then became at Organ Scholar at St Peter's College, Oxford. He is now a full-time musician based in Salisbury, who makes short films to document his visits to local churches which feature him playing the organ.If you want to learn more about Pachelbel, our Church and the organ, click the link below to view the film, which by May 2025 has had 51,000 viewshttps://youtu.be/J54OmPGR4Rs?si=BTwkoHuRoeMyNurTTo learn more about Ben, please visit his websiteBEN MATONor follow him on his YouTube channelBen Maton - The Salisbury Organist - YouTubeImages and links supplied with kind permission from Ben Maton#CharltonAllSaints #chalkevalleychurch #BenMaton #organmusic
A fascinating report has recently been published by the Bible Society. It is long (and attached with this article) but these are the key findings:1. 12% of adults stated they attended a Christian Church at least monthly in 2024. This compares with 8% in 2018.2. The 18-24 year old age group has seen the greatest increase, going from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024.3. 63% of 18–34-year-old churchgoers say they feel close to people in their local area, compared to 25% of non-churchgoers their age. "With much of the population, in particular young people, struggling with mental health, loneliness and a loss of meaning in life, Church appears to be offering an answer. We found that churchgoers are more likely than non-churchgoers to report higher life satisfaction and a greater feeling of connection to their community than non-churchgoers. They are also less likely to report frequently feeling anxious or depressed – particularly young women."
Patches of meadow saxifrage are springing up over much of the rear of our churchyard. These small white flowers are now sadly uncommon in England, with their strongholds being mainly the undisturbed and unimproved land of old cemeteries.Also known as Fair Maids of France, they flower from April through May, holding their dainty white heads about six inches above the leaves and dance in the breeze.If you visit the churchyard, you will find a notice with further information on these beautiful residents of Charlton.#EcoChurch #wildflowers #ChurchesCountOnNature
