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.
Jenny Clark Memorial Concert
3rd November 2019, 11.30am
This year’s Jenny Clark Concert takes place this morning immediately following the 10am service. We are privileged to have one of our regular musicians, cellist Hannah Ashenden, giving this year’s concert, accompanied by our very own Nick Miller, playing works by Bach, Rachmaninov, Faure and Saint-Saens. There will be time after the service to get a glass of champagne before the start of the concert, which will last 35-40 minutes All are welcome.
All Souls
4th November 2019, 7pm
On Monday, 4th November, we mark this special festival with a service at 7pm (note the earlier start this year) at which we remember those who are part of the church community but who have died. This year the choir are singing Faurés Requiem. During this service we remember those dear to us who have died - 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.
Bible Book Club
6th November, 7.30pm
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 first Wednesday of the month. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
St John’s Late
St John’s Late returns for the autumn from 10th November.
10th November, 6pm
Jazz Mass
A joyous mass with choir and double bass in the setting of a jazz club. The setting is Chilcott’s Nidaros Jazz Mass and Tippett’s Deep River the anthem.
17th November, 7pm
Compline by Candlelight
Night prayer with choir and flute, preceded by a soup & cheese supper at 6pm. A sung service stunning in its simplicity. The anthem is Ave Dulcissima Maria by Lauridsen.
24th November, 6pm
Choral Evensong
A special Evensong marking the festival of Christ the King. The setting for the responses is by Byrd with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Purcell in G Minor. The anthem will be O God the King of Glory, also by Purcell.
Advent Carols
1st December, 6pm
Our annual Advent Carol Service marking the beginning of our preparation for Christmas take place on this Sunday evening at 6pm. This seasonal extravaganza of music, readings and hymnody will be followed by as usual with a mulled wine and homemade mince pie reception.
Margaret Legg
Sadly for St John’s, after 12 years of wonderful ministry here, Margaret is due to retire from being our Assistant Priest on 2nd February 2020. During her 12 years at St John’s, Margaret has become much loved as a dutiful pastor and friend to so many and has built up Culture Vulture Ventures as an integral part of our communal life together. She has entertained us with her royal tit bits in her sermons and brought her many years of experience to illustrate living out our faith in real life. There is much and for which to give thanks and to celebrate and we will be doing so on 2nd February after the 10am service so please save the date in your diaries so that we can give Margaret a positive send off!
Rainy Day Appeal
Raised: £4,100
Target: £40,000
Two years ago 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.
The goal of our Rainy Day Appeal is to raise £40,000 to cover this year’s repayment commitment and interest. There are 160 metres of guttering, which works out at £250 per meter (£200 per metre if gift aided). To clear one or more metres or for more information about Gift Aid, speak to Bryan Sollenberger.
Dance for the Roof!
A medley of dance featuring Fernando and Friends
in aid of St John’s Roof Appeal, Friday 29th November 7.30pm
Fernando Montano, soloist with the Royal Ballet and member of our congregation, is very generously donating his time and talents to organise a Gala Programme of dance in church on Friday 29th November, 7.30-9.30, followed by an exclusive ‘Meet Fernando’ Reception at the Vicarage, in aid of the St John’s Roof Appeal. As well as classical dance, Fernando may perform some of his more ‘Latin’ pieces, he plans to invite some salsa dancers and the evening could well end with the chance for everyone to dance, perhaps with one of the performers as your partner!! There will be a bar and refreshments will be on sale before and during the Interval. There will be unusual prizes with a dance related theme in the Raffle/Auction.
Front row tickets are £35, 2nd row tickets £25 and 5-seater cluster tables £275 (including a £100 donation which can be Gift Aided). Tickets for the After Gala Champagne Reception at the Vicarage £50. Buy tickets in advance – see a member of the team.
Culture Vultures Venture
Last Minute Culture Vulture Venture to the Royal College of Music
Sunday 3rd November 7.00pm
Choral scholars Ffion Edwards and Edward Jowle are participating in a staged cabaret concert of ‘Poulenc Mélodie’ at the Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2BS, rcm.ac.uk at 7pm on Sunday 3rd November.
