0:00:06 > 0:00:09Hello. This is a community that's having a very busy year,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12becoming a Royal Borough during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations
0:00:12 > 0:00:14and some Olympic events have been held here.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19But you know, it's always busy with tourists for its maritime history
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and for having given its name to the Greenwich Meridian.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24But what is Greenwich in London really like?
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Time for Songs of Praise to find out.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Coming up, the Archbishop of Canterbury
0:00:33 > 0:00:35reveals one of his personal heroes.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39A son finds a new way to phone home.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43And glorious hymns sung at the Old Royal Naval Chapel.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Greenwich. Busy and full of life.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Home to the famous Cutty Sark...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11..and the Royal Observatory.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15The Greenwich Meridian line is the centre of world time.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Without it, international travel would be in turmoil
0:01:18 > 0:01:22and calling friends in far away places at the right time would be nigh on impossible.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28Every place on Earth is measured by its distance East or West from it,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32making Greenwich the starting point of each new day.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Our first hymn, rather appropriately,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36is Morning Has Broken, sung by the local community here,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40from the glorious surroundings of the Old Royal Naval Chapel.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35"A false balance is abomination to the Lord
0:03:35 > 0:03:39"but a just weight is his delight," which is from the Book of Proverbs.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43That is the sign that welcomes you here to Greenwich Market.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Let's go and see if we can find some delights.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54- How's business? Good?- Good. - I see you've got my daughter's name.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Can I get this? It's for me, really.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'I'm looking for Barbara Ray's stall. I've got a surprise for her.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:13- It's Barbara, isn't it?- Oh!
0:04:13 > 0:04:15They said I'd find you just here and they were right. How are you?
0:04:15 > 0:04:19- Fine, thanks.- Very nice to see you. So what time did you set up this stall this morning?
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- You've been here for quite a while, have you?- We have to get here about eight o'clock.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26That manages to give us a good position.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29- Is it part of a community, would you say?- It is.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33I mean, people look out for each other here.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37And certainly, there is a camaraderie.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39- And sort of a touch of heaven, I suppose, really.- Really?
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Yes, yes. I think it's changed over the years,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45but I do think that to have the arts and crafts,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48for people to be making things in the week
0:04:48 > 0:04:52and then coming here and having the opportunity to sell it, is wonderful.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Because I think we are meant to be creative, aren't we?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Yeah, absolutely. And this isn't your stuff, is it?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01No, unfortunately not. And it is really beautiful, isn't it?
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Yeah, gorgeous.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05But it is my daughter-in-law.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08She did a textiles degree
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and worked so hard, and then her and my son have gone off
0:05:11 > 0:05:14to run a craft project in Iringa, Tanzania.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15Right. Just like that?
0:05:15 > 0:05:19It must be strange for you, selling your daughter-in-law's wares
0:05:19 > 0:05:20while she's out in Africa.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22They didn't ask me to do it, I have to say that.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I don't think they expected me to do it,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27but it sort of made them feel closer,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30cos they used to run the stall here,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and when they first went, it was a big hole in my life.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- It brought them closer to me. - Shall we try and catch up with them?
0:05:35 > 0:05:40- Really?- Yeah, why not? The wonders of modern technology, and all that.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42- That would be good.- OK.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- So, Barbara, look who I found!- Oh!
0:05:47 > 0:05:51So they're in Africa, we're in Greenwich, selling your gear, Katy.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53So, guys, how's it going out there in Africa?
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Yeah, it's really good. Yeah.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58There are lots of challenges that we're facing every day,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00but we're really enjoying working with the guys
0:06:00 > 0:06:03that we work with, the disabled guys we work with.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05So take us through a normal day,
0:06:05 > 0:06:06if there is such a thing.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09There really is no such thing.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12We are doing all sorts of things, from fixing toilets,
0:06:12 > 0:06:18to distributing work, to teaching new skills to our disabled staff.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20So it really does change every day.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Right. The line was, Ben, you were supposed to say,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25"And I miss you too, Mum."
