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. One day flames came from Heaven. Today as we continue our journey through the Book of Acts, join us as we see the surprising effect of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.
This Weekend/The Connection at St Martin’s 29th Annual Pilgrimage to Canterbury, 24–27 May. All are welcome to join the Pilgrimage Thanksgiving Service in Canterbury Cathedral at 6.30pm on Monday 27 May. For any enquiries, please e-mail eugene.ling@cstm.org.uk or phone 020 7766 5555. Please sponsor the Sunday International Group. This year 11 of our guests from different countries of the world are walking with us. Can you help us to raise money for the Connection and as we walk these 74 miles together?https://pilgrimage2019.everydayhero.com/uk/international-group Thank you all so much for your support.
This Weekend/The Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields is on tour in Swansea, singing a concert at St Mary’s Parish Church and a service at Margam Abbey.
This Week/Confirmation Service/Wednesday 29 May, 6.30pm. Please pray for those who will be baptised, confirmed and received into the Church of England on Wednesday: Lai Ngay Yan, Xiao Ming Li, Roland Merz, Purnima Singh Thakuri, Felix Byers, Lee Gibbs, Chit Hei (Hayden) Kwong, Linna So Ying Lam, Tianyi Li, Annie Mathew, Kopano Mholo, Lenus Walker and Ingrid Philion, who is being received into the Anglican Church. All are welcome to the service, led by the Bishop of London, Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who will also be preaching. There will be a reception afterwards in the Austen Williams Room.
This Week/Ascension Day Eucharist/Thursday 30 May, 8pm, BBC Radio 4. We are delighted to welcome as our preacher the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford. The music includes the premiere of Bob Chilcott’s Samba Mass, and is sung by the BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers and St Martin’s Voices, directed by Bob Chilcott. The service will be led by Revd Dr Sam Wells. Congregational admission is by ticket available from the vergers after services or from the Box Office. Please arrive in plenty of time for the service (doors open 7.00pm) and be seated in church by 7.40pm or tune into BBC Radio 4 at 8pm.
Next Sunday/Disability Advisory Group/Sunday 2 June, 12-2pm, Austen Williams Room. This termly open meeting gathers people with insight or experience of physical, sensory, cognitive or mental health issues to help shape our vision and work. All are welcome to join us, including for our renowned bring and share lunch! If you’d like to know more, please speak to Fiona MacMillan or Jonathan Evens, or email disability@smitf.org
Next Sunday/Christian Faith and Ecology in an Unfinished Universe Eco Church Lecture/Sunday 2 June, 1.50-3.30pm, St James’ Church, Piccadilly. John F. Haught, distinguished Research Professor, lectures on a sacramental approach to Christian ecological theology. Free tickets available by emailing petragriffiths@livingspirit.org.uk
Club Wednesday/Wednesday 5 June. Choral Eucharist at 1.00pm followed by lunch at 6, St Martin’s Place. Revd Sally Hitchiner speaks about her life and what drew her to St Martin’s. All are welcome.
Joint event with our Chinese Congregations/Thursday 6 June 2019, 6.30pm, St Martin’s Hall – talk (in English) followed by drinks reception. Yi Chen will speak on Pots and thrones: ritual bronze vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Free tickets from https://bit.ly/2LgyMpT or phone Jonathan Evens on 020-7766-1127 and leave your name and phone number.
Theology Group/Sunday 16 June, 12-1pm, Austen Williams Room. Theology Group is an opportunity to reflect theologically on issues of the day and questions of forever with Revd Dr Sam Wells. All are welcome.
Revd Paul Lau’s retirement as Associate Vicar for Chinese/Sunday 9 June. Rt Revd Andrew Chan will be our preacher as we thank Paul for his 19 years of ministry among us. We would like to give Paul a sending-off present on that day. If you would like to make a contribution, please hand an envelope to the vergers or send a cheque to Harriet Rabin, Church Coordinator. The Chinese Church Annual Meeting has voted unanimously for the Chinese Church to join with the PCC and become one church from September. We very much look forward to the growing partnership between our congregations. Join us for a special Chinese cake in the Hall after the 10am service. The Chinese speaking community also invite us to join them for a service of thanksgiving at 1.30pm on the same day, followed by a late Chinese lunch in the Hall.
Friends of St Martin’s Festival – Save the Date/Saturday 15 June. The Festival will be held in St Martin’s Hall, starting with the AGM at 10.30am where the future development of the Friends will be part of an open discussion. This will be followed by Eucharist at 12 noon and lunch at 1pm. The afternoon session from 2pm will include contribution from our Associate Vicar for Ministry, Revd Sally Hitchiner, and Katy Shaw on the Building Futures project. All are welcome to share in this exciting day in the life of St Martin’s.
Andrew Bennison, who served as Pastoral Assistant at St Martin’s, will be ordained deacon at Manchester Cathedral on Sunday 30 June. His curacy will be at St Nicholas, Burnage in the Diocese of Manchester. Please pray for him. He can be contacted by email: andrew.mk.bennison@gmail.com
Parish Away Day: What is Church? This year’s Parish Away Day will be held on Saturday 13 July, for all the parish including C-Club. All are welcome for an inspirational day of reflection and fun to be held at the Focolare Centre in Welwyn Garden City. Flyers now available in church – please return an application form or sign up and pay online at http://bit.ly/2Xqrn8L
