No one belongs here more than you
Welcome to St Mary's with St John's
No one belongs here more than you.
Welcome and thank you for visiting our website.
Following the example of Jesus, and seeking to model the inclusive love of God, we welcome all people, whatever your status, wealth, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age, health or mobility.
Letter from
Rev Alan
21 March 2020
In these times of isolation and uncertainty, it’s important more than ever that we should continue to connect and commune with one another, albeit remotely, and in spirit, rather than in person!
The Diocese are asking, where possible, that we hold a shortened communion service once a week in church, attended only by the priest and one or two others. The hope is that members of the congregation will at the same time or later that day from home follow and pray the service. Wendy has put together an order of service which can be downloaded or read on the website here.
Please could you print off a few copies and distribute to anyone you know who may not have those facilities?
Tomorrow, Mothering Sunday, myself and two others will be at St Mary’s at 10am to celebrate the Eucharist. The reading, sermon and prayers will be recorded and will be available here later in the day. We hope to do this weekly, alternating between the two churches.
In the evening at 7 pm. We are encouraging everyone to light a candle and place it in their window as a prayer for light in these dark times. We have also produced a short evening prayer service which can be downloaded or read here, which I’d encourage us where possible to pray at that same time. You may wish to do this every evening.
Till we meet again then; may God continue to hold you in the hollow of His hand.
With love
Alan
News and Events
Be part of St Mary's while at home
Although services are suspended, you can still be part of St Mary's at home.
Go here for other ways to take part in our worship. Our monthly sermon podcasts are available here.
Meditation and Mindfulness session now available on Hertford St Andrews Facebook page here
April issue of the Parish Magazine now available on the website here
For our younger listeners,
Rev Alan reads The Worrysaurus on the St Mary's WhatsApp group. Contact David Gorton to sign up.
**Mothering Sunday podcast now available here**
Mothering Sunday 22 March
- a day of prayer and action
The Archbishops have designated Mothering Sunday a day of prayer and action. Mothering Sunday has always been both a day of celebration for many and a sensitive and emotional day for some.
Wherever you are this Sunday please do join in this day of prayer and action and remember especially those who are sick or anxious, and all involved in our Health Service.
As one action, we are calling on everyone to place a lighted candle in their window at 7.00 p.m. as a sign of solidarity and hope in the light of Christ that can never be extinguished.'
APCM
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting is postponed until further notice.
Revision of Electoral Roll
The Electoral Roll is being revised. If you would like to be on the Electoral Roll but are not currently, please complete a form (available here) and scan it and send to
Electoral Roll form
Completed forms must be returned by 5 April. Any queries, please contact Rachel Carter, PCC secretary (raich.carter@yahoo.co.uk).
#LiveLent: Care for God's Creation
To find out more about this year's 40 day challenge, on the theme of a Christian response to the climate crisis, and to sign up for email reflections, click here . Individual study books available in church.
Parish breakfast
This is now postponed until further notice.
Searching for Faith
Our short informal course exploring the Christian Faith, is now postponed.
St Mary's annual Arts Festival and Family Fun Day is now postponed.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT ST MARY'S SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES
All Sunday services and activities at St Mary's and St Andrew's are now suspended because of the Coronavirus outbreak, until further notice.
Following advice from the Diocese, the church is no longer open for private prayer.
This follows advice from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Click here to read their press release.
We are working on new ways to offer ministry. Go here on our website for our monthly podcasts and go here for other ways to join with us.
Important Dates (no services at present)
Holy Week and Easter
The services below are currently SUSPENDED
Palm Sunday 5 April 9.15 Holy Communion - St Mary's
Mon 6 April 8 pm: The seven last words from the cross - music poetry and reflection
- St Andrew's
Tues 7 April: Candle lit Taize service - St Andrew's
Wed 8 April 8 pm SoulSpace
- St Andrew's
Maundy Thursday 8 pm Holy Communion followed by a candle lit medieval service of the shadows (Tenebrae) and watch 'til 10 pm - St Andrew's
Good Friday 12 noon - 3 pm. Readings, music and reflection based on the Stations of the Cross, joined by the choir for the last hour - St Andrew's
Easter Sunday
5.30 am Dawn Service with the lighting of the first fire of Easter - St Mary's
8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP) - St Andrew's
9.15 am All age Holy Communion with Easter Egg Hunt (please remember to bring a fresh flower to decorate the cross) - St Mary's
Services at St Andrew's
Meditation and Mindfulness
Explore the riches of Christian meditation and how it fits with the practice of mindfulness. Twice a month on Wednesdays at 8pm at our sister church, St Andrew's, Hertford. Refreshments from 7.40 pm.
For more information, click here
Church at 3
A short dementia friendly service with familiar hymns and prayers for those living with dementia and their carers. Once a month at our sister church, St Andrew's, Hertford. For more details click here
Soulspace
8-8.40 pm A quiet space to be still with music, readings, mindfulness, silence and prayer. At St Andrew's once a month on a Thursday. For more details, click here
Soul Food
A modern cafe-style service in the St Andrew's Centre behind the Church on a Sunday evening with coffee, biscuits and discussion. For more details, click here
Daily prayers
‘It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness’
During these days of uncertainty and isolation, we’d encourage you all to light a candle each evening around 7pm and, if possible, to place it in a window as a sign of solidarity and hope in the darkness. For those who pray, we’d also like to suggest that you say these daily prayers (click here for the prayers) at the same time, as a way of staying connected to one another through Christ.
Sunday Services
ALL SERVICES BELOW ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED
Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer) - 8am every Sunday, except the 5th Sunday of the month
Parish Eucharist - 9.15am
every Sunday
-
with Young Church (for ages 4-11 yrs) on the 1st Sunday of the month
-
an All-Age communion service on the 2nd Sunday of the month
Evening Prayer - 6.30pm (Apr - Sept) or 3.30pm (Oct - Mar)
4th Sunday of the month
