WELCOME TO ST JOHN’S, HYDE PARK
We want everyone worshipping at St John’s this morning to be as safe a place as possible so to minimise the risks of catching Covid-19, guidelines have been drafted. They are on display in the porch and on our website at https://tinyurl.com/y2v4jzgm. In compliance with government guidance, we are required to have an informal community behaviour agreement and the guidelines will constitute this In summary, please observe the following:
If you are displaying any of the Covid-19 symptoms – high temperature, continuous cough or a change in your normal sense of taste & smell – please do not come into church but self-isolate and arrange for a test.
Please sanitise your hands when you enter the building. A volunteer is on duty with sanitiser just inside the main glass doors or you can wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soapy water in the toilets. If washing your hands, please use a paper towel to operate the taps.
If you have not already given us your contact details electronically, please do so now. This information will be held for 21 days and only used in what we anticipate will be an unlikely outbreak of Covid-19 which could be traced to someone attending St John’s.
Seats have been set out in clusters of 2, 3, 4 and 5 chairs. Please sit in a cluster appropriate for the size of your household, filling the church from the front.
Orders of service have been printed in advance and placed on the chairs on Sunday morning by a member of staff masked and gloved. Please take your order of service away with you at the end of the service.
At the collection, a member of staff masked and gloved will circulate with a collection plate. Place your cash or Gift Aid envelope in the plate but please do not touch it.
When exchanging the peace, please remain within your household cluster. Feel free to smile or wave at those in other households but do not make any physical contact with anyone outside of your household.
For communion, please remain standing at your seat. Lower your face mask by unhooking the loop around one ear, after which your hands will be sanitised. The clergy will bring the bread to you and place a wafer in your hand. If you prefer to receive a blessing instead, cross your hands over your chest. After you have consumed the bread, reattach your face mask in place over your mouth and nose.
At the end of the service, please remain in your seats until directed to leave the church by a member of staff. It will be tempting to socialise outside, but please remember that you can only do so with your own household or in a group of no more than six people – and then keeping 2 metres’ distance between each of you.
At present we regret that we are unable to offer hospitality after the service.
Children and Young Families
We are delighted to have so many families with young children as members of our congregation. At present, there is no Kids’ Club so children will stay with their households at all times throughout the service and afterwards when leaving the church. Please do bring along with you anything that your children may need during the service as we are unable to make pew bags, soft toys, books or any other items available.
Toilets with changing facilities are available near the entrance of the church but remember to wipe down all surfaces you have touched before going back into church. If for any reason your child becomes restless or upset during the service, please feel free to use the forecourt as a breakout space.
Each week there is a children’s story and activity on the children’s page on our website: https://www.stjohns-hydepark.com/children. Big children as well as smaller ones will find it interesting.
Coming to church on Sunday?
https://www.stjohns-hydepark.com/ordersofservice
To help us plan, if you are reading the electronic version of these notices in advance of Sunday and intend to come to church, please click on the link above. So far we have comfortably seated everyone who has come to church each Sunday, but it is helpful to know in advance if you are attending.
Remember to Change Your Clocks
Those of you not yet using digital clocks need to remember - set them one hour BACK on Saturday night! Enjoy that extra hour!
Hearing the Service
St John’s has an Induction Loop System so if you have a hearing aid, please switch it to the ’T’ setting.
Keep Calm! Keep Alert! Keep Giving!
We continue to give thanks for the financial commitment of so many of you in making weekly or monthly contributions electronically or in the collection plate. Alternatively, you may feel it safer to make your donations electronically directly to our bank account. Our details are:
Name: PCC St Johns Hyde Park
Bank: HSBC
Sort Code: 40-11-58
Account #: 80108251
Donations given electronically still qualify for Gift Aid as your name will appear alongside your donation. If you have any questions about giving, please speak to Bryan Sollenberger.
Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meeting
Our APCM takes place this morning following the 10am service. This is the meeting where we receive the annual report and accounts and elect our churchwardens and members to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). This year we will be electing churchwardens, three representatives to the Deanery Synod and two members to the Parochial Church Council (PCC).
Our thanks to Sven Haase and Ian Nelson, whose terms on PCC have come to an end. Sven has also served as Deputy Churchwarden for the past two years and Ian as treasurer during his term. In addition, Neville David completes his term as churchwarden and will be retiring. We are very grateful for their contributions to the parish over that time. The vitality of a parish like St John’s is dependent on people being willing to give of their time and skills in leadership of the parish. We are as a community grateful for all that they have brought and shared.
