Today/We are pleased to welcome Grace Anne Barbour, who will be baptised at the 10am Eucharist, and her parents Nigel and Liz. Please pray for Grace on this very special day.
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 (including 24 and 31 December). Please ask a steward to show you where to go.
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/Children’s Programme. C-Club will be recommencing after its break, in the Dick Sheppard Chapel from 11:30-12noon.
Today/Epiphany Carols, 5.00pm. Join us for our evening celebrations featuring readings and music for this wonderful season of light, discovery, miracle and revelation. With reflections by Revd Katherine Hedderly and music by the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
iKnow Church. We are moving to a new database for the parish which will also be a great way for us to help with the organisation of the parish. It will also help us in our move to the new data protection regulations (GDPR) coming in during the year. Whether you use IT or not, the new system will help us to stay in touch with you via your preferred method of communication. Do come along and find out more and bring your smart phone or tablet with you and we can demonstrate the system on your own device. We will be holding sessions in the Hall on 7, 14, 21 January to help you update your details and introduce the system to you.
Donations to the 2017 BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields are still coming in and there is plenty of post to keep the team busy! Since returning from the Christmas break, the total now reaches over £2.5m, which is just fantastic. Thank you once again to everyone who has supported the Appeal, these valuable donations will be shared between The Connection at St Martin’s and the Vicar’s Relief Fund (VRF), supporting people away from homelessness. If you would like to make a donation it’s not too late, simply visit: www.smitfc.org/donate
Choral Classics at St Stephen Walbrook, Mondays, 1.00pm. The first in a new choral series at St Stephen Walbrook starts on Monday 8 January. A 30 minute sequence of beautiful music with readings, led by the Revd Dr Alastair MacKay with the Choral Scholars of St Martin’s. Every Monday from 8 January to 19 March. All welcome.
Meditation Group, Tuesday 9 January, 6.30pm in the Dick Sheppard Chapel. The meditation group meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. All welcome.
Bread for the World, Wednesday 10 January at 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome at our informal Eucharist, a service with prayer, music, word and reflection, followed by food and fellowship. This week, Revd Richard Carter will be sharing about his experiences of being on Lampedusa.
The Nazareth Community, Sunday 14 January, 12.00noon, Dick Sheppard Chapel. There will be a meeting to find out more about the plans for The Nazareth Community. Flyers are available at the back of the church. If you are interested in learning more you are very welcome to join us or e-mail: richard.carter@smitf.org / georgina.illingworth@smitf.org for further information.
Joint event with our Chinese Congregations. Monday 15 January, 6.30pm St Martin’s Hall. Talk (in English followed by drinks reception. Jacqueline Simcox will speak on Silks from Imperial China: Ming and Qing dynasty costumes and textiles 1368-1911. Free tickets from Eventbrite or phone Jonathan Evens on 020-7766-1127 and leave your name and phone number.
The changing monthly display by the artists and craftspeoples group in the Foyer of the Crypt for January is by Kathryn Hardy. Each month a different member of the group will show an example of their work, so do look regularly to see the changing display.
INSTALLATION. Our vicar, Sam Wells, has been invited to be an honorary canon of Guildford Cathedral, to formalise his relationship with the diocese in which his wife Jo is Suffragan Bishop of Dorking. The duties are not onerous, but involve giving occasional lectures to clergy and/or lay people of the diocese. His installation will take place during Evensong in the cathedral at 6pm on Sunday 28 January. All are welcome. Those attending are invited to come for tea at the Bishop of Dorking’s residence before the ceremony from 3.30-5.00pm. A bus will depart St Martin’s at 2pm and return around 9pm. The cost will be £15, payable on the bus. If you would like to reserve a place on the bus, please email helena.tarrant@smitf.org or call 020 7766 1126 before Monday 15 January. You are also welcome to attend the tea and/or the service if you travel under your own steam.
Churches Together in Westminster AGM, Monday 22 January, 6.30 – 9.30pm, Salvation Army Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ. CTiW is supporting borough-wide eco-awareness by choosing “Creation Care” as the theme for its AGM. There will be inspiring speakers and stalls with information and opportunity for conversation, including A Rocha UK, Shrinking the Footprint, the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, and The Big Church Switch. So whether your church community has yet to launch its eco-journey, or is aware and willing but in need of a bit of extra support, or is already eco-active and carbon-reducing, there will be something for you at this event.
The Parish Pipeline email goes out once a week with stories and information from around St Martin’s. Subscribe on www.smitf.org or by emailing sam.whyte@smitf.org.
Sacred Moments. A weekly podcast from St Martin-in-the-Fields. Each Monday Revd Dr Sam Wells offers a short reflection, followed by a hymn or choral piece sung by St Martin’s Voices. To listen, visit Soundcloud or subscribe via iTunes podcasts.
