Crèche at St Martin’s. We have ended our agreement with the workers providing crèche provision for the Sunday 10am Parish Eucharist. Thank you for bearing with us and welcoming our youngest congregation members into our Parish Eucharist until we have re-recruited in the New Year.
Today/Children’s C-Club Programme, 11.30am, Dick Sheppard Chapel. Join us to learn some more about today’s readings and colour with your friends.
Today/Advent Meditations: Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord. A booklet to guide our meditations through the Advent season will be available from the Stewards from this Sunday or from the Vergers during the week for a suggested donation of £3.
Today/Stewards’ Advent and Christmas Briefing/ 11.30am-12.30pm in church. Regular and occasional stewards are welcome. To volunteer, please contact hm.riley@gmail.com or 07535 028144.
Today/Trustees from SENEthiopia bakesale and Ethiopian gifts during coffee. Come and learn more about their work supporting the education of visually impaired children in Tigray region, Ethiopia.
Starting Today/Inspired to Follow Advent Course, 12.00-1.00pm on Sundays, 24 November, 1, 15 & 22 December, Austen Williams Room. We will use fine art paintings from the National Gallery, along with the Biblical characters, theological reflection and conversation with others.
Today/The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation group meeting/12-1.30pm in the Desmond Tutu Room discussing and responding to current issues of Social Justice.
Richard Carter would like to thank all those who helped to make his launch of The City is my Monastery such a successful and joyous occasion.
Bread for the World/Advent and Christmas Break. Please note that due to all our Advent and Christmas Services there is no Bread for the World until Wednesday 8 January.
This week/Wednesday 27 November/Just This Day returns to St Martin’s. Revd Richard Carter and Jill Benet, co-founder of Silence in the City, will lead the morning’s events, which include meditation, music and silence. More information can be found at www.justthisday.world
This Week/Theology Reading Group/Wednesday 27 November, 8-9.30pm. We will be meeting in the Desmond Tutu Room to read Resident Aliens, by Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon. Copies are available at the Shop at St Martin’s for £16.99 (Abingdon Press; 1st Ed. 1989).
This Week/Archers/Thursday 28 November. We meet for Holy Communion in the Austen Williams Room at 7.00pm followed by supper and discussions. Please inform Ruth Hutchinson or Michael Moran, mtj_moran@yahoo.co.uk/07810 261686 if you would like to join us.
Next Week/BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal. We’re now just a week away from the launch on December 1. We need help receiving phone calls at the Call Centre, help opening post, processing donations and sending thank you cards and on 8 December at the Blessing of the Crib to help collect donations. If you can help, please contact joe.peduzzi@stmartinscharity.org.uk.
Tickets are still available for the Fundraising Gala concert on 4 December at https://bit.ly/37uooSy.
The JPIC group with Amnesty International invite you to send solidarity greetings cards to people unjustly imprisoned or standing up for human rights. After the Eucharist on 1 December, members of the group will be in the Lightwell with cards to sign.
Next Week/Advent Oasis, Sunday 1 December, 1.30-4.00pm, George Richards & Austen Williams Rooms. This will include a bring and share lunch, quiet scripture reflection, prayer and practical art. Art materials will be provided. To come, contact 020 7766 1127 or jonathan.evens@smitf.org.
Churches Together in Westminster/Advent Service, Sunday 1 December, 6.00pm, St James Piccadilly. The Light Shines in the Darkness: Readings and Music for Advent with Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir followed by wine and refreshments.
Club Wednesday/4 December. Sung Choral Eucharist at 1.00pm followed by lunch at 6 St Martin’s Place. Revd Richard Carter will then be talking about his recent trip to the Solomon Islands, the Melanesian Brotherhood, and the threats of climate change.
Mission Action Plan. St Martin’s created its first cross-site Mission Action Plan in 2014, and has reiterated the process in 2016 and 2018. Mission Action Plans are required by the Diocese of London, and are helpful for enabling a church to set itself targets for new activity, budget for them, and make its plans transparent to its congregation and wider community. The process has been very fruitful at St Martin’s. It’s time to create a 2020-22 SMAP. If you have ideas for St Martin’s could develop its existing activities, start up new projects, or become a better organisation, please speak to the Vicar, or email sam.wells@smitf.org, before December 15.
The changing monthly display by St Martin’s artists’ and craftspeople’s group in the Foyer of the Crypt for November is by Jenny Cox. Each month a different member of the group or artists linked to it will show examples of their work, so do look regularly to see the changing display.
Joint event with our Chinese Congregations. ‘Picturing the Buddha’, Thursday 16 January 2020, 6.30pm, St Martin’s Hall. Illustrated talk (in English) discussing depictions of the Buddha in the British Library. Talk by Beth McKillop, Senior research fellow, Victoria & Albert Museum. Register on Eventbrite (https://bit.ly/2pErMZT) or contact Jonathan Evens (020 7766 1127 or jonathan.evens@smitf.org).
Save the date/Parish Weekend next year. In 2020 we will once more return to Worth Abbey for our Parish Weekend. Due to availability of Worth Abbey the time has moved to August 14-16. Save the date for a wonderful weekend away at which all at St Martin’s are welcome. More information about the weekend to follow in the new year.
