Today/The 91st BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields is this weekend. Remember to tune in to the Christmas Appeal, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 today at 7.55am followed later at 9.45am by BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal: Making a Difference with Aasmah Mir. Please join us in this year’s Appeal: ‘small action, big difference’ and support homeless and vulnerably housed people. You can make a donation via www.smitfc.org/donate. We also welcome you to the Christmas Appeal exhibition, now open in the Foyer of the Crypt.
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/Children’s Programme. C-Club will meet in the Dick Sheppard Chapel from 11:30-12noon. Be prepared to be creative as we make Christmas items to sell at next week’s stall to raise money for St Luke’s hospital in Malawi, where Susannah Woodd worked. The congregation will be able to buy from the stall in the Hall, after the 10am service on Sunday 10 December. Indeed, if you would like to contribute items to sell on the stall, that would be very welcome also.
Today/Prayers for Healing with anointing and laying on of hands are offered by our healing team following the 10am service each Sunday in the sanctuary.
Today/Advent Oasis, 2.00-4.00pm, George Richards & Austen Williams Rooms. Another ‘Oasis’ time of quiet scripture reflection, prayer and practical art. Art materials will be available for you to explore, play with colour and be creative through collage, painting, drawing or writing. All are very welcome.
Advent and Christmas Services. The full list of Advent & Christmas services is available in our whole site brochure and on our website. During Advent there will be no Evening Prayer, Monday Choral Evensong or Bread for the World. There will be no ticketing for capacity Christmas services: Nine Lessons and Carols, Gospel Carols, Community Carols and Parish Carols. Doors open 45 mins before the services start and as the church is often full we encourage you to arrive in plenty of time to be certain of a seat. We look forward to welcoming all of our visitors over this Advent and Christmas season.
Sacred Moments for Advent. Our Sacred Moment series will become daily throughout Advent. Each day there will be a short reflection from the Revd Dr Sam Wells and guests, followed by a carol sung by one of our choirs. The series, in partnership with Premier Christian Radio, runs from Advent Sunday to Christmas Eve, and will be broadcast on the Premier breakfast and lunchtime shows, as well as being released through St Martin’s Soundcloud (www.soundcloud.com/sacred_moments) and iTunes.
This week/Club Wednesday, Wednesday 6 December. All members of the congregation are welcome to come for lunch and refreshments after the 1pm Eucharist at 6 St Martin’s Place, followed by a fascinating talk by Laurence Impey: on ‘Ethiopia: Land of Poverty, Piety and Pride’ with pictures.
This week/Open Circle Christmas Party, Friday 8 December, 7.00pm at Busaba, Covent Garden. To reserve your place and for more details, email stmartinsopencircle@gmail.com, by the end of Monday 4 December.
Theology Group, Sunday 10 December, 12.00-1.00pm, Austen Williams Room. There will be an opportunity to reflect theologically on issues of the day and questions of forever with Revd Dr Sam Wells. All are welcome.
Blessing of the Crib in Trafalgar Square, Sunday 10 December, 5.30pm. Join us for the blessing of our Trafalgar Square Crib and an exciting dramatization of the Christmas Story with Chalk Farm Salvation Army Band, the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields and a live donkey. The collection will go to the 91st BBC Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal launched on Sunday 3 December. Please come and support us.
Meditation Group, Tuesday 12 December, 6.30pm in the Dick Sheppard Chapel. The meditation group meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. All welcome.
Light the Well, Lightwell, extended to 14 December. An installation by Anna Sikorska which is comprised of lit porcelain lanterns made by the community of St Martin-in-the-Fields. You can buy a porcelain lantern to take away and light a small candle inside. Proceeds to the New Art Studio and Art Refuge UK, working with art therapy in the context of migration and displacement. Each lantern costs £10 (cash only). See Jonathan or Anna to purchase lanterns or go to the Box Office.
The Archers, Thursday 21 December. The Archers Christmas party will be held at the Union Jack Club starting at 7.00pm on 21 December. Everyone is welcome but only 25 people can be accommodated so it will be ‘first come, first served’. To book, for menu choices and cost contact Ruth Hutchinson, 020 8801 9520, or Michael Moran, mtj_moran@yahoo.co.uk / 077 7627 1064.
Thank you. I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all those who helped to make my 25 Anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood such an incredible event. I was overwhelmed by your huge generosity, kindness, and love, and a surprise celebration and gift that I will never forget. How blessed I am to be able to serve God and a church like this. I will always treasure these things, and all of you, in my heart. With love and prayers Revd Richard Carter.
Art Talk: Chinese Textiles, Monday 15 January 2018, 6.30pm, St Martin’s Hall. Talk by Jacqueline Simcox on Silks From Imperial China: Ming and Qing dynasty costumes and textiles 1368-1911. Free tickets from Eventbrite. The first in an occasional series of art talks focusing on aspects of Chinese Art and organised with the Chinese Speaking Congregations of St Martin’s. Jacqueline Simcox, who has written numerous articles on Chinese textiles, will talk about some of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) textiles and some of the imperial costumes and festivals and show how they changed when the Machu from the north took over the country from 1644-1911 (Qing dynasty).
