You are welcome at all our services
Join us at 9am and 10.30am on Sunday mornings at St John’s Waterloo, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TY
Revd Canon Giles Goddard
St John’s was built in 1824 for Waterloo’s working people. We were bombed in the war and then restored as the church of the Festival of Britain in 1951: a beacon of hope and resilience. We believe that God is found in expected and unexpected places at the heart of London and today more than ever, we’re responding to the needs of those around us, finding new ways of bringing hope and new ways to serve.
St John’s broad-church approach to worship attracts a diverse congregation in every respect. Many from the LGBTQIA+ community find their way to us and we’re proud of our growing reputation as one of the most inclusive and affirming churches in London. Everyone is welcome.
Our main parish Eucharist service is in person only at 10.30am every Sunday. We meet daily for morning prayer in person or online, and hold Eucharistic services Tuesday to Thursday. Our Sunday 9am Iona inspired worship service is held in person and online. Full details below.
Come along to a service or contact the vicar Canon Giles Goddard first if you’d like to know more.
Sunday services
9.00 am
First Service – a simple service lasting about 30 minutes based on worship from the Iona Community
10.30 am
Parish Eucharist – our main service of the week, in person only. With Children’s Church on the first Sunday of each month.
6.00 pm
every 2nd Sunday of the month
Open Table Service – a welcoming and affirming service for people who are LGBTQIA+ and anyone who wants to belong in an accepting, loving community
Regular services
MONDAY
8.30 am
Morning Prayer – entrance via side door from churchyard
TUESDAY
8.30 am
Morning Prayer – entrance via side door from churchyard
12.45 – 1.05 pm
Term-time only
A service for peace – a simple service of Holy Communion in the Old Crypt, part of our community outreach programme, Room for You. All welcome.
WEDNESDAY
8.30 am
Morning Prayer – via side door from churchyard
1.00 pm
Lunchtime Eucharist – in the Lady Chapel, in person only
.
THURSDAY
8.30 am
Morning Eucharist at St Andrew’s (SE1 8LJ)
SATURDAY
8.30 am
Morning Prayer – entrance via side door from churchyard
Inclusion
St John’s is proud to be a member of Inclusive Church. This means that we believe in a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. In the light of the current onslaught of hate against trans people, we explicitly re-affirm our support for all trans+ people and state unequivocally that all trans+ people are welcome at St John’s.
We challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
Our congregation is made up of LGBTQIA+ people, straight people, married people, single people, children and adults. We offer a warm welcome to students studying in London. We welcome migrants from all over the world, and seek to be a place of sanctuary for all. We are from the UK, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Germany, the USA, Australia, Malaysia, India and many other places. We are strong supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. We host Christians for Palestine, a grassroots movement of Christians marching and praying together for peace and justice in Palestine. We support Women and the Church (WATCH), a national organisation working actively to promote equality for women in the Church of England and lift the lid on sexism and discrimination in the Church of England. We are a member of the Open Table Network and are known as one of the most queer and trans friendly churches in London.
We seek out opportunities to work alongside people of other faiths, particularly in our activism, and welcome the curious and questioning in all that we do. We try our best to address any access needs members of our congregation may have for any reason. And we want to be sure that everyone is heard and valued, reflecting God’s love for all.
Get involved
There are lots of ways to get involved in the life of St John’s. Here are some suggestions.
Question Time & Book Group
Tuesday evenings are our time for discussion at St John’s with two main monthly gatherings.
Book Group – 2nd Tuesday of the month meeting at the Vicarage 6pm – 7.15pm.
Question Time – 4th Tuesday of the month meeting at local cafe / deli, Ev SE1 8DD 6.30pm – 8pm.
Both the Book Group and Question Time are welcoming, open spaces for anyone who wants to explore faith honestly especially if you’re questioning, or gently re-thinking beliefs that no longer fit. Rooted in a liberal Christian tradition, we value curiosity over certainty, conversation over conclusions, and questions over answers. All are welcome.
Exploring Spirit & Lent courses
20s & 30s at St John's
Are you in your 20s or 30s? Join our growing community of younger adults for socials, discussion, food, faith, and much more.
Whether you are a student, just out of uni, living or working locally, or up for meeting some new people.
St John’s is an inclusive and affirming church at the heart of Waterloo, and we’d love to meet you.
Click through for more info.
Contact Georgia below and come along.
Open Table at St John's Waterloo
The Open Table Network is a growing partnership of communities across England & Wales which welcome and affirm people who are: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, & Asexual (LGBTQIA+) and our families, friends & anyone who wants to belong in an accepting, loving community.
Many churches around the country hold Open Table services.
Our Open Table services happen on the second Sunday of every month, at 6pm, in the Old Crypt. We start with an informal Eucharist, and then share food and drink and chat together.
To find out more email Grey below.
There is more about Open Table Network here: https://opentable.lgbt/
Rule of Life
Recognising the thirst for a deeper understanding of the spiritual path but also the astonishing busyness of so many people in London, we are drawing on the wisdom of St Benedict, St Anthony, St Theresa and many others who have wrestled with questions such as: how do I, in the midst of my daily life, live in a way that is meaningful and holy? How does my faith change my life? What must I do to enter the Kingdom of God, and how do I help others along the narrow way of holiness?
These are the questions which face anyone who wants to follow a path into Christian discipleship. One response is the notion of a Rule of Life, following the example of St Benedict’s Rule of Life which has given inspiration to millions of people over the centuries. Find out more by looking at the outline Rule of Life form below.
St John's Community Choir
Bell ringing
Church newsletter
Sign up below to receive our weekly newsletter from our vicar Canon Giles Goddard, and the clergy team.
You can also sign up for our monthly St John’s Waterloo Newsletter, a round-up of all our arts, music, charity, climate change and events.
Our monthly parish magazine, Column Inches, produced by the congregation is published online here.
Sermons & Vicar's Blog
Baptisms, weddings, funerals and special services
The spiritual and gloriously restored interior of St John’s makes it a perfect setting for a special service or celebration. This is a place where God’s blessing has been given at weddings, baptisms, celebrations of civil partnerships, funerals and memorials, over many years.
Our Greek style portico and beautiful churchyard garden are striking backdrops for photographs and we would be delighted to host your post-service reception in the nave itself or in our brick-vaulted historic crypt.
To talk about how we could host a special occasion in your life, please start by emailing us on admin@stjohnswaterloo.org.