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

Midweek Email: Ascension Day
 


Ascension Day is a red letter day in the church calendar – the day we celebrate the completion of Jesus’ earthly ministry and his return to heaven where he ‘is seated at God’s right hand on high’ and ‘ever lives to intercede for us’.  Our Deanery Ascension Day Service was filmed at St Leonard’s in Flamstead by Fr Tom, each of the churches locally (Kimpton & Ayot, Flamstead & Markyate, Harpenden, Redbourn, Sandridge, Southdown) have contributed to the service – including the hymns, anthem and sermon from St Helen’s.  If you have been missing the liturgy of a communion service then you will especially enjoy it.  Click here to watch it.

 

 
 
This week we are introducing something new…  The Mid-Week Catch Up is a short video chat with a member of our community each week.  We are missing seeing you all so these conversations will give us the opportunity to hear from a wider range of people, and hear more about how different lives are being impacted to Covid-19 in different ways.
 

Local Initiative:  Mid-week Catch up

 

 
 

This week we start by chatting to Beth & Martin Styles, who share with us the joys and challenges of combining full-time work with home-schooling for Jack & Millie.  Click here to view it.

 

 
 

Here are the final details of how each of us can be involved in Thy Kingdom Come: the worldwide movement of prayer which Archbishops Justin and Sentamu have invited every Christian to be part of.  Emma Buchan, Project Director for Thy Kingdom Come writes, “Prayer, and prayer that God would empower all Christians to show and tell of God’s love to all, is always important but maybe none more so than at this time.  Whether you have been involved before or not, whether you have planned lots or not had the opportunity to yet, it’s not too late to be involved in this specially adapted Thy Kingdom Come, which starts this Thursday (running through to Pentecost Sunday on 31st May).
The Thy Kingdom Come team have tried to make it as easy as possible for as many people to get involved as possible.  Below are some ways to get involved:
  1. DOWNLOAD the free Thy Kingdom Come app – packed full with videos, reflections, a daily podcast from N.T. Wright and the daily prayer journal (a great start to any day) from the Apple or Android app stores, simply search for “Thy Kingdom Come Prayer” (most resources available in a range of languages);
  2. SHARE the wide range of free resources available from thykingdomcome.global including a new augmented reality Family Prayer Adventure Map, a beautiful Prayer Journal, resources to host a continuous prayer room online (24/7), liturgical resources, a Journey with Mary and much more.
  3. REGISTER on the website (www.thykingdomcome.global/lightuptheworld) what you are doing and where so we can encourage one another by lighting up the interactive map in prayer
When the Spirit of God came upon those waiting, watching and praying that first Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were not in the temple and they were not on the streets. They were in a home.  Church buildings may have been shut but the Church has maybe never been as open, with vibrant, faith fuelled prayer in households up and down our nation and Christians mobilised to do the works of Jesus Christ as we serve and support those in our communities most in need: prayer and care hand in hand.”
As Archbishops Justin and Sentamu have said, “We’ll be taking part in what is sure to be a unique Thy Kingdom Come this year. We encourage you to join us in watching, waiting and praying, as the first Christians did, for God’s Spirit to equip and empower us to be a people who reflect the hope of Jesus in a world of need”

 

 
Staying connected – Date for the Diary!
Over thirty different people joined our “coffee after the service” on Easter Day and 3rd May via Zoom.  It really cheered us up to see one another (on screen) and hear each other’s news.  So we invite you to join us every Sunday at 11am and for Pentecost on 31st May we are inviting everyone to brighten the day by wearing something RED..
We will send the link and detail with our email at the weekend.  We hope to see you then!
God bless you – Richard