0:06:25 > 0:06:28THEY LAUGH
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- Yeah. Lots of love, Mum. - Thank you.- Bye-bye.- See you, guys.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Nice to meet you and nice to talk to you.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Nice to see you too.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37See you again.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39It must make you so proud,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42knowing your son and daughter-in-law are doing such good there.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I am proud of them both. Yes, yes.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47They are certainly doing what they want to do
0:06:47 > 0:06:51and they feel God is calling them to do.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42The parish church of St Alfege stands in the centre of Greenwich.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47It's dedicated to the 29th Archbishop of Canterbury.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51In 1012, Alfege was martyred by Vikings close to the site
0:08:51 > 0:08:53of the church, and now, a millennium later,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55he continues to be remembered.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Well, we wanted to make our 1,000th year
0:09:01 > 0:09:03celebration of his death
0:09:03 > 0:09:06into a celebration as much of his life
0:09:06 > 0:09:12and also, the connections between Scandinavia and this country
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and how enemies can eventually become friends.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19And he, in his own life, epitomised the spirit of reconciliation.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23And so we use that, really, as our theme.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Pilgrims gathered close to Southwark Cathedral
0:09:26 > 0:09:28to begin their journey to Greenwich.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33APPLAUSE
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Many travelled by boat and were joined by Dr Rowan Williams,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43During the voyage, he explained why Alfege is still relevant today.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It's not often that you get to celebrate
0:09:46 > 0:09:48the 1,000th anniversary of an event and, in this case,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52an event that we know quite a bit about from contemporary records.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55So we're celebrating one of the great watershed moments
0:09:55 > 0:09:57of the 11th Century,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59when the Vikings were overrunning the South of England,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02great tension and stress with the local people,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04with the local kingdoms,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07and St Alfege, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09is caught up in the middle of this.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Taken prisoner by the Vikings and held hostage, held to ransom.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17And the inspiring thing about Alfege is that in a society
0:10:17 > 0:10:19where everybody's value is calculated -
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and some people's lives were obviously more valuable than others -
0:10:22 > 0:10:24he just refused to play that game.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26He said, "I'm not going to be ransomed."
0:10:26 > 0:10:28They were asking some massive sum to ransom. Because, he said,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31"The burden is going to be carried by the poorest people.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33"I'm not having that."
0:10:33 > 0:10:37All through his ministry, he served the poorest of his own people.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39He sold church property to feed the poor and the hungry
0:10:39 > 0:10:43and he died as he lived, really.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47'The most special guest that we had for the celebration
0:10:47 > 0:10:49'was the Archbishop of Canterbury himself.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53'When he got to the church, he spent about half an hour outside'
0:10:53 > 0:10:56the church and then we had the service itself,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00which had a lot of visitors from Scandinavia,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02as well as this country.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06..Give you the joy of his kingdom, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08CONGREGATION: Amen.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13# Living in the love of God
0:11:13 > 0:11:17# We are living in the love of God
0:11:18 > 0:11:21# We are living in the love of God... #
0:11:22 > 0:11:23Now you, madam.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Come on. Pop it on there.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30The Living History Organisation set up an encampment on the green
0:11:30 > 0:11:34behind the church, to give a flavour of the way we lived 1,000 years ago.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38When you're ready, you nod your head and we make a big noise.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's always an inspiration to look at your great predecessors
0:11:51 > 0:11:53and there are some amazing characters among them.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Alfege is one of the most inspiring to me
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and I think it's marvellous that today,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59we are not only celebrating his memory,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02we've got people here from the churches in Denmark
0:12:02 > 0:12:04and Sweden and Norway - the Viking countries -
0:12:04 > 0:12:06not just to say sorry, but to remind us
0:12:06 > 0:12:09that we are part of the same Christian family today as well.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich, the now Royal Borough.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Other famous Greenwich residents have included Dr Johnson,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34compiler of the first English dictionary
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and great church music composer Thomas Tallis.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Thomas Tallis, the father of English church music,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46lived in Greenwich for the last years of his life,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48until his death in 1585.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52He's commemorated here in St Alfege's church.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57We're going to hear one of his best-loved anthems now.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59This takes me back to being a chorister.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03If Ye Love Me, sung by the Old Royal Naval Chapel Choir.
