St John’s Late
Our Sunday evening series continues this evening. Please note the times of services as they do fluctuate until the Lent series begins on 18th February.
Compline
4th February, 8.00pm
preceded by a light supper at 7.00pm
This ancient monastic service, in a candlelit church, is stunning in its simplicity. The service is sung and the anthem is Verdi’ Hymn to the Virgin. Sign up if you wish to join us for supper.
Choral Evensong
11th February, 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 from Howell’s Collegium Regale. The anthem will be O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis.
St John’s Book Club
SJBC met earlier this month and selected Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance as their next book and will discuss it on 5th February 2018. After that, they will peruse The Bell by Iris Murdoch for a meeting in April. See Michael King for more information.
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 30th January. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
Ash Wednesday, 14th February 2018, 12.00 noon & 8.00pm
We begin our Lenten observations on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on 14th February. As usual there will be a said lunchtime service at 12.00 noon. In the evening there will be a sung Eucharist at 8.00pm, the setting Victoria’s Missa Quarti Toni and featuring Allegri’s well known Miserere. If you still have your palm crosses from last year, bring them in and we will burn them to make this year’s ash.
Sunday Evenings in Lent
Jesus: the Living Water
In this series of Lenten evening services, we explore how Jesus brings life in many different ways to many different people, using his encounters with water as illustrations. With our own lives as our templates we reflect, through music, worship, prayer and water-focussed practical interludes, on the times when we have been healed and reshaped and have felt we have no control. Ultimately, we focus on Jesus himself as the source of new life within us, through the cleansing and empowerment that he gives us through his death and resurrection.
Lent Course 2018
Faith and the Arts
For centuries, different art forms have been used as channels to capture faith. The beauty found in these artistic expressions goes beyond the religious motif, to something deeper within the artist and the beholder. In four weeks, we will explore different forms of art: Sculpture, Music, Dance and Visual Arts. We will share a conversation with artists on how they perceive and express faith, and us as spectators, how we perceive beauty and faith through art.
This is our yearly Lent Course shared between St John's, St George's, Hanover Square and the Grosvenor Chapel. It will be held on Wednesdays at the Garden Room in the Grosvenor Chapel, 24 S Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 2PA. Most days starting at 7pm (*), we begin by sharing soup and supper (see below for details). St John’s is providing supper on 21st February and 7th March – is you can help, please speak to Antonio.
Wednesday, 21st February: Visual Arts
Rev'd. Mark Dean: Chaplain to the University of the Arts, London and Visual Artist. Wednesday, 28th February: Dance
Avatara Ayuso: Choreographer, Ballerina and Dancer
Wednesday, 7th March: Music
Sir James MacMillan: Composer
This evening’s session will be preceded by Sung Vespers using music composed by Sir James.
Wednesday, 14th March: Sculpture
Professor Alexander Stoddart: the Queen’s Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland
Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meeting
This year’s annual meetings take place on 18th March immediately after the 10am service. The first step in preparation for these meetings is to revise the Electoral Roll. Accordingly, the Roll will be open until 1st March. Having your name entered on the Electoral Roll is an indication of your involvement in the life of the parish and entitles you to attend and take part in the annual meeting. It is also something that Church of England schools ask about when applying for a place. Forms are available from the table in the porch or from Bryan Sollenberger.
Confirmation
On Sunday, 22nd April, the acting Bishop of London will be presiding at a service of Confirmation. Courses preparing children and adults for Confirmation will be run in Lent. If you would like to be confirmed or if you would like to explore the possibility of being confirmed, please talk with one of the clergy. Do come along and support those who are being confirmed.
Heart Start Training
Claudia Finlay has organised this course, run by London Ambulance, for members of St. John’s Church on Tuesday, 3rd April. 18.30 – 20.30 at 220 Waterloo Road, London SE1. The course is available for 15 people only and is free, but you need to register. Please send your name, mobile number and email to Claudiafinlay@btconnect.com.
Children’s Community Choir
Thursdays, 4.10pm
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.
