Forest Church

Watercolour of sunlight streaming through trees.

The taster session will be on Saturday, 20th April at 3pm. We are meeting in the car park of Caterham School Pre-Prep and walking over to their outdoor learning & woodland area together.

This will be a "gently spiritual" encounter with the natural world, encouraging us, whatever age we are, to play and find joy and peace in nature.

The theme for this session is friendship - that is, friendship with God and nature and each other. Activities will include foraging, bushcraft, nature-based craft, a time of reflection, singing & outdoor prayer. It will be co-led by a Forest School Level 3 Leader but it will be intergenerational and suitable for all ages.

Please bring: bottled water, any medications you may need, and weather-appropriate clothing (long,waterproof trousers, long-sleeved tops, sun cream, sun hat and glasses and/or waterproof coat, woolly hat, gloves, wellies depending on the weather).

Please note that often activities such as scavenging, mud-play and water-based activities can result in mucky clothing - so don't wear your best white suit !

Do let us know if you plan to come (through the contact form) so that we can ensure we have enough resources for all.

Double Duos - Munch with Music, 3 April 2024

A pleasure to welcome Double Duos back again, with a classic programme:

1. Frim Fram

2. Lambeth Walk

3. Charleston

4. I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'

5. Slap that Bass

6. In the Mood

7. Feeling Good

8. Get Happy

9. In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening

10. Manhattan

11. Baby Face

12. Hokey Cokey

Reportedly there was dancing at the rear of the nave! The group are a firm favourite, we look forward to their next visit

Hear Here Clinic - April 2024

A clinic will be held on 4 April 2024. It's 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.

To be held at:

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

Munch with Music - April 2024

The next Munch with Music will be held in the church on 3rd April 2024 featuring Double Duos.

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 1st May 2024, with Fumi Otsuki, (violin) and Alvaro Siculiana (piano)

You are welcome at St John's at Easter

Palm Sunday - 24 March
Contemplative Service 8am
Big Service 10am

Maundy Thursday - 28 March
Foot/Hand washing and Vigil 7:30pm

Good Friday - 29 March
Informal Service, enter the story, interactive fun and hot cross buns 10am
Meditations, meditations on Jesus' last words 12noon
Veneration of the Cross, with candle lighting and choir 2pm

Easter Sunday - 31 March
Dawn Service with Easter Fire, vigil and communion 6:45am
Breakfast Together, in the church hall 8am
Easter Service with eggs, communion 10am

Easter Story from your Four Local Churches

Good Friday — March 29th
Drive or stride around the Easter Story by visiting 4 local churches each one telling part of the story through images, installations, prayer stations and more.

St Luke's, Whyteleafe, CR3 OAA
The Last Supper: Indoors from 10am — 3pm

St Lawrence's, Caterham, CR3 5RA (opposite St Mary's)
The Garden of Gethsemane: Indoors from 10am outside from 2pm

St Peter and St Paul, Chaldon, CR3 5AL
The Crucifixion: Outside from 10am onwards church open till 4pm

St John the Evangelist, Caterham Valley,CR3 6LA
The Tomb: Outside installation from 10am onwards

Hear Here March 2024

We had 28 visitors to the March clinic with some first timers, so a great success. There were a variety of maintenance problems.

With 4 volunteers chatting and offering a warm drink it meant more time could be spent repairing broken aids and showing people how to use the Bluetooth setting on their mobile phones.

Plenty of hardened ear wax removal going on as well. All very glamorous!

Carina Duo Concert - Munch with Music - 6 March 2024

Carina Duo was formed in 2023 by Sophie Ehling (cello) and Yuri Inoshita (piano). The full concert programme, of which the video has excerpts, was:

Yuri Inoshita (piano)

Beethoven - Sonata in A-flat major Op.110

Carina Duo

Beethoven - 12 Variations for Cello and Piano from Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" WoO. 45

R. Schumann - Fantasiestücke Op. 73

H. Bosmans - Nuit Calme

Dvorák - Silent Woods

The obvious enjoyment of the musicians for their pieces transmitted to the audience and the whole programme was very well received. A future visit by Carina Duo will be greatly anticipated!

Bishop's Lent Call 2024

Each year, the Bishop’s Lent Call raises funds for local community projects in Southwark and our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe and Jerusalem, as well as calling parishes to a time of prayer and contemplation.

The Bishop's Lent Call for 2024 is raising funds for projects that focus on peace with justice in the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and resilience and well-being across our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe.

As we spend time in prayer and contemplation this Lent, we hope that you will feel able to generously support the projects we have chosen this year.

#stjohnscaterham #lentcall #southwarkdiocese

Marie Curie Day of Reflection - POSTPONED

- Our apologies for the short notice, this service has been postponed -

Marie Curie are using the area under the pine tree as a reflective area for people to remember loved ones.

Jaimee will be leading a short service of remembrance and blessing the ground in readiness for daffodil bulbs to be planted in the autumn.

The Day of Reflection is a special moment in the calendar to remember everyone who died during the pandemic, to support people who are grieving, and to take time and space to recognise and reflect on the sorrow, collective loss and unresolved grief that emerged from such unusual times.

After the service, refreshments will be served in the Church Hall, planned to be 12 noon to 1pm.

Those who lost loved ones during COVID are welcome to the service and for refreshments afterwards.

Please give names of anyone you’d like remembered to Jaimee via our General Enquiries form.

Lent Climate Pilgrimage Saturday 17 February 2024

Thank you to everyone for making Saturday's pilgrimage a special day and a huge thank you to Revd Helen Burnett, the team of Stewards and the hospitality of the churches we stopped at for soup, cakes and tea.

We have made a 2 min film of the day.

Revd Vanessa E

#stjohnscaterham #climatechange

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