Morning Anthem
This morning's carol-anthem, written in 1919, is probably the most beautiful thing ever to arise from a day spent overlooking the rail traffic at Gloucester railway station. The text is a 15th-century poem about the coming of Jesus and the purity of his mother Mary, "The Rose"; the music features a gorgeous solo for Tenor Tim in verse two. Listen out too for the closing chord sequence as we sing "cold, cold winter's night" for the last time - full of tasty suspensions and squishy chords, this is one of the most sublime moments in all of English choral music.
CHRISTMAS 2024
Nine Lessons and Carols
22nd December, 6.00pm
This evening at 6pm is Nine Lessons and Carols where, around the traditional nine lessons, the choir, accompanied by orchestra, will sing musical selections from the cantata Love, by Joel Raney, complementing the readings, and lead us in singing our favourite carols. The service takes place in a candlelit church and after, there will be fizz and panettone.
Christmas Eve
4pm – Crib Service
A unique service for all ages, telling the story of Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus in the crib, join us as we begin the feast of birth of Christ.
11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Enjoy the first mass of Christmas in a candlelit church, singing Christmas carols led by the choir and orchestra. The setting will be Schubert’s Mass in G D167.
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. Sing Christmas carols with the choir, accompanied by orchestra.
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
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, 5th January 2025. 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, indicating that they will be able to attend and what food they will be bringing with them.
Epiphany Carols
12th January 2025, 6pm
After our fantastic Advent and Christmas carol services, what next? Epiphany carols! Nick, James and the choir have prepared another special treat to conclude our seasonal celebrations marking the events of the Epiphany season. This year’s Epiphany Carols follows the theme Behold the Star, taking us from the arrival of the Shepherds and Magi right through Christ’s baptism in the Jordan and ending with the Presentation in the Temple. The music will include Mozart’s Viva! (Il Re Pastore), Alan Menken’s A Star Is Born (Hercules), Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of This is My Beloved Son, Rutter’s Rise Up, Shepherd and other music by Howells and Mendelssohn. After the service there will be fizz and galettes des rois.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Book Club
Book Club selected as their next book The Blood of Others (Le Sang des Autres), a 1945 novel by the French existentialist Simone de Beauvoir that depicts the lives of several characters in Paris leading up to and during the Second World War. The novel explores themes of freedom and responsibility. Book Club meets on 13th January to discuss it. For further information on Book Club, please speak to Irwin Nazareth.
