This weekend’s Bible readings: Isaiah 49:13-18 (p 736) and Luke 15:8-10 (p 1049)APCM reports (due now) and PCC elections: The annual church meetings (APCMs) are getting ever closer, and the end of this week is the deadline for getting reports to secretaries. The APCMs are a great opportunity to celebrate all that goes on in our benefice, so if you lead or are involved in a group, please make sure a report makes its way to the secretaries of each church (Lizzy for Standon, Michael L for Little Munden, Peter H for Sacombe) Please don't assume that someone else will do it - the secretaries can only include the things they receive information about! The deadline is Saturday 5th April, to give time to collate and then get the reports out before the meetings. If your report isn’t specifically and only for one of the churches (ie CW, secretary, electoral roll or treasurer) please make sure you send it to all three secretaries. Please also be considering whether you could serve as a PCC member for one of the churches - speak to a current PCC member if you'd like to know more! Even just a year on PCC can help shape the practical and spiritual decisions being made, and is a good way to serve your church.Little Easter Angels: We will be running ‘Little Easter Angels’ on Saturday 5th April, 10am-12pm, in St Mary's. There will be Easter treats, snacks, Easter craft, toys, stories and songs – lots of Easter fun! The session is open to all ages so bring the whole family - all are welcome and no booking is needed. The session is free. Please do spread the word! For more information, contact Cate at: littleangels@ubsms.org.uk.Confirmation preparation: John has prepared a group of young adults for a baptism and confirmation service which will be held in our benefice on Saturday 10th May, at 6.00 pm. If anyone else would like to explore the possibility of baptism or confirmation, please speak to him.Lent appeal: Once again, our Lent appeal is for the work and witness of our three churches in our benefice. There is a huge amount going on in our benefice, all offered at no cost to those who come to us (though donations are always welcome). Unfortunately, our current level of giving is insufficient to sustain this indefinitely, and all three churches need periodic boosts to our regular income. Please consider prayerfully whether you are able to make a Lent donation to one or more of our churches. If you’d like your gift to be used across the benefice, please mark it ‘benefice’ and our treasurers will make sure that happens.Electoral Roll (ER) Renewal: Each of the churches within the benefice is renewing its ER between now and their Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Everyone who wishes to remain on, or join, the roll must complete and sign a new form. Statutory notices are displayed in each of the churches. Copies of the Application forms are now available. If we hold your email address, application forms will be emailed to you. Paper copies are available at the back of each church.Paper copies should be returned either directly to the respective ER Officer or left in any of our churches in an envelope labelled ER Application and either Hugh Legg, All Saints, Carole Hudson, St Catherine’s or Wendy Smith, St Mary’s. We will make sure they get to the right person. All applications should be returned before the end of Tuesday 15th April 2025All Saints, the Mundens – electronic, scanned, copies should be emailed to hugh@leggbiz.co.uk St Mary’s, Standon – application forms are also available on the benefice website ubsms.org.uk st. mary’s, standon about us ER renewal.Electronic copies should be returned to the email address at the bottom of the application form.EHCCA Good Friday worship: This year’s East Herts Church Choirs Association (EHCCA) Act of Worship for Good Friday (18th April) will be held in St Mary’s, Cheshunt at 7.30pm. They will sing Fauré’s Requiem, interspersed with readings, prayers and hymns. The soloists are Amelia James and Hugh Legg. All are welcome.Beds and Herts Historic Churches Bike’n Hike: This takes place every year on the second Saturday of September. The aim is to raise about £100,000 each year. The team is looking for a volunteer to act as Area Organiser for Hertford Deanery. The commitment is not hugely onerous. It is a worthwhile charity that most of our churches have benefitted from in the form of grants in the past, but it relies on people prepared to do the organising! If you would like to know more, please contact Nicol at nicholas@ntufton.co.uk.Services for the next few weeks:Midweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) & Bible study, St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sSunday services:30th March 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine’s6th April 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Morning worship, All Saints13th April 10.30am Holy Communion, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’s27th April 10.30am All age worship, St Mary’s6.00pm Choral Evensong, St Mary’s4th May 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Morning worship, All SaintsPlease note there will be no service of choral evensong in April. Easter services:17th April 7.30pm Maundy Thursday service, St Catherine’s18th April 10.30am Service by the cross, All Saints18th April 2.00pm Reflective hour, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’sPlease note there will be no 8.00 service on Easter Day.
