St John's College News
Freedom of Information Charges
Freedom of Information Charges Some information will be provided free of charge by St John’s College (the ‘College’) as indicated in the publication scheme, however a charge may be made for the provision of some of the information. Such fees will be kept under review. Information included in the publication scheme will fall into one of the following categories: a) Documents…read moreHistory of the Old Library
History of the Old LibraryHistory of the Old Library The Old Library was built between 1623 and 1628. It was brought into being largely through the efforts of two members of the College, Valentine Carey, Bishop of Exeter, and John Williams, Lord-Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln. St John's College first opened its doors in 1516 and the original library was situated in First Court (then the only court) on the first floor…read moreDean of Chapel - Publications
Dean of Chapel - PublicationsDuncan has co-edited (with Jeremy Morris) An Acceptable Sacrifice? Homosexuality and the Church, a collection of essays by nine Cambridge theologians with a foreword by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. With controversy about same-sex relationships within the Anglican Communion rumbling on, this book gives lay people and clergy alike the resources to think through this…read moreThe Chapel Commitee and Worship Assistants
The Chapel Commitee and Worship AssistantsThe Chapel Commitee Michael Atkins (2nd Year Economics) 8.30am Music Group Leader Alistair Cree (3rd Year NatSci) Chapel Warden & Student Alpha leader Frank DiTraglia (Economics PhD) Chapel Warden & Compline Singers Director Joanna Fawcett (Maths PhD) Chapel Warden & Compline Singers Assistant Max Kramer (Theology MPhil) Westcott Ordinand, Grad Reading Group Leader …read moreDean of Chapel
Dean of ChapelVictoria Johnson came to St John’s from the Metropolitical Cathedral Church of St Peter, York, known as York Minster, where she was Canon Precentor, overseeing the musical and worshipping life of the Cathedral. Prior to this she was a Residentiary Canon at Ely Cathedral, and a priest in Manchester Diocese being ordained there in 2007. She read theology and religious studies at Sidney…read moreArtefacts
Artefactslibrary/special_collections The Old Library contains a number of interesting artefacts, ranging from busts, to medals awarded to eminent alumni, to the 18th-century Materia Medica cabinet of Dr William Heberden, to William Wordsworth's breakfast cup and saucer. Also to be found within the collection are more curious objects, including the lead filling from the skull of a lead-filled skeleton…read morePhotographic collections
Photographic collectionslibrary/special_collections The Library's photographic collections are housed in the Old Library and can be consulted in the Rare Books Reading Room. For further information on the collections, and arrangements for viewing them, please contact the Special Collections Librarian (tel. 01223-339393). The George William Allan collection comprises photographs, negatives…read moreUniversity Prizes and Awards
University Prizes and AwardsThe following Prizes and Awards to Members of the College have been announced by the University: The Robert Somers Memorial Prize has been awarded to Mr E L K Allen The Andrew Hall Prize has been awarded to Mr G J K Bennison The GSK Prize for the best Organic project has been awarded to Mr N A Jenkins The North Carolina State University Prize has been awarded to Mr A McCreanor The H.A. Turner…read morePersonal & family papers
Personal & family papersThe collections of personal papers can be consulted in the Rare Books Reading Room. Fuller listings for the individual collections are added regularly to these pages. If you would like to see any College manuscripts listed on this site, please contact the Special Collections Librarian (tel. 01223-339393). To locate an item please use the following name index or do a keyword search:read moreFrequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat can I come to? Do I have to be a Christian? What’s with the ‘Nighties’? Can I be baptised or confirmed? Why have I been asked to read in Chapel? and more... What can I come to? Johnians are welcome at absolutely anything – all services, social events and groups. You may come as often or as little as you like and you may always bring guests. Occasionally when space is limited…read moreGetting Involved – Music, Teaching, Serving, Preaching, Vocations
Getting Involved – Music, Teaching, Serving, Preaching, VocationsUse your gifts and start finding out who God is calling you to be. It’s your Chapel and we want you to get involved. There are all sorts of opportunities from behind-the-scenes flower-arranging and helping with the sound system to leading a music group or preaching your first sermon. We have a great track record for people really deepening their faith at St John’s and each year…read moreHaving Fun – From Pancakes and Punts to Beheading the Chaplain
Having Fun – From Pancakes and Punts to Beheading the ChaplainIt’s not all just services in Chapel. Whether it’s the team of Chapel cooks preparing over 500 pancakes for the legendary Chaplain’s Pancake Party or Max doing a very good ‘Mrs Doyle’ impression with tea and cake, there’s always lots going on. Chapel Garden Parties have seen the Chaplain ceremonially beheaded and hurled from the Chapel Tower (in cake-form only, thankfully).…read moreMaking a Difference – Charitable Giving, Service & ‘The Walworth Weekend’
