Advent Carols service is a traditional service of music and readings marking the beginning of Advent and the journey towards the miracle of Christmas.

The service mirrors the Advent journey to the celebration of the coming of the light of Christ into our world at Christmas. The church begins in darkness and expectation, then moves slowly into light, as that hope-filled message of Christmas unfolds in readings and music.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend. Doors open at 5pm and the service lasts approximately 1 hour.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
Advent is a time of preparation and our anthems, hymns and readings help us reflect on the needs of the world and recognise the true significance of the coming of Christ.

This year’s Advent Carol Service once again blends new and familiar musical repertoire. We begin with Richard Marlow’s Advent Responsory, composed for the choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is written for 12 voice parts which exactly match the ranges of the 12 singers in the St Bride's Choir.

The main body of the service includes Peter Tranchell’s lively setting of Eleanor Farjeon’s poem People look East and features a virtuoso organ part.

The service ends, as usual, with the choir on the altar steps singing three versions of the Ave Maria. This sequence begins with the iconic setting by the Tudor composer, Robert Parsons, followed by that of Anton Bruckner, in the 200th anniversary year of his birth, and concludes with a more recent composition by the British composer Howard Skempton.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 5pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

Join us for an unforgettable evening as St Bride’s Choir and Orchestra perform Part One of Handel’s Messiah as the second of our four special Sunday evening Advent events.

We are delighted to revive this very popular event in our Advent calendar.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend. Doors open at 5pm and the performance lasts approximately 1 hour.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
Messiah demonstrates Handel’s masterly ability to marry music and drama. Part One is often described as the Christmas section of this much-loved oratorio. It recounts the foretelling of Jesus’s birth – replete with angels and shepherds abiding in fields – then tells of the hope that Christmas brings to us all.

As is customary when performing only Part One, the evening concludes with the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus.

Premiered in Dublin in 1742, Messiah was an instant success. One first night review wrote how the exquisite blend of music and words “conspired to transport and charm the ravished Heart and Ear.”

London audiences – harder to please then, as today! – initially gave it a chilly reception but were soon won over and have continued to be. Unlike many great choral works, Messiah has never fallen out of favour.

The French-style opening Sinfony sets the scene for a succession of chorus masterpieces interspersed with a wide range of solo arias sung by our world-class St Bride’s Choir, accompanied by the St Bride’s Orchestra, under the direction of Matthew Morley.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 5pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

Christmas at St Bride’s is just as much for children as for adults. Our regular Sunday Club children invite others to join them for their annual Crib Service at 2:30pm on Sunday 15th December to act out the Christmas story. Anything can happen, and it really doesn’t matter if it does!

Dress up your children or grandchildren in appropriate costumes and join us for this informal celebration, which is followed by refreshments, and craft activities for children. Some costumes will be available on the day.

Secondary age young people can get involved in the service by helping to lead the Christmas prayers and those a little younger to be the Nativity characters in our family service.

Afterwards there will be party food for the children, and for the grown ups, hot drinks and mince pies.

Please email the office if your child would like to be involved at [email protected].

As is traditional in Advent, St Bride’s Choir will be singing Benjamin Britten’s "A Ceremony of Carols" on Sunday 15th December at 5:30pm.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
Seven of the eleven movements of A Ceremony of Carols were written in 1942 as a homesick Britten endured a perilous boat journey across the Atlantic from America. It sets medieval texts by poet Gerald Bullett and embodies the spirit of hope and joy in our anticipation of Christmas.

The work opens and closes with the chant Hodie Christus natus est (Today Christ is born) sung in procession. The chant is also the basis of the poignant and dramatic harp Interlude which is both at the centre of the whole work and its longest movement. We are delighted that harpist Sue Rothstein will once again be joining us.

This service is preceded by a shortened form of Evensong, sung by men’s voices which complements the Britten by using two of the same elements – plainsong, which is used for the responses, psalm and canticles, and medievalism, with a piece of seasonal medieval music ending the service just before the A Ceremony of Carols begins.

Those who have attended this service in the past have found it to be a profoundly devotional experience and a time of calm amidst the bustle of the Christmas period.

A Ceremony of Carols was premiered in London by the women’s voices of the Fleet Street Choir so it is fitting that it has become such a central part of our Advent here at the Journalists’ Church in Fleet Street.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 5pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

Our annual Fleet Street Carols service has become so popular over the years that we now run it twice! This year it will take place on Thursday 19th December at 12 noon and 5pm.

When Fleet Street was the home of the newspaper industry, this was the occasion when all the printers, journalists, and news agencies gathered at St Bride’s, to celebrate Christmas together in a not-to-be-missed or forgotten Christmas Carol service.

We extend a very warm welcome to everyone in our parish and community, including local businesses, residents, and visitors, to come to this wonderful service and get into the festive spirit. Featuring our regular brass quintet, Onyx Brass, and the phenomenal professional St Bride’s Choir, this really is a service to remember – so, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful …!’

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
Music for the service will be announced soon but will include the traditional St Bride’s Choir rendition of a popular Christmas hit!

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open 30 mins before the service time and the service lasts around 1 hour.

The St Bride’s Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 22nd December at 5:30pm is a wonderful opportunity to hear the full range of readings in the now famous service devised for King’s College, Cambridge in 1918 by Eric Milner-White.

The congregation sings Christmas hymns ranging from Once In Royal David’s City to O Come, All Ye Faithful and we also have the opportunity to hear a number of contrasting pieces from the wide repertoire of Advent and Christmas music which St Bride’s Choir sings.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
More musical details to follow.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 5pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

Sing Choirs of Angels is a recent addition to our Advent calendar and has proved immensely popular. It is a mix of Christmas music, readings and poetry conjuring up a celebratory yet reflective atmosphere ahead of the big day.

The event takes place on Christmas Eve at 4:30pm for all those who cannot make it to Midnight Mass or who need a moment to draw breath and reflect in this busiest of times.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

We will hold back 125 places for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this, please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

MUSIC
Details of music to follow.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 4pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

A special late night service sharing in the anticipation of the joy of Christmas and celebrating its message of good news.

By long-standing tradition, we begin our 11:30pm service of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December, by singing the beautiful Austrian carol Silent Night. It sets the tone of the service perfectly: the stillness of the dark night, and the sense of expectation, as we prepare for the wonder and the mystery of the birth of Christ two thousand years ago.

ADMISSION
This service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend. Registration is NOT required.

MUSIC
Information about other music for this service will be posted shortly.

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 11pm and the service lasts around 1 hour.

Amidst the whirl of excitement of Christmas morning, take time to reflect on the wonder and hope that the birth of Christ brings to us all.

Christmas morning with its stockings, presents, and the burgeoning aromas of a wonderful Christmas dinner can be the most exciting and hectic of the year, but it is so important that we take the time to reflect on what it is that we are celebrating.

Our Family Communion Service at 11:00am on Christmas Day is an integral part of the Christmas festivities for many of our congregation members and visitors, as we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

ADMISSION
The service is open to all and free to attend. Registration is not required.

MUSIC
The mass setting will be announced soon. Carols sung during the administration of communion are traditionally chosen by the choir at the last minute, so it might be worth putting in a request for your particular favourite!

SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S
There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride's and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

St Bride's is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Doors open at 10:30am and the service lasts around 1 hour.