This Sunday we welcome Tadhg and his family and supporters. Tadhg will be baptised in our family service. Please pray for him, his parents and God-parents as they take this important step.This weekend’s Bible reading: Matthew 13:44-46 (p 980)Pop-Up Shop: The fairtrade pop up shop will be open this Sunday. There are still a few real Easter Eggs available priced at £5.50 each and a few small Easter cards. The usual Fairtrade coffee, tea and chocolate will also be there.And bookstall: The bookstall will be open on Sunday too, with lots of Easter books and materials as well as the more general Christian books and guides.Choral Evensong 23rd March, 6.00 pm: This weekend we hold our monthly service of Choral Evensong in St Mary’s. Come and worship as the choir leads this beautiful and ancient service of words and music.Giving in St Mary’s: Each tax year, each church can claim gift aid on up to £8,000 of cash donations, under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. For the third year running, Standon has reached that maximum with 2 months of cash collections still to go. If you’re giving cash to St Mary’s and you’re a tax-payer, please make sure we know it’s from you, so that we can reclaim the tax under the main GA system, which has no limit.New sermon series at our midweek services: Last week, we finished our series looking at Paul’s 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys, the central chapters of Acts, and this week we start a series on ‘Issues of Life and Death’, considering topics as diverse as assisted dying, war, life after death and, this week, abortion. Please come and join us if you’d like to explore these ethical issues. We cover the same material on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a chance for questions and discussion as well as worshipping together.Midweek Music 26th March: This coming Wednesday, 26th March, the Midweek Music Concert will be given by Olivia Scott, Mezzo Soprano and Michael Smith, piano. Olivia will be singing some of her favourite songs accompanied by Michael. Refreshments, as usual, will be served from 11.30am and the concert will begin at 12.30. Do come and join us.Coffee Morning 29th March at All Saints: Everyone is welcome to All Saints Coffee Morning on Saturday 10am -12 noon. There will be cakes to eat in and take-away and a chance to make a posy of daffodils and find a gift on the stall for Mothering Sunday. All donations go towards the repair of the church roof.(And please remember that the clocks go forward next weekend!)APCM reports and PCC elections: The annual church meetings (APCMs) are now just a few weeks away. They are a great opportunity to celebrate all that goes on in our benefice, so if you lead or are involved in a group, please make sure a report makes its way to the secretaries of each church (Lizzy for Standon, Michael L for Little Munden, Peter H for Sacombe) Please don't assume that someone else will do it - the secretaries can only include the things they receive information about! The deadline is Saturday 5th May, to give time to collate and then get the reports out before the meetings.Please also be considering whether you could serve as a PCC member for one of the churches - speak to a current PCC member if you'd like to know more! Even just a year on PCC can help shape the practical and spiritual decisions being made, and is a good way to serve your church.Little Easter Angels: We will be running ‘Little Easter Angels’ on Saturday 5th April, 10am-12pm, in St Mary's. There will be Easter treats, snacks, Easter craft, toys, stories and songs – lots of Easter fun! The session is open to all ages so bring the whole family - all are welcome and no booking is needed. The session is free. Please do spread the word! For more information, contact Cate at: littleangels@ubsms.org.uk.Confirmation preparation: John has prepared a group of young adults for a baptism and confirmation service which will be held in our benefice on Saturday 10th May, at 6.00 pm. If anyone else would like to explore the possibility of baptism or confirmation, please speak to him.Lent appeal: Once again, our Lent appeal is for the work and witness of our three churches in our benefice. There is a huge amount going on in our benefice, all offered at no cost to those who come to us (though donations are always welcome). Unfortunately, our current level of giving is insufficient to sustain this indefinitely, and all three churches need periodic boosts to our regular income. Please consider prayerfully whether you are able to make a Lent donation to one or more of our churches. If you’d like your gift to be used across the benefice, please mark it ‘benefice’ and our treasurers will make sure that happens.Electoral Roll (ER) Renewal: Each of the churches within the benefice will be renewing their ER between now and their Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Everyone who wishes to remain on, or join, the roll must complete and sign a new form. Notices for the Preparation of a New Electoral Roll are being displayed in each of the churches. Copies of the Application forms are now available. If we hold your email address, application forms will be emailed to you. Paper copies are available at the back of each church.Paper copies should be returned either directly to the respective ER Officer or left in any of our churches in an envelope labelled ER Application and either Hugh Legg, All Saints, Carole Hudson, St Catherine’s or Wendy Smith, St Mary’s. We will make sure they get to the right person. All applications should be returned before the end of Tuesday 15th April 2025All Saints, the Mundens – electronic, scanned, copies should be emailed to hugh@leggbiz.co.uk St Mary’s, Standon – application forms are also available on the benefice website ubsms.org.uk st. mary’s, standon about us ER renewal.Electronic copies should be returned to the email address at the bottom of the application form.New Seasons support group new venue: Please note that New Seasons has moved from Standon Village Hall to Standon & Puckeridge Community Centre.Beds and Herts Historic Churches Bike’n Hike: This takes place every year on the second Saturday of September. The aim is to