Services

This page is about the kinds of service we hold here at St John’s Wood Church.
For a schedule of the services and events coming up, please visit our Calendar page.

ON SUNDAYS

At 8am, we have a service of Holy Communion. This especially suits those who like to worship God in the traditional 1662 Prayer Book language. A quiet service with plenty of space and silence, it lasts half an hour.

During August, at 10.30am we have a sung Parish Eucharist, with hymns and a sermon. Although the Junior Church is not running during August, there is a staffed crèche for very young children if required. The words of the service are in modern language, and it lasts just under an hour. This service replaces our usual 9.30am and 11am services, which are described below.

At other times of the year, at 9.30am, we have a sung Parish Eucharist, with hymns and a sermon. This is the service most frequented by children and families, with a crèche and two other children’s programmes running in adjacent rooms. The words of the service are in modern language, and it lasts just under an hour.

This would usually be followed at 11am by our Choral Eucharist, with hymns and a sermon. This features the St John’s Wood Church Choir, a professional octet of singers. The service uses the older traditional language, and lasts a little over an hour. A crèche runs during this service also. This service is especially suitable for those who like to pray in the space created by fine choral music.

At 6.30pm, we have Evening Prayer, from the 1662 Prayer Book. This brings the day before God in prayerful quietness as evening comes, and lasts about half an hour. On the second Sunday of each month we hold Meditative Evening Prayer, using chanted music from the Taize and Iona communities, as well as silence to create an atmosphere of quiet contemplative worship. On the last Sunday of each month the St John’s Wood Chamber Choir lead us in Choral Evensong.

DURING THE WEEK

Morning Prayer is usually said by the clergy at 10am on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Members of the congregation are welcome to join them. We alternate by season between the modern language of Common Worship and the 1662 Prayer Book.

At 10am on Wednesdays, there is a said service of Holy Communion, using the 1662 Prayer Book.

At 6pm on the third Thursday of each month, there is a special said Eucharist, in modern language. This is a still and meditative service, using candlelight and playing the atmospheric music of monastic chant before the service begins. There are special prayers for those who are sick or in need, and those who wish can receive from the clergy the laying on of hands with prayers for healing, either for themselves or for others who are close to them. This service lasts a little over half an hour.

On certain special weekdays (like Ash Wednesday or Epiphany) there are sung or choral eucharists, usually at 6.30pm. These are advertised in advance in the weekly pewslip and in the porch.