The Trail of the Christmas Bells

Back by popular demand...Caterham Valley for You free Christmas Trail returns, and it’s better than ever!

Mrs. Claus needs your help to track the explorers heading to the North Pole to meet Santa. Along the way, Santa’s lost his bells, and it’s up to you to find them in our shop windows.

Throw on your Christmas jumper, grab a map, count all the bells, and submit your guess online for a chance to win a prize!

That’s not all - @stjohnscaterham is kindly hosting a free end-of-trail Christmas party, packed with games, treats, music and fun. You might even spot Santa there and tell him you found his bells!

The trail launches Saturday 7th December, from 1pm to 4pm. Can’t make it? No worries—you can download the map from our website and complete the trail at your own pace until 29th December. Stay tuned for more details!

Toys are us

St John's contribution to Caterham Corps Salvation Army's collection of toys and games for distribution to those who will best appreciate them.

Hear Here - 5 December 2024

A free service for people with NHS hearing aids includes:

Basic maintenance - Battery supply - Cleaning and Re-tubing - Trouble-shooting - Advice

Please do come along if you need advice, support, maintenance or batteries for your NHS hearing aid, 9:30am to 11:30am.

St John's Church Hall
Clareville Rd
Caterham
CR3 6LA.

Contact us at hearherestjohnscaterham@gmail.com

Game of Chance 2024 - report

Flora and Jaimee at the Lolly Game in hurch Walk.

What chance did the other charities have (including our friends 3rd Caterham St John's Scouts) when our idea for fund raising had 'em licked.

Our pitch this year was right down the car park end, next to the Photo-Me machine, which was quite flashy. Flora and Jaimee demonstrated the fundamentals of the lolly game and were rewarded with ... lollies.

A very late winner took one of the teddies home, the other teddy seemed sad to me, having featured not only this year, but last as well. Maybe next year.

Big thanks to Julie who organised, and to all the volunteers who got lolly for lollies.

Munch with Music - December 2024

The next Munch with Music will be held in the church on 4th December 2024 featuring Music from Trinity School.

You are invited to bring your own ‘Munch’.

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

Coffee, tea and biscuits from 12:15pm, with the performance starting at 12:45pm and lasting about 45 minutes.

The following Munch will be on 5th February 2025, with Christopher Sayles on piano.

Advent Compline 2024

Jaimee wiil be leading Compline (Night Prayer), each Tuesday at 6pm in the Church during Advent (3rd, 10th and 17th December).

It will be a service of quietness and reflection.

Game of Chance 2024

On Saturday 30th November, St. John’s Church will be joining other charities in Church Walk to run a Game of Chance, 11am to 4pm.

We will be doing the same as last year - lollies in a table. Everyone keeps their lolly, but if it has a coloured stick then they win a prize as well.

Later that day, the Christmas Lights will be switched on.

Christmas is coming! Singers and instrumentalists wanted

Carol singers

Christmas is coming! Singers and instrumentalists wanted to sing carols in the centre of Caterham Valley shopping centre Sat Dec 7 at 2 and 3 p.m. finishing by 4 p.m.

Contact johnwoodhousecat(at)gmail.com.

Also for our festival of Nine lessons and carols at St John the Evangelist Clareville Road Caterham Valley at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday Dec 19.

Rehearsals start after service on Nov 17 (not Dec ?).

Christmas Fair

St John's Church Caterham
Christmas Fair
16 November 2024

10am until 2pm in the Church (Clareville Road).

Free entry!

Father Christmas will be visiting to spread seasonal good cheer.

Music on the piano and the organ. From 10.30am onwards a chance to have a go yourself!

12:30pm a tower tour* (£2 charge, £1 for 16 and under).
Learn a little about the art of bellringing
Watch a demonstration of bells being rung
Climb to the bell chamber to see the bells and hear one
An opportunity to ring yourself (under supervision), grab that photo and video!

Stalls Include: Refreshments, Light Lunches (from 12 noon), Raffle, Gifts, Cakes, Cards, Books, Games and Toys, Make and Take.

*Access to the tour is through a spiral staircase that sadly is not accessible to all.

Remembrance Sunday 2024

We warmly welcome everyone to our Remembrance Sunday service, led by Revd. Jaimee Summers.

With Paul Miller on trumpet.

Elgar's "Nimrod" with Binyon's poem "For the fallen".
Anthem "Pie Jesu" by Gabriel Faure.
Organ "Solemn melody" Walford Davies.

Wreaths will be laid in the Memorial Chapel to remember those lost in wartime.

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