90 min exposure of air-raid taken by News International. The streaks of passing bombers can be clearly seen

Background
After the Great Fire of London in 1666 St Bride's was rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren, one of his most expensive and elaborate churches. Since the sixteenth century the area was particularly associated with printing and latterly newspaper-making, so that St Bride's became known as the journalists' church. During the Blitz the church was fire-bombed on the night of 29th December 1940, and the nave was completely destroyed. In 1953 the work of reconstruction began, and the beautifully restored church was rededicated, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, on 19th December 1957.

Since then St Bride's has established itself as the church for the media industry, and for the commercial firms who have moved to Fleet Street in recent years. It retains strong City links, has built up an enviable musical reputation, and is home to thriving Sunday congregations, as well as being a major tourist landmark. Our aim in our 50th Anniversary years is not only to look backwards in commemoration but also ahead to the future, as we seek to develop and extend our ministry to our various constituencies.

Press Association 100th Anniversary Service

After the rededication in 1957 St Bride's continued its ministry to the newspaper world of Fleet Street, hosting baptisms, weddings and memorial services, as well as offering regular weekday worship for those who worked in the area. The St Bride's Choir began to establish its formidable musical reputation, and the Guild of St Bride became the backbone of Sunday worship.

In 1967 St Bride's was packed for a service to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the Press Association, whose offices were next door. The glass doors at the West End were a gift to mark the occasion. Through the generosity of Sir Max Aitken a permanent exhibition was mounted in the crypt chronicling the history of the site and of Fleet Street, and this was renewed with the help of Reuters twenty five years later. In the late 1980's the spire was floodlit so that it can be seen in all its beauty at night, especially crossing Waterloo or London Bridge. St Bride's witnessed the departure of the newspapers in the late 1980's after bitter struggles, but the Rector, Canon John Oates, worked hard to maintain warm relations not just with the newspapers but with the new firms moving into Fleet Street, chiefly law firms, accountants and investment banks.

Rupert Murdoch at Sir Edward Pickering's 90th Birthday

During the hostage crisis of the mid 80's St Bride's hosted all night vigils for John McCarthy and others, and on their release a grand service of celebration was held. In 1989 the new Assembly Room was built, opened by the Princess of Wales. Links were forged with St James's School Zongoro in Zimbabwe, which continue to this day. And throughout all this there was a continuous steam of baptisms, weddings and memorial services. We have commemorated John Schofield, BBC reporter killed in Croatia in 1995; and many others including BBC figures such as Godfrey Talbot, Louis MacMillan and Leonard Miall, newspaper proprietors Lord Burnham, Lord Rothermere and Lord Hartwell, Sir Edward Pickering, Michael Cudlipp, the Guardian's Mary Stott, David Astor of the Observer, Editors including Stewart Steven and Louis Kirby, Fiona MacPherson of Harpers and Queen magazine, and Reuters journalists Kerem Lawton and Doon Campbell, Gaby Rado, Daniel Pearl, Terry Lloyd of ITN and the BBC Cameraman Simon Cumbers. In 2003 we unveiled a memorial to journalists killed in the Iraq War, and this year we commemorated James Brolan and Paul Douglas, CBS journalists killed in Baghdad.

Canon John Oates and HRH the Princess of Wales at the opening of the new Assembly Room

In March 2002 we celebrated 300 years of printed daily newspapers at a service attended by senior media representatives and HRH the Prince of Wales, and in 2005 we bade farewell to Reuters at another service which brought together major figures from Fleet Street. This year, in October 2006 we celebrated one hundred years of the Newspaper Publishers Association; and in 2007, as we look back over 50 years since the church's rededication, we shall also be looking ahead to the future and the development of the ministry of this remarkable central London church.

Canon David Meara, Lord Rothermere & Bishop of London Richard Chartres

The media industry we seek to serve is undergoing massive changes as it grapples with the revolution in technology and the growth of the internet and digital technology. We have already built stronger links with the broadcasting media, and we are working hard to maintain and develop our networks as the media village scatters across London. There is still a 'virtual' Fleet Street community and St Bride's is its spiritual heart. Through the development of a St Bride's Media Forum we aim to strengthen our network and offer an arena for debate and discussion about issues of value, morality and meaning which are relevant to today's journalists.

Holy Baptism on a Sunday morning with Canon David Meara and the Curate, the Revd. George Pitcher

Fifty years ago the then Rector, Cyril Armitage chose as his theme to launch the post-war restoration appeal, "Beauty for Ashes". This theme is a fitting description of a record of 50 years of service and ministry in the life of St Bride's. It is the text (from Isaiah 61) which the composer Bob Chilcott will use for a specially composed anthem to be given its premiere at the service of celebration in November 2007. Out of the darkness and destruction of that night of 29th December 1940 has come something beautiful which remains the spiritual heart both of the parish of St Bride's and of the journalistic community in Britain and throughout the world. We hope that St Bride's will continue to play that important and vital role as we look ahead with confidence to the future.

PROGRAMME
Services & Events
14th January 2007, 6:30pm
A Commemorative Service to mark the fire-bombing of the church on 29th December 1940, followed by a reception.
4th February 2007, 11:00am
Annual Service for the Guild of Saint Bride, including the dedication of the new Guild Virge.
25th February 2007, 11:00am
Lent Sermon Series: "50 Years On in an unstable world": Rageh Omaar, Al Jazeera.
4th March 2007, 11:00am
Lent Sermon Series: "Fifty Years On in a changing church": The Revd. Canon Eric James.
11th March 2007, 11:00am
Lent Sermon Series: "Fifty Years On in the Spiritual Market Place": The Revd. Lynda Barley.
18th March 2007, 11:00am
Celebration of 20 Years of the Sunday School, followed by an anniversary party.
25th March 2007, 11:00am
Lent Sermon Series: "Fifty Years On for Women in the Church": The Revd. Canon Lucy Winkett.
1st April 2007, 11:00am
Lent Sermon Series: "Fifty Years On in the Media": Maggie Brown, Guardian Correspondent.
15th May 2007, 6:45pm
Ceremonial Beating of the Bounds, including River Boundary.
12th July 2007, 12:00 noon onwards
St Bride's Summer Party 14th October 2007, 11:00am The Harvest of the Printed Word: A World Record attempt for the number of newspapers displayed in one place at one time.
October 2007
A new Treasury, displaying the St Bride's plate, installed at the West End of the Church.
November 2007
Service of Celebration & Reception including Dedication of the New Treasury, displaying the St Bride's plate.

Music & Concerts
21st February 2007, 7:00pm
Lent Concert Series: A Festival of Music for Lent and Easter begins, featuring Allegri's Miserere.
7th March 2007, 7:00pm
Lent Concert Series: Carissimi's Jephtha, and Scarlatti's Stabat Mater.
21st March 2007, 7:00pm
Lent Concert Series: Howells' 'Requiem' and 'Take Him Earth for Cherishing'.
4th April 2007, 7:00pm
Lent Concert Series: Stainer's Crucifixion
18th April 2007, 7:00pm
Lent Concert Series: Handel's Messiah.
17th May 2007, 7:00pm
St Bride's Choir Spring Concert: Popular Music 1950-2000
20th & 21st June 2007, 7:00pm
EC4 Music Concerts
8th July 2007, 7:00pm
City of London Festival Concert of French Music