Gallery

The Woodland Chorale - free lunchtime concert
Wednesday 11th July 2025

Pentecost 2025

Summer Garden Party 2025
7th June 2025
Our thanks to Winkworth Kensington for Sponsoring our Summer Garden Party this year and for sending a team to help on the BBQ and drinks tent. The trio from the Royal College of Music returned to play jazz to the adults while the children were entertained by incomparable Action Amanda and newcomer B-Better Dance. A huge thank you to our volunteers who looked after the stalls selling vouchers, cooking burgers, cakes, church merch, and the children's activities including the Bouncy castle, lego, football score, baloons and to our lovely face painter Debz, and to all who came to enjoy the garden and support us. The weather was incredibly kind to us, holding off (other than some light showers) until the final table had been put away!

Confirmation 2025

On Thursday 5th June 2025 we confirmed 26 candidates from St Mary Abbots and 3 candidates from St Philips. Bishop Jo very kindly stepped in to take over from Bishop Emma, straight from a flight from Brazil, for which we are hugely grateful. Congratulations to all our candidates!

Parish Prayer Walk
Walking the boundaries of St Mary Abbots Parish, Tuesday 3rd June

Cornerstone University Chorale
Free lunchtime concert, Thursday 15th May 22025
We were delighted to welcome students from Michigan, who were touring the UK and Ireland, who performed a wonderful and varied programme for an appreciative audience.

Common Fund Meeting
Monday 12 May 2025

What Really Happened at Easter’ – Tuesday 6th May 2025
Rev’d Andy Roland's talk followed by a Q&A on his perspective on Easter and what actually happened.

Marking the 80th Anniversary of V.E. Day
Sunday 4th May 2025

We were honoured to be joined by the Mayor of RBKC and the chair of the Kensington branch of The Royal British Legion at a special Choral Matins to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Afterwards everyone joined the Street Party arranged by a committee of residents, lead by Sarah Jane, with volunteers from the church and parents from St Mary Abbots School.

Easter Day
Sunday 20th April 2025

Holy Saturday

Easter Eve Vigil with Holy Baptisms

Cleaning and preparing the church

Good Friday

Hymns and Reflections, Silence before the Cross and the Liturgy of Good Friday

Stations of the Cross for Children

Maundy Thursday

The Vigil of Gethsemane

The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday
with Washing of Feet

Handel's Messiah, Parts II & III
Sunday 13th April 2025

A huge thank you to Mark Uglow, the St Mary Abbots professional choir and The Purcell Players for a beautiful and moving performance of Handel’s Messiah Part II & III on Palm Sunday evening, with a standing ovation!

Mothering Sunday
30th March 2025

Spring Victorian Society talk 2025

We were delighted to welcome The Victorian Society and Jo Banham back to the church for fascinating talk on Pre-Raphaelites and how they decorated the interiors of their own beautiful, but not very comfortable, houses and studios. Another event is planned for the Autumn.

Lent Course 2025

On Wednesday evenings our lent group have been meeting to discuss the Christian Faith using pictures and Bible stories inspired by the ‘Art and the Bible Resource’ from St Martin in the Fields. The group arrive at 6.45 pm for snacks and conversation and then view an image from the National Galley centred on the weeks subject, followed by a related Biblical text and then a discussion on how this relates to our lives as individuals and as a Church. Even if you have not attended previously, everyone is welcome.

Nicene Creed Lecture
Sunday 15th March 2025

Our thanks to Father Simon Cluff for his facinating talk on 'The Creed and Disagreement', the first in a series of Lectures to celebrate the 1,700 anniversary of the Nicene Creed. Our next talk will be on 14th June, again at 4pm, on ‘Who on Earth is Jesus Christ? An Early Church Conundrum’ by Father Jarel Robinson-Brown - all are welcome to join.

Railings Restoration Project - stage one
March 2025

The West Gate was removed and taken away for renovation by RBKC - further details of the project can be found HERE.

