Dear AllAttached are this week’s Welcome sheet and readings as always and the flyer to act as a reminder for Wednesday Welcome on 3rd July. This week we saw the Commissioning of our Church Wardens in a service at St Mary’s in Ware. I am thankful for all our churchwardens who have agreed to stand again this year – Sam Clarke, Janet Bellingham and Mike Shaw. Please pray for them as they work so hard to make sure all those things that need to happen to make our churches safe and welcoming places happen.Last Saturday saw our first Scarecrow Festival Workshop where so many wonderful things were made and our community came together, enjoying each others’ company, strengthening old friendships and making new friends, all working to make High Wych village ready for the Scarecrow Festival again this year. Thank you again for all the hard work by the team in getting everything ready for this event. So much hard work goes into getting things ready behind the scenes, we have an amazing team of hard working individuals, we had lots of lovely refreshments too, thanks to our refreshment team. There are lots of ways to get involved in the Scarecrow Festival and Janet Bellingham, Sam Clarke and Kate Clarke as well as myself can give you help and advice on this. There are knitting patterns and wool at the back of St James church for anyone who would like to knit bugs and minibeasts for our exhibition that will be ‘live’ in church over the Scarecrow Festival weekend.This Sunday at our 9.30 am service at St James, High Wych we have the Revd Derek Hinge visiting us so please make him feel welcome.Please keep praying for our general election, our candidates and all our country’s issues; Our NHS; Social Care; Housing; Education; Overseas Aid, Defence; Business and Trade; Work; Our Prisons; the Justice System and pray for Integrity and Good Government for all our politicians.Today we are being asked to pray for Defence. We are being asked to read Isaiah 2:1-4, especially v4…‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,Neither shall they learn war any more’.The prayer that goes with this reading is as follows:-We commend to your gracious keeping, O GodAll who serve in the armed forces.Keep alive in them and in us your vision of peace.Hear us Good Lord. AmenEvery blessingAlison
Dear FriendsThe sunshine has arrived and so has the café in High Wych.Sam has done his London to Brighton bike ride; friends have moved; I’ve been to the Clergy Conference and am back – what a week.And, good things are still happening - It is our Great Get Together on Saturday at High Wych Memorial Hall from 10.00 am to 12 noon, to remember MP Jo Cox and to encourage our community to come together. I hope to see many of you getting involved with this with your friends and neighbours as we begin to make bees for the Scarecrow Festival (amongst other things).There will be a children’s table and resources available as well, so come along, and have some fun.Our First service on Sunday will be at St James at 9.30 amAnd then we will be at St Botolph’s for 11.15 am when our Mission Enabler, Rosemary Davis will be taking Morning prayer and I will be leading a dog walk from the War Memorial in Eastwick. Both followed by refreshments.If you would like to join us for our online prayer session on Tuesday morning at 9.30 am we would love to see you there. See the link with all the info on the Welcome sheet – we are praying for our General Elections at this time using the resource given out by Archbishops Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell, a copy of the booklet is at the back of church.ThanksAlison
Dear AllHaving just returned from Clergy Conference I can tell you that it was interesting, full of provoking seminars around racial and disability matters and good fun to catch up with so many of my clergy colleagues.We have also been asked to share the following information with you with regard to praying for our elections.The Church of England campaign #PrayYourPart is now launched to promote prayer and participation in the life of our nation and communities, both as voters and as citizens.I have a few booklets to show you on Sunday and we will be using these as part of our Pray online sessions on Tuesdays.We are being encouraged to pray, both in our public worship and also in our personal prayers.To participate in the election both as voters and citizens.Resources to help you with this can be found on our Diocesan websiteGeneral Election Resources - The Diocese of St Albans (stalbansdiocese.org)Just click on the above link.Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday – Father’s Day – when we will have the pleasure of welcoming Glynn Barker as our guest speaker.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllBy the time you read this – we will be into all the events we have to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.You are very welcome to attend a short time of reflection and a lying of a wreath at St James at 12 noon on Thursday 6th June and also a Thanksgiving Service at 7.00 pm at St Mary’s, Gilston, followed by bell ringing and prosecco.We have as many people signed up for the Saturday event as we can cater for and we are really looking forward to that.It is still not too late to come to St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon for the dog walk (dogs not essential) to Hunsdon Airfield where Kirsty and Paul are going to give us a short talk about how important the airfield was during WW11.Then back to St Mary’s for refreshments. If you do not want to walk why not join us at St Mary’s from 4.00 pm for Christine and Rosemary’s lovely cake.Next week I am away at the Clergy Conference from Monday through to Thursday so if you have any urgent requests please talk to Janet or Sam. I will be checking my messages and e-mails throughout my time away when possible, but I will not be at the Rectory (although my family will be).I hope you are enjoying the turn in the weather to less rain and I hope I will see you at any of our D-Day events or at either of our normal Sunday services 9.30 am Communion service at St James and 11.15 am Communion service at St Mary’s, Gilston.Every blessingAlison
