Morning Anthem
Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) has been described as “the best finger of that age”. Born into a musical family, he worked at the Chapel Royal as both singer and organist and studied at King’s College Cambridge. His final post was as Organist of Westminster Abbey, which he held for two years until his untimely death, probably from a brain haemorrhage. A transitional figure between the English Renaissance and Baroque periods, he was a big influence on later composers such as John Blow and Henry Purcell. This verse anthem is one of his best-known, which sees our marvellous countertenor Will leading us through the story as John the Baptist foretells the coming of Jesus, with interjections from the chorus.
Advent Course
Heaven and Earth Collide
The second and final session of this year’s Advent Course will on Wednesday 18th December, at 7.30pm. In these sessions we are expanding on the theme of our Advent Carol Service, ‘Heaven and Earth Collide: An Advent Odyssey’. The theme of this week’s session is ‘heaven’. For further information and to book please contact: Alex@stjohns-hydepark.com. All evenings are free to attend.
Christmas 2024
Parish Carolling
Thursday 19th December, 6.45pm
You are invited to join us for a jolly traditional Christmas evening as we walk around the parish to sing some carols with our choral scholars and collect money for the food bank at St Matthew’s, Bayswater. We meet at the church, then visit several pubs, giving them our best musical delights under Nick’s conducting and ending at The Victoria for a mince pie.
Nine Lessons and Carols
22nd December, 6.00pm
A celebration of the Christmas story through carols, readings and music with a mix of both traditional and contemporary carols. Enjoy some fizzy wine and panettone after the service.
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.
Sunday, 29th December
There is no 8am service on the Sunday after Christmas and no evening service.
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.
Refugee Drop-in Volunteers
Since May St John’s has been hosting a monthly Sunday drop-in centre for refugees run by the West London Synagogue. This provides families with a hot meal, a shopping voucher and a contribution towards their transport, as well as signposting for other practical help. The drop-in centre takes place on the third Sunday of the month and they are always open to volunteers to assist them. If you would like to join the volunteer crew, please speak to the Vicar.
