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/Junior Theology, 11.30am, Benenson Room. A group for older C-Club members where they can bring their questions and explore the Christian faith in an informal way. This week’s session is led by Francesco Aresco.
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 after the service and from the Vergers during the week for a suggested donation of £3.
Today/The JPIC group with Amnesty International invite you to send solidarity greetings cards to people unjustly imprisoned or standing up for human rights. After this morning’s service, members of the group will be in the Lightwell with cards to sign.
Today/Inspired to Follow Advent Course, 12.00-1.00pm on Sundays 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/Advent Oasis, 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 join us, contact 020 7766 1127 or jonathan.evens@smitf.org.
Today/Churches Together in Westminster/Advent Service, 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.
Today/BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal. The 2019 BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields supporting homeless and vulnerable people was broadcast this morning at 7.55am. If you’d like to make a donation please visit: www.smitfc.org/donate.
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.
Thank you from SENEthiopia/The stall last week raised £410.50 for the work with visually impaired children in Mekelle, Ethiopia. The trustees thank you all for your generosity and welcome.
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/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.
Next Week/C-Club Malawi Stall, Sunday 8th December. The annual stall, raising money for St Luke’s hospital, Malawi, selling cakes, chutney, gifts and Christmas cards made by c-club and supporters. This year the money raised will provide hospital fees for children from the poorest families in the local community.
Next Week/Blessing of the Crib in Trafalgar Square/Sunday 8 December, 5.30pm. Join us for the blessing of our Trafalgar Square Crib and an exciting dramatization of the Christmas Story with music from the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields and a brass quartet, and a live donkey. The collection will go to the BBC Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal launched today. Please come and support us.
The Prayer List will be refreshed for the new year. Please let Richard Carter know of anyone you wish to be included (020 7766 1103 or richard.carter@smitf.org).
Carol singers urgently needed on Tuesday 10 December between 5 and 7 pm at Charing Cross Station. Come and sing or collect with the Friends of the Connection, to raise funds to support the work of the Connection. If you could spare one hour, or two, please email friends@cstm.org.uk or call or text Nigel Thorpe on 07899 339897 as we need to know numbers in advance. Thank you.
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 Passage is raising funds through the Big Give from 12 noon Tuesday 3 December – 12 noon Tuesday 10 December to support its work Helping Homeless People this winter. Double your Donation, Double your impact. This is a matched giving scheme for online donations. For more information, contact Andrew Hollingsworth (020 7592 1856 / andrew.h@passage.org.uk).
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.
