from Birmingham
More than 3,000 people worship every week at Erdington Abbey, a Roman Catholic church in Birmingham's northern suburbs. This splendid Victorian building is the focus for a Songs of Praise which reflects upon the suffering of Christ on the cross. Cliff Michelmore meets members of the abbey congregation, including Aston Villa's goalkeeper NIGEL SPINK, and a young
Christian couple who cannot receive communion together because of the divided Church. Hail Redeemer, King divine; Salvator mundi; Crown him with many crowns (Diademata); Yes, God is good (Williams); 0 mother blest;
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; Praise him; Take up thy cross (Breslau)
Conductor STEPHEN LANSBERRY Organist MICHAEL KING
Researcher KERENA MARCHANT Producer ROGER HUTCHINGS Editor STEPHEN WHITTLE BBC Pebble Mill
* CEEFAX SUBTITLES