This is a unique programme devised by Nick Sears, Head of Vocal and Opera, staged by Professor Janis Kelly, which charts the life and artistic development of Poulenc. Hear RCM singers and pianists collaborate before Janis Kelly performs Poulenc's rarely staged monologue, La Dame de Monte Carlo, written just two years before the composer's death in 1963. All tickets are £5, available from 6pm on the night at the Box Office in the main foyer of the College. Please speak to Margaret, Ed or Ffion for further information.
The Musical ‘Hamilton’, Tuesday November 26th
We have tickets to the hit musical Hamilton, 7.30pm on Tuesday, November 26th at one of architect Frank Matcham’s theatre gems, the newly refurbished Victoria Palace, Victoria St, SW1E 5EA, www.victoriapalacetheatre.co.uk. This is a sung-and-rapped through American musical about the fascinating life of the forgotten American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his ascent out of poverty to power, against the backdrop of the American War of Independence. Beforehand, from 6.00 – 7.00pm, we are warmly invited by two members of our congregation to pre- performance drinks and snacks in their nearby home. Very generously they are not charging and so a donation to St John’s High Works Roof Appeal is included in the cost of the evening, which is £50 in total. For more details and to make payment, which will secure your place, speak to Margaret or any of the team. Cheques preferred made payable to Margaret Legg. NB. All tickets have been taken and there is now a waiting list.
Mid-week Services
St John’s isn’t just a church for Sunday! There are services at 5.30pm Monday to Thursday. Monday’s service is a eucharist and there is a said evensong Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Services take place in the sanctuary and are open to all.
Help Robin Get to Church
Robin Plummer lives just off the Harrow Road a short drive from St John’s 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. One of his carers would come along to help look after him. Coming to church is very special to Robin and helping him get here each week would be a real service to him.
Volunteer with a Cheer!
One of the great strengths of St John’s is the involvement of so many volunteers. Nowhere is this truer than at our Sunday services. We are profoundly grateful to everyone who takes part on the various rotas and in other ways as needed but we are always on the lookout for others who would like to be involved. If you would be willing to read a lesson, lead our prayers, carry the cross & candles, prepare and serve tea & coffee or help out in other ways, Dan and Andre would love to speak with you.
Celebrate!
Marking a special birthday? Celebrating an anniversary? Wanting to remember that special person? St John’s can help! To honour a loved one or to commemorate a special event, you can sponsor some music or flowers, have fizz & refreshments after the service - there are lots of possibilities. If you would like to observe a special occasion or honour someone special, speak to Bryan Sollenberger.
Share a Smile with St John’s
Will you be shopping over the summer for something nice for your holiday or for a birthday or anniversary present? Or as we approach the dreaded c-word in December? Whatever you do, don’t go to Amazon.co.uk! Go instead to smile.amazon.co.uk and raise some money for St John’s. When you log in you can nominate St John’s Hyde Park and then Amazon will donate .5% of the cost of your purchases to us. Feel good about getting some good deals and about supporting your parish church!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
School Gate Gossip
Our first week back after the half term holiday at St James and St John saw a busy week in which we talked about our focus value of TRUST. We thought about how Christians know they can trust in God and considered what it means to be a trustworthy person. Our Year 1 and Year 2 children took part in a Teddy Bears' Hospital this week, with over 30 medical undergraduates from Imperial College coming to work with them for the afternoon. The children learnt about nutrition and how to stay healthy.
We have welcomed many of our parents to school this week to meet with their children's teachers to catch up about the progress everyone has made since the start of the school year. Parents also had the chance to look at our gallery of art work from the first half term in which every child created a self portrait inspired by the work of a famous artist. We look forward to sharing our art work with everyone at St John's later this year as we start touring with our mobile art exhibition. We would be happy to loan works of art to members of the congregation if you would like to display one in your work place - please get in touch!
Stay and Play
A community playgroup meets weekly in St John’s on Thursday mornings from 9.30-11.30am. 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.
