With Sam joining us we will be able to offer more services, so we are now offering morning and evening prayer.

• Morning prayer will be available at 7.45am Monday to Friday mornings and should last around 20-25 minutes.
• Evening Prayer will be available at 6.00pm Monday to Thursday evenings and is slightly shorter.

The Church of England tells us that:

As Christians we believe the full purpose of our lives is to praise God. As we do so we begin to recognize more and more that everything comes from God and to feel even more thankful and full of praise.

Come along and share in this wonderful tradition.

Our monthly charity for August is Us (formerly USPG Missionary Society). We will collecting donations for them after the morning services on Sunday.

From their website here:

For over 300 years we have been sharing God’s love through practical action, and seeing lives transformed.

Our goal is to help more and more people ‘take hold of the life that is truly life’ (1 Timothy 6:19).

How we work looks different according to the culture and context of our church partners.

• In Zimbabwe, we initiated a national programme to tackle HIV stigma so more people will come forward to receive counselling and treatment.
• In Myanmar, we are supporting a programme to take healthcare into isolated rural communities.
• In South Africa, we have developed a programme to provide church leaders with practical development skills.

Our programmes have a deep impact because they are run by local churches that are embedded in the communities they serve – communities that have often been overlooked.

We don’t give handouts, which can create dependency. Instead, we support the development of local skills and the empowerment of communities, leading to change from within.

Visit the bell tower at St John’s, learn a little about the art of bell ringing and climb above the tower for good views of Loughton.

Saturday 8th September, 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

Our monthly charity for June is the Church Urban Fund. We will be collecting donations for them after the morning services on Sunday.

As the Church of England’s response to poverty, our aim is to inform, inspire, resource and support churches as they work to tackle poverty and build community.

At the heart of our work is a network of partnerships with individual Dioceses called the Together Network. Through this network we aim to enhance, multiply and transform the Church’s engagement with poverty at a local and national level.

The charity for May is Christian Aid, and Chris will again be doing a sleepover in the Church to raise funds, this time, hopefully, with some willing young volunteers from the 11.15am congregation.

Bear in mind that for every pound raised, 85p goes directly into charitable purposes – 45p supports long-term development projects, 29p is spent on humanitarian and emergencies and 11p on campaigning, advocacy and education – the remaining 15p goes back into fundraising. For every £1 invested they secure more that £7 in return.

Please give whatever you can, however you can.

Why not drop in for a Bell Tower tour on Saturday 12 May between 1:30pm and 3:30pm, as part of the Loughton Festival? Visit the Tower, learn a little about the art of bell ringing and climb above the tower for very good views of Loughton. There may be the chance to try ringing a bell, depending on numbers. Adults and children aged 8 and over only please. Ability to climb the 38 stone spiral steps to the bell tower is required. Tours will take around 30 minutes.

Wednesday, 28th March

Stations of the Cross, 8pm

Maundy Thursday

29th March

Sung Eucharist of the Last Supper, 8pm

After the service a silent vigil of prayer will be kept throughout the night as we commemorate Jesus’ vigil in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest. Volunteers to maintain this vigil are asked to sign the chart at the back of church.

Good Friday

30th March

Good Friday Liturgy, 10am

A service centring on the Passion according to St John with Sermon, Prayers for the World, and then Holy Communion will be distributed from the sacrament reserved from the previous evening.

Children’s Activities Morning, 11:30am

Activities for children on Good Friday in the church hall.

An Hour at the Foot of the Cross, 2pm

Meditation and reflection for Good Friday.

Holy Saturday

31st March

Solemn Vigil, 8pm

(Solemn Vigil, Lighting of the Easter Candle, Renewal of Baptismal Vows and First Eucharist of the Resurrection)

A short vigil of Bible Readings and prayers in the Parish Hall is followed by the blessing of the Easter fire and lighting of the Easter Candle. A slow procession into the darkened church follows, symbolizing the rising to New Life of He who is the Light of the World. Next comes the singing of the Easter Proclamation and the first Eucharist of Easter. In place of the Creed we all renew our baptismal vows praying that we may be reborn in the Christ who is among us.

Easter Sunday

1st April

Services

We will be celebrating Passion Sunday (Sunday, 18th March) with a Choral Eucharist at the 9.30am service.

Pieces will include the Byrd Mass for Four Voices and Goss O Saviour of the World and we will be joined by the St John’s Singers – so it should be most enjoyable and beautifully sung.