0:16:05 > 0:16:13# If ye love me
0:16:13 > 0:16:19# Keep my commandments
0:16:19 > 0:16:23# And I will pray
0:16:23 > 0:16:27# The Father
0:16:27 > 0:16:32# And I will pray
0:16:32 > 0:16:35# The Father
0:16:35 > 0:16:40# And he shall give you
0:16:40 > 0:16:47# Another comforter
0:16:47 > 0:16:53# That he may bide with you
0:16:53 > 0:16:57# That he may bide with you
0:16:57 > 0:17:03# That he may bide with you
0:17:03 > 0:17:07# Forever
0:17:07 > 0:17:14# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:17:14 > 0:17:19# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:17:19 > 0:17:23# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:17:23 > 0:17:30# Ev'n the spirit...
0:17:30 > 0:17:33# Of truth
0:17:33 > 0:17:38# That he may bide with you
0:17:38 > 0:17:43# That he may bide with you
0:17:43 > 0:17:48# That he may bide with you
0:17:48 > 0:17:51# Forever
0:17:51 > 0:17:58# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:17:58 > 0:18:05# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:18:05 > 0:18:12# Ev'n the spirit of truth
0:18:12 > 0:18:17# Ev'n the spirit of...
0:18:17 > 0:18:23# Truth. #
0:18:26 > 0:18:29One of the regeneration projects under way in Greenwich
0:18:29 > 0:18:31is in Kidbrooke,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34on an estate typical of those built in the 1950s and '60s.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Residents are now moving into new homes
0:18:42 > 0:18:46and the Rev Margaret Cave has been helping them through the transition.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- Hello, Margaret.- Really nice to see you. How are you doing?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56William's old house has been knocked down. Now he has a new one in Kidbrooke Village.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59How are things going here? Are you feeling settled now?
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- Well, everything seems to be getting into shape.- Yeah.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- And I think we've settled in well since I've been here.- Yeah.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07We enjoy being with St James' as well.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Yeah, and we hope there will be a new
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Christian community within Kidbrooke Village.
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Hopefully, hopefully, yes.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Hopefully, you'll be able to be part of that as well.- Yes, I agree.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Margaret is also chaplain of the youth club in Kidbrooke
0:19:24 > 0:19:26that's about to get a new home.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I think faith has been
0:19:29 > 0:19:30really important to people here.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33There's been a real sense of continuity, of what's been going on,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37especially with all these Christian organisations that had a role here.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39We joined together, and it's together,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42as a group of Christian organisations in partnership,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44that we've been able to take on this project
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and set up this new youth and community centre. And we really hope
0:19:47 > 0:19:51that this will not just be a place of welcome and a place of hospitality
0:19:51 > 0:19:55and a place of encounter, but a place where something might emerge
0:19:55 > 0:19:58for the future that will really be at the heart of this new community.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Alexander Boyd is a youth worker here
0:20:03 > 0:20:06and is also studying for his degree in Youth Ministry and Theology.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11The drop-in centre that we're in now is going to be knocked down
0:20:11 > 0:20:13in probably September, October.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16By then, we'll be moved in to our new premises, the one space.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18So all of our work is going to transfer there,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20which is going to make life a lot easier for us
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and it's going to be...
0:20:22 > 0:20:25it's just going to be a great way we can do our youth work
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and really improve the services that we offer the young people.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'A lot of the young people lived on the estate.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34'They've been moved out over the years
0:20:34 > 0:20:37'and now, a lot of them are starting to come back,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39'so it's kind of full-circle for a lot of them.'
0:20:41 > 0:20:45For everyone, faith has been an important part of this move.