raise about £100,000 each year. The team is looking for a volunteer to act as Area Organiser for Hertford Deanery. The commitment is not hugely onerous. It is a worthwhile charity that most of our churches have benefitted from in the form of grants in the past, but it relies on people prepared to do the organising! If you would like to know more, please contact Nicol at nicholas@ntufton.co.uk.Services for the next few weeks:Midweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) & Bible study, St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sSunday services:23rd March 10.30am All age worship, St Mary’s6.00pm Choral Evensong, St Mary’s30th March 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine’s6th April 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Morning worship, All Saints13th April 10.30am Holy Communion, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’s27th April 10.30am All age worship, St Mary’s6.00pm Choral Evensong, St Mary’sEaster services:17th April 7.30pm Maundy Thursday service, St Catherine’s18th April 10.30am Service by the cross, All Saints18th April 2.00pm Reflective hour, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’s
This weekend’s Bible readings: Philippians 3:17-4:1 (p 1180) and Luke 13:31-35 (p 1047)Confirmation preparation: John has prepared a group of young adults for a baptism and confirmation service which we hope to hold in our benefice on Saturday 10th May, at 6.00 pm. If anyone else would like to explore the possibility of baptism or confirmation, please speak to him.Choral Evensong 23rd March, 6.00 pm: Next Sunday we will hold our monthly service of Choral Evensong in St Mary’s. Come and worship as the choir leads this beautiful and ancient service of words and music.Little Easter Angels: After a successful Saturday event in December, we are delighted to announce that we will be running ‘Little Easter Angels’ on Saturday 5th April 2025, 10am-12pm, in St Mary's. There will be Easter treats, snacks, Easter craft, toys, stories and songs – lots of Easter fun that is not to be missed! The session is open to all ages so bring along the whole family - all are welcome and no booking is needed. The session is free to attend. Please do spread the word! For more information, contact Cate at: littleangels@ubsms.org.uk.Pop-Up Shop next Sunday: The fairtrade pop up shop will be open next Sunday, 23rd March. There are a few real Easter Eggs available priced at £5.50 each and a few small Easter cards. The usual Fairtrade coffee, tea and chocolate will also be there.And bookstall: The bookstall will be open next Sunday too, with lots of Easter books and materials.Lent appeal: Once again, our Lent appeal is for the work and witness of our three churches in our benefice. There is a huge amount going on in our benefice, all offered at no cost to those who come to us (though donations are always welcome). Unfortunately, our current level of giving is insufficient to sustain this indefinitely, and all three churches need periodic boosts to our regular income. Please consider prayerfully whether you are able to make a Lent donation to one or more of our churches. If you’d like your gift to be used across the benefice, please mark it ‘benefice’ and our treasurers will make sure that happens.Electoral Roll (ER) Renewal: Each of the churches within the benefice will be renewing their ER between now and their Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Everyone who wishes to remain on, or join, the roll must complete and sign a new form. Notices for the Preparation of a New Electoral Roll are being displayed in each of the churches. Copies of the Application forms are now available. If we hold your email address, application forms will be emailed to you. Paper copies are available at the back of each church.Paper copies should be returned either directly to the respective ER Officer or left in any of our churches in an envelope labelled ER Application and either Hugh Legg, All Saints, Carole Hudson, St Catherine’s or Wendy Smith, St Mary’s. We will make sure they get to the right person. All applications should be returned before the end of Tuesday 15th April 2025All Saints, the Mundens – electronic, scanned, copies should be emailed to hugh@leggbiz.co.uk St Mary’s, Standon – application forms are also available on the benefice website ubsms.org.uk st. mary’s, standon about us ER renewal.Electronic copies should be returned to the email address at the bottom of the application form.New group in All Saints this Saturday: On Saturday 22nd from 2.30-4pm in All Saints Heather is starting a group for those who have lost their partners, recently or many years go. It will be a time to share memories and chat over a cup of tea and a piece of cake. If you would like more information please phone Heather on 07909 065550. Also, if you would like a lift please let her know. This is in addition to the existing group that meets in Standon.Concert in St Mary’s, Ware 20th March: On Thursday at St Mary's Ware, Michael Smith and Jo West (Hemborough) will be giving a concert of music for violin and piano. All are welcome to the concert which starts at 12.30pm (refreshments from 11.30am). If you are not able to attend then there will be another chance to hear them perform, at our own Midweek Music concert at St Mary's Standon in April!Sunday lunch at the Star: Our next Sunday lunch is 23rd March at 12.15pm in The Star. Please book your place before Monday. For any further information please phone Heather 07909 065550.Beds and Herts Historic Churches Bike’n Hike: This takes place every year on the second Saturday of September. The aim is to raise about £100,000 each year. The team is looking for a volunteer to act as Area Organiser for Hertford Deanery. The commitment is not hugely onerous. It is a worthwhile charity that most of our churches have benefitted from in the form of grants in the past, but it relies on people prepared to do the organising! If you would like to know more, please contact Nicol at nicholas@ntufton.co.uk.News from PCCs: We have agreed a job specification for our new youth worker and started the recruitment process. Please pray that God will send the right person for this