Shrove Tuesday - pancake party

It was wonderful to resurrect the Pancake party at the church on Shrove Tuesday for the children of St Mary Abbots school. Volunteers heated up pancakes and others smeared them with a choice of chocolate, jam or a more traditional lemon and sugar. Sticky fingers all around!

Candlemas 2025

Candlemas was celebrated at St Mary Abbots from a Family Eucharist with play and children’s choir and a beautiful candlelit Festal Choral Evensong. We were very touched by the generosity of the donations made to the Candles for Candlemas appeal: purchasing the candles that will be used in church for the rest of the year.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Ecumenical Service of Choral Evensong
Wednesday 22nd January 2025

Handel's Messiah (Part I )
December 15th 2024

External Charity and Christmas Services

At the start of December we welcomed charities and schools to the church for carols, music, readings, poems, mince pies and mulled wine.

Advent Service of Light

Victorian Christmas Fair
30th November 2024

Christmas Stalls offering all sorts of Christmas gift ideas could be found at the back of the church.

Carols were sung by the Hartley Victorian Carol Singers and juggler Daniel juggled with batons and knives.

Students from Natalia Kremen Ballet school gave a wonderful and magical performance.

Our thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who helped on the Church stalls and made the event a great success!

Decorating the Church
28th November 2024

Remembrance Sunday
10th November 2024

Bonfire Night at the Vicarage
Friday 8th November 2024

Thanks to our many volunteers for working hard to make this the best Bonfire Night yet!

Volunteers Party 2024
Wednesday 6th November

Our annual party to thank the readers, servers, sides-people, children's workers, events team, bell ringers, flower arrangers, PCC, food bank drivers, Sunday coffee makers and outreach. A great chance to meet others in the church.

Piano Recital - Zoya Shuhatovich
4th November 2024

A wonderful piano recital by international pianist Zoya Shuhatovich, who played excerpts from Mozart, Schubert and Chopin - followed by drinks and conversation.

Quiz Night
24th October 2024

Quiz Night returned to St Mary Abbots. Organised by Ed our church Warden and Jamie, our previous church warden, the evening was a lot of fun and great success. Quiz night will return next year!

Other October Events in the church - a busy month!

The Victorian Society Talk
Monday 7th October 2024.

We were delighted to welcome the Victorian Society once more to the church to hear a fascinating talk by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, followed by a insightful Q&A session.

Harvest Thanksgiving
Sunday 6th October 2024
Thank you very much to all those who donated food at both the Thursday School Harvest Festival
and the Sunday Harvest Thanksgiving Services. These were collected for Homeless Charity The Upper Room.

London Sleep Out in aid of Glass Door
Friday October 4th 2024

You can still sponsor the team HERE

Our team of ten slept 'rough' for the night to raise money and awareness for Glass Door homeless Charity

Final Touches to the access ramp

Before

After

Patronal Festal Eucharist and celebration
8th September

After the Patronal service we held a lunch in the vicarage garden, with food cooked by the parish staff, members of the congregation (particularly fabulous cakes) or from bought in from local businesses.

Updating the Welcome area
Thank you to the volunteers who carefully moved the matchstick church!

Music Institute of Chicago Virtuoso Strings lunchtime concert
Wednesday 31st July 2024

Thank you for to the students who, despite a whistlestop tour of the UK, played beautifully and energetically and the audience enjoyed the performance thoroughly.

Father Peter celebrates
his 40th Anniversary of his priesting, 14th July 2024

YMIC Summer Fair, June 2024

15 of our children joined the YMIC (Youth Ministry in Communion) Summer Festival on 30th June at St Luke's Church Chelsea. Set up and organised by a network of churches from Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham to encourage Christianity amongst young people aged 11 - 18 through activities they hope to encourage worship, prayer and sacrament. They hold three events per year so if your young people would like to join next time please contact our children's worker, Martina for more details.