Help Robin Get to Church
Robin Plummer lives in Great Western Road and needs help getting to and from church. Would you be willing to help him? There is a rota and you would be expected to help Robin approximately one Sunday per month. Robin is particularly fond of riding in fast cars although he is also very happy to walk to church.
CULTURE VULTURE VENTURES
Culture Vultures Attend the Queen’s Chapel, Marlborough Rd. and the Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace
Saturday 24th February
The Serjeant of the Vestry, Jon Simpson, has very kindly agreed to give Culture Vultures a private tour of these chapels on Saturday February 24th at 10.30am - a great privilege and treat! The plate is sumptuous, as are the Van Dyke’s in the Upper Room at the Queen’s Chapel. The visit will last approx. 1.5 hours, after which we will adjourn for lunch nearby (details later). Numbers are limited. Cost £40 which includes lunch and a donation to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal. Cheques preferred, payable to Margaret Legg. We have to be security cleared beforehand, so please let me have your full name, postal and email addresses, and the number of your current passport or photocard Driving Licence – whichever you will bring with you on the day. Meet under the St James’ Palace clock at the bottom (southern) end of St James’ St. at 10.15am.
Culture Vultures go to the Opera
10th March 2018
Former Choral Scholar (2015-16) soprano Soraya Mafi has landed the role of Tytania in English National Opera’s production by Robert Carson of Benjamin Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, based on Shakespeare’s popular comedy. Britten’s opera follows the consequences of a falling-out between the fairy-king Oberon and his queen, Tytania. Mistaken identities, confused lovers and alarming transformations are the result! We have tickets in the front of the Upper Circle at the London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4ES for the 7.30pm performance on Saturday 10th March 2018 and will enjoy a 3 course supper beforehand and during the interval (drinks, tea/coffee extra). Meet in the Coliseum’s American Bar Restaurant at 5.30pm. Tickets all in £70. Payment to Margaret will secure your place. Cheques preferred.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
LORD MAYOR’S CORNER
Last week Chris and I spent a delightful evening in the company of some of the volunteers who work at Westminster’s libraries, helping young students with their homework and engaging with older people on proficiency in English and computers. I also paid a visit to an ‘open doors’ event organised by CityWest Homes, who manage social housing across Westminster on behalf of the council. Last night, 3 February, I was guest speaker at the annual London Mayors’ Association dinner.
This coming week, I’m looking forward to visiting St James and St John School; speaking at the Westminster Senior Citizens’ Forum; attending a school confirmation service at the Abbey; hosting a reception for recent refugee arrivals; and attending a ‘graduation ceremony’ at Queen’s Park Primary School.
Lord Mayor’s Wigmore Hall Gala Concert
On Friday 23rd February 2018 Wigmore Hall will be the venue for a very special concert. Taking the theme of “All the World’s a Stage”, the performance will open with a recital of Shakespeare’s renowned speech and will feature songs exploring different stages of life by composers such as Haydn, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. Performers include the world-famous soprano Ailish Tynan; the mezzo-soprano Anna Huntley and Stephan Loge, who has sung Bach cantatas with Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
The Lord Mayor is delighted to have been asked to host this special occasion and will be using the evening to raise much-needed funds for his mayoral charities: Age UK Westminster and the Social Mobility Foundation. There are a limited number of tickets to the concert with access to an exclusive pre-concert reception which are available to buy for £70. If you are interested, please contact Ruth Beck on rbeck@westminster.gov.uk or 020 7641 4241.
St James & St John School Gate Gossip
It has been an exciting week for our reception class children who went to visit the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon to watch “The Snow Queen”. Years 5 and 6 participated in a “THINK WORKSHOP” by Equaliteach about stereotypes in our society. While the children are in their last preparations for the poetry competition, the PFA is getting ready for our annual school disco as a glorious end to this term. To raise money for our school the amazing Amme Poulton is running a morning yoga fundraiser. Please speak to Anna Haase if you would like to join or support this project.
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 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.