important work in our benefice.And news from Standon: The scaffolding for the tower work is scheduled to go up this week. The work will take several months. Sadly, this means that our bells will be silent for a while. We are immensely grateful to all who have contributed to the fundraising, and especially to FOSM for their continuing support. Please pray for the smooth progress of the project.Services for the next few weeks:Midweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) & Bible study, St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sSunday services:16th March 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Holy Communion, All Saints23rd March 10.30am All age worship, St Mary’s6.00pm Choral Evensong, St Mary’s30th March 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine’s6th April 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Morning worship, All Saints13th April 10.30am Holy Communion, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’sEaster services:17th April 7.30pm Maundy Thursday service, St Catherine’s18th April 10.30am Service by the cross, All Saints18th April 2.00pm Reflective hour, St Mary’s20th April 10.30am Easter Communion, St Mary’s
This weekend’s Bible readings: Luke 4:1-2 (p 1030) and Romans 9:30-10:13 (p 1136)Confirmation preparation: John is preparing a group of young adults for a baptism and confirmation service which we hope to hold in our benefice later in the spring. If you would like to explore the possibility of baptism or confirmation, please speak to him.Lent appeal: Once again, our Lent appeal is for the work and witness of our three churches in our benefice. There is a huge amount going on in our benefice, all offered at no cost to those who come to us (though donations are always welcome). Unfortunately, our current level of giving is insufficient to sustain this indefinitely, and all three churches need periodic boosts to our regular income. Please consider prayerfully whether you are able to make a Lent donation to one or more of our churches. If you’d like your gift to be used across the benefice, please mark it ‘benefice’ and our treasurers will make sure that happens.Electoral Roll (ER) Renewal: The Electoral Roll is an important declaration of support for your church, an assertion that you are a member of the church and/or committed to the church's presence in the local community. So many good things stem from the life of each of the local churches and we want to serve the wider community in the best way that we can. It also allows people to have their say at the Church's Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and to play a part in how the church is run.On a 6 yearly cycle every church in the country must renew their Electoral Roll, 2025 is that year!Each of the churches within the benefice will be renewing their ER between now and their Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Everyone who wishes to remain on, or join, the roll must complete and sign a new form. Notices for the Preparation of a New Electoral Roll are now being displayed in each of the churches. Copies of the Application forms are also available, in each church and on the benefice website.Knit & Natter group 13th March: If you like knitting or crocheting, come and join us for a couple of hours in Standon village hall at 2pm usually on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Tea & cakes will be available. Our next meeting will be this Thursday. For more information please contact Diane on 01920 821130.New group in All Saints: On Saturday 22nd March from 2.30-4pm in All Saints Little Munden church Heather is starting a group for those who have lost their partners, either recently or many years go. It will be a time to share memories and chat over a cup of tea and a piece of cake. If you would like more information please phone Heather on 07909 065550. Also, if you would like a lift please let her know. This is in addition to the existing group that meets in Standon.Sunday lunch at the Star: Our next Sunday lunch will be on 23rd March at 12.15pm in The Star, Standon. Please book your place before Monday 17th March. For any further information please phone Heather 07909 065550.Coffee morning 29th March: Everyone is welcome to All Saints Coffee Morning on Saturday 29th March 10am -12 noon. There will be delicious cakes to eat in and take-away, and a chance to make a posy of daffodils and find a gift on the stall for Mothering Sunday. All donations will go towards the repair of the church roof.News from PCCs: As the time approaches when Luke and Lizzy S will no longer be leading our youth work on Wednesdays, we are starting to plan for the autumn. A small subgroup has been appointed to agree a job specification and start the process of advertising. Please pray for this process, and that God will send the right person for this important work in our benefice.And news from Standon’s PCC meeting: After almost 25 years of fundraising, we have agreed the contract for the repair of the tower. We hope that the scaffolding will go up very soon, and the work will start as soon as Lodge’s is finished at Sacombe. It will take several months. Sadly, this means that our bells will be silent for a while, but it will be good to have this huge piece of restoration work completed at last. We are immensely grateful to all who have contributed to the fundraising, and especially to FOSM for their continuing support. Please pray for the smooth progress of the project, for the builders, the architect and for our church wardens, who will be dealing with all the administration and liaison.Services for the next few weeks:Midweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) & Bible study, St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sSunday services:9th March 10.30am Holy Communion, St Mary’s16th March 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Holy Communion, All Saints23rd March 10.30am All age worship, St Mary’s6.00pm Choral Evensong, St Mary’s30th March 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine’s6th April 8.00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s10.30am Morning worship, All Saints13th April 10.30am Holy Communion, St Mary’s
