Along with many Christians worldwide, and partially at the request of Bishop Norman of Richborough, St John’s is keeping year of Mercy. At our Christmas services we have been collecting. In total £1306 was raised. This will be split between Shelter, Crisis at Christmas, and the Church of England Children’s Society. Of course if you would like to increase these totals you are always welcome.

We are very conscious as we hear the Christmas story that it concerns a family who struggled to find anywhere appropriate to stay. To this end both Shelter and Crisis seem appropriate charities. Our Christingle and Children’s Nativity follows the old example of collecting for the work of the Church of England Children’s Society.

In a small way it is a good beginning to our keeping of the Year of Mercy, a reminder that it is not just ourselves that matter, but the needs of others.

Many thanks to all who gave.

The new edition of ‘About St John’s’ is now available online and in print. This magazine covers December and January. Catch up on the news of what is happening in the Church and parish. You just need to click on the image to get to the right page.

On Saturday the 26th of September, Fr Matthew Robinson was made Deacon at Rochester Cathedral. Fr Matthew has spent the last three months working in the parish as a lay pastoral assistant. He is now able to take up his formal role as Assistant-Curate in the parish.

Fr Matthew trained at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, under its present principal, Fr Robin Ward, sometime Vicar of St John’s.  He will spend at least three years in the parish, God willing, being ordained to the Priesthood next Michaelmas.

On the Sunday morning after his ordination we celebrated with Prosecco and a cake, kindly provided by Fr Matthew & his family.

Fr Matthew is a great asset to our parish and we wish him all the best as our new Curate.

Every year our next door neighbours at the Allotments put on a Autumn show, a great opportunity to see what has been going on in this great community asset. As always the tables are groaning with produce and prize categories from best carrots, to oddest looking vegetable. Flowers, preserves, breads, and cakes also get judged. It’s worth just to go down and see all the effort that has been put into the allotments this year!

On the walls there is also a photography exhibition with wonderful shots. This one seemed very appropriate, although this version of it would not be judged as highly! It is a view of St John’s we don’t often see.

Learn more about the Allotment Association here.

On Sunday we celebrated the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady into Heaven. As always in mid August there were people away, although we were also joined by some who were taking their holidays. In recent years we have celebrated together as a parish with a BBQ after Mass. This year the solemnity was transferred to the Sunday, so after a little pondering, we held the BBQ after the main 10am Solemn Mass and a success it was. As always it was good for our Church community to sit, eat, and socialise one with another.