0:20:45 > 0:20:46Throughout this period of time,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48there've been a lot of changes and I think
0:20:48 > 0:20:51for a lot of the residents and ex-residents, that's been the case,
0:20:51 > 0:20:52that faith has really grounded them
0:20:52 > 0:20:54and just kind of kept them together.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58I think there's a really exciting future.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02There's a real sense of new hope, new life, as this new community emerges.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05And, of course, that really does chime with the Christian story,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08which is all about new life, new hope, resurrection.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13There's that sort of feel about being here at the moment, which is really exciting. Yeah.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12JAZZ MUSIC
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Local residents enjoy an evening of jazz music by the Sam James Trio.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27But by day, 21-year-old Sam is a diligent music student
0:23:27 > 0:23:30at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
0:23:30 > 0:23:32here in Greenwich.
0:23:36 > 0:23:37It's housed in Sir Christopher Wren's
0:23:37 > 0:23:40glorious King Charles Court at the Old Royal Naval College,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42which is filled with students.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Musically talented ones, not the Naval variety.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51That was a beautiful standard called In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning...
0:23:51 > 0:23:55- It can be quite a lonely existence, being a pianist, can't it?- 'Yeah.'
0:23:55 > 0:23:58You know, it's part of the commitment, isn't it?
0:23:58 > 0:24:03I wouldn't have probably got in unless I was dedicated to practising.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05So your Christianity comes through in your music?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Yes...
0:24:07 > 0:24:12I mean, yes, it does. I guess mainly because of the motive I have,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14I mean, to glorify God.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It's a blessing to be able to play this amazing art form
0:24:17 > 0:24:18and I love playing jazz.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43How does that sort of correspond with the work you're doing here?
0:24:43 > 0:24:46You know, some people think that jazz is the Devil's work.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50I don't agree with them, I have to say. What's your view of all that?
0:24:50 > 0:24:55Inevitably, the culture we're in, there's going to be pressures
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and temptations of being a student and a Christian.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01I think I got looked at quite severely and strangely
0:25:01 > 0:25:04when I had my first pint in the student bar,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07you know, being a singing Christian at college.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31'It's not as difficult as I thought it would be when I moved here,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33'because I've got such a great church,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36'and by the grace of God, I'm still here fighting, I suppose.'
0:25:36 > 0:25:40You say fighting, is it tricky, then? Is it that tricky?
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Yeah, it's difficult because some of my best friends are non-Christians,
0:25:43 > 0:25:49so a lot of the time, I'll perhaps deliberately not do certain things
0:25:49 > 0:25:52or go certain places with them
0:25:52 > 0:25:54because of what I think, what I believe.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57The hymn we're going to hear next is All People That on Earth Do Dwell.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- Do you know that one?- Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01So if you were going to put the Sam jazz stamp on it,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03what would it sound like?
0:26:03 > 0:26:07- Sorry to throw this at you like this.- Fine. Well, erm...
0:29:21 > 0:29:27Loving God, thank you for our friends and neighbours.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Help us to build strong communities wherever we live.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37And may the steadfast courage of St Alfege inspire our actions
0:29:37 > 0:29:39and deepen our faith.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Amen.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50One of the world's fastest clippers, the Cutty Sark here,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53was given a new lease of life this year.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56It's great to know that this iconic ship
0:29:56 > 0:29:58can now voyage towards a certain future.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Unfortunately, our time here in Greenwich has come to an end.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05We'll leave you with a hymn - The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Until next time, goodbye.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Next week, Granny Pam will be celebrating grandparents.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15She meets the granddaughter of "Call the Midwife" author
0:33:15 > 0:33:20Jennifer Worth, who's been inspired by her grandmother's example,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23and meets other grannies and granddads with stories to tell.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26The hymn singing comes from Coventry Cathedral,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28and there's a new version of The Lord Is My Shepherd
0:33:28 > 0:33:30by Peter Howarth, of The Hollies.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd