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 seek space for reflection.
Choral Evensong
23rd November, 6.00pm
This service is the foundation of English tradition, a gem in the crown of the prayer book and will be sung by our choral scholars. The setting for the responses is by Bernard Rose with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis from Charles Wood’s Evening Service in F.
Advent 2025
Advent Carols
Sunday, 30th November 2025, 6pm
Our Advent Carol Service takes place on 30th November at 6pm. This year’s theme is ‘Both Sides Now’ and musical selections will include works by Joni Mitchell, John Lennon & C.V. Stanford, as well as pieces taken from both Madam Butterfly & The Lord of the Rings. The orchestra and choir will be on fine form to kick off our season of Advent, and afterwards there’s our traditional reception of mince pies and mulled wine or spiced apple juice.
Christingle
Sunday, 7th December 2025, 4pm
A festive service for all the family that celebrates the light of Christ with the choir of St James and St John school. A wonderful way to mark the beginning of the Christmas season, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and hot chocolate served afterwards.
Nine Lessons and Carols
Sunday, 21st December 2025, 6pm
Our service of Nine Lessons and Carols starts our Christmas celebrations. This year we are pleased to have as our special guest the Bishop of London and next Archbishop of Canterbury, The Right Reverend Sarah Mullally. This will be her final visit to St John’s before taking over her new responsibilities at Lambeth Palace so do take this opportunity to wish Bishop Sarah well in her new role.
Memorial Service for Lynda King Taylor
Wednesday 26th November, 2pm
A memorial service for Lynda King Taylor has been arranged for Wednesday, 26th November, at 2pm. Lynda was a long-standing member of St Johns and the Hyde Park community. We invite all who knew or loved Lynda to join us for this time of shared remembrance, prayer and thanksgiving.
Bible Book Club - “A Virgin Shall Conceive?”
Wednesday 3rd December 7.30pm
As Advent approaches, join us for a deep dive into Isaiah 7:14, one of the most debated verses in Scripture. We’ll explore how translation and tradition have shaped our understanding of Mary’s virginity and what this means for faith today.
With over hundreds of translations of the Bible in existence in English alone, the words we read can vary more than we realise. Bring your own Bible along let’s see together how your translation renders this famous verse, and what that reveals about language, belief, and meaning.
For more information please contact Alex: alex@stjohns-hydepark.com.
Advent Course: Hidden Christmas
Wednesday 10th and Tuesday 16th December, 7.30pm
Join us for our Advent Course, ‘Hidden Christmas’. Together we’ll explore Tim Keller’s inspiring book, which invites us to look deeper into the Nativity story and discover the profound truths that often go unnoticed amid its familiarity.
Come and rediscover the wonder of Christmas in a fresh and meaningful way.
For more information please contact Alex: alex@stjohns-hydepark.com.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Refugee Drop-in Volunteers
St John’s hosts a monthly Sunday drop-in centre for refugees run by the West London Synagogue. This provides families with a hot meal, a shopping voucher and a contribution towards their transport, as well as signposting for other practical help. The drop-in centre normally takes place on the third Sunday of the month and they are always open to volunteers to assist them. If you would like to join the volunteer crew, please speak to the Vicar. The next drop-in centre is today at 12.30pm.
Book Club
Book Club met recently selected their next book –Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time. This is a 1951 detective novel concerning a modern police officer's investigation into the alleged crimes of King Richard III of England. It was Tey’s last book published in her lifetime, shortly before her death. In 1990 it was voted number one in The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time, a list compiled by the British Crime Writers' Association. Book club next meets on the 12th January 2026. For further information, speak to Irwin Nazareth.
