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.
CHRISTMAS 2018
Christmas Eve
4.00pm - Crib Service
Mary and Joseph return to St John’s after their travels around the parish and all of the children attending will build the crib, placing a lamb alongside the Baby Jesus.
11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Enjoy the first mass of Christmas in a candlelit church, singing Christmas carols accompanied by strings and winds. The setting will be Mozart’s Coronation Mass K317.
Christmas Day
10am – Family Festival Eucharist
Children are invited to come along dressed up in their fairy costumes and sparkly shoes or Christmas pyjamas and to bring their toys with them if they wish. Sing Christmas carols with the choir, accompanied by orchestra.
Services in Church between Christmas and New Year
There will be no midweek services until Wednesday, 2rd January 2019. There will only be a 10am service on Christmas Day and 30th December.
Parish Office
The office will be closed for Christmas and will reopen as normal on Wednesday, 2rd January. A member of the clergy team will be in residence in case of pastoral need. Messages can be left on the office answering machine as they will be collected regularly.
Bible Book Club
9th January, 7pm
Bible book club meets once a month to read and to discuss the gospel reading for the coming Sunday and concludes with Compline. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
The Wednesday Club
23rd January, 7.30pm
This is a new group normally meeting in a local pub to discuss everyday ethics and how the things we think and do relate to our understanding of God and faith. This promises to be a lively and generous discussion, so do come and join us! To sign up or for further information, speak to Dan.
Christmas Flowers
Remember a loved one by making a donation to this year’s Christmas flowers. Complete the slip inside your order of service and leave it with Bryan Sollenberger. A list of those in whose memory donations are given will be displayed in the porch.
EPIPHANY 2019
The arrival of the Magi, after their long journey following a star seeking Jesus, is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian Church. In the Eastern and Russian Orthodox Churches, this is the equivalent of Christmas. St John’s will celebrate Epiphany with a festival Eucharist on Sunday, 6th January 2019. There will be a procession of the Magi and Presentation of Gifts before the crib as part of the service. Afterwards, there will be a reception of fizz and finger food. Members of the congregation are asked to bring a plate of finger food with them and, in order to help with numbers, please sign up on the form in the porch, indicating that they will be able to attend and what food they will be bringing with them.
Epiphany Carols
13th January 2019, 6pm
After our fantastic Advent and Christmas carol services, what next? Epiphany carols! Robert, Nicky and the choir have prepared another special treat to conclude our seasonal celebrations marking the events of the Epiphany season. The service will be followed by fizz and seasonal delicacies. A great way to beat the post-Christmas blues!
Sponsor a Buttress
Goal: £50,000
Raised so far: £26,381
Last year we undertook some very essential repairs to the roof, gutters and parapets. If you look up on the north or south sides of the church, you’ll notice the beautiful new stonework. To fund the works, however, we had to borrow £200,000 from the Diocese of London and we are looking to raise £50,000 to pay this year’s commitment plus interest.
The ‘Sponsor a Buttress’ campaign is to raise funds to cover this year’s commitment. There are 40 buttresses consisting of three stones each. A stone costs £416, a buttress £1,250 (£333 and £1,000 respectively if Gift Aided). To sponsor a stone or buttress or for more information about Gift Aid, speak to Bryan Sollenberger.
Culture Vultures
Venture to the Panto!!
A festive treat for all the family, Saturday 5th January 2pm.
‘Oh yes he did!’ ‘Oh no he didn’t!’ The young and the young at heart are sure to enjoy Dick Whittington at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith www.lyric.co.uk (that’s the Lyric, main entrance on Lyric Square, not the Apollo by the big church) on Saturday January 5th at 2.00pm. Ticket details to follow shortly. Meet for a delicious lunch at 12.30pm at Byron’s, www.byronhamburgers.com, opposite the Lyric and to the right as you exit Hammersmith & City line tube station. Kid’s Menu £6.50, with both healthy and less healthy options, £6.50. Please speak to Margaret or Sam Tear to register your interest.
Lent Retreat: Mirfield 29th - 31st March 2019
The Benedictine Community of the Resurrection www.mirfield.org.uk regularly hold Retreats and Pilgrimage Weekends at their Monastery in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. These are guided by some of the brothers, who give three addresses, and there is plenty of time for quiet contemplation, walks in the beautiful grounds and the opportunity to attend the daily offices with the community and college in the lovely cathedral-like chapel.
The cost is £135, which includes all meals and accommodation in single rooms (£150 for an ensuite) + travel. The Centre is only minutes away from Junction 25 of the M62 and there are direct trains from Kings Cross. Mirfield is also a Theological College and it is Ordinand Benji Tyler, a member of our congregation, who knows just how learned, holy and friendly are the Mirfield community. The Guestmaster has made a provisional reservation for us.
Please have a word with Margaret or Benji for more details, a copy of the timetable and to register your interest.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
If you have a live Christmas tree, what do you do once you have taken the tinsel and baubles off your tree? Don’t just throw it out in the street - treat it with respect and take it to be recycled! There are numerous recycling points around Westminster and one of them will be in the island in front of St John’s. You can drop off your Christmas tree from 29th December to 13th January from 8am to 8pm. Recycled trees help the environment - they are turned into woodchip and soil improver.
School Gate Gossip
The school is now on its Christmas break with staff and pupils all having a well deserved Christmas break (we hope the parents look forward to it just as much) before the next term begins on Monday 7th January.
Stay and Play
A community playgroup meets weekly in St John’s on Thursday mornings from10-11.30am. Come and stay for a play, a sing-song and to share stories over a cup of coffee. All children and babies are welcome (newborn to 5 years). Suggested donation: £2.
Playgroup will be having a break this week and next, resuming on 10th January 2019.
