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

05-Nov Weekend Email with Livestream Link

 
 
  • Sunday’s Services
  • Remembrance Evensong
  • St Helen’s Fellowship Talks – all welcome!
  • Evensong at St Albans Abbey – Richard will be made honorary Canon! RSVP required
  • “Listening with Love and Faith” Report
  • Chapel Hub’s Advent Calendar Fundraiser
  • Church of England Digital Charter
  • Remembrance Sunday
SUNDAY’S SERVICES
 
Recently over 100 people completed a comprehensive survey about different aspects of the Worship at our churches.  At the 10am service on Sunday 6th November, Richard will be sharing the findings from the survey and our plans for the future.  After the service there will be a brief opportunity for feedback and questions in the Lady Chapel until 11:45am. Please join us, either in church or click here to watch online.
This Sunday there will be another of our popular Mossy Church services at St Peter’s at 3.30pm. This time we think about Autumn as a time of rest. Please dress for the weather, as we will will be outside. Hot chocolate to follow! 
All welcome of all ages. Come and worship God outside in nature with craft and collecting activities.

This time of year is traditionally a season when we remember those we love but are no longer with us.  All are invited to a special “Remembering our Loved Ones” service* at St Helen’s Church on Sunday 6th November at 6pm.  During the service, we will light candles to remember more than 110 of your friends and family and their names will appear on screen.

You are very welcome to come to church to attend the service. Alternatively, you can watch this beautiful and moving service online, by clicking on this link.   * Contrary to the description on the poster, the service isn’t actually “Evensong” – but we are confident you will enjoy it anyway!
ST HELEN’S FELLOWSHIP THURSDAYS, 2.45PM AT MEAD HALL
  • Thursday, 10th November – A talk by Stephen Potter, St Albans Tour Guide
  • Thursday, 17th November – “Israel Reflections” by Louise and Brian Edwards
ALL WELCOME!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT ST PETER’S CHURCH!
We are having a cleaning morning at St. Peter’s Church on Saturday 12 November between 10am – 12noon.  If you are able to spare some time and come and help it would be greatly appreciated. For more information contact Kath Andrews on 01582 832267.
Evensong at St Albans Abbey Saturday 26 November at 4pm
Richard will be made an honorary Canon at this service.  This is an honour for the whole Parish, and we would love it if you could come to the service and stay for celebratory drinks and nibbles at the Abbey’s Refectory afterwards. Please let Richard or Mel know if you plan to come, so that we can let the Abbey know for catering.
The Church of England has recently published the reports following the Living in Love and Faith exercise that we participated in earlier in the year. The reports “aim to gather what has emerged from this churchwide engagement regarding questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage.” This includes the feedback we gave as a church and individuals. The report “Listening with Love and Faith: Gathered responses from churchwide engagement”, is available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/28112 The blurb on the back cover says, “It seeks to offer a faithful, accurate and evidenced account of the responses to the LLF questionnaire, the focus groups and the creative responses submitted by participants in a variety of forms. The publication of Listening with Love and Faith marks the beginning of the final stage of the LLF journey: discernment leading to decision making about a way forward. By means of this report, the views, prayers and stories of those who have participated in the LLF process will accompany the bishops as they attend to the Scriptures and seek to discern what the Spirit is saying to the Church of England at this time.” Having read large parts of the report myself, I’d really encourage you to do two things:  firstly – read it for yourself, it provides a very helpful overview of the different perspectives across the church. Secondly – pray for the Bishops and the Church as we move from learning to discussion and ultimately to key decisions for the future of the Church of England.
Appeal from The Chapel Hub, Brewhouse Hill
To raise funds for a new door for the old Chapel Building on Brewhouse Hill, now our community gym, The Chapel Gym, the Chapel Hub is launching their own version of an ‘Advent Calendar’, Doors can be bought on www.chapelhub.co.uk/fundraising between now and December 24th.
   
At October’s PCC meeting we discussed and agreed to sign up to the Church of England’s digital charter. This is a voluntary pledge for individual Christians as well as churches to sign to help make social media and the web more widely positive places for conversations to happen.

The digital landscape has changed so much in the last few years and will continue to do so as technology develops. It’s important to think about how the conversations we’re having can help change someone’s newsfeed for the better.

What does it look like to be a Christian online? Everyone’s engagement is different. Whether you’re a member of clergy using Twitter or a churchgoer replying to the comments on a blog, we all have different views, histories and areas of interest that will affect how we perceive things, and our responses to those events. The comments we make can reach thousands and even millions of people both in this country and around the world very quickly.

However, there are a number of ways we can make the digital world as loving and generous as we would when speaking face to face:

  • Truth – we should hold ourselves to high ideals of checking that what we post online is fair and factual.
  • Kindness – we are all different and that makes the world an interesting place – and at times a challenging one. Think the best of people, whether they share our views or are speaking against them and aim to be constructive in the way we engage.
  • Welcome – in the language we use and the way we interact. It’s easy for Christians to speak in another language using words that those outside the Church might not relate to.
  • Inspiration – we are called to be witnesses of our faith and to use social media in a way that genuinely engages others.
  • Togetherness – we are one Church and other members of this Church are our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is crucial we treat those around us in this way.
  • Safeguarding – if you have any concerns about the wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults, please contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer.
  • Agree to the Church’s and Archbishops’ social media guidelines (www.churchofengland.org)
  • We will support all those who post online in connection with St Helen’s and St Peter’s to adhere to the points above and will be reviewing online posts regularly. Helen Caldwell, Churchwarden is the named officer to whom any concern regarding online content should be reported.
Events and Activities this week (at St. Helen’s Church unless otherwise indicated). Please ask if you need further details
Monday 7th November9.00am – 11.30am  Coffee in the Chancel 11.15am – 12.15pm  Following the Message Study Group 7.30pm – 9.15pm  Bell Ringing Practice

Tuesday 8th November10.00am – 11.30am  Coffee in the Chancel

Wednesday  9th November9.30am – 11.00am  The Ark Parent-and-Toddler Group 10.30am – 11.30am  Coffee NOT in the Chancel via Zoom1.30pm – 3.00pm  English Lessons for Ukrainians

Thursday 10th November10.00am – 12.00pm  U3A Visit 2.45pm – 4.15pm  St Helen’s Fellowship at Mead Hall Friday 11th November7.00pm – 9.00pm Choir Practice

Saturday 12th November9.15am Celtic Morning Prayer 10.00am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel 2.00pm – 3.00pm Baptism Group Prep Session Sunday 13th November 10.00am – 10.45am Parish Communion 10.45pm – 11.30pm Remembrance Sunday Outdoor Service at the War Memorial