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.
Spring Term 2018 Anthems
This term’s offering of anthems during the Sunday morning service has two main themes running through it: on one hand we take a look at ‘God on Stage’, uncovering some of the ways religious themes and ideas have appeared in musical theatre shows over the years, either more or less overtly, and we also celebrate a range of major composers who celebrate important anniversaries in 2018.
I Was Glad was written for the coronation of Edward VII and later revised for use at the coronation of George V. It has subsequently been performed at Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s and Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge’s weddings and many others. The words are from Psalm 122 vs 1-3, 6-7. It is written for full orchestra but this morning is being played on the organ with eight part choir.
Farewell to the Choir
This morning marks the end of our choral year and we say a fond farewell to this year’s scholars. We are enormously indebted to our current choral scholars – Catriona Hewitson, Emily Burnett, Beth Moxon, Tom Scott-Cowell, Stephen Mills, Wagner Moreira, Keiran Rayner and Harry Thatcher. We thank them for their dedication and hard work. They have led our music to new levels this year and have truly inspired us in the way in which they have led our worship. Our thanks also to Robert and Nicky for their leadership of the music department and the wonderfully diverse repertoire of music with which they have provided us. Robert and Nicky will both be taking time off during August. We wish our choral scholars well as they pursue their respective careers.
Mary Poppins
17th July, 7pm
Following the success of last year’s project based on the music from Oliver1, St John's choral scholars in collaboration with St James and St John CofE Primary School and St George's Hanover Square CofE Primary School and a combo orchestra will be performing music from Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins – directed by St John's Director of Music, Robert Greenhill. Tickets (£5 per adult, children go free). Order yours today!
The Reverend Dan Warnke
Last Sunday we formally welcomed Dan Warnke to St John’s. If you were not able to meet Dan last Sunday, do make sure you introduce yourself to him this morning.
Invite Dan to Visit
It is customary for a new curate to get to know members of the congregation by visiting people for a cup of tea. If you would like Dan to visit and feel able to tell him something about how you came to live in the area and what brought you to St John’s, then please put your name and telephone number on the sheet at the back of church.
First Appointment Grant
St John’s must also provide Dan with a grant to cover the costs of setting up as a clergyman: robes, books, office equipment, etc. This will be £2,468 extra for the first year. If you are able to help us to meet these costs in some way, please contact Bryan Sollenberger or the Vicar. So far we’ve had donations of £1428. Thank you to all who have contributed
Bible Book Club
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 last Tuesday of the month – the next meeting is on 31st July. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
Culture Vulture Ventures
A Misèrable Venture 18th September 2018
Thanks to Jonathan Hill, lead violinist in the show and one of our wonderful Sunday morning players, we have 12 halfprice tickets for Les Miserables on Tuesday 18th September at 7.30pm - £35 instead of £70! Another thank you to congregation member Jamie Poulton, for facilitating our pre-theatre supper booking at his renowned Soho restaurant Randall and Aubin, 14-16 Brewer Street, W1F 0SG www.randallandaubin.com. Full details to follow, but to secure your seat for Les Mis. please pay Margaret £35, cheques preferred.
St John’s Book Club
St John’s Book Club met earlier this month and selected their next book – Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth. They will discuss this book on 26th September. For further information, please speak to Michael King.
St John’s Big Gay Night Out
A new social activity for gay guys & girls and their friends.
Friday 3rd August, 7pm - Grindr: The Opera!
Note the new date
Grindr: The Opera! puts the most notorious gay hook-up app into the exaggerated world of opera. With musical styles ranging from baroque to contemporary pop, Grindr: The Opera! is a daring, humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the greatest catalyst for the shift: Grindr. Meet at 6pm at Pico, next door, for dinner.
Friday 7th December - Mother Goose Cracks One Out!
This year’s pantomime follows years of sell out performances at Above the Stag theatre. You’ve not really been to a panto until you’ve been to Above the Stag.
Tickets for either show £25. Meal before the show at Pico bar and grill (next door to the theatre) – pay as you go. For either event, please contact Ian Smith (ipas@hotmail.co.uk) or leave your payment, stating which event, together with your name, email address and phone number at the church office.
Save the Date
Dog Collar Dinner, 14th September 2018
This popular event returns in September. Further details will be released nearer the time but mark your diaries now!
Remembrance Sunday
11th November 2018
Many of you will probably remember the impact of the ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London in November 2014. This year to mark the 100 year anniversary of the end of the Great War The Remembered Charity are launching 'There but not there'. The idea is that those who gave their lives are remembered by silhouettes or name plates on Remembrance Sunday. Our intention is that as many of St John's roll of remembrance (30) will be represented as possible and we invite congregation members to take part. A name block costs £10 or a torso sized perspex silhouette designed to sit on a chair costs £42. Each of these could be placed on a seat to be amongst us all for our service of remembrance and help ensure that each of them will not be forgotten.
Andrew Moxon will be co-ordinating a list of names from our roll of remembrance so please email him on andymox@hotmail.com if you would like any more details and to check what names are available. More information also available on www.therebutnotthere.org.uk.
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.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Fernando Montaño Raising Plastic Pollution Awareness
Fernando Montano, a member of St John’s and soloist with the Royal Ballet, is a Counsellor with One Young World (a global forum for young leaders and entrepreneurs working collaboratively to solve the world’s environmental, social and political problems) and to this end he would like to heighten awareness of the environmental disaster caused by plastics in our oceans and seas. He is planning an art installation working with a professional underwater photographer who will take a series of photos of Fernando in a local swimming pool with a back drop of plastic waste; his designer is creating a special costume for this project made of recycled plastic. Fernando wants to engage the community in this project. He would like to involve St John’s in this project and has had interest from two local schools to involve their students in developing the plastic backdrops he will need for this photo shoot.
Members of our congregation can participate this in two ways: First, save your plastic recycled waste – milk bottles, plastic food trays yogurt pots, plastic bags, straws, plastic cutlery and cups – anything plastic BUT IT MUST BE CLEAN AND WASHED (this is required by the owners of the pool!). Please bring these items in to church on the morning of Sunday 15th July when Fernando will be here to receive them. Second, Fernando plans to start working with an artist on one of these plastic backdrops after church services on that same Sunday and would like to invite anyone, including children, who would like to stay after and work with him on this creation.
Fernando is grateful to St John's for this support but asks that you please remember to wash all the items first and wait to bring them until 15th July.
St James & St John School Gate Gossip
Our children are counting down every single day before the start of their well-deserved summer holidays. Despite having received their end-of-year report already a week ago, there were apparently still some very eager teachers handing out home-work, though we are happy to report that this practice has now also stopped. As is tradition every year, the final weeks are really being devoted to honouring the various achievements over the academic year, celebrating and saying farewell to our leavers from year 6, and to a full school end-of-year and leavers service. The last day of school was on Friday (early finish).
Under Five’s Playgroups
An international playgroup aimed at Russian speakers meets in St John’s on Wednesdays at 10am. Another playgroup meets on Thursdays at 10am. Suggested donation for both groups is £2.