Concert
26th June 2024

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Marina Grozdanovic to St Mary Abbots. Her performing career includes solo, chamber and orchestral appearances throughout the United States, France, Norway, Russia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Serbia and India. She is frequently sought after as a juror and a lecturer in various competitions, festivals and masterclasses in the United States and Europe, so it is a privilege and treat to have her play at the church.

Concert
19th June 2024

Karl Lutchmayer is equally renowned as a concert pianist and a lecturer. The first Steinway Artist of Indian origin, Karl performs across the globe, and has worked with conductors including Lorin Maazel and Sir Andrew Davis, and performed at all the major London concert halls. He has broadcast on BBC Television and Radio, All India Radio and Classic FM, and is a regular chamber performer. A passionate advocate of contemporary music, has also given over 90 world premieres and had many works written especially for him. Between challenging and dramatic performances Karl introduced each composer and their motivations for writing each piece.

Kensington Area Priesting
15th June 2024

Summer Garden Party 2024

Sponsored by Knight Frank we held our Summer Garden party on Saturday 8th June.
G&Ts were provided by Fishers Gin and an activity sessions donated by Action Amanda and Silva Ace.
Volunteers and staff worked very hard to put together a great event - with food and drinks at the BBQ, homemade cakes stall and bar serving Pimms and other drinks. For the children a fantastic face painter JoJo, massive bouncy castle, balloons, skittles, Bucket and Ball, Lego and more! A great day was had by all and thank you to all our volunteers who helped on the day - we could not have done it without you!

Prayer Walk around the boundaries of the parish
14th May 2024

The clergy, together with members of our regular Morning Prayer Group, walked around the bounds of our parish before returning to the church for coffee and croissants. While walking around the modern boundaries of the parish we prayed for all the different elements we found, from local government to transport, from parks to the shops and businesses of the High Street.

To read the collects, see a short video and trace our route around the parish please see below:

Collects from the prayer walk
File Size:	194 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Video of a collect
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File Type:	mov

Download File

Easter Sunday
31st March 2024

Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil and Holy Baptism
30th March 2024

We lit the Easter Fire, the sign of Christ’s New Life, in the churchyard, and with the Paschal candle processed with lighted candles into the church for the Baptism.

Holy Saturday
The Easter Preparation
where we clean, scrub and polish the church ready for Easter Day

Good Friday
Hymns and Reflections at the Foot of the Cross
Friday 29th March 2024

From 12 noon Hymns and Reflections at the Foot of the Cross followed by the Liturgy of Good Friday. Then at 4pm Stations of the cross for children.

Good Friday
Stations of the Cross for children (with hot cross buns)

Maundy Thursday
Thursday 28th March 2024

The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday with Washing of Feet, followed by The Vigil of Gethsemane

Handel's Messiah, parts II & III
Sunday 24th March 2024

Our thanks to our professional choir and the Purcell Players for a wonderful performance of Handel's Messiah, Parts II & III. The prefect start to Holy Week.

Palm Sunday Procession
March 24th 2024

Glass Door Walk
Friday 22nd 2024

The London Walk is an annual event which we join as a team in order to help raise awareness and money for Glass Door Homeless Charity. We ask people to sponsor the team as they walk 10k through London at night. This year we raised over £3,600 and we would like to thank those who kindly and generously supported us.

Mini Abbots Easter Egg Hunt
15th March 2024

A lovely Easter Egg hunt in the vicarage Garden for the final session of Mini Abbots, our baby and Toddler group that takes place on Friday mornings. The next meet up will be on 17th April. Please contact Martina for more details: [email protected]

Victorian Society Talk
12th March 2024

We were delighted that the Victorian Society returned to the church with another fascinating lecture, this time on on Artists houses in Kensington and Chelsea by Jo Banham. A short question and answer session followed and then wine and a chance to talk to Jo and members of the Victorian Society.

Mothering Sunday
10th March 2024

Our thanks again to Kensington Flower Corner for their beautiful arrangement.

