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 C-Club Programme, 11.30am, Dick Sheppard Chapel. Join us to learn some more about today’s readings and colour with your friends.
Today/Prayers for Healing with anointing and laying on of hands are offered by our prayer team at the 10.00am service each Sunday morning at the front of the church near the altar.
Today/Marketplace Sunday. This annual opportunity to showcase all of our wonderfully diverse groups across the community is after the 10am service today.
Today/Chinese Congregation. This Sunday is the 55th birthday of the Chinese congregation here at St Martin’s!
This Week/Bread for the World, Wednesday 18 September, 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome at our informal Eucharist, a service with prayer, music, word and reflection, followed by food and fellowship. This week, the new Sheppard Scholars share their stories.
Next Sunday/Nazareth Community. At the 10.00am Eucharist, new members of the Nazareth Community will make their promise of commitment and be blessed for their first year following a path of silence, sacrament, compassionate service, study and sharing. Please keep them in your prayers. If you would like to join, please speak to Revd Richard Carter.
Welcome Course. If you are new to St Martin’s over the past 12 months and would like to find out what we are about and have a chance to make some friends who are also new, you are very welcome to join a 5 week Welcome Course run by the clergy from 13 October to 10 November between 12-1.30pm following the Sunday Parish Eucharist in Revd Sally Hitchiner’s flat. There are 8 places available for this course. A soup and bread lunch is provided. Register with Revd Sally Hitchiner.
Building Futures starting work. No 5 and 6 St Martin’s Place will shortly be undergoing substantial redecorating and restorative works – due to these, there will be no parking on Church Path until the end of February 2020. More information is available in the Pipeline.
Autumn Lecture Series 2019: The Quality of Mercy in Social Justice/Monday 30 September, 7pm. Questions welcomed. Our speakers will be Winne Varghese and Bishop James Jones. To ensure a place please book a ticket at stmartininthefields.eventbrite.com.
Morning Song. St Martin’s has created a brand new service of weekly sung morning prayer which takes place every Thursday at 8.30am. A beautiful 30-minute sequence of words, prayers and music sung by St Martin’s Voices, led by Revd Sally Hitchiner.
Next Week/Open House – Volunteers Needed/Saturday 21 September. If you would enjoy answering questions about St Martin’s and can commit to 2 hours between 9.30am and 3 pm please get in touch. There will also be a tour of the church and demonstrations of bellringing. It is hosted by the Friends but you do not have to be a member to take part. Please contact Susanne Wood, in church on Sunday, in writing via the vergers or at friends@smitf.org
Archers, Thursday 26 September. We meet for Holy Communion in the Austen Williams Room at 7.00pm followed by supper. This will be followed by a discussion on the theme of Autumn. Please inform Ruth Hutchinson or Michael Moran, mtj_moran@yahoo.co.uk/07810 261686, if you would like to join us. All are welcome.
Annual Review of Activities. We will be compiling the Annual Review for 2018-2019, but this year it will be launched on our Patronal Festival (10 November). If your group would like to contribute a report, please contact the churchwardens or Revd Sally Hitchiner for advice on length/format. The deadline for final reports is next Sunday, 22 September.
The changing monthly display by St Martin’s artists’ and craftspeople’s group in the Foyer of the Crypt for September is by Lois Bentley.
Next Week/New Group: Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Group/Sunday 22 September, 12pm, Tutu Room. The group aims to work for the transformation of unjust structures in society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation; and to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth, by shared prayer, biblical reflection and education both of itself and also the church and wider organisation of St Martin’s. Meeting monthly, we will suggest actions and priorities to St Martin’s as these are developed. For information please contact Jim Sikorski on sikorskijim@gmail.com.
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 Edition 1989). Please note the change of date from the previously published 20 November.
Guided Walk: Covent Garden and the Strand/Tuesday 17 September, 6pm, meeting on the Portico. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to take a guided walk, led by City of Westminster Guide and Friend of the Connection, Mike Marriott. Mike will discuss the history of the area around the Connection, including reference to issues of homelessness, both in the past and the present. The walk is being organised by the Friends of the Connection. Book at www.friendsoftheconnection.org.uk/events/ to be sure of a place, or pay on the day. Minimum donation of £10.
Theology Group/Sunday 29 September/12-1pm, 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. Future dates: 27 Oct, 17 Nov, 8 Dec.
Thinking Differently About God: Neurodiversity, Faith & Church/Saturday 12 October – Sunday 13 October 2019. Details at https://www.inclusive-church.org/disability-conference-2019 or speak to Fiona MacMillan or Revd Jonathan Evens or email disability@smitf.org.
