Carol Service for Lent
Sunday 16th March, 6pm
Our seasonal service of music and readings which explore the themes of Lent takes place this evening. Entitled From Dust towards Glory, it looks to assist us on our Lenten journeys. Musical selections include Stephen Schwarz’ Let There Be (form Children of Light), Stephen Sondheim’s Unworthy of Love (from Assassins), The Temptation of Christ by Paul Stetsenko, G F Handel’s He Was Despised (from Messiah) and To My Humble Supplication from Gustav Holst’s Two Psalms. The service will be followed by a reception with hot cross buns.
Electoral Roll
The parish electoral roll is an indication of the life and vitality of St John’s. Inclusion on it is a part of your commitment to the church, entitles you to attend our annual meetings, to be married here and assists in enrolling your children into a Church of England school. Every six years we are required to dissolve the current roll and to compile a brand new one. As we last did this in 2019 we are required to compile a new roll this year and will be taking applications for entry onto the new roll until 18th March. The roll will then be closed until after the annual meeting on 6th April. Application forms are available in the porch. Once completed, please return them to Bryan Sollenberger or send to the parish office.
HOLY WEEK & EASTER 2025
Passiontide Carols
Sunday 13th April, 6pm
Something new this year is a carol service for Holy Week! A special service on Palm Sunday evening where we recall the events leading up to Easter: the Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. This will replace our Stations of the Cross service.
Maundy Thursday, 17th April, 6pm
A special sung mass commemorating the Last Supper takes place on the Thursday night before Easter. The mass setting is by Joseph Jongen and the anthem is John Stainer’s The Agony. The service concludes with a brief vigil.
Good Friday Children’s Workshop, 18th April, 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. A donation of £5 per child is requested (babies go free). If you can help, speak to Alex or Marcus.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Day, 18th 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 Will Todd’s Passion Music.
Mrs Mops’ Easter Special! 19th April, 10am
Come join us in our special effort on Saturday morning before Easter to clean and to get the church ready for Easter. Please speak to one of the staff team 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, 20th April, 6am
At 6am we meet in a darkened church for 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.
Bible Book Club
Bible Book Club is held at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month. As the first Wednesday of March is Ash Wednesday, Bible Book Club will not meet in March. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 2nd April.
Safeguarding and Photography at St John’s
Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is a priority at St John’s. A copy of the PCC’s Safeguarding Policy is available in the porch and on the parish website. Photographs of the church may be taken outside of services but please do not take any pictures during the service. When photographing the church, should you happen to capture people in your photographs, please delete them. Safeguarding concerns can be raised in the first instance with the church’s Safeguarding Officer, Mary Langford.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
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 normally takes place on the third Sunday of the month (but not in March, see below) and they are always open to volunteers to assist them. If you would like to join the volunteer crew, please speak to the Vicar. The next drop-in centre is 23rd March at 12.30pm (not the third Sunday as normal).
