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.
Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meeting
Our APCM takes places this morning immediately following the 10am service. This is the meeting where we receive the annual report and accounts and elect our churchwardens and members to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). This year we will be electing churchwardens and two members to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). Nomination forms are available at the back of church. Completed forms can be given to Bryan Sollenberger.
Our thanks to Dmitrii Babak, Robyn Broaders and Jazz Mack Smith, whose terms on PCC come to an end. Dmitrii has also served as Deputy Churchwardens for the past two years and we are very grateful for his contributions to the parish over that time The vitality of a parish like St John’s is dependent on people being willing to give of their time and skills in leadership of the parish. We are as a community grateful for all that they have brought and shared. Please think carefully about whether you might have skills you can share by standing for PCC.
Sunday Evenings in Lent
For the four Sunday evenings we have worked our way through the Eucharist, looking at why we do the things we do each Sunday and their significance. This is your final opportunity in this series to come along, understand the service better and to ask any questions you may have. This evening we look at the final section of the service: Sending Out
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday falls this year on 14th April. We bless the palm crosses and hear the Passion Gospel in the morning. In the evening at 6pm we’ll have our annual Way of the Cross service based upon the ancient liturgy of the Stations of the Cross, using our very own rarely seen stations and with wonderful music, this year featuring Poulenc’s Stabat Mater. This beautiful and poignant service is a very proper way to begin Holy Week.
HOLY WEEK & EASTER 2019
Easter Flowers
Help us to decorate the church for Easter and remember loved ones at the same time by contributing to our Easter flowers. Fill in the slip in your order of service and give it to Andre Livins or Bryan Sollenberger after the service. A list of contributors and those commemorated will be posted in the porch at Easter.
Maundy Thursday, 18th April, 8pm
A special sung mass commemorating the Last Supper with the washing of feet takes place on the Thursday night before Easter. The mass setting will be Missa Festiva by Peeters and the anthem Thomas Tallis’s Verily, Verily. If you would be willing to have your feet washed at this service, please speak to one of the clergy.
Good Friday Children’s Workshop, 19th April, 10am
A children’s activity morning is planned for Good Friday at 10am for children from 0-11. Coffee, biscuits and hot cross buns will be available and we will build the Easter Garden. Volunteers are needed to help with the activities. Entry is by suggested donation of £3 (babies go free). If you can help, speak to Dan or Becky Stringer.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Day, 19th April, 2pm
Good Friday is one of the holiest days in the Christian year. This service of reflection and prayer, centred on the passion and death of our Lord, is led by our choral scholars and is based around Passion Music by Will Todd.
Mrs Mops’ Easter Special!, 20th April, 11am
Andre is organising a special effort on Saturday morning before Easter to clean and to get the church ready for Easter. Please speak to him if you are happy to don your housecoat and report for duty for a morning of hard work and fun along with a mid-morning refreshment of the Vicar’s special hot milky brew. Come armed with your marigolds, Brasso and Pledge. Many hands make light work: please help if you can.
Dawn Vigil and First Mass of Easter
This service begins at 5am with a Vigil of readings as we await the dawn and the resurrection of our Lord. This colourful and dramatic service incorporates the Service of Light, Renewal of Baptism Vows and the First Mass of Easter. Well worth getting up for! The service is followed by breakfast and champagne.
Easter Breakfast
A cooked breakfast is served in the hall following the dawn service. Please sign up in the porch if you plan to stay for this. Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with breakfast would be very warmly welcomed by the Vicar (who will be coming off his Lenten diet).
Easter Reception
Following the Festival Eucharist on Easter morning there will be a fizz reception with finger food. Please bring a plate of finger food to share and indicate what you will be able to bring on the sign up sheet in the porch or on one of the clipboards that will be circulating during coffee.
Culture Vulture Ventures
Culture Vultures Venture to Marlborough House, Monday 29th April
Irene, who guided us so well when we ventured last year to Lambeth Palace, will take us round The Fine Rooms on the Ground Floor of Marlborough House. Totally accessible, even though it was completed in 1711, it is now used by the Commonwealth Secretariat, so we are advised there may be a last minute date change should the rooms be required for Commonwealth business. Afterwards we are very fortunate to have a luncheon booking in the dining room at the Royal Air Force Club, 128 Piccadilly, W1J 7PY, www.rafclub.org.uk, but places for that are limited, so first come first served! Tour only £8, tour and lunch £34, 3 courses inc VAT and service, drinks extra (lunch is now waiting list only). Meet under the St James’ Palace clock at the bottom of St James’ St. at 10.45am. Payment to Margaret please - as always cheques preferred.
Mid-week Services
St John’s isn’t just a church for Sunday! There are services at 5.30pm Monday to Thursday. Monday’s service is a eucharist and there is a said evensong Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Services take place in the sanctuary and are open to all.
Save the Date!
Deacon Dan will be priested on Sunday, 30th June, at 4pm at St Mary’s, Stoke Newington. He will celebrate his first Communion the following Sunday, 7th July, at the 10am service, after which we will have our annual barbecue!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
School Gate Gossip
With the our school being closed for the Easter Holidays, there is only one, but a very important one, update this week: We are delighted that Liam Peters, our deputy head, has been selected as a winner in the London Teacher of the Year Awards 2019! He will be attending a prize giving ceremony and sit down meal with his partner in June. We are sure you will all want to join us in applauding Liam for this fantastic recognition of the hard work and excellent teaching he has provided in our school over his time with us.
Stay and Play
A community playgroup meets weekly in St John’s on Thursday mornings from10-11.30am. Come and stay for a play, a sing-song and to share stories over a cup of coffee. All children and babies are welcome (newborn to 5 years). Suggested donation: £2.
