Services at St Giles’
Sunday services will resume in church from 7 March
From 7 March we will return to social-distanced Parish Eucharist at 10.00 and endeavour to livestream these via our YouTube channel. We will provide further details but, in the meantime, recommend you click here and subscribe to our YouTube channel so as to receive notifications of new St Giles' videos.
The Season of Lent
Sunday 7 March Lent 3
Music and Readings to follow later this week
West Malling antiphon
Sung by the Anglican Benedictine Sisters at St Mary’s Abbey, West Malling, Kent and by our Choir before the Blessing at the Eucharist on Sundays in Advent and Lent.
Of the mother a body prepared, by her tended,
Flesh given for testing in flesh
The Son goes to temptation and fasting
The sinless, sin bearing and suffering servant,
her part the sword-piercing.
Wine falls at the feast.
Is her telling his sign of grape treading is near?
Give again, let him go!
Wheat-bearer let fall to the ground the corn there to die
But the harvest will come.
Please click here if you would like to make a donation
The Sunday Club continues to meet at 10.00 via Zoom. Please contact Dave Archer for further details. davidjarcher@hotmail.co.uk
Join the Virtual Coffee morning at 11am. Click here
Lent 2021
Ecumenical
Compline in Lent on Zoom
Mondays at
8.00pm
22 Feb, 1
March, 8 March,15 March and 22 March
Click here for the zoom
link
Meeting
ID: 861 335 9824
Click here for the Compline order of service
Tuesday Lent Course
Alex will be running a weekly Lent course every Tuesday from 7-7.40pm on Zoom, based on Stories, 'Our story and God's story'. Contact Alex to
register curate@stgileschurch.com Click here for the zoom
link
Christian Aid ‘Count Your Blessings’ Lent 2021
Lent journey in 2021 with themes of awareness, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, transformation and blessing. Follow online via www.christianaid.org.uk
Weekday Services
08.30 Morning Prayer (Monday-Thursday) in the Chancel.
Praying together
13.00 -13.30 Private Prayer and Reflection on the first Thursday of the month
Thursday 4 March Private Prayer and Reflection from 13.00-13.30
We continue our monthly private prayer, and you are invited to join others in church on 4 March. You may find this March prayer sheet helpful - please bring a copy with you to church. If you are not able to join us, we hope you will continue to pray with us wherever you are.
Our text for March. ‘For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.’ Ephesians 2 v 10
Let us pray for the church and the world and thank God for his goodness.
Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the fellowship of the church, that supports and helps us to put our faith into practice. Strengthen us, Lord, in your service, that we, may be an encouragement to others and hold fast to all that is good.
We pray for Christians worldwide on their Lenten journey in faith, penitence and hope of the risen Christ at Easter, remembering especially those who are persecuted for their faith.
We pray for our ecumenical friends at St Joseph’s Church, Wesley’s Chapel and Jewin Welsh Church as we share our Lent study and prayer sessions this year on Zoom and for all who lead them.
We give thanks for the success of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination programme that is leading to a reduction in those catching the virus, hospital admissions and transferability especially in the elderly and vulnerable. We pray as we come out of lockdown, that as life slowly returns to some sort of normality, we acknowledge we all have a responsibility to maintain those guidelines still needed to keep us all safe.
We pray for all pupils and teachers as schools re-open, that all can be in a safe and caring place, able to see their friends and be encouraged and helped to catchup on learning missed over the past year.
We pray for all who have been furloughed, made redundant or are looking for jobs, especially for the young, that opportunities will be available for re-training, apprenticeship schemes and new job projects. We remember all who have struggled to maintain businesses over the past year and find themselves in financial hardship or bankruptcy and now unable to support their families on a day-to-day basis.
We pray for the people of Myanmar protesting over the recent military coup, for the people of Yemen in their ongoing war, and other places of conflict, that governments worldwide will continue to work to resolve conflict, issues of human rights and freedom of speech.
We give thanks as we look around us at all the beauty of God’s creation in the new growth on trees and shrubs, for the spring flowers and the song of the birds, even in our urban environment.
Merciful Father accept our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
We finish by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
Lectionary for March, April and May
Sunday 7 March Lent 3
7 Exodus 29: 1 – 6; 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 25; John 2: 13 - 22
Sunday 14 March Lent 4 Mothering Sunday
14 Exodus 2 1 -10; Colossians 3: 12 – 17; Luke 2: 33 - 35
Sunday 21 March Lent 5
21 Jeremiah 31: 31 – 34; Hebrews 5: 5 – 10; John 12: 20 - 33
Sunday 28 March Palm Sunday
28 Isaiah 50: 4 -9a; Philippians 2: 5 – 11; Mark 15: 1 - 39
Sunday 4 April Easter Day
4 Isaiah 25 6 – 9; Acts 10: 34 – 43; Mark 16: 1 - 8
Sunday 11 April Easter 2
11 Acts 4: 32 – 35; 1 John 1: 1 – 2:2; John 20: 19 – 31
Sunday 18 April Easter 3
18 Acts 3: 12 – 19; 1 John 3: 1 – 7; Luke 24: 36 – 48
Sunday 25 April Easter 4
25 Acts 4: 5 – 12; 1 John 3: 16 – 24; John 10: 11 – 18
Sunday 2 May Easter 5
2 Acts 8: 26 – 38; 1 John 4: 7 – 21; John 15: 1 – 8
Sunday 9 May Easter 6
9 Acts 10: 44 – 48; 1 John 5: 1 – 6; John 15: 9 – 17
Sunday 16 May Easter 7 Sunday after Ascension Day
16 Acts 1: 15 – 17, 21 – 26; 1 John 5: 9 – 13; John 17: 6 – 19
Sunday 23 May Pentecost Whit Sunday
23 Ezekiel 37:1 – 14; Acts 2: 1 – 11; John 15: 26 – 27, 16: 4b - 15
Sunday 30 May Trinity Sunday
30 Isaiah 6: 1 – 8; Romans 8: 12 – 17; John 3: 1 – 17
Our Liturgy
We use Common Worship for all services except on the first Sunday of the month when the 1662 Communion Service is used.
