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

16-Aug Email from the Rector

 

Included in this email:
  • This week’s Online Sunday Service
  • A request for help editing our videos
  • Update on Midweek Communion Services
  • In case you missed it – a choral mass
  • Photos for Harvest

Mary, humble servant or radical and dangerous?

 
The song of Mary, the Magnificat, is well known from our Evensong service, but did you know it has been banned in history? Barbara Doye looks at another side of Mary – not meek and mild, but with a challenging, hard and strong message.
Click here to view the video.
 

Help us share the load of video editing…

 

 

Until now, all of our Online Sunday Services have been edited by one incredibly dedicated and reliable volunteer.  It’s long overdue that we should share the responsibility so we don’t rely on one person.  Could you, or someone you know serve the church by editing our weekly Online Sunday Service?  It could be shared by more than one person and they don’t even need to live locally as it can all be done remotely.  Perhaps someone studying a related subject at Uni???  We currently use Apple Mac software – we may even be able to lend you a laptop with the necessary software.  Please contact us if you know someone who could help – especially in September!

 

A choral mass for St Helen’s 
Last Sunday the beautiful sound of our choir singing Haydn’s Little Organ Mass was heard in both Guildford and Coventry Cathedrals!
A special choral mass was recorded in St Helen’s using the same music.
Click here if you missed it.

 

 
Midweek Communion Services on pause.

Over the years our parish has benefited enormously from the contribution made by different retired ministers.  The Bishop has recently written to the ministers who are over 70 and encouraged them to prioritise their own safety and therefore pause their involvement in taking services.  Because of this it will not be possible to continue our mid-week Communion services through August.  We very much look forward to the time when the retired ministers can be more actively involved again.  We will review whether we restart the midweek communion once our Sunday services have resumed in September.
Growing Together
Don’t forget to take photos of your “Cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green” for a Photo Gallery that will form part of our Harvest celebrations in the Autumn.  No need to send the pictures in quite yet… but get snapping and we’ll let you know what to do with them nearer the time.

We’re here for you and help is at hand!
We have set up teams offering both pastoral and practical support, so please let others support you – they are keen to do so! Hilary Hollick is helping organise this – so do contact her by email here, or on 01582 832567.  Alternatively call the village wide helpline “Support for All” on 01582 380910.  

Let’s get social…  

We look forward to catching up on your latest news either on Sunday at 11am or Wednesday from 10:30am.  Please use the links below as we gather together using the video conferencing platform Zoom.


Click on the Meeting ID and password to join either session.

Coffee After the Online Service Coffee NOT in the Chancel
Every Sunday at 11am Every Wednesday from 10:30am
Meeting ID: 844 7123 3219
Password: 527776		 Meeting ID: 828 3397 7877
Password: 304021

In addition to these social events, you are invited to join us for Morning Prayer.  We meet at 9am from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday using Zoom. Download the details here including links to the liturgy we follow.