St Mary's, Standon

Weekly News - 2nd April 2023

This weekend’s Bible readings:

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (p 616) and Matthew 21:1-11 (p 988)

First Sunday of the month:

We are delighted that, as part of the new arrangements described in the last couple of weeks, from this weekend Jenny Boot will be taking over organising the music for the first Sunday of the month. Jenny has wide experience in leading worship in other churches. The style will include both traditional and contemporary, often accompanied by her husband Joe but also other musicians in the benefice. We hope that everyone can come and support this; no-one is intended to be excluded.

Holy Week in our benefice:

We will hold our Maundy Thursday service in Sacombe at 7.30 on Thursday evening, our service by the cross in Little Munden at 10.30 (please note the time) on Friday morning and our reflective hour in Standon between 2.00 and 3.00 on Friday afternoon. Join us to reflect on the events of that week that culminated in the rising of Jesus on Easter Day, which we will celebrate next Sunday at 10.30 in Standon.

Good Friday joint service 7.30 pm:

On Good Friday at St Michael's Church Bishops Stortford the East Herts Church Choirs Association will have a service of music and readings. Some members of our benefice choir will be taking part and Michael will be playing the organ. The service starts at 7.30pm and all are most welcome.

Break for Easter:

Several of our groups will take a break over the holiday. Little Angels will meet next on 21st April, and our benefice choir will rehearse next on 20th. The café will also rest while the schools are out.

Some news about Charlie:

After much thought and deliberation, Charlie has come to the difficult decision that she will need to finish her curacy elsewhere after her family moves to St Albans in July, and diocesan authorities have agreed with this. The journey to UBSMS from their new home would be around 50 minutes each way and, much as she would dearly love to see her curacy through to its conclusion here, she has realised it would not be sustainable. Her last Sunday will be 9th July.

A visit from Pilgrim Cross, (formerly Student Cross):

This is a walking pilgrimage that walks to Walsingham during Holy Week. The London leg of the pilgrimage will be walking from Epping to Walsingham and has planned to stop overnight on 1st April in Standon. They carry with them a wooden cross and it is resting in St Mary’s overnight tonight (Saturday). Please pray for the pilgrims as they go on from here.

Games morning at the Boot:

The next regular Games Morning at the Boot in Dane End will be on Tuesday. All are welcome, to have a coffee and / or play board games with friends old or new.

Walk for the Stroke Association:

If you were in church last week you will have heard Colin talk about the impact that his stroke has had on his life. He has undertaken to walk 200 miles to raise funds for the Stroke Association, as part of the #MarchforStroke initiative. There are fliers available in all our churches; if you would like to know more or to sponsor Colin, please pick one up, or speak to him.

APCMs and Electoral Roll Revisions:

The season for the Annual Parochial Church Meetings (APCMs) is almost upon us. Before the meetings there will be a formal revision of the Electoral Roll in each church within the Benefice; look out for notices outlining the timetable for this in each church. The Electoral Roll is completely renewed from scratch every 6 years, next due in 2025. This year the review is a tidying up of the roll. If you are already on one of our Electoral Rolls you don’t need to do anything unless you wish to be removed or you have moved and not updated your details, in which case please contact your Electoral Roll

Officer directly or through the Churchwardens. APCM time is a good time to join the Electoral Roll of any of the churches within the Benefice. Each Roll is published/displayed within the relevant church for the two weeks immediately before their APCM; no new names can be added during this time. Being on the Roll allows you to attend the APCM, have your say and play a part in how the church is run. It is also a declaration of support for your church. So many good things stem from the life of the local church and we want to serve the wider community in the best way that we can. Paper copies of the enrolment form are available at the back of the churches. Completed forms should be handed to one of the Welcomers or Churchwardens who will make sure it is passed on to the appropriate Electoral Roll Officer.

APCM reports:

It’s not too early to be sending reports to the secretaries! Many of the reports are shared across the benefice, and collating them takes time. Please let our secretaries have them in good time.

Lent Appeal:

Once again, we are appealing this Lent for our mission and ministry locally. As we travel through Lent, we remember all that God has done and given to secure our salvation; please pray about what and how he is asking you to give in gratitude.

Website:

Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform. The benefice page can be reached through: www.ubsms.org.uk. Please visit it to see the range of information there.

Services for the next few weeks

Midweek services each week:

Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine's

Wednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary's

Sunday services:

2nd April 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's

10.30am Morning worship, All Saints