Baptisms
For many centuries parents who counted themselves members of the Christian Church have brought their children to be baptised. When a child is baptised (or Christened, both words mean the same) he or she is welcomed into the household of God and made a member of the church. It is the start of a journey.
The people who were baptised in the time of Jesus were adults. In the earliest days of the church only adults were baptised and this is still the custom in
some Christian traditions. As time passed, parents asked if their children could also be baptised and this custom was established. Children were baptised on the understanding that their parents would
bring them up in the faith of Christ. The church baptises babies and young children aware that the parents and Godparents will not always be fully involved in the life of the church but on the
understanding that they take seriously the opening of the life of the child to the touch of God. In the baptism service parents and Godparents promise to bring up the child to follow Jesus, and to
show him or her the right way to live by their own example. The child receives the love and shared faith of the whole people of God.
Baptisms here take place during the Parish Eucharist at 10.00.
A prayer for your child
God of love, May this child grow to love, to worship and serve you And bring life and joy to the world. Amen
Christingle and Mothering Sunday Services
We especially welcome parents, Godparents and children to the Christingle service on Advent Sunday at 16.00 and to the Mothering Sunday service in the Spring as part of the Parish Eucharist at 10.00.
Weddings
We like weddings at St Giles' and are very glad when couples want to get married here. A wedding is one of life's great moments, a time
of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy. The most important part of your wedding will be the service held in church. Planning for this should be one of the happiest times in
your life together. Whether the ceremony you want is quiet and simple, or elaborate with glorious flowers and music and the bells ringing out, at the heart of the service the bride and bridegroom
face each other, make their promises and receive God's blessing.
Your wedding matters to us, your celebration takes place in the life of this church. You and your family and friends become part of the ancient tradition of prayer and
worship that has taken place in St Giles' over hundreds of years day by day and week by week. As you prepare for your wedding day we will be holding you in our prayers.
We like to get to know you before your wedding, and we invite you to come the main Sunday service at 10.00. There is coffee after the service and this gives us the opportunity to meet you and for you to speak with the Director of Music and to hear the choir and the organ.
"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing,but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,endures all things". 1 Corinthians 13. 4-7
For details of who can marry in St Giles and for planning your wedding click on the button below and scroll downs to Weddings at St Giles'
"Welcome Back Sunday Service"
Each year we hold a "Welcome Back Service" on the second Sunday in May as part of the 10.00 Parish Eucharist, when we invite those who have been married or have worshipped here and moved away. We give thanks for faithful relationships and marriage, we sing many of the hymns chosen for weddings and the organ music at the end is one of the famous recessional pieces.This is a popular service and all are welcome. There is also an opportunity after the service to show your photos and enjoy a glass of wine or fruit juice.
Funerals
Parish funerals take place either in St Giles' or at a crematorium.
Practical arrangements are made by the undertaker who will manage all fees. A church service needs to be arranged in consultation with the Rector.
Practising Christians may wish for the funeral to be conducted in the context of the Eucharist, or to be a service of hymns, readings and prayers
Families should be aware that it takes an hour to get to the nearest cremaorium.We can advise you on the different arrangements you can make when a church service is followed by a private committal at the crematorium.
Music is arranged by the Director of Music.There is a professional choir of four voices.
We are happy for receptions after the service to be held at the back of the church.
All Souls' Service
A very popular service, the Commemoration of All Souls is held here on the Sunday nearest 2 November at 16.00.There is music and readings, prayers and the lighting of candles by members of the congregation; the names of the dead are read out and silence kept. People find it very moving and beautiful and make a point of coming back each year.
Memorial Services
Generally a memorial service takes place several weeks after the funeral. Sometimes a memorial service is referred to as a service of thanksgiving. Usually the deceased had a connection either with the church or this part of London.
The Rector and Director of Music are involved in the planning of the service.
The Columbarium
The Columbarium is known as 'one of London's secret gardens.' It lies to the east of the church down a flight of stairs. There are some niches on an outside wall and others are in a covered area enclosed by a gate. We have many requests for the placing of ashes here, but because of the limited space, only the ashes of those who were worshipping members of the congregation or who lived within the parish at time of death are placed there.
"I am the resurrection and the life," says the Lord."Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." John 11.25,26