Sunday 15 March, Palm Sunday

Today/Palm Sunday 9.45/10.ooam. Today we mark the beginning of Holy Week with a Palm Sunday procession, led by a donkey, with the Regent Hall Salvation Army Band and the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and our Eucharist includes the dramatization of the Passion Gospel, led by members of our community. The London Landmarks Half Marathon is taking place around the church. Please be guided by the stewards. The last crossing point of the race route on Duncanon Street to go over to the start of the procession behind Admiralty Arch is 9.20am latest. For those not joining the procession the service in church begins as usual at 10.00am. (www.llhm.co.uk).  Please see leaflet in church or our website for details of all our Holy Week and Easter services.

Today/Crèche at St Martin’s. For the 0-4 age group, with trained childcare leaders, takes place in the Austen Williams Room every Sunday. Please ask a steward to show you where to go.

Today/Easter Flowers. There will a retiring collection for Easter flowers at the end of the service. We are looking for some more volunteers to join the flower arranging team. To find out more please speak to Rosanne Townsend in church or rosannetownsend@googlemail.com.

Today/Prayers for Healing with anointing and laying on of hands are offered by our healing team following the 10.00am service each Sunday in the sanctuary.

Today/Children’s Programme. C-Club will be meeting as usual, in the Dick Sheppard Chapel from 11:30-12noon.

Today/Drawing Club, 12.00–2.00pm, Glass Box, No.5 Church Path. Each month for two hours the drawing club will meet and draw together. The aim of this new group is to encourage and practice together. There will be materials provided, objects to draw and step-by-step help for those beginners who would like it. So, no previous experience is necessary and all are welcome. Please meet Jonathan in the Hall at 11.55am to get access to No 5.

Stewards. Thank you to all those who have come forward to steward for our Holy Week and Easter services. There are still a few spaces so do speak to Helen Riley or Kristine Wellington after today’s service if you are able to be part of our welcome this week.

Contemplative Prayer, 6.55–8.00am, Mon-Thurs (7.55–9.00am Sat). Meet outside the North East door. If you would like to join this group, please contact richard.carter@smitf.org.

This week/Meditation Group, Tuesday 27 March, 6.30pm in the Dick Sheppard Chapel. The meditation group meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. All welcome.

This week/Lent Course, Wednesday 28 March, 6.30-8.45pm. The last in our series based on Ben Quash’s wonderful Lent Book: Abiding. This week Revd Sam Wells leads the reflection The Peace that Abides. For more information, contact georgina.illingworth@smitf.org.

This week/Holy Saturday 31 March, 9.30-11.30am. We will be preparing the church for the Easter services from 9.30am after morning prayer. All helpers most welcome.

Easter Vigil. If you are coming to the early Easter Vigil service on Easter Sunday 1 April, 5.30am, please bring a noisemaker like a bell, whistle or rattle. This is to swell the cacophony of sound that proclaims “Christ is risen”!

Revd Coline Midlane is helping to lead Holy Week and Easter services at St Andrew’s, Stoke Newington, and asks for your prayer.

Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story, Sunday 8 April, 12.00noon in the Austen Williams Room, looking at Caravaggio’s great masterpiece ‘The Supper at Emmaus’. An opportunity to engage with a painting from the National Gallery’s collection, Biblical story and a theological reflection, in conversation with others. Speak with Alastair McKay for further information.

Confirmation at St Martin’s. Preparation for adults will take place on Sundays 12noon-1.15pm on 15, 22 April, 13, 27 May, 3 June in the Benenson Room. The Confirmation service will take place on Sunday 10 June with the Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Adrian Newman. If you would like to join the group please contact Revd Katherine Hedderly: katherine.hedderly@smitf.org / 0207 766 1102.

Mug ministry. If you enjoy having a cup of tea or coffee in the hall after the service, would you like to help with the cleaning up? Help is needed to collect used tea and coffee mugs, put them in the dishwasher, dry, and put them away. You only need to help once a month. Contact Andrew Aitken via the church office, or speak to Andrew or Bron in the hall after the service. This is one of the steps we are taking to expand our ministry of hospitality on Sunday mornings. Look out for more ways to get involved after Easter.

Vergers. Gary Cain will be leaving our verging team in mid-April as he pursues his acting career. Gary originally joined St Martin’s staff team in 2014 working in the Concerts team as well as supporting the Café in administration and working his way up the verging department over the last few months. We are grateful for all he has done and wish him well in his chosen career. Do please do all you can to support our verging team at this very busy time.

The changing monthly display by the artists and craftspeoples group in the Foyer of the Crypt for March is Sarah Sikorski. Each month a different member of the group will show an example of their work, so do look regularly to see the changing display.

Forgiveness in Text and Life, Monday 23 April, 7.00pm, together with the Council of Christians and Jews. An exploration of the nature of forgiveness in Judaism and Christianity with Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE, Senior Rabbi at West London Synagogue..

Theology Day, Saturday 29 April, 9.30am–4.00pm, Royal Foundation of St Katherine’s, 2 Butcher Row, London E14 8DS. The day will be on the theme Making the Bible Your Own. Led by Sam Wells. All welcome. No previous knowledge or experience required. Cost £25 but three are funds available for bursaries so please do ask if you’d like to come but would find the cost too much. Please sign up by contacting helena.tarrant@smitf.org and don’t leave it till the last minute.

PCC and Churchwarden Elections. At the Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 29 April this year there will be elections for churchwardens (who are elected for one year, up to a maximum of six) and PCC members (who are elected for three years, renewable once). Adrian Harris, after two years as churchwarden, has indicated he does not plan to stand again this year. Two PCC members’ terms expire this year. If you are interested in standing as churchwarden or as PCC member, please speak to the vicar or the current churchwardens.

Bishop Ho Ming Wah Association and Community Centre is looking for new trustees to further strengthen their Board and help them shape the next phase of development. Located in the lower crypt of St Martins, the charity offers a range of services supporting older people to stay active and independent. If you have a passion for helping older or socially disadvantaged people, we would love to hear from you. To find out more about us and what we do, please feel free to pop in, or speak to Alastair Anson and Eugene Ling, or visit www.bhmwa.com.

London Churches 6-a-side Football Tournament, 19 May. If you are interested in reliving your glory days as a Jimmy Greaves wannabe, or are already hot on the heels of Jodie Taylor or Cristiano Ronaldo, or just fancy getting back on the pitch again for some 6-a-side fun, then please contact Colin Pincott at colinpincott@hotmail.com or on 07515 551160. There are four opportunities to take part: youth, men’s, women’s and ‘over 50s walking football’ and a full eight weeks to get ourselves into shape. It would be great to get at least one team together, but we need to enter soon to ensure our place in the competition.

Choral Classics at St Stephen Walbrook, 1.00pm, Mondays from 9 April. A new choral series at St Stephen Walbrook. A 30 minute sequence of beautiful music with readings, led by Alastair McKay with the Choral Scholars of St Martin’s. All welcome.

The Parish Pipeline email goes out once a week with stories and information from around St Martin’s. Subscribe on www.smitf.org or by emailing sam.whyte@smitf.org.

Sacred Moments. A weekly podcast from St Martin-in-the-Fields. Each Monday Revd Dr Sam Wells offers a short reflection, followed by a hymn or choral piece sung by St Martin’s Voices. To listen, visit SoundCloud or subscribe via iTunes podcasts.