Sunday 24th September
BAPTISM
Today at 12:30pm we’ll baptise into the church Tiago Alexander Pletka and Tia Alexi Pletka. Please pray for Tiago and Tia, their parents and godparents.
PUPPY IN JUNIOR CHURCH
On 1st October, Helen Wiles will bring her puppy to Junior Church as part of the Creation Time theme and in celebration of the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi. If you have any problem with your child meeting a dog please let Helen or Cindy Shipp know.
YEAR’S MIND
We’re revising our Year’s Mind list of those who have died and whom we remember through the year. If the name of someone who you would like to be remembered is already included, please tick the list on the table at the back of church. If they haven’t been remembered before, please enter their name (the one you knew them by) as well as the date and month of their anniversary.
VOLUNTEER FOR THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
After more than 40 years as parish representative to the Children’s Society, Mary Roberts is stepping back from the role. St John’s has raised more than £42,000 for the society since 1984 and is keen to continue its support of vulnerable children. If you’d like to take on this position – or find out more – please speak with Mary or Fr Jim.
RELIGIOUS ICON PAINTING CLASSES
Anglican priest and artist Regan O’Callaghan is holding icon painting classes in West Hampstead in the next two months. Please see the flyer on the noticeboard for details.
HARVEST FESTIVAL
St John’s will hold a Harvest Festival Eucharist on Sunday 8th October. All are invited to bring along donations for the Manna Society, which works with the homeless and others in need in south London. The society is mostly seeking food, but toiletries, clothes and bedding are also welcome – see the poster on the noticeboard for details.
Immediately after the Harvest Festival Eucharist, there will be a bring-and-share brunch for everyone. Please bring along food from your kitchen – at the last count there were 27 nationalities represented at St John’s and it would be wonderful to have contributions from around the world, especially any items that children have prepared at home. Please add any dishes you can bring to the list on the noticeboard.
Do stay after the Eucharist, even if just for a short while to enjoy food with others in church. If you’re unable to bring anything, please stay anyway – there’s always more food than can be eaten. For further information, speak with Gill Hayes or Fr Jim.
HARVEST FESTIVAL FLOWERS
We will be decorating the church on Saturday 7th October in preparation for Harvest Festival. If you would like to help, do come and join us – we’ll start at 10am. Children are also very welcome. Please let Robyn Price know if you’re able to come along.
ELTHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
The new building is complete! The school has increased in size from 1.5-form entry to 2-form entry and now includes a nursery class too. To celebrate the new building and this growth in the school community, the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, will lead a service of thanksgiving and blessing at the school this coming Thursday at 2pm. Please pray for the bishop and all at Eltham C of E.
CREATION TIME
From 1st September to 4th October, churches are in Creation Time. This season began with the Ecumenical Patriarch suggesting in 1989 that 1st September, the start of the Orthodox Church’s year, be observed as a day of ‘protection of the natural environment’. The European Christian Environmental Network later widened the idea, urging churches to adopt a Time for Creation from 1st September to the Feast of St Francis on 4th October. This was endorsed by the European Ecumenical Assembly in 2007 as a period ‘dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change’.