Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meetings
Our annual meetings will take place 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 PCC. Nomination forms are available at the back of church. Those whose names are on the parish electoral roll are entitled to attend the meetings.
Our thanks to Helen Epega and Shakira Watts, whose terms on PCC come to an end. We are grateful for their contributions to the parish over their three years on the council. Helen has served as deputy churchwarden this past year and Shakira is our Children’s Champion. Damon Greeney, who has been churchwarden since 2020, will also step down. We are extremely grateful to Damon for his leadership and support of the vicar and for his giving so generously of his time and abilities during his time in office. 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.
Easter Baptisms
Are you considering baptism? Easter is the perfect occasion and the dawn service at 6am on Easter Day is a great opportunity for it. This is a very special and unique service and there will be an opportunity for adults and children to be baptised as part of the Easter liturgy. If you are interested in being baptised at this service, please speak to one of the clergy as soon as possible.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday falls this year on 24th March. 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 Schubert’s Stabat Mater, as well as Stabat Maters by Scarlatti, Poulenc and Pergolesi. This beautiful and poignant service is a very proper way to begin Holy Week.
HOLY WEEK & EASTER 2024
Maundy Thursday, 28th March, 6pm
A special sung mass commemorating the Last Supper takes place on the Thursday night before Easter. The mass setting will be Mozart’s Missa Brevis in F and the anthem Ubi Caritas by Galvani. The service concludes with a brief vigil.
Good Friday Children’s Workshop, 29th March, 10am
A children’s activity morning is planned for Good Friday between 10am and 12 noon for children. Coffee, biscuits and hot cross buns will be available and we will build the Easter Garden. Volunteers are needed to help with the activities. If you can help, speak to Alex or Marcus.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Day, 29th March, 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 J S Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion.
Mrs Mops’ Easter Special! 30th March, 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, 31st March, 6am
This service begins at 6am this year 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. Remember to set your clocks one hour ahead this year so you don’t miss it!
Easter Breakfast
Volunteer(s) Needed!!
A simple 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 faithful who come out for this service, along with 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.
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.
St Paul’s Lecture
16th April, 6.30pm
Rev Kate Botley of Gogglebox and Radio 2 fame is giving a talk, 'Have a Little Faith', at St Paul's Cathedral on the evening of the 16th April. You can find further information at www.stpauls.co.uk/kate-bottley.
Alex Norris will be attending this and he invites you to join him. He will be on the steps of St Paul's at 6.15pm for those who wish to attend. Entry is free, with the option to make a donation on the evening, but a ticket is required to attend. Please contact Alex if you are interested in attending so he can get a ticket for you.
St John’s Book Club
St John’s Book Club met recently to discuss The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, which was a popular choice. Their next meeting will be on the 8th April and the book choice is Scarborough by Canadian author Catherine Hernandez. For further information about the book club, please speak to Irwin Nazareth.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Giggles and Gossip
Thursdays, 9.30-11.30am
Giggles & Gossip meets on Thursday morning. Run by Red Balloon Foundation, it is aimed at parents with babies and toddlers. There will be soft play available and the club will also consist of crafts and a story time in which parents and children can take part.
