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.
Dixit Dominus
From the beginning of September until Advent the choir, with various instruments, will be performing different settings of the first verse of Dixit Dominus, Psalm 110: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. This psalm is the first psalm of Vespers (a sunset evening prayer service) on Sundays and major feast days.
This morning the choir will be singing part of Charpentier’s Dixit Dominus with woodwind quartet. He was a French composer born in 1643 of the Baroque era. Exceptionally prolific and versatile, Charpentier produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres. His mastery in writing sacred vocal music, above all, was recognized and hailed by his contemporaries. The prelude to his Te Deum is used in the opening credits for Eurovision events.
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 normally take place on the last Tuesday of the month but due to Halloween the next meeting is this Tuesday, 24th October. For further information, speak to one of the clergy.
Halloween
31st October, 5pm
On All Hallow's Eve we remind ourselves that our faith lets us laugh at the unnatural fears of the night! There'll be crafts and games, a church decked out in webs and spiders and this year we will have a Harry Potter themed workshop. Doors will close at 5.30pm to allow children enough time to finish their activities and crafts before the service of light. If you survive the service there'll be a suitable reception for adults and children. In order to succeed this service needs lots of volunteers. If you're able to help, please speak to Antonio or Becky. For a better time than trick or treating, come along for some frights and fun!
All Souls
On Thursday, 2nd November, at 8pm we mark this special festival at which we remember those who are part of the church community but who have died. This year the choir are singing Rutter’s Requiem. During this service we remember those who have been dear to us - a list is available in the porch for you to add the names of those you would like to be remembered. As part of the liturgy, there will be opportunity for you to light a candle and place it on the altar in remembrance of your loved ones.
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 need space for reflection.
Jazz Mass
12th November, 6.30pm
The atmosphere of a jazz club, great music and the beauty of the eucharist meet in this fantastic service with wine and nibbles available throughout. The setting is Leavitt’s Missa Festiva and the anthem is Wade in the Water by Hayes.
Compline
19th November, 8.00pm
preceded by a lightsupper at 7.00pm
This ancient monastic service, in a candlelit church, is stunning in its simplicity. The service is sung and the anthem is De Profundis, Pärt’s anthem for male voices. Sign up if you wish to join us for supper.
Evensong for Christ the King
26th November, 6.30pm
This service is the foundation of English tradition, a gem in the crown of the prayer book. The setting for the responses is by Smith with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Purcell in G Minor. The anthem will be O Clap Your Hands by Gibbons.
Jenny Clark Concert
This year’s Jenny Clark Concert takes place on Sunday, 19th November, immediately following the 10am service. This year we are pleased that Julien van Mellaerts, one of last year’s choral scholars, will be performing at this year’s concert. Julien is the winner of numerous prizes, more recently the 2017 Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition and the 2017 Kathleen Ferrier Award, and he will be accompanied by Gamal Khamis. The concert will last 35-40 minutes and is open to all.
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.
NBThere is no session this week due to half term.
St John’s Book Club
St John’s Book Club had a very good meeting this recently. They chose for their next book Hiromi Kawakami’s ‘The Nakano Thrift Shop’ and will meet to discuss it on 4th December. See Michael King for further information.
LORD MAYOR’S CORNER
History has provided much of the backdrop to my mayoral duties this past week. I was guest of honour at a tenth anniversary celebration of the Westminster Guides Association held at Westminster Abbey - they do such a marvellous job taking groups of visitors and locals around our city, providing insights into its history, both visible and hidden. The following evening I was present at a fascinating talk on the Clubs of St James’s and Mayfair, part of a regular series of presentations hosted by the Westminster History Club. I was also present in Hyde Park to watch a review of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery by Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of their 70th anniversary.
I was honoured to welcome HRH Prince Harry to the 2017 Well Child Awards, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, just down the road from St John’s. It was a very moving event, with heroism and bravery very much on display among young people, their families and carers.
Last night, I attended a concert at St Saviour’s Church; part of the annual Little Venice Music Festival. Today, 22 October, I am laying a wreath near Nelson’s Column to commemorate Trafalgar Day. @LM_Westminster
COMMUNITY EVENTS
School Gate Gossip
During each term the various years visit St John’s for a eucharist or for a lesson in conjunction with their Religious Education curriculum. Recently, years 2, 5 and 6 were in St John’s.
Y2 is reflecting on the Lord’s Prayer. On Monday but they built the sermon together with Antonio. In pairs they considered one of the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and two questions to help them reflect on their meaning. The second question was then transformed into a prayer that was offered during the intercessions.
Year 6 is studying life and death. The students wanted to know more about the Christian perspective of life and death and how this is reflected in the Sacraments of the Church. Antonio led them through the Easter Vigil service and the meaning of its multiple signs and symbols: the Easter Candle, the rite of Baptism (which the early church celebrated only this night for the whole year) and how it is linked it to water as death and life in the History of Salvation, and finally the meaning of the Eucharist oitself.
Year 5 are studying Who Is Jesus. We celebrated a Eucharist and looked at the windows above the Sanctuary, what they mean and how they represent different facets of Jesus’ ministry. And yet, the only way to get to fully know Jesus is follow his invitation in the Gospel that we read: “come and see” and forming a personal relationship with him.
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 and www.HPPrussian.weebly.com for the Russian speaking playgroup.
NBDuring half term the morning playgroups will meet as normal but there will be no afternoon playgroup on Wednesday.