The London, Southwark & Chelmsford Branch of the Church of England
Guild of Vergers Service and AGM
Tuesday 27th February 2024

We were delighted to welcome the local branch of the Guild of Vergers for a Said Eucharist & AGM. 4 new members joined the guild during the service, including our own Simon and Martina.

A Service in memory of the Officers and Men of the
1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th and 2/10th Gurkha Rifles
Saturday 24th February 2024

We were honoured to hold a service of remembrance for the officers and men of the 5th & 6th Gurkha Rifles who fell at Gallipoli in 1915.

Echoing a memorial service held at St Mary Abbots on the same date 108 yeas ago. Readings and hymns from the original service sheet were used and last letters and memories from soldiers who fought and died there were read out. Men from a current Gurkha regiment attended, family members, supporters, military and civic representatives came to honour the departed.

It was a privilege to be a part of such a moving and historic occasion.

If you would like to read the address please click HERE or read the Article in the Gurkha newsletter HERE.

Piano Recital
Monday 12th February 2024

Candlemas 2024
Sunday 2nd February 2024

The season of Epiphany ended with Candlemas, where Christ is presented in the temple. We held a special Choral Eucharist at 9.30 am where the children presented small candles to be blessed and in the evening, at our Choral Evensong, the rest of the church candles were presented for blessing.

A Symposium on Daily Prayers
Wednesday 31st January 2023

Rev'd Andy Roland hosted a talk at the church where members of several faiths, including Rabbi Helen Freeman, formed a panel, chaired by Pinakin Patel MBE, who then spoke of their experience of prayer. This was followed by a question and answer session and refreshments.

Epiphany 2024
Sunday 6th January 2024

The statues of the three 'wise men form the east' which have each week moved from window to window in the church, representing their journey as they followed the star, finally arrive at the stable.

Charity Carol Concerts
December 2024

Messiah (part I) 2023
10th December 2023

Congratulations to Mark, our Director of Music and our professional St Mary Abbots Choir and the Purcell Players for putting on such a wonderful Handel's Messiah (Part 1).

Advent Service of Light
December 2023

Advent Service of Light with advent readings and hymns and music form our professional choir - bringing light to the darkness.

Nativity Play 2023
November 2023

The children recounting the advent story and lighting the first Advent candle.

Mother Alice's farewell service and lunch
November 2023

Mother Alice has completed her time with us as Curate in Training and is taking up the post of Vicar in the parish of Warton St Oswald with Yealand Conyers St John in the Diocese of Blackburn, Lancashire. At her last service we presented her with a leaving gift and held a lunch afterwards. We wish her and her family every joy and blessing in her new Parish.

On Sunday we said farewell to Mother Alice, who has completed her time here as Curate in Training, and been offered the post of Vicar in the parish of Warton St Oswald with Yealand Conyers St John in the Diocese of Blackburn, Lancashire. Thank you to all who donated towards her leaving gift and to those who joined us for lunch afterwards - a good send off. We wish her and her family every joy and blessing in her new Parish. Mother Alice writes:

“I am so grateful to have had the privilege of serving at St Mary Abbots over the last 3 years, and want to offer my thanks to the community here for forming and shaping me as a priest. I have so many memories to treasure, as well as some incredibly kind messages and gifts. I do hope many of you will be able to join us to worship on Sunday and say goodbye! Please pray for our family as we make our move back north, and for my new churches in Warton and Yealand, who I will serve as Vicar after my induction in January. With my love and gratitude, Mother Alice”

Victorian Christmas Fair 2023
Sponsored by John D. Wood & Co
Saturday 25th November 2023

Thank you to our volunteers for making this such a special and happy event.

Decorating the Christmas Tree and Church
November 2023

Decorating the church with the clergy and parish staff and some kind volunteers ready for the Christmas Fair and Charity Carol Concerts.

Remembrance Sunday
11th November 2023

Photos from the Mayors office at RBKC

Bishops Vision Evening
Tuesday 7th November

We were delighted to be asked to host an event for Bishop Emma as she outlined her vision for Kensington to her clergy and lay ministers.

