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

8-Aug Email from the Rector
 

Included in this email:
  • A thank you note…
  • This week’s Online Sunday Service
  • A request for help editing our videos
  • Update on Midweek Communion Services
  • Our choir goes a visiting…
  • Photos for Harvest

 

 
 

We are about half way through the school summer holidays and our Summer Hampers initiative to combat holiday hunger amongst the primary school children in the village.  Recently we received a lovely email of thanks which concluded saying, “Thank you again from the bottom of my heart you really are amazing for the time and effort put into this and I am so very grateful for your help.” 
We felt it was important to share this feedback, and to thank you for your generosity in making this possible.  You have funded the Hampers project, and contributed generously to the Foodbank over the past few months.  Thank you for enabling our ministry to the most vulnerable in our community – it is so important that our Christian faith is put into action in ways like this.
God bless you – Richard.

 
 

“You really are amazing…”

 

 
 

Faith strong enough to walk on water?

 

 
 
Are you “buffeted by the waves and a struggling against the wind”?  At the moment lot of us can relate to the situation the disciples face in the Gospel reading today (Matt 14:22-33) – Listen to Carol Hopper one of our Reader Ministers as she shares how we can have faith despite adverse conditions.  At the end of the video we say goodbye to Jennie May after twenty plus years as part of our church family.  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!

 

 
 

St Helen’s Choir Visit’s Guildford – Virtually.
In recent years, as the choir have grown in strength, they have visited different cathedrals to take services during the summer – this week they are the guest choir (virtually of course) at Guildford Cathedral and you can hear them on this link.
https://www.guildford-cathedral.org/events/diary/2020-08-09/the-cathedral-eucharist-09-August-2020

 
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
Are you growing fruit and veg in your back-garden?  Has your allotment had more attention than normal these last few months?  If so, please can you take photos of your green-fingered exploits and the ‘fruits of your labour’ for a Harvest 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.
 

It was really uplifting to worship with over fifty members of the Church Family when we gathered in garden of The Rectory for our first Sunday Service last week.  Many thanks to all who came along, for making it such a joyous occasion, and for strategically placing chairs and rugs in a proper, socially-distant manner! 

Save the date: 3.30pm on Sept 20th
for our next Open Air Service.

 

 

 

 
 

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.