This year, Lent begins on Wednesday 22nd February. We will be marking Ash Wednesday with two services, our regular 10am Holy Communion, and a special Sung Eucharist at 7.30pm. The Imposition of Ashes is when a cross of ash made from last year’s Palm Crosses is placed on the forehead remind us to ‘remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return, turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’. This will be a part of both services for those who wish to partake.
Commemoration of Lady Loretta Saturday 4th March 2023
As is our custom, we will be commemorating Lady Loretta, anchoress from 1221, around the anniversary of her death here on 4th March 1266 with talks on her life and witness followed by a short midday service.
Saturday March 4th 2023
11.00 am St Stephen’s Church Hales Place
Two short Reflections:
The Social, religious and political context of Lady Loretta’s life Revd Dr Kevin Maddy
What can we learn from the anchoresses in the 21st Century? Dr Peter D Toon
followed by Questions and discussion
Then at Noon there will be Midday prayers and dedication of Memorial Plaque to Lady Loretta led by Canterbury Gregorian Music Society.
Join us online live or at anytime afterwards
Quiz Night Saturday 4th March 2023
Join us for a evening testing your knowledge in aid of the maintenance and repair of St Stephen’s bell ropes.
Etty Hillesum Evening
Tickets are now available for an evening talk by Rowan Williams and Klaas Smelik exploring the importance of Etty Hillesum, the Dutch-Jewish writer murdered in the Holocaust in 1943. The event will take place on Friday 24th February 2023, 7pm, in the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge at 7pm. Tickets (£5 / £1) can be booked at https://Etty.eventbrite.co.uk .
The Dutch-Jewish writer Etty Hillesum was murdered in 1943 by the Nazis in Auschwitz. Famously, as related in her posthumously published diaries, she refused to allow hatred to cloud her response to genocide. Her example of courage, service for others, and inner resilience is relevant today as it was then. Her insistence on replacing hate with love sets an example which inspires and challenges.
The evening will consist of lectures follwed by Q&A by two leading experts on Etty’s life and thought. Prof. Klaas Smelik is the editor of Etty’s diaries, and founder of the Etty Hillesum Research Centre; Lord Rowan Williams is the former Archbishop of Canterbury. In the break there will be an opportunity to read quotes from Etty’s diary, view a short video and other educational resources, and to meet Dr Lotte Bergen, the Director of the Etty Hillesum House in the Netherlands.
This event is part of the Etty Exchange, a Straits Committee Small Project Initiative, co-funded by Kent County Council and Provincie Zeeland, and organised by the Etty Hillesum House Middelburg and the Poetry Practice Ltd. Canterbury.
Advance booking essential. Tickets (£5 / £1) include refreshments and are available at https://Etty.eventbrite.co.uk
Tea @ 3
Tea @ 3 is a social event for everyone but particularly those who live on their own but also for couples and others who would just like a afternoon of activity and fun.
Please do email Margaret if you would like to join in.
Advent and Christmas Services at St Stephen’s
Join us at St Stephen’s this Christmas as we celebrate the Birth of Jesus.
Join us either in church or online on Friday 28th October at 8.45pm as we mark the Feast Day of St Simon and St Jude with a special service of Compline, with music sung by our choir.
This Wednesday evening, join us for a special Requiem Eucharist at which we remember those who are no longer with us. If you would like to remember someone by name, please add them to the list at the back of church, or send an email to Kevin: {This email is obscured. Your must have javascript enabled to see it}
Bishop of Dover leading our All Saints’ Eucharist
We welcome Bishop Rose, Bishop of Dover, who is Presiding and Preaching at our Sung Eucharist on All Saints’ Sunday. Do join us in church or online.
