St John's Music Group
St. John's Music Group started in 2001 to enable members of the church to contribute more to our worship and to provide an alternative to the organ and piano for the accompaniment of singing. The group usually play at the All Age Worship service on the first Sunday of the month. Membership of the group is open to anyone who can play an instrument, but players of brass instruments and clarinets be warned - you may encounter a lot of sharps! The group currently has two recorders, one flute (with occasional guest appearances by a second), two clarinets, one cornet, two trumpets, a trombone, alto sax, tenor sax, violin, bass guitar and piano, although the group is constantly changing as members move on, go to university and things like that. The photograph below shows the group rehearsing before a service in June 2006.
The Music Group usually meet on the Thursday evening before an All Age service for a rehearsal in the vestry, and will then gather half an hour before the service for a final run-through of the hymns.
The Music Group has also provided entertainment for church functions, including performances of "Blaze Away", "Wallace and Gromit march", a medley of songs from "Oliver", tunes from "Greece" and a medley of songs by Noel Gay. The Christmas Day service is usually concluded with a rousing rendition of "The twelve days of Christmas". If you would like to know more about the music group, contact the Musical Director, Andrew Burchell.