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, DSC. We will see what it means for the last to be first using coloured chalk and play a game where victory is unexpected!
Encountering our International Neighbours. This week we pray for Tariro, supporting disadvantaged youth in Zimbabwe. Give their staff the love, wisdom and passion they need to guide and support these young people to achieve their full potential. For more information, please visit www.tarirouk.com and see the Encountering our International Neighbours booklet in church.
Today/Drawing Club/12-2pm, Glass Box. Each month for two hours the drawing club will meet and draw together. The aim of this group is to encourage and practice together. Materials, objects to draw and step-by-step help for those beginners who would like it are all provided. So, no previous experience is necessary and all are welcome.
This week/Bread for the World/Wednesday 24 October, 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome at this informal Eucharist, a service with prayer, music, word and reflection, followed by food and fellowship. This week we welcome neighbours from Churches Together in Westminster (CTiW).
Clocks change next Sunday. Don’t forget that British Summer Time ends next Sunday 28 October and the clocks go backwards one hour.
Annual Review of Activities. Copies of the printed Annual Review, bringing together all of the highlights from the last 12 months, are available from the stewards in church after the service for a suggested donation of £3.
Next Week/This year’s Autumn Lecture Series Encounter/Continuing 29 October, 7.00-8.30pm. Lectures will include: Encountering Jesus of Nazareth: Mark Oakley, Br Sam SSF, Rose Hudson-Wilkin (29 Oct); Encountering the Sacred: Neil MacGregor with Richard Coles, Ben Okri and Nicola Green (5 Nov); Woven Gold in Concert (18 Nov); and Encountering God: Justin Welby in conversation with Sam Wells (19 Nov). Flyers are available at the back of the church or book a free place at stmartininthefields.eventbrite.com. The cafe will stay open until 10pm for refreshments afterwards and a chance to meet the speaker.
Coming Up/All Saints & All Souls, Sunday 4 November; All Saints at 10am and All Souls Requiem at 5.00pm. At these services we will be remembering all those who have died in the last year who have been members of St Martin’s or connected with our church. If there is someone you would like to be remembered please give their name to Jasmine Oakes by emailing jasmine.oakes@smitf.org or via the vergers by 26 October.
Coming Up/Extraordinary Parochial Church Meeting/Sunday 4 November, 11.30am, St Martin’s Hall. The PCC Planning Group has, on a six-yearly cycle, and after competitive tendering, selected a new set of auditors, whose details are at www.haysmacintyre.com We have been advised that, since the approval of auditors is an APCM matter, if the new auditors are to begin work straightaway (which we do), we need to call an Extraordinary Parochial Church Meeting in order to affirm this decision. The meeting is expected to last around 30 seconds. All members of our electoral roll are entitled to vote. If you have any concerns about the selection of auditors, please speak to the vicar or churchwardens in advance of the meeting.
Coming Up/Book Sale/Sunday 4 November, 11.30am. There will be a book sale after the 10am service.
Coming Up/Junior Theology/Sunday 11 November, 11.30am, Benenson Room. A monthly group for older C-Club members where they can bring their questions and explore the Christian faith in an informal way. The next session will be on 9 December.
Coming Up/Reading Theology/Wednesday 14 November, 6.30pm. Reading Theology is a new group for those wanting to go deeper, with others, into different works of theology. In advance of each session, we will read a different book, which we will then discuss on the evening. The group will take place 3-4 times a year, and will be led by Sam Wells. Meetings will be on Wednesday evenings, after Bread for the World at 6.30pm, and the simple supper. The group will run from 8-9.30pm. We will discuss Christianity Rediscovered by Vincent J. Donovan. The book may be purchased from the Shop at St Martin’s. Future dates are Wednesday 13 February and Wednesday 22 May. For any questions, please contact georgina.illingworth@smitf.org
Coming Up/Visit the Bell-ringers/Sunday 18 November, 9.10-9.40am. The bell-ringers would be delighted to welcome members of the congregation at St Martin’s. We’ll be explaining a bit of history of the bells and demonstrating how we ring. If you would like to join us please contact helena.tarranant@smitf.org to indicate your interest. You’ll need to meet at the tower door at 9.10am, which is located just inside the main church door. Please note that the only entrance into the tower is up a relatively tight staircase, and children should be aged 8 and over.
Coming Up/Celebration Eucharist for Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers)/Tuesday 27 November, 7pm, St Paul’s Cathedral. Come and support Jeff Claxton, Eugene Ling and Ruly Tsang and all who are LLMs as we give thanks for this valuable ministry in the London Diocese. Preacher and President: The Rt Revd Sarah Mulallay, Bishop of London. All are welcome. No tickets needed.
Remembering Dorothy Cone and Sybil Allen. We have recently lost two dear members of our community and we are exploring ways to remember them. We are considering the replacement of our hymnbooks and making a new stand for the St John’s Bible when it is read in worship. Before we make specific plans we would be grateful to hear from those who would like to make a contribution. Please pass donations to the vergers or email pledges to one of the clergy. The likely overall cost would be £4000 for the hymnbooks and £3500 for the bible stand. For more information, please speak to katherine.hedderly@smitf.org / 020 7766 1102.
