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


Midweek Email from the Rector


We’re all in this together – but we may be having very different experiences of lockdown.  Some are enjoying more time than ever before in the garden, others are being driven crazy home schooling children or by being ‘cooped up’ in a small space.

The church is here to offer support in various different ways. 
If you’re lonely, we can put you in touch with other members of the congregation (call the office 834031).  If you need practical support there are people who want to help (call Hilary on 832567).

But there will be many people who are experiencing financial hardship because of redundancy, collapse of their businesses or other loss of income caused by the current lockdown.  For many years the St Helen’s Community Fund has provided financial assistance to people needing support.  In the past we’ve provided all sorts of support including food, emergency overnight accommodation, replacement cookers and fridges, help to cover unexpected bills, contributed to specialist medical equipment and other family costs.  If you, or someone you know is in need of support, please, please, please put them in touch with us by emailing richard@banham.org  or fill in this simple form on their behalf.

 

Don’t forget to “like, comment and subscribe!”

We have been bowled over by the number of generous, thoughtful and appreciative comments about the Online Sunday Services we’re producing.  From the volume of positive feedback, many of you are clearly finding the short services helpful at this challenging time.  For years I’ve been encouraging you to invite your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to our carol services.  And I know issuing an invitation to come to church is hard.  Ironically it is now much easier to ‘invite’ people to experience our worship – and it coincides with a time of greatly increased spiritual searching.

Did you know Googles searches for ‘Prayer’
have sky-rocketed over the past six weeks?

To share our services all you need to do is forward the email to those who might be interested – perhaps family members who used to come to church?  Or for the large number of us who use Facebook, visit our page  or our group and click on Share – type a comment and all your friends will be able to see the video.  It’s easy and the risk of upsetting or offending people is virtually zero.  It’s never been easier to grow our ‘virtual congregation’, share the good work of our team and multiply those who have a chance to hear the Good News of God’s love. Because of those who have already done so, I’ve had feedback from Switzerland, Norfolk and Shropshire!

 

 

Staying connected – a date for your diary
Over thirty different people joined our “coffee after the service” on Easter Day 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 at 11am on Sunday 3rd May (not this Sunday – but next) and then again for Pentecost on 31st MayWe hope to see you then!
 

We know that this is a challenging time but we trust in God
that He will help us get through it.

Even if our emotions are up and down we know that God’s love is constant – we pray that you will know more of this amazing love to sustain you this week… and do get in touch if there are other ways
we can support you and those you love.

God bless you – with love and prayers,
Richard