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

16-Jul Midweek Email
 

In this email:
  • Thank you from the Banhams
  • Memory Photo Book – help needed
  • Vacancy Meeting with Bishop Jane – TONIGHT!
  • Praying through the Vacancy
  • Invitation to Richard’s Licensing Service
  • Community Larder
  • Church Development Project
  • Parish BBQ
  • St Helen’s Fellowship – Summer Programme

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you from the Banhams!
It is near impossible to put into words how we are feeling at the end of a simply extraordinary weekend.
Our hearts are full as we reflect on the many, many kind and thoughtful things that you wrote and said to us, as we made our goodbyes to Wheathampstead and to the St Helen’s & St Peter’s church family.
We apologise that we won’t be able to write to each and every one of you, to say thank you for your kindness, your love and your amazing generosity.  But please know that we deeply appreciate all that you have done for us as we leave, and throughout our time with you.  Thank you especially to all of you who worked so hard to throw a simply superb leaving celebration.  The memories of this last weekend will stay with us for a very long time.

We hope to see many of you at the Licensing event on the 28th, but until then or we next see you, “Au revoir”, “Adios” and THANK YOU!

Love and prayers
Richard & Claire, Lauren & Sam xx
Help needed – Photo book for the Banhams

 

We have a large number of photos, including those from the slideshow in church and a number taken at the party in the afternoon. Does anyone currently use an app or piece of software and could easily convert
these to a photobook? (We’d give you the photos on a memory stick.) All costs will be refunded by church. Please email Linda 58linda.thomas@gmail.com if you can help.
 

 

 
 

VACANCY MEETING
WEDNESDAY 16TH JULY
7.30PM, ST HELEN’S CHURCH

We very much hope that as many people as possible will attend the Vacancy
meeting at St Helen’s church at 7.30 pm on Wednesday July 16th to hear Bishop Jane and Archdeacon Charles Hudson explain the process involved in appointing a new Rector for our parish.

An important part of the evening will be an opportunity for us all to respond to 3
questions that will help with the choice of the right person to lead us. To help us prepare, the 3 questions about our churches in recent years will be:

  • What have been successes?
  • What have been challenges?
  • What is the vision of the parish and opportunities for the future?

If you are unable to join us on that evening please send any responses you may have to Pippa Legg (pipparlegg@gmail.com) before July 22nd so that the PCC can review responses and the way forward.

 

 
ZOOM LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ymrfkfx9

To download a prayer booklet, please click here.

Vacancy Prayer Themes for 17th July
  1. Please pray for our relationship with the Diocese and Deanery. We need their support during this time. We also need them to provide us wisdom in appointing a new rector.
  2. Please pray for the wider community of Wheathampstead especially St Helen’s school that our relationship with them continues to grow and flourish.
  3. Please pray for the appointment of the new Rector. For wisdom in choosing the right person, someone who is focussed on the vision and mission of our church.
  4. Please pray that God continues to bless not only our church and it’s new Rector but Richard and Claire in their new ministry.
The usual Morning Prayer sessions will continue to run in church (Monday and Tuesday) and on Zoom (Monday – Wednesday).

 
All are invited to Richard’s Licensing Service at Watford St Mary’s. Please sign up by clicking here.
The Community Larder will again be running from St Helen’s church every Tuesday 10-12 during the Summer holidays.

Please contact Helen Caldwell (07974 762997)  if you would like to volunteer to help on one or any of those Tuesdays.  This will involve receiving the food delivery that morning, laying out on tables in the lady chapel and welcoming those coming in to use it, offering coffee and cake from Coffee in the Chancel.

In addition if you would like to donate non-perishable goods please leave them in a box in the Lady Chapel, which will be available from the beginning of July.  Any financial donations are also very welcome. Please reference them for the Community Fund. Thank you!

St Helen’s Church Development Project
Do you have fund-raising or marketing experience?

We have formed a small group to raise funds to adapt the church building to support our mission to serve the village community with up to date facilities, including modern accessible toilets, enhanced kitchen facilities, meeting room and more flexible use of the space. The first phase will be two new toilets in a new small extension and a larger and more functional kitchen with further phases to follow. 

We would like to recruit two people to the group and in particular we are looking for someone who has fund-raising experience and another person with marketing experience.  These are voluntary roles. 

So if you, (or you know of anyone), who has these skills and is interested in being part of this exciting project, we’d love to hear from you (either from the wider community, or the church family).  Please contact Ginny Cooper on Ginnycoop@hotmail.co.uk  or Keith Andrews on keith.andrews19@btinternet for more information.

 

A Vibrant Hub at the Heart of our Community

 
Please click on the flyer to sign up online if you are coming to the BBQ!
 

 
 

St Helen’s Fellowship
MEN AND WOMEN welcome at St Helen’s Fellowship! Last session of the term will be a summer party with Quiz and Puds (£3) on 17th July in The Mead Hall between 2.45 and 4.15 pm. 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.

We return in the autumn – 4th September 2025.

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

 

 
 

BEREAVEMENT NOTICE

Funeral Service at St Helen’s Church

Margaret Wallace

Thursday 24 July 2pm

 

 

 
 

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

 

 
 

Monday 14th July
9.30am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel
7.30pm – 9.15pm Bellringing Practice

Tuesday 15th July9.30am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel

Wednesday 16th July
9.30am – 11.30am The Ark Parent and Toddler Group
7.30pm – 9.00pm Vacancy Consultation

Thursday 17th July
2.45pm – 4.15pm St Helen’s Fellowship at Mead Hall
3.30pm – 4.30pm Year 6 Donut “Taster Session”

 

 

Friday 18th July

Saturday 19th July
9.15am – 10.00am Celtic Morning Prayer
10.00am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel

Sunday 20th July
10.00am – 11.00am Parish Communion Service