St Johns is
situated in the heart of Southend between the Palace Hotel and
the Royals Shopping Centre, on Pier Hill. Just minutes from the
seafront (Just follow the Map link for further details)
Weddings, Baptisms
and the calling of Banns can be arranged on Saturday mornings by calling at the Parish
Office inside St John’s Church. Or follow the Email link below:
Marriage after Divorce: We are happy to
marry divorce persons after due consideration. Please don’t
hesitate to contact us. You can use the above email link. Canon
Steve
What's Been
Happening in the Parish
Follow this link to find out what we have
been up to:
Check out the new photo
leaflet regarding the churchyard
Also follow this link
to view photos of our Harvest
Festival and recent confirmation service and of the
Graveyard blessing and Echo newspaper acticle
A Warm &
Friendly Welcome awaits you at our Church!
In the Heart of
your Community, in the frantic rush of the Town Centre,
in the Parish of Southend,
you will find us. A place of Peace and Calm.
Why not drop in and experience our tranquillity
Our
Mission is Simple
We are here to
serve you, worship God and Love the Community in
Jesus
Christ.
Join us in worship, our services are easy to follow and
understand. Whether you worship with us regularly,
are staying in Southend on holiday or on business or looking at faith
for the first time, you will find something that will
guide you through your week.
Here at St John's
you will find relevant teaching, spiritual help with a
touch of modern day realism. We are non
judgemental and welcome you all.
Sunday’s Sermon (Candlemass Sunday)
29th January 2012
Reading: Luke 2.22-40 & Hebrews
2.14-end
Today’s Feast recalls the event
when Mary & Joseph presented their new baby boy at the
Temple according to the requirements of the Jewish Law.
They were greeted by an old man, Simeon, who longed for
the deliverance of Israel. He glimpsed the baby boy and
realised that he was the promised one –the Messiah, for
whom he had waited all his life. Simeon declared Jesus
to be ‘a Light to lighten the Gentiles’ and that’s how
we come to call this Feast Day, Candlemass.
In the Christian Calendar, this day
also marks the close of the Christmas Season- the period
which we have concentrated on the Incarnation, the
coming of God into the world that he has created. At the
end of the morning service, we turned to the doors of
the Church and this represented a turning towards the
coming seasons of Lent, Passiontide & Easter, those
seasons on which we think of the world redeemed by
Christ’s Passion and Death and Resurrection from the
Dead.
The passage from Hebrew’s closed
with these words ‘ Because (Jesus) himself was tested by
what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being
tested’
We all know what a great help it
is, when we are going through difficulties of any sort,
to be helped and supported by someone who has gone
through the same experience. This fact is the basis for
support groups for example. I remember going to church
on two Sundays, at different churches. At the first
church there was an elderly priest, and although the
worship was somewhat staid, I felt that he knew what he
was talking about, and that his words were founded on
long experience. On the second Sunday at the second
church there was a young curate preaching. The service
proceeded with more zip but when he spoke he
pontificated about this and that and I remember thinking
that I thought him too young to know anything much about
anything.
Each of the world’s great Faiths,
have huge gifts to impart. However, it is only the
Christian Faith which presents God as suffering just as
we suffer as he did when he died on the Cross as Jesus.
Wherever we have to go God has been there before us.
Canon Steve
Our worship has a down to earth approach to it. It is
simplistic with a hidden beauty.
We approach our faith and worship in a practical yet
spiritual way.
We are the Southend Lifeboat Church.
Canon Stephen is proud to be the RNLI Chaplain.
After visiting us we hope you will take something personal
away with you that is 'concrete', for you to use in your day to
day lives.
-----------------------
Bishop Stephen's
visit to Southend RNLI on 07th April 2011 Their Chairmain Jim Mackie is
pictured centre
