The Great Get Together
Ukrainian Cathedral, York Street
Sunday, 21st June, 2pm
Young people and families are warmly invited to a special afternoon of conversation, friendship and community. Held in partnership with West London Synagogue and the Ukrainian Cathedral, this gathering will bring together teenagers and young people from different faith backgrounds to share experiences, build friendships and discover the values we hold in common. The Great Get Together is the UK’s annual celebration of everything that connects our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. Founded in memory of Jo Cox MP, the Jo Cox Foundation works to build stronger communities and encourage connection, compassion and understanding between people of all backgrounds.
For more information please contact Alex: alex@stjohns-hydepark.com
Summer Barbecue
Sunday, 28th June, 12pm
The 10am service on 28th June will be followed by our summer barbecue in the gardens behind the church. St John’s provides the meat and dessert; you are asked to bring a salad. Tickets are £12.50 for adults and £5 for children. Sign up on the sheet in the porch or by e-mailing Philip at parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com, making sure you let us know how many will be in your party and what salad you will be bringing.
Further Meeting of Parishioners
Sunday, 5th July, 11.10am
A Further Meeting of Parishioners will be held immediately after our 10am service on the 5th July for the purpose of electing a Churchwarden to fill the current vacancy. Nomination forms are available at the back of church. Completed forms can be returned to Philip Matei. Those who are entitled to attend and vote are: persons whose names are entered on the church electoral roll of the parish; and persons resident in the parish whose names are entered on the register of local government electors.
Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming events you shouldn’t miss! Note the dates – further details will be forthcoming nearer the time.
Dog Collar Dinner
Friday, 18th September, 7pm
Our biennial Dog Collar Dinner returns this year on the 18th September. Tickets are £30/person. Application forms are available on the table in the porch, please indicate how many tickets you would like and how you will be making payment. As this is a fundraiser to pay for the refurbishment of the parish hall, there will also be an opportunity to make a donation on top. The evening begins at 7pm and we will be making our way across 3 staff properties with a course at each; you are asked to bring a bottle with you to contribute to the evening. A more detailed itinerary will be available closer to the time.
Licensing of Deborah Marsh
Sunday, 20th September, 10am
We are very much looking forward to Deborah joining Team St John’s this coming autumn. Her licensing will take place during the morning service on Sunday, 20th September. Deborah will be taking up the house for duty post, living on Connaught Street and having a particular ministry within Culture Vulture Ventures.
Prom Concerts
Sunday, 5th July, 11.30am
Bath Celebration Choir & Choral Scholars of St John’s, directed by Tim Snowden and accompanied by Nick Miller. Music by Elgar, Goodall, Lauridsen & Forrest, in styles ranging from classical choral to 20th century popular music. A treat for us all!
Sunday, 19th July, 11.30am
Jack Gonzales-Harding, organist
Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Guilmant’s Sonata No.1 in D minor and Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs.
Sunday, 13th September, 11.30am
Choral Scholar 2026/27 Showcase
Meet and hear this year’s group of wonderful vocal students as they start their time with us. Expect a range of song, opera and choral treats.
Sunday, 1st November,
Jenny Clark Memorial Concert
Cyrill Ibrahim, concert pianist
This year’s Jenny Clark Memorial Concert takes place on 1st November following the 10am service. Further details will be available shortly.
Improvement Projects for St John’s
Vestry Renovation
The refurbishment of the vestry has now been completed. The newly refurbished vestry has now been redecorated, had a new carpet installed, a vestment press installed and has new wooden table and chairs. The renovation and the addition of a vestment chest means that now we can store the new vestments appropriately. It will also allow the clergy to hold pastoral meetings. Funds for the works were set aside by the PCC last year.
Hall Refurbishment
The hall was expanded around 1973 and, aside from a new kitchen in 1995 and new toilets in 2015, we have not invested much beyond routine maintenance in the space. A key asset for the local community, it is badly in need of upgrading. Paint Pots’ departure last year has given us an opportunity to carry out significant works to it while we locate a new tenant. We are currently seeking the advice of the Diocesan Advisory Committee and hope to begin the works later in the spring. The PCC has set aside some funds for this last year but there may be some fundraising events in support of this project.
Congratulations to Jack Gonzales-Harding
Our wonderful organist Jack has been chosen to be the Conducting Fellow of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany, for the 2026/27 season. This is a really prestigious and exciting opportunity for Jack and we wish him all the very best. Unfortunately for us it means he will be leaving St John's on Sunday 19th July to move to Hamburg, but before he gets out the door that day he will play a Farewell Prom Concert after his final service with us. We will miss his outstanding musicianship, but hope to tempt him back to see us whenever his work brings him back through London.
We are now advertising for a new organist.
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 on the 21st June.
Book Club
The next Book Club will be on the 8th June 2026. The book selected is “Drive your plow over the bones of the dead” – Olga Tokarczuk” Originally published in Polish and translated to English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, the novel features the protagonist and narrator, from a remote Polish village, Janina Duszejko, an eccentric woman in her sixties, who recounts the events surrounding the disappearance of her two dogs. She is reclusive, preferring the company of animals to people; she’s unconventional, believing in the stars; and she is fond of the poetry of William Blake, from whose work the title of the book is taken. When members of a local hunting club are found murdered, Duszejko becomes involved in the investigation. This is not a conventional crime story, rather it is an existential thriller offering thought-provoking ideas on our perceptions of madness, injustice against marginalized people, animal rights, the hypocrisy of traditional religion, belief in predestination – and caused a genuine political uproar in Tokarczuk’s native Poland. For further information about the book club please contact Irwin Nazareth.
The Scent of Babylon
The organisers of The Scent of Babylon are delighted to invite members of the congregation to an exhibition bringing together painting, photography, moving image, live performance, and scent on the 18th June 2026 at St John’s Hyde Park. Developed by artist Anna Kiparis in collaboration with photographer Andy Go and curated by Alexandra Dolgosheina, the exhibition is centred around the Biblical contrast between the Virgin Mary and the Whore of Babylon, the exhibition reflects on how women have long been subjected to opposing extremes, despite the far greater complexity of female experience and identity. Doors open at 7PM, with the main live performance beginning at approximately 7:30PM. As the event is ticketed for the general public, St John’s congregation will have access via a guest list. For more information please contact a.kiparis.studio@gmail.com.
Please speak to Philip or contact parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com if you would like more information about the guest list.
