December 1, 5pm

Our traditional Advent Carol Service recounts the prophecies that the Messiah will come, and describes the visit of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce that she will be the Messiah’s mother. Between the readings, the choir sings music that carries forward the story. It’s a great way to make a start on the themes that will bring us to Christmas night.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 8, 5pm

A little earlier than usual, this service links the Advent season with Christmas itself. It is based on the great “O” Antiphons, which are chants used before and after the Magnificat at Vespers in the seven days leading up to Christmas Eve. The service builds on aspects of Advent, all leading to the well-known hymn that unites the Antiphons in one text: O come, O come, Emmanuel.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!
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December 15, 5pm

The Bishop of London is coming to baptize and confirm candidates from St Bartholomew the Great on the third Sunday in Advent. This service is open to all, and the bar will be open afterwards to celebrate. The service that morning will be Mattins, as the Eucharist will be transferred to the evening.

December 16, 6:30pm

This contains the entire Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, accompanied by harp and sung by upper voices. Britten’s settings are interspersed among a sequence of readings and congregational hymns. The beauty of this music is especially astonishing, since it was composed on board a Swedish cargo vessel, the MS Axel Johnson, on which Britten was returning to the UK from the US in 1942. Confined to a small, airless cabin, an enormous refrigerator compressor running constantly next door keeping the freight cold, Britten composed these beautiful pieces.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 17, 1pm

A specially shortened carol service this season that has been designed to fit into the lunchtime of a busy working day. It lasts just over half an hour and includes four of your favourite Christmas carols.

December 17, 6pm

This, one of our biggest services of the year, takes its inspiration from the Christmas Eve service held every year at King’s College, Cambridge. Readings tell the story of our salvation, from the Garden of Eden to the Kings arriving in Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus. They are interspersed with wonderful music sung by the choir, the congregation joining them in the great Christmas carols. By tradition, the service begins with Once in Royal David’s City and concludes first with O come, all ye faithful, and after the Blessing, Hark! the herald angels sing.

A large number of seats are reserved for members of the Livery Companies associated with the church.

There is no cost to attend this service, but it will be ticketed. Booking link will be made available on the 19th November.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 18, 6:30pm

A service of readings from Dickens, together with carols he would have heard and known.

Many of the images we are familiar with in our Christmases today come to us from the Victorian era, and are associated with the works of Charles Dickens, and especially his book, A Christmas Carol. This service uses readings from that magnificent work, as well as other writings by Dickens relating to the season, and reminds us of his special interpretation and understanding of Christ. Meantime, the music for both choir and congregation is taken from the sources that were available in his lifetime, so that we both hear his words and sing the carols that he would have known. Even the Bidding Prayer and the Blessing are derived from the great man’s own writings. “God bless us, every one!” A special feature of this service is that we are joined by descendants of Charles Dickens, who contribute to the readings.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 19, 1pm

A specially shortened carol service this season that has been designed to fit into the lunchtime of a busy working day. It lasts just over half an hour and includes four of your favourite Christmas carols.

December 19, 6:30pm

A service of Lessons and Carols from the German-speaking countries

Many aspects of the British approach to Christmas came to us from Germany. Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, introduced domestic Christmas trees to the UK, and they spread from there to the US. While the UK and the US share a great deal of Christmas music, German Christmas music is almost completely different—but is also wonderful. This carol service is a sequence of Lessons and Carols as usual, but with the music drawn from the Christmas traditions of the German-speaking countries. We have been offering this service for some years now, and it has become extremely popular, perhaps because it offers something a little different, and yet is full of abundant Christmas atmosphere. Please bring a large bunch of keys or some jingling bells with you: they are needed in the last hymn for a magical moment!

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 21, 5pm

A mini carol service for children in St Bartholomew the Less with carols and all the joy of oranges and candles and sweets. The Christmas story is read, and the best carols sung.

This will be followed by carolling around the parish to raise money for our annual charity, the Whitechapel Mission.

Please click here to book your space.

December 21, 6:30pm

A carol service from the Middle Ages, with readings from the Wycliffe Bible, set in the mediæval wonder of our ancient Priory Church. Period instruments will accompany the choir, and the congregation will join in with some of the hymns of the era.

There is no cost to attend this service and there are no tickets, but we advise you to arrive early to avoid missing out.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 22, 5pm

This, one of our biggest services of the year, takes its inspiration from the Christmas Eve service held every year at King’s College, Cambridge. Readings tell the story of our salvation, from the Garden of Eden to the Kings arriving in Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus. They are interspersed with wonderful music sung by the choir, the congregation joining them in the great Christmas carols. By tradition, the service begins with Once in Royal David’s City and concludes first with O come, all ye faithful, and after the Blessing, Hark! the herald angels sing.

There is no cost to attend this service and there are no tickets, but we advise you to arrive early to avoid missing out.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

December 23, 6:30pm

Benjamin Franklin arrived to live in our parish on December 24, 1724. To mark the eve of this anniversary - and starting a season of celebration of this American Founding Father living in the parish and working in the church - we are holding a special carol service in the American musical tradition, with readings from American poets and authors, focusing particularly on works by Franklin.

Please click here to book your space.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

January 5, 5pm

Marking the Epiphany and the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, celebrate with us as we enjoy the music and readings associated with the journey of the Magi and the manifestation of Christ to the world.

Mulled wine and gallettes des rois are available in the Cloister after this service - please do come and join us!