Weekly News - 5th March 2023

This weekend’s Bible readings: 

Ezekiel 36:25-27 (p 868) and Luke 3:21-22 (p 1030)

Baptism: 

Mia, one of our Lagoons group, will be baptised during the service this weekend, in advance of the confirmation service on Thursday. Please welcome Mia and her family and friends, and come along and support her and the others on Thursday evening if you can.

Confirmation service 9th March, 7.30 pm in St Mary’s: 

On Thursday evening, Bishop Jane, the new Bishop of Hertford, will be confirming Mia along with Joshua, another of our Lagoons young people, and Niall and Lisa, who were baptised in the river in the autumn, together with other candidates from Bishop’s Stortford. Please come if you can.

We will be providing refreshments after the service, and Basma would like to know if you can help with tea and coffee or by providing something savoury or sweet. Please speak to her.

Lent course on Wednesday evenings 7.30 pm at All Saints: 

We are running a course on Wednesday evenings throughout Lent: Christians Foundations for Today.
The Lent course this year will focus on our Christian foundations and how they work out in our lives day by day. For each of these foundations there is a foundational verse. The course will comprise of a short talk followed by discussion and feedback to a panel to answer questions. Each week will be at Little Munden except the Maundy Thursday service. Do come along!

The remaining sessions are:

8 March The Uniqueness of Jesus

“In the beginning was the Word...” John 1:1

15 March The Truthful Spirit

“The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth” John 16:13

22 March The Nature of Humanity

“Male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27

29 March Our Identity in God's Kingdom

“Be born again” John 3:3

6 April Maundy Thursday (Sacombe)

Knit & Natter group this Thursday: 

If you like knitting or crocheting, come and join us for a couple of hours in the Sargant room at the back of Standon village hall at 2pm, usually on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Tea & cakes will be available. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 9 March. For more information, please contact Marion on 01920 745683.

Levantine cookery demonstration & supper 18th March: 

Once again, Basma will be demonstrating recipes from the Levant in Standon Village Hall on 18th March. After the demonstration, we will share a meal, and a licenced bar will be available. Tickets at £20 (including supper and a glass of wine) are available from Diana 07718 734897. All profits will go to FOSM.

Lent Appeal: 

Once again, we are appealing this Lent for our mission and ministry locally. As we consider God’s goodness to us, we must also consider our response. Whether it’s time, expertise, money or anything else, it is our Christian joy to consider regularly and prayerfully what God calls us to offer to him. Our annual accounts are being prepared, and our PCCs are focussed on the funding gap between our income and expenses for this coming year, but there are many ways to respond to God’s provision for us. As we travel through Lent, we remember all that he has done and given to secure our salvation; please pray about what and how he is asking you to give in gratitude.

Diocesan Easter Monday Pilgrimage 10th April: 

The Easter Monday Pilgrimage will take place on 10th April. Pilgrims can journey from their local church, or from a hub church, to gather together for a celebration at St Albans Cathedral. Our new Bishop of Hertford, Bishop Jane will preach.

Advance notice: 

We are pleased to confirm that this year's touring production by DOT Productions is to be Jane Austen's classic, Persuasion. It will be presented in the garden of Brockhold's Manor on Saturday 1st July 2023. Booking details will be available nearer the time.

Volunteers still sought: 

Our in-house teams are still looking for volunteers on many fronts. If you can help with this or any of the other tasks listed in recent weeks, please speak to John or the appropriate person.

Website: 

Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform. The benefice page is:www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7825/benefice. 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:

5th March 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's

10.30am Morning worship, All Saints

4.00pm The Centre, All Saints

12th March 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's

4.00pm The Centre, All Saints

19th March 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's

10.30am Holy communion, All Saints

4.00pm The Centre, All Saints

26th March 10.30am Family worship, St Mary's

4.00pm The Centre, All Saints

6.30pm Stainer's Crucifixion, St Mary's

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

10.30am Morning worship, All Saints

4.00pm The Centre, All Saints