Dear AllEaster is approaching so quickly, with lots of planning happening as we speak. I hope you will be able to make the Messy Church briefing by Janet on Sunday after the service – 10.45 am at St James. Thank you to all of you who have volunteered for this amazing ministry. As you know we are trying this at St Botolph’s, Eastwick for the first time on Easter Saturday and I am hopeful that the children who live there will come. Peter is planning to cook hot dogs – he is a bit of a whizz at this😊This Sunday we have Glyn Barker coming to preach to us and I am really looking forward to hearing him. Glyn as well as a reader for Holy Trinity, Hertford Heath is also the Finance Director for St Albans Diocese. He was a great colleague when I worked there and I am looking forward to welcoming him on Sunday and hearing what God has put on his heart for us.I have been visiting funeral families over the past week or so and was able to deliver some of the primula’s we had for Mother’s Day. They have been so appreciated.These small acts of kindness that we can do for our neighbours are just one of the ways we can be an encouragement and a comfort, so thank you for all those who visit others.Hopefully, I will see you on Sunday. If you need a conversation or a cuppa just drop me a line or ring me.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllI am writing this and the sun is streaming into my office window – so much so that I have had to close the curtains so I can see my computer screen!! I am so looking forward to Spring finally arriving.It is so good to see so many of you at our weekly Bible study on Wednesday evenings as we journey through the big story of the Bible together or at the online prayer meeting on Tuesday mornings. It is really encouraging to see us growing in knowledge, wisdom and prayer. At our prayer meeting we are giving the needs of the world and our own villages to God on a regular basis. There is room for everyone to join us online for prayer(should work, life, allow) – see the link on the Welcome Sheet, it would be good to see you there.As you may know Cath has been teaching us how to sign the Lord’s Prayer in Makaton sign language. Here is the link so that you can learn it at home - https://youtu.be/fSs4w9M-i9sAs you may also know Cath is going off on sabbatical at the end of March and so we will need someone to take her place in signing the Lord’s Prayer in our Sunday services. If you are able to learn this and to offer your skills that would be most helpful.Our Family Service last week was a huge success and we need to give special thanks to Kate for her catering for the breakfasts, etc. We had 36 adults and 7 children, with 4 people asking for baptism. This is all so encouraging and please do continue to pray for this service that it continues to develop and grow to welcome more new families into our fellowship.We also had the Community Dog Walk last Sunday at which we welcomed 11 adults, 2 children and 9 dogs for the walk and coffee and cake afterwards, great thanks to Joy and Alison and the café/cake team for providing all that we needed for this event to be such a success. We were able to connect with people we did not know in our community and people really wanted to know when the next one was and so we have put another one into the calendar for Sunday 28th April 2024, if you would like to be there.Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday when we celebrate Mothering Sunday.Every blessingAlison
Our new doors have been made! Now just the tricky bit of the handles but we’re almost there! Big thank you to Sam and Joy for all their hard work in getting us this far, we can’t wait until they are in place!
