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

31-Jul Weekend Email with Livestream Link

 

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In this email:
  • Sunday’s Service
  • Thank you from Richard
  • Cleaning Party at St Peter’s
  • Praying through the Vacancy
  • BIke n Hike
  • Prayer Request for Youth Group
  • Community Larder
  • Feedback on Re-ordering St Helen’s Church.
  • Parish BBQ
DIARY CHANGES – Summer Holidays
  • Coffee in the Chancel – holiday opening hours. Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10–11.30am.
  • ‘The Ark’ Parent-and-Toddler group has finished for the term. Summer special session on Wednesday 13th August, 9.30-11am, St Helen’s Church.

 

 

 

 

 
 
Sunday’s Service
Join us in St Helen’s Church at 10am for our All Age Communion Service. Our guest minister this week is Revd Hugh Wikner. Hugh worked in the City of London as a stockbroker for 30 years and combined this with his church ministry where he’s been licensed for over 40 years. He’s a long-time resident of Potters Bar and enjoys playing golf and also acting as a tournament referee. He knows Wheathampstead very well as his wife used to live in Wick Avenue before they were married!

Do join us in church to welcome Hugh and to listen to his sermon. If you can’t join us in church, please join us online.  Click here or on the image above for the YouTube link.
 

 

 
Thank you from Richard
A huge thank you to everyone from St Helen’s and St Peter’s who came to our Installation Service in Watford on Monday.  It was so heart warming to have so many friendly and familiar faces in the congregation.  It was a very moving service for me, and I now feel more spiritually equipped to lead the church here in a context which is so very different.  As a family we want to thank you again for the amazing send off and all your cards and messages of support.  For those who were not able to come, you can read a bit about it in the Watford Observer here…

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/25352264.richard-banham-appointed-new-vicar-st-marys-watford/.

With love and prayers to you all – Richard, Claire, Lauren and Sam.

With lots of love – Richard

 
Cleaning Party at St Peter’s
Saturday 9th August
10 – 11.30am

Please contact Kath and Keith Andrews
07794 354409 for information.
ZOOM LINK: https://tinyurl.com/ymrfkfx9

To download a prayer booklet, please click here.

Vacancy Prayer Themes for 31st July
  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).

 
Prayer request – Youth Group
Please pray for 3 of our youth group, and Richard and Claire, attending the Satellites Youth Camp next week. The camp, run by Youthscape, is designed to inspire teenagers to live with God at the centre of their lives 365 days a year.
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!

 
 

Feedback on the Congregation Consultation for St Helen’s Church in May
Thanks to all who responded to our request for comments on the proposals for Re-ordering St Helen’s Church. There were a total of 41 responses, of which there was an overwhelming majority in favour of the principle of re-ordering the Church. There were some concerns and clarifications requested about various aspect of the scheme. To this end the Building Works Group will be holding a series of meetings with Church user groups during the next stage of the design process.

In the meantime, our Architects are preparing planning application drawings for the first phase of the scheme, and there will be further consultation with various Village Community Groups and the General Public, at the Church on 3rd September 2025, from 3.30-8pm, as part of the planning process.

Building Works Group
August 2025

 

 
St Helen’s and St Peter’s are joining in on the fun and welcoming bikers and hikers in aid of the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust. I will be biking to raise some money for both the HC Trust and St Helens and St Peter’s (50/50). Come and join me!
Please click on the flyer to sign up online if you are coming to the BBQ!
 

 

 
 

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

 

 
 

Monday 4th August
7.30pm – 9.15pm Bellringing Practice

Tuesday 5th August10.00am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel

Wednesday 6th August

Thursday 7th August

 

 

Friday 8th August

Saturday 9th August
9.15am – 10.00am Celtic Morning Prayer
10.00am – 11.30am Cleaning Party at St Peter’s
10.00am – 11.30am Coffee in the Chancel

Sunday 10th August
10.00am – 11.00am Parish Communion Service
12.00pm – 2.00pm Picnic at St Peter’s