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.
Festival of St Nicholas
St John’s celebrates the Festival of St Nicholas (aka Father Christmas) this afternoon at 4pm. This seasonal all age service begins with a visit to St Nicholas’ workshop where there are cookies to decorate and decorations to make. The workshop concludes with the arrival of a girl bishop and ends with the appearance of Father Christmas. There will also be storytelling and all kinds of St Nicholas/Father Christmas music from the choir during a seasonal tea.
Advent Course 2017
The Reformation’s Battleground:
Paul’s Letter to the Romans Re-Visited… and Re-Fought?
7:30pm at Archery Close
31st October 2017 marks the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg and the symbolical beginning of the Reformation. Two weeks ago, some Anglican groups declared the need to "Re-Reform" the Communion or breakaway from it, arguing that true Biblical teachings on women’s leadership and human sexuality have been abandoned.
Interestingly, Paul’s letter to the Roman’s, which was the main biblical battleground between Protestants and Catholics during the Reformation, addresses head-on both women’s leadership and human sexuality, including homosexuality. But, what does it really say? We will try to find out through together through constructive and honest discussion. Monday evenings start at 7:30 pm and finish with said Compline.
Monday 11th December
The People of God: Romans 9-11
What happens to those who don’t believe? How does belonging and behaving relate to each other in this letter?
Monday 18th December
On Human Behaviour: Romans 12-16
Is there such thing as “Pauline Ethics”? If we are saved by faith, is there a place for a moral code of conduct?
Sunday, 17th December
Nativity Play
This year’s play has been carefully crafted by Mike Roskell and will be a world premier exclusive at the 10am service. There are a couple of dates to keep in mind. Antonio will be casting the roles after church on Sunday 10th December and the dress rehearsal will be in church on Saturday 16th December at 10:30 am. Speak to Antonio or Becky for more information.
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Our traditional carol service takes place Sunday, 17th December, at 6pm. The choir will be accompanied by a multitude of musicians. This year’s service includes music by Ravel, Leavitt and Saint-Saëns. 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.
CHRISTMAS 2017
Carolling around the Parish
Come join our choristers and help raise money for Children Change Colombia by singing carols in pubs around the parish on Tuesday, 19th December. Meet in church at 6.30pm.
Christmas Eve
4.00pm - Crib Service
Mary and Joseph return to St John’s after their travels around the parish and all of the children attending will build the crib, placing lamba alongside the Baby Jesus.
11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Enjoy the first mass of Christmas in a candlelit church, singing Christmas carols accompanied by strings and winds. The setting will be Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai HOB XXII:6.
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.
Christmas Flowers
Remember a loved one by making a donation to this year’s Christmas flowers. Complete the slip inside your order of service and leave it with Bryan Sollenberger. A list of those in whose memory donations are given will be displayed in the porch.
EPIPHANY 2018
The arrival of the Magi, after their long journey following a star seeking Jesus, is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian Church. In the Eastern and Russian Orthodox Churches, this is the equivalent of Christmas. St John’s will celebrate Epiphany with a festival Eucharist on Sunday, 7th January 2018. There will be a procession of the Magi and Presentation of Gifts before the crib as part of the service. Afterwards, there will be a reception of fizz and finger food. Members of the congregation are asked to bring a plate of finger food with them and, in order to help with numbers, please sign up on the form in the porch, indicating that they will be able to attend and what food they will be bringing with them.
Epiphany Carols
14th January 2016, 6pm
After our fantastic Advent and Christmas carol services, what next? Epiphany carols! Robert, Nicky and the choir have prepared another special treat to conclude our seasonal celebrations marking the events of the Epiphany season. The service will be followed by fizz and seasonal delicacies. A great way to beat the post-Christmas blues!
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.
NB There is no session this week due to half term.
CULTURE VULTURE VENTURES
Culture Vultures Ventures to the Panto!!
A festive treat for all the family, Saturday 6th January 2pm. ‘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 www.lyric.co.uk (that’s the Lyric, main entrance on Lyric Square, not the Apollo by the big church) on Saturday January 6th at 2.00pm. Tickets are in the Upper Circle: Front Row £20 and just 4 rows behind £15 each. If family commitments allow, meet for delicious lunch at 12.30pm at Byron’s, www.byronhamburgers.com, opposite the Lyric and to the right as you exit Hammersmith & City line tube station. Kid’s Menu £6.50, with both healthy and less healthy options, £6.50. Payment, for tickets only, to Margaret, please. Cheques preferred.
Culture Vultures Venture: The Postal Museum
A New Year treat on Tuesday January 16th when we visit the very popular, recently opened Postal Museum at Phoenix Place, Mount Pleasant, WC1X ODA. Our self-guided visit includes tickets to ride on one of London’s hidden gems: the underground mail train route and surprising stories from what is in fact the first social network! Before our visit we enjoy a 2 course set lunch at the nearby Sicilian restaurant Luce E Limone, 91-93 Grays Inn Road WC1X 8TX. Our exhibition visit is not timed, but our train departs at 2.35pm, so we will meet at the restaurant at 12.15pm to give us plenty of time to enjoy lunch. Nearest tubes Chancery Lane and Farringdon. Total cost £36 (tea/coffee extra) but places are limited. Payment to Margaret Legg (cheques preferred) to secure your place.
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. Paymen t to Margaret will secure your place. Cheques preferred.
LORD MAYOR’S CORNER
There’s the unmistakable build-up to Christmas in many of the events I have attended recently. The highlight this past week was the lighting up ceremony for the Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square - the one I helped to chop down while in Oslo! Steve joined Chris and me on the podium at Trafalgar Square and I got interviewed by the BBC following the switch on before we headed over to the Norwegian Ambassador’s residence for a reception to mark the occasion. The tree is also due to feature on Songs of Praise (another interview!) on Christmas Eve to mark its 70th anniversary. I was also pleased to preside over the lighting up of the Christmas tree at Paddington Recreation Ground and attend the Queen’s Park Community Council Over-50’s Winter Festival. I also read a lesson at the Broderers’ annual nine lessons service in The City. On Monday Chris and I attended a World AIDS Day Mass hosted by LGBT Catholics Westminster. The following evening, we were honoured to attend the annual Diplomatic Reception hosted by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. And this afternoon, 10 December, I shall be joining hundreds of older people from across Westminster for the annual Tea Dance at the Grosvenor House Hotel. Twitter @LM_Westminster
COMMUNITY EVENTS
School Gate Gossip
There are now less than seven full days of school left this year but our children continue to perform strongly, both with respect to their normal curriculum but also with respect to all the Christmas-related activities. The two non-Christmas events which stood out this week were our year 5 with a special assembly to teach other people and show off their learning from their topic about the Black Death and the other being the Book Fair where we could buy new books while also supporting the school at the same time as a percentage of the money spent went towards books for the school. No doubt, this week's key highlight was Friday's PFA Christmas market. It was a full success and it was great to see so many of you taking the opportunity to join children, parents, teachers, staff and governors to celebrate the festive season. A huge thank you to everybody involved helping and supporting, and the PFA for organising another great event. We also continue to work very hard on rehearsing for this year's hit nativity play "The Midwife Crisis". Dates for your diary: Tuesday 19th December, Whole School nativity service at St. John’s; Wednesday 20th December, last day of term.
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 which is also for early school years and Thursdays at 10am. Suggested donation for all groups: £2. Information about the playgroups can be found at www.HPPplaygroup.weebly.com