Making a Difference – Charitable Giving, Service & ‘The Walworth Weekend’It’s not all about us. Put your faith into action! Being a Christian is not just a private and personal thing but should make a difference to the whole of life and especially in serving others. In Chapel we encourage people to get involved not only in serving the Chapel Community but the wider world. Each year we collect significant amounts of money in Chapel for worthwhile…read moreTravelling Further - Pilgrimages
Travelling Further - PilgrimagesDay trips, special events and the annual Chapel Holiday each Easter vacation Going on pilgrimage is an ancient way of taking a new step in the journey of faith and a great metaphor for seeing the whole of life as a following in the footsteps of Christ (plus it can be great to get out of the Cambridge ‘Bubble’ for a bit and see somewhere new). So each term there are day trips by foot,…read moreGoing Deeper - Bible Study, Reading Groups & Student Alpha
Going Deeper - Bible Study, Reading Groups & Student AlphaWe try to keep all services in Chapel as open as possible so that everyone feels welcome but that does not mean faith at university should be superficial. Each week there are a variety of small groups that meet around college for discussion, prayer and support to help you deepen your faith. From the small mid-week eucharist at 8am on a Wednesday morning to the Christian Union prayers…read moreCompline - Chill Out by Candlelight
Compline - Chill Out by CandlelightWhether you come for the atmosphere or the port and hot chocolate, it’s the ideal late-night chill out Even if you’ve heard of evensongs and eucharists, Compline may well be a new one for you. It’s an ancient form of night prayer going back over a thousand years and is not just a great way to chill out during a hectic week but also a really good place to get to know other Chapel-goers.…read moreAsking the Big Questions – Guest Preachers & Sunday Evensong
Asking the Big Questions – Guest Preachers & Sunday EvensongHave you figured out the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything yet? See if any of our distinguished guest speakers (from scientists and novelists, to bishops and missionaries) do better than old boy Douglas Adams’ ‘42’ Chapel is not about indoctrinating people and saying we have all the answers but rather about encouraging you to ask the big questions, to think for yourselves…read moreAn Oasis of Calm - 6.30pm Choral Evensongs
An Oasis of Calm - 6.30pm Choral Evensongs(Daily except Mondays) Where else would you get a world-famous choir singing every evening on your doorstep? Cambridge life is intense. If you haven’t found that out yet, you soon will and though you might not expect it (may never even have been to Church before), Choral Evensong could be the answer. It’s 45 minutes of peace and quiet where no one will bother you and…read moreWelcoming the World - 10.30am Sung Eucharists
Welcoming the World - 10.30am Sung EucharistsA formal, cathedral-style service with visitors from all round the world and sherry afterwards Sometimes in Cambridge it can feel that all you ever see are other students but the 10.30am Sung Eucharist is a real mixing-pot. There are a number of families, often there to support the boys in the choir, a good number of people of all ages who work and live in the town, and a constant flow…read moreWednesday Communion in Chapel
Wednesday Communion in ChapelWednesdays during term time 8.30am - 8.50am Holy Communion in Chapel all students and staff are welcome to attend this simple weekly said Eucharist.read moreThe Heart of the Chapel Community - 8.30am College Communion & Chapel Breakfast
The Heart of the Chapel Community - 8.30am College Communion & Chapel BreakfastWhere everybody knows your name! It may seem rather early but the 8.30am Communion is the main student service and the one place where you can get totally involved and play a big part in writing or leading the service (or if you prefer, just come along and get to know people). Tourists aren’t allowed, though we do often have visiting families or friends, or else Old Johnians back to…read moreBeing Johnian - Annual Highlights for the Whole of College
Being Johnian - Annual Highlights for the Whole of CollegeCollege is not like school, nobody will make you come to anything. It’s entirely your choice but some things are pretty much unmissable at least once in your time here and are part and parcel of being Johnian. Matriculation Service, Tuesday of Freshers’ Week Your formal welcome to the College. Held on the Tuesday of Freshers’ Week, immediately after the Matriculation Photograph and…read moreFor students
For studentsSt John’s has a lively Chapel Community with lots going on – from big choral services with our world-famous choir to the informal College Communion with our worship band and lots of student involvement; from pilgrimages all round the world to parties, early morning punting and extreme complines. There’s something for everyone, no matter how great or how little your faith, whatever your…read moreVenue hire for recording
Venue hire for recordingThe Chapel is available for hire as a recording venue for up to three, three hour sessions a day where the Chapel is closed to the public.We do not have any recording equipment for hire, but are able to provide benches and chairs for the recording artists and engineers.To enqire about hiring the Chapel for recording commercially, please download the documents below and contact Mr Stephen…read moreThe Chapel Organ
The Chapel OrganIn the late 1980s it became apparent that the mechanism of the organ was in need of major reconstruction and it was clear that the time had come for the organ to be dismantled completely so that thorough repairs might take place.Following the appointment of a consultant in 1987 and a College committee, discussions took place about the future of the instrument. An early decision was that the…read more