The event outlined the 3 pillars of her vision, with questions, conversations, stories from around the Area and ended with a Service of Compline.

Father Tim joins the Team at St Mary Abbots
5th November 2023

Fr Tim was licensed by the Bishop of Kensington on Wednesday 25th October and made his Declarations, witnessed by members of the PCC, during the notices at the end of the 9.30 Eucharist on Sunday 5th November.
Father Tim writes: “I am returning to London after serving 3 busy and rewarding years as curate at Wakefield Cathedral. You’ll soon discern that I am from neither Yorkshire or London but born and bred in Belfast, where I lived and worked as a youth and community worker into my late twenties. I arrived in London, via the Netherlands, to work in a Church in North London, before going into full time ordination training in London through Stepney Diocese. I’m excited to be coming back to London and I’m very much looking forward to getting to know the parish and congregation and hopefully contribute to ministry and mission in Kensington. ”

Photos by Emmanuel Saint

Bonfire Night 2023
Friday 3rd November

Thank you to all our volunteers who helped make bonfire night such a huge success - with sparklers, firepit & marshmallows, large bonfire, glowsticks, Fire breathers, mulled wine, beer, BBQ hot dogs it ended with a shower of sparkling rain.

Victorian Society talk on 'Kensington's Victorian Churches, a Battle of Styles?'
Tuesday 10th October 2023

Our thanks to the Victorian Society and speaker David McDonald for a wonderful whistlestop tour of the Victorian churches in Kensington.

Glass Door Sleep Out
October 2023

You can still sponsor the team who have just taken part in the 11th annual Glass Door Sleep Out! Homelessness is on the rise in London and the cost-of-living crisis continues to intensify, putting more people at risk of homelessness. By raising funds for Glass Door, we can help someone find a route out of homelessness by providing them with shelter, support from our expert Caseworkers, and the opportunity to either prevent homelessness or permanently leave the streets behind.

So far we have raised £3,394 but would like to raise £4,000. If you would like to help us hit our target please donate using the button below:

Donate here

Harvest Festival - School Service & Family Eucharist
October 2023

All the food and items donated at all three services go to West London charity the Upper Room, who provide hot meals, a food bank and advice to those in need.

Gardening project - making a start
October 2023

At the back of the church hall, St Mary Abbots Centre, is a patch of ground which we hope to turn into a children's vegetable and herb garden. A few months ago Dimitrios, the new hall manager, cleared the space and repaired the broken paving and pathways so that it was ready for it to be cultivated. However in the last two months bindweed has taken over the soil. So a first gardening lesson: Weeding.

Patronal Festival
September 2023

It was a great joy and privilege to welcome the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, who presided and preached at this special Festal Choral Eucharist, celebrating our Patronal, the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and closed the 150th Celebrations for the consecration of our church designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Bishop Sarah blessed our new internal wheelchair area and the foundations of the South Door ramp, the first parts of our access project to increase our welcome to all. We were honoured to be joined by Pablo Blackwood, Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and The Worshipful Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Cllr Pretty Hudd. After the service the congregation were invited to continue the celebrations with a lunch in the vicarage garden.

Laudonia, the Grand Tour concert
Friday 8th September 2023

Father Evan joins the team at St Mary Abbots
August 2023

Fr Evan was licensed by the Bishop of Kensington on Tuesday 29th August and made his Declarations, witnessed by the churchwardens, during the notices at the end of the 9.30 Eucharist on Sunday 3rd of September. Father Evan writes:
"I am excited to join the team at St Mary Abbots. Having served in a parish and as a hospital chaplain in the City of London as well as curate in a Lincolnshire market town, I relish the challenges and joys that will come from working in the parish. I am looking forward to sharing hospitality and taking the time to get to know you all. "
On the following Sunday he received his licence from the church Wardens.

