St Helens Church, High Street, Wheathampstead, St Albans, AL4 8AA. Worship Times: 10am every Sunday


13-Feb Weekend Email with Livestream Link


 

In this email:
  • Sunday’s Services
  • Praying through the Vacancy
  • Ashing Service
  • Lent Course 2026 – last chance to sign up!
  • Fellowship Programme
  • Bishop’s Open Garden

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY’S SERVICES

 

 

 

Join us in St Helen’s Church at 10am for our Parish Communion Service. The Rev Lizzie Hood, our guest minister, returns to preside and preach at this service. If you can’t join us in church, please join us online. Click here or on the image above for the YouTube link

 

Join us at Kids Worship – 3.30pm in St Helen’s Church. Fun, informal worship with songs, stories and craft. Especially suitable for primary age children and smaller siblings, but all are welcome.

 

 

DIARY CHANGES
Half Term 16th – 20th February 2026

  • Coffee in the Chancel will be open on Tuesday 9.30am – 11.30am and Saturday 10am – 11.30am. CLOSED on Monday.
  • ‘The Ark’ Parent-and-Toddler group will not be meeting on Wednesday. Sessions resume on Wednesday 25th February at 9.30am, St Helen’s Church.

 

 

ZOOM LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ymrfkfx9
To download the new 2026 prayer booklet, please click here.

 

Vacancy Prayer Themes for 19th February
  1. Please pray for regular attendance and a fresh commitment from the congregation. If people are unwell or away for a long time we pray for their health and speedy recovery.
  2. Please pray that we would have wisdom when reviewing the program of activities and commitments the church has. What is feasible and wise to do in this period.
  3. Please pray for good communication. People need to feel both informed and listened to. This includes the wider community not just the church.
  4. Please pray for how people are feeling, their emotions at this time of change. We want the soul of the church to stay healthy. 
The usual Morning Prayer sessions will continue to run in church (Monday and Tuesday) and on Zoom (Monday – Wednesday). 
As we near the start of Lent there are several ways to get a daily devotional reading: you can pick up a handy “Draw Near” booklet (available in church from Ash Wednesday, a separate booklet with daily challenges is available for families)

You can also sign up for an email or download the Everyday Faith App
https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/lent-holy-week-and-easter/sign-draw-near-god-lent-reflections

Lent Course 2026

‘Living in the Light’ is a 5 part study that looks at the long journey of a people coming to terms with their relationship with God, and the struggle of holding onto faith in difficult circumstances. Alongside that, we look at Jesus and his own struggles against temptation, but also the developing picture of who Jesus is and what that means for us all. There’re plenty of questions to discuss as well as notes and space for thought and prayer. Please join us!

The course will begin after Ash Wednesday (18th Feb) and will end before Easter (5th April). Weekly sessions Monday – Wednesday, afternoons and evenings. Sgn-up forms available in church.

 

St Helen’s Fellowship
MEN AND WOMEN welcome at St Helen’s Fellowship! Programme below. Unless otherwise stated all meetings are held in The Mead Hall between 2.45 and 4.15 pm. The cost is £2 per week. Anyone who would appreciate a lift to meetings, please ring Gill Gwinn who will be able to tell you if we can help with this. Thanks.

Louise Edwards 01582 621197
Jill Bareham 01582 460394
Gill Gwinn (transport organiser) 07966 469754

Programme:

19th February Ol’Packers Ukulele Group
26th February Social and Board Games
5th March Holy Communion
12th March Alban Re-imagined. A talk about St Alban given by Stephen De Silva, St Alban’s Abbey Guide
19th March Chair Exercises with Sarah Donnelly
26th March Social and Board Games
2nd April Maundy Thursday Holy Communion

 

 

Snowdrop Garden Open Days — Possibly for the Last Time —
in Support of the Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust
We are pleased to share that the Bishop of St Albans’ Garden will open to visitors in February 2026, offering a much-loved chance to enjoy God’s creation in its early spring beauty. Next year’s openings may be the last time the garden is made accessible to the public, making the occasion especially meaningful.

Thousands of snowdrops and other early bulbs will be in bloom, creating a peaceful, uplifting place to wander and reflect. All proceeds will go directly to the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust, which helps fund essential repairs to historic churches across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Open Garden Dates
Abbey Gate House, Abbey Mill Lane, St Albans AL3 4HD
• Saturday 14 February
• Sunday 15 February
• Saturday 21 February
• Sunday 22 February
Time: 2pm–4pm

Entry: £5 per adult (all proceeds to the Trust)

All are warmly invited to visit the garden—perhaps for the final time as we are not sure if the new Bishop will continue to allow the garden to be opened to the public —enjoy its seasonal beauty and support the preservation of our cherished church buildings.

 

BEREAVEMENT NOTICE

The Funeral Service for the t/l Michael Bullock will be at St Helen’s Church
on Friday 27th February at 1.00pm.

 

 

 

If you have a concern about someone else or yourself:
please call 07870748773 or e mail 
Christine.anstice@yahoo.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Events and Activities this week (at St. Helen’s Church unless otherwise indicated).
Please ask if you need further details

 

 

 

Monday 16th February
7.30pm – 9.15pm Bellringing Practice

Tuesday 17th February9.30am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel
7.30pm – 10.00pm PCC Meeting

Wednesday 18th February
12.00pm – 1.30pm Ashing Service

Thursday 19th February
2.45pm – 4.15pm St Helen’s Fellowship at Mead Hall

 

 

Friday 20th February

Saturday 21st February
9.15am – 10.00am Celtic Morning Prayer
10.00am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel
12.30pm – 1.30pm Baptism of Apollo Warren-Hine

Sunday 22nd February
10.00am – 11.00am All AgeCommunion Service