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

Email from the Rector

 


The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want…

This Sunday marks the start of Christian Aid Week.  An opportunity to show our love for our distant neighbour in the same way as we have done for our actual nearby neighbours in recent weeks.  This week our service features a very prestigious visiting speaker – a retired Archbishop no less!
You might like to have a bowl of water, some soap and a towel close at hand to participate in the service.  All will be revealed!  Click here to view it.Donations to Christian Aid can be made online here 

As ever, if you find the service helpful, please consider who else might benefit from it and forward this email or share it via our Facebook group.

 
Click here to visit our website and watch the video of this week’s “online service” – or here to view it on YouTube.

V.E. Day celebrations…


It has been very uplifting to see the bunting out around the village for the VE Day celebrations and well done to everyone who made the effort and had a responsible, socially-distant celebration.  If you missed the Parish Council’s online celebration you can watch the whole two hours here.  Or see just the message I recorded by clicking the link here. 

Easter Evensong:  Music to your ears!
In “normal times” (remember them?) Evensong was one of the fastest growing services in our church.  I’m delighted that the choir have been able to record a special Easter Evensong which will be a real musical feast.  Click here to listen.   There is even an Order of Service you can use to follow the service available here. Rob Milner our Choir Director writes… 

The music for this service has each voice recorded separately and edited into what you hear. A couple of pieces are just our choirmaster Rob and his daughter but most are collaborations with the wider choir. Our organist Simon has also recorded the organ part and the two voluntaries remotely on his home digital organ.

The selection is a celebration of Easter with music mostly from the 19th Century. Stanford’s setting of the Magnificat (Song of Mary) and Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) is probably the best known setting of all. His anthem Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem is an explosion of joy about the risen Christ. We come back down to earth at the end with Stainer’s beautiful evening hymn “Hail gladdening light”.

Because this service is produced in HD and is best listened to on a good pair of headphones or speakers if you have them, but I’m confident you will enjoy it however you listen!

Coffee not in the Chancel
Lots of us are missing our community coffee shop which is usually open four mornings a week.  It acts as a social hub for lots of different groups in the village. So, every Wednesday morning from 11am until midday, you can join us for sociable, friendly conversation at our Zoom Gathering.  Unfortunately you will have to provide your own tea and coffee!
As above – click this Zoom link or use this Meeting ID (850 9955 2070) and Password (086780) via the www.zoom.us website.

Did you hear the bell chime?  

Many of us have missed the sound of the Church Bells calling us to worship and announcing to the village that we are praying for them.  Now the Bishop has said that one person may go into the church we’ve arranged for a bell ringer to chime the treble bell during the weekly Clap For Carers at 8pm each Thursday.  I found it very moving to hear this audible note of solidarity ring out across the village – it was as though we could announce to the whole village that the church was praying for all the front line key workers.  Please do keep praying for all the key workers.God bless you, with love and prayers – Richard

We’re here for you and help is at hand!
We all recognise the challenges of “social distancing” so please continue to reach out and make contact with others in your social circle, including friends from Church.  If you would like to contact another member of our Church family, fill in this simple email form or leave a message on (01582) 834031 and we will try to put you in touch with them. The Government advice is clear – if you are over 70 years old you should be restricting your movements outside the house as much as possible. 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.  The message is clear:  WHATEVER YOU NEED, CALL and GET HELP!