Father Christopher's leaving Services and Farewell Party
16th July 2023

On 16th July we said our official goodbye to Fr Christopher at both our Eucharist and Matin's service. Although he is not leaving until August for his new role as Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota, we wanted everyone to have an opportunity to say farewell before the holidays. The Services were followed by a party in the garden and our thanks to all those who brought contributions to the lunch - it resulted in quite a feast.

London Climate Action Week
July 2023

We held a special 9.30 Family Eucharist on creation with our children’s choir and at 11.15 welcomed the Revd Dr Andrew Bowyer, Dean of Divinity at Magdalen College, Oxford. This week we also were given our Rocha Bronze Eco Church Award, thanks to Mother Alice’s hard work on a full environmental report on our worship and teaching, as well as a more practical look at our parish buildings, identifying ways in which we can work to reduce waste, and use the land around the church and centre to show biodiversity.

The Friends of St Mary Abbots presenting a cheque for £50,000
towards the access Ramp Project
August 2023

and grateful thanks were expressed to Nigel Grieve on his retirement at Treasurer to the Friends

Rocha Bronze Eco Church Award
August 2023

Summer Garden Party 2023
Saturday 10th July 2023

A huge thank you to all our amazing volunteers who braved the excessive heat to help set up, then run the bar, BBQ, cakes and other stalls and children's activities at our Summer Garden Party. Another thank you to Action Amanda and Silva Ace, Fitness Trigga who provided fantastic entertainment for the children and to the three Royal College of Music students who played beautifully and soulfully for the adults. A third thank you also to those who donated towards costs or took the time to bake a vast array of delicious cakes and a final thank you for those who came and supported us on the day and made it such a great party.

Confirmation
May 2023

On 25th May +Emma, Bishop of Kensington confirmed 23 Candidates from St Mary Abbots, St Philips and St Mary the Boltons and afterward there was a small celebration in the Vicarage Gardens. Congratulations again to all the candidates.

Clemson University Singers Tour
20th May 2023

The University choir started their tour with a lunchtime concert at St Mary Abbots, before going on to St Botolph, Cambridge, Canterbury Cathedral and finishing in Cathedrale Sante-Croix des Armeniers, Paris.
We hope that they enjoyed their trip as much as we enjoyed their enthusiastic and enjoyable performance.

Street Party in Holland Park
Sunday 7th May
The Street Party was arranged by Sarah-Jane and her Committee, made possible by the generous support of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, City living Local Life and individuals who donated to the go-fund me page, with thanks to the residents, members of St Mary Abbots School and St Mary Abbots Church who volunteered on the day and for the cooking and baking skills of the residents of Holland Street and adjacent streets who provided vast quantities of cakes, salads and hot food.

Festal Family Eucharist to celebrate the Coronation
Sunday 7th May 2023

Civic Service on the Eve of the Coronation
5th May 2023

Holy Week and Easter Services 2023

The Victorian Society's talk by Robert Stephenson
Wednesday 22nd March 2023

Images by Victoria Smith for the Friends of Brompton Cemetery

Mothering Sunday
Sunday 19th March 2023

Peter Roper-Curzon Piano Recital
15th March 2023

Presentation to Stephanie for her 50th Year as a Bell-ringer
Sunday 12th March 2023

Maintenance Work on the Tower and the Steeple
March 2023

Work on the spire is almost completed so Simon, our head Virger, joins them at the top of the spire to inspect their work! This is one of the tallest spires in London.....

Bishop Emma's Visits the Church and school
February 2023

Ash Wednesday
February 2023

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return"

Why Ashes? For centuries, Christians have begun the season of Lent by being marked with the sign of the cross in ash.
We do this as a sign that we:
• Acknowledge our own mortality
• Feel God’s power to heal brokenness in our lives and in our world
• See our need to respond to God’s call and turn to him again.

Shrove Tuesday
February 2023

Traditionally on Shrove Tuesday ingredients would have been used up before the Lent fast. To mark this pancakes were served at the back of church at 3.30 pm until they ran out, for families and others leaving the school or passing by.

The most popular by far was chocolate and a long (but orderly) que formed!