Hearing the Service
St John’s has an Induction Loop System so if you have a hearing aid, please switch it to the ’T’ setting.
Dixit Dominus
From the beginning of September until Advent the choir, with various instruments, will be performing different settings of the first verse of Dixit Dominus, Psalm 110: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. This psalm is the first psalm of Vespers (a sunset evening prayer service) on Sundays and major feast days.
This morning the choir will be singing part of Cavalli’s Dixit Dominus with strings. He was born in 1602 and after Monteverdi’s death, became the leading opera composer in Venice. He was very popular during his lifetime, but soon forgotten after his death and his operas vanished from the stage until their resurrection toward the end of the twentieth century. He wrote an eight part requiem for his own death.
Thanks from the West London Day Centre
Thank you for your harvest donation. It is very greatly appreciated! Your support has made a fantastic impact on WLM! Roger, one of the homeless persons helped by the Day Centre, says, ‘The good food provided here at Seymour Place is so important to my day. It’s where everything in my day starts. Without that meal the situation would just be much worse. It’s the main thing I come here for and that helps me in my circumstances. The food is the beginning, it’s the beginning of everything, including changing where I now find myself.’
A Message from Robin Sims-Williams
Thank you all for all your support over the last four and a bit years. Helen, Iris, Meredith and I were overwhelmed with the amazing support that St John's gave us on Monday evening as my ministry in this place formally began. But the wonderful way in which we have been sent, including the generous gifts, only reflects the generosity we have come to know in friendships and working with you all over the last four years.
Bible Book Club
Bible book club meets once a month to read and to discuss the gospel reading for the coming Sunday and concludes with Compline. Meetings take place on the last Tuesday of the month – the next meeting is on 29th October. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
Halloween
31st October, 5pm
On All Hallow's Eve we remind ourselves that our faith lets us laugh at the unnatural fears of the night! There'll be crafts and games, a church decked out in webs and spiders and this year we will have a Harry Potter themed workshop. Doors will close at 5.30pm to allow children enough time to finish their activities and crafts before the service of light. If you survive the service there'll be a suitable reception for adults and children. In order to succeed this service needs lots of volunteers. If you're able to help, please speak to Antonio or Becky. For a better time than trick or treating, come along for some frights and fun!
All Souls
On Thursday, 2nd November, at 8pm we mark this special festival at which we remember those who are part of the church community but who have died. This year the choir are singing Rutter’s Requiem. During this service we remember those who have been dear to us - a list is available in the porch for you to add the names of those you would like to be remembered. As part of the liturgy, there will be opportunity for you to light a candle and place it on the altar in remembrance of your loved ones.
St John’s Late
Returning in November, St John’s Late services offer a friendly but contemplative space for those who’ve missed the morning, want to try something different or need space for reflection.
Jazz Mass
12th November, 6.30pm
The atmosphere of a jazz club, great music and the beauty of the eucharist meet in this fantastic service with wine and nibbles available throughout. The setting is Leavitt’s Missa Festiva and the anthem is Wade in the Water by Hayes.
Compline
19th November, 8.00pm
preceded by a lightsupper at 7.00pm
This ancient monastic service, in a candlelit church, is stunning in its simplicity. The service is sung and the anthem is De Profundis, Pärt’s anthem for male voices. Sign up if you wish to join us for supper.
Evensong for Christ the King
26th November, 6.30pm
This service is the foundation of English tradition, a gem in the crown of the prayer book. The setting for the responses is by Smith with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Purcell in G Minor. The anthem will be O Clap Your Hands by Gibbons.
Jenny Clark Concert
This year’s Jenny Clark Concert takes place on Sunday, 19th November, immediately following the 10am service. This year we are pleased that Julien van Mellaerts, one of last year’s choral scholars, will be performing at this year’s concert. Julien is the winner of numerous prizes, more recently the 2017 Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition and the 2017 Kathleen Ferrier Award, and he will be accompanied by Gamal Khamis. The concert will last 35-40 minutes and is open to all.
Children’s Community Choir
The Children’s Community Choir is open for children 6 years old and above, sessions will be 30 minutes long and children will sing different genres of music. If you are interested in bringing your children along please let Robert or Antonio know.
St John’s Book Club
St John’s Book Club had a very good meeting this recently. They chose for their next book Hiromi Kawakami’s ‘The Nakano Thrift Shop’ and will meet to discuss it on 4th December. See Michael King for further information.
LORD MAYOR’S CORNER
On Friday, 13th October, I had the honour of unveiling a plaque near Charing Cross to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm and Angus McGill’s pivotal role in The Evening Standard Tree Appeal which was held in response. Earlier in the week, I was invited to attend the opening of Rathbone Square near the eastern end of Oxford Street - an amazing mixed-use development on the site of a former Royal Mail sorting office which today provides pedestrian access between Newman Street and Rathbone Place - apparently the first time people have been able to walk through this route since Georgian times.
A couple of cultural engagements last week included a performance by The King’s Singers at Westminster School and the opening of Churchill and The Middle East, a new installation at the Churchill War Rooms near Horseguards - well worth a visit! I also enjoyed two events at Westminster Abbey, one to celebrate the Festival of Edwardtide and another service held for the London Mayor’s Association - a superb turnout of mayors from across the capital looking resplendent in their gowns and chains of office. And there was an important service held at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the launch of Hate Awareness Week. @LM_Westminster
COMMUNITY EVENTS
School Gate Gossip
This is our school; a school with a proud history and an aspirational future. St. James & St. John School provides both academic and personal development for every child, underpinned by Christian values. To quote Ofsted: "This is a good school. It is strongly supported by parents and carers. The strong provision for development of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural qualities ensures that pupils are kind to new arrivals and respect one another's values. Progress in English and mathematics is good and this reflects the good teaching and curriculum." Please feel free to visit.
Under Five’s Playgroups
An international playgroup aimed at Russian speakers meets in St John’s on Wednesdays at 10am. Other playgroups meet on Wednesdays at 3.45pm which is also for early school years and Thursdays at 10am. Suggested donation for all groups: £2. Information about the playgroups can be found at www.HPPplaygroup.weebly.com and www.HPPrussian.weebly.com for the Russian speaking playgroup.