Tuesday: Quiz Night, 8pm
Damon says: This week the quiz takes a rest and will return for a final round on Tuesday 3rd Nov. The end of an era you might say? Well, we’ve evolved from a chaotic, free-for-all in the thick of Lockdown, to emerge as a bespoke and bijou format with special contributions, boundless enthusiasm, hilarious anecdotes and impressive knowledge from all involved! We’ve hosted 21 quizzes to date (a much longer run than I ever imagined) all thanks to our wonderful punters, who've been the real stars! It’s been great fun, but like all popular TV shows, perhaps you’ll see us again for a 'Christmas Special'?
Join the last Quiz on 3rd November
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82511356513?pwd=L0tobG1Ua2lxVkQ3bGcvRkRxNG9FQT09
Wednesday Club
The Wednesday Club is a series of groups running every week on (you guessed it) a Wednesday during term time. We cycle between four areas of discipleship to encourage friendship and faith (via Zoom, 8-9pm). If you are interested or want to join in, please just email Dan (danwarnke@me.com) or follow the link below.
WED 1 - Bible study (based on the Gospel reading for the preceding Sunday)
WED 2 - Lectio Divina (reflective reading of scripture)
WED 3 - Pub theology (the convergence of everyday ethics and faith)
WED 4 - Ignition Prayer (exploring the question: How do we pray in difficult times?)
Join us on Wednesdays
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84326155018?pwd=RFhIUzMrM2xUY1pyYjRIK1ZySVUyUT09
Jenny Clark Memorial Concert
1st November 2019
Our annual Jenny Clark Memorial Concert this year is on the 1st November immediately following the 10am service. We are very pleased to have soprano Galina Averina giving this year’s concert, accompanied by pianist Maria Levandovskaya. Galina was a choral scholar here from 2014-16 and has just performed the principle role in Fidelio at Garsington opera and on Radio 3. This is always a very special event – make sure you will be here for it.
Courageous Conversations: Why are we talking about race?
Sundays 4-5pm, all through November (on Zoom)
A new group opening up the challenging and necessary conversations affecting the things that really matter to our everyday life and society. This term, the group will explore racism through discussing, reflecting and journaling on the book Me and White Supremacy, by Layla Saad. The title is tough and the issue is, too, so come and join us for a taster session on Sunday 1st November to find out what it’s all about. Following the taster, the group will run every Sunday at 4pm through November. To join in the conversation, please speak with Revd Dan danwarnke@me.com or Susan Greeney susan.greeney@btinternet.com – alternatively you can simply sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/yyduh4v8.
All Souls
2nd November, 7pm
On Monday, 2nd November, we mark this special festival with a service at 7pm (note the earlier start this year) at which we remember those who are part of the church community but who have died. This year the choir are singing Fauré’s Requiem. During this service we remember those dear to us who have died - a list is available in the porch for you to add the names of those you would like to be remembered.
St John’s Late
St John’s Late returns for the autumn from 8th November.
8th November, 6pm
Choral Evensong
A special Evensong marking the festival of Christ the King. The setting for the responses is by Smith with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B flat by Stanford. The anthem will be Howard Goodall’s Drop, Drop Slow Tears from Eternal Light.
15th November, 7pm
Jazz Mass
A joyous mass to lift the spirits! The choir sing with a special jazz setting accompanied by piano and double bass – Will Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis!
22nd November, 6pm
Compline by Candlelight
Night prayer sung by the choir. A sung service stunning in its simplicity. The anthem will be Beatus Vir by O Lassus.
Advent Carols
29th November, 6pm
Covid won’t stop our anticipation of and preparation for Christmas this year! Advent Carols starts things off with a service of music and hymns exploring the hope of a ‘New Dawn’ through the promise of God being with us. The service is led by the choir and strings and will feature music by Beethoven, Haydn, McMillan, Adams and Grieg. This is always a great service and this year will be no different.
Domestic Abuse
During these weeks of close proximity, the necessity to stay indoors with little opportunity to get some space can cause pressure and stress which we might normally handle quite comfortably. Relationships can get difficult at times for the best of us. Should you find things getting too much or out of hand and feel that you have been or may become a victim of abuse, help is available. Please ring 999 followed by 55. This will notify the police of the nature of your call. Don’t suffer in silence!
St John’s Book Club
St John’s Book Club reads a wide variety of books and discussions are robust and enthusiastic. They are currently reading The Offing, by Benjamin Myers and will meet via Zoom to discuss it on 26th October at 8pm. For further information about the book club, drop a line to parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com.
