Children and Young Families
We are delighted to have families with children as members of our congregation. Kids’ Club meets this morning in the hall with Red Balloon – the children go out after the Collect and re-join their families in time for communion. Toilets with changing facilities are available near the entrance of the church.
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.
Advent Anthems
The anthems at the morning service during Advent are all from musicals chosen to compliment seasonal themes:
Hope
This Is the Moment from Jekyll and Hyde by F Wildman, arranged T Chinn
Peace
Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George by S Sondheim
Joy
Look at Me from The Witches of Eastwick by D P Rowe
Love
Something to Believe In from Newsies by A Menkin, arranged Mac Huff
This morning’s anthem, This Is the Moment, is where Dr Jekyll is excited and hopeful that the experiment he is going to try on himself will work.
Advent 2022
Advent Carols, 27th November, 6pm
The first of our great carol services takes place this evening at 6pm by candlelight. This service always features outstanding music and this year is no different. The theme of this year’s service is ‘Expecting' and features music by CPE Bach, Goodall, Whitacre, K Jenkins and from the musical Hairspray, along with seasonal carols for everyone to sing. There will be mulled wine and homemade mince pies after.
Advent Unlocked, 4th December, 6pm
A new addition to our Advent season, Advent Unlocked will be a different kind of service, delving deeper into the theme we are exploring this year, Expecting. Our speaker will be The Rev’d Kate Harrison from St Mark’s Hamilton Terrace. We will be asking the question: how can we use the lens of Mary’s pregnancy to understand our own Choice accepting Jesus, the Mystery of living with faith, the Intimacy God wants with us, the Pain of sacrifice and changing ourselves, and the Expectations we have of the second coming? A great and hopefully slightly challenging service in church to complement our Advent carols. Do ask Georgina if you would like to know more.
Advent discussion group, 7th December, 7.30-9pm
Concluding our autumn study sessions, we will meet to discuss this year’s Advent theme Expecting. Our questions about the second coming will be similar to those of many pregnancies – where do I begin? When is it due? How am I going to feel? Can I do it on my own? What should I do (or avoid) to prepare? Is it going to hurt? What is the best literature to read? Please talk to Georgina for details or email parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com.
Christingle Service, 11th December, 4pm
An orange? A candle?! SWEETIES??! Come along to this jolly and exuberant service for families and children of all ages, where we will make a Christingle, incorporating symbols of Jesus coming as the Light of the World (and very yummy to boot!). This fun Christmas event is also a perfect opportunity to invite other families to who might not come to church very often, or at all.
NATIVITY PLAY
18th December 10am
This morning, those interested in this year’s nativity play are invited to join Georgina for a discussion at the children’s refreshment table after the service, particularly young people who might be interested in helping write or contribute to the script. Anyone who would like to be in the cast is welcome to our rehearsal on Saturday, 17th December, from 10am until about noon (though we will hopefully finish earlier!) and the performance will be during the 10am service on Sunday 18th.
Christmas 2022
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, 18th December 6pm
Our traditional carol service kicks off the countdown to Christmas. This year the service is centred around Karl Jenkins’ Stella Natalis. The choir will be accompanied by a magnificence of musicians and the service will be followed by a fizz and panettone reception. This is one of the biggest musical treats of the year for all the family. Invite your friends and neighbours to join us for this festive community celebration.
Parish Carolling
6.30pm Wednesday 21st December
You are invited to join us for a jolly traditional Christmas evening as we walk around the parish to sing some carols with our choral scholars and collect money for Food Bank of St Matthew’s, Bayswater. Meet at the church, then we will walk around to several pubs, give them our best musical delight under Robert’s conducting and end at the Victoria for a mince pie.
Christmas Eve
4.00pm – Crib Service
A unique service for all ages, telling the story of Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus in the crib, join us as we begin the feast of birth of Christ.
11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Enjoy the first mass of Christmas in a candlelit church, singing Christmas carols led by the choir and orchestra. 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.
Giving to St Johns
If you would like to give via bank transfer, our details are: Name: St John the Evangelist, Bank: HSBC, Sort Code: 40-11-58, Account #: 80108251. Donations given electronically still qualify for Gift Aid as your name will appear alongside your donation. If you have any questions about giving, please speak to Bryan Sollenberger.
Activities for Children at St John’s
Red Balloon, who are co-ordinating our children’s ministry on Sunday mornings at St John’s, are expanding the programme of activities they offer.
Giggles and Gossip
Thursdays, 9.30-11am
Giggles & Gossip is aimed at parents with babies and toddlers. There will be soft play available and the club will also consist of crafts and a story time for the parents and children to take part in.
After School Group
Thursdays, 3.30-5pm
This group is for school children between reception and year six. Parents/Carers can drop off and collect their children. Children will play drama, lead games and explore biblical stories.
St John’s Goes to the Panto!
Saturday, 7th January 2023
https://lyric.co.uk/shows/jack-and-the-beanstalk-2/
‘Oh yes he did!’ ‘Oh no he didn’t!’ The young and the young at heart are sure to enjoy Jack and the Beanstalk at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith (that’s the Lyric, main entrance on Lyric Square, not the Apollo by the big church) on Saturday, January 7th at 6pm. Ticket prices range from £42 - £15. This is the very last performance of the run, so promises to be extra fun! If family commitments allow, meet for a delicious meal/snack from 4.30pm at Bill’s (10 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 7AP). Kid’s menu, two courses for £6.95. Please speak to Georgina to book your tickets before they’re all gone!
Recording of the Lecture by Rowan Williams
What Am I Living For? A New Heaven and a New Earth
On 14th November, a group from St John’s attended a lecture by Rowan Williams as part of the St Martin-in-the-Fields lecture series. If you missed it, on the 17th November the recording of the lecture was released as an episode of the Church Time podcast, which can be found on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/user-632063010/rowan-williams-what-am-i-living-for-a-new-heaven-and-a-new-earth. You can also listen to the Church Times Podcast on the Church Times app for iPhone and iPad, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most other podcast platforms. If you would like a copy of the mp3 file, please ask Georgina.
CONFIRMATIONS
Confirmation marks the point in the Christian journey at which those who have already been baptised affirm for themselves their Christian faith and at which, through prayer and the laying on of hands, the Church asks the Holy Spirit to empower them to live a life of committed discipleship. We will soon be running courses preparing children and adults for Confirmation. If you or your child would like to be confirmed or if you would like to explore the possibility of being confirmed, please talk with one of the clergy.
