Welcome

                       Photo large of St Johns Church

 

 

Please click on the link below to watch an aerial video of the church and listen to our bells.

Drone photography courtesy of https://www.upaerial.co.uk

 

Welcome, and thank you for visiting our website.

Our church is situated in the picturesque village of Lemsford, close to Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City and opposite Brocket Hall. 

We warmly welcome all visitors to our church and we would love you to come to one of our services or events.  We hope that you find what you are looking for in these pages, but if you have any questions and would like to speak to someone about the church, please do contact one of the team members listed in the Who's Who and Contacts page.

We look forward to seeing you.

 
__________________________


WHAT'S ON AT ST JOHN'S IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AT A GLANCE

   

        
  • Thursday 14th May
    • 10am - Morning Prayer
    • 6:30pm - TEAM Ascension Day Service at St. Mary's Church North Mymms
       
  • Sunday 17th May
    • 8am - Quiet Communion (BCP)
    • 11am - Reflective Worship
    • 3pm - St John’s@3 Wild Spring*
    • 5pm - Choral Evensong at St Michael's with our joint choirs
       
  • Thursday 21st May
    • 10am - Morning Prayer
       
  • Sunday 24th May - Pentecost (Whit Sunday)
    • 11am - All Together Holy Communion for Pentecost*
       
  • Thursday 28th May
    • 10am - Morning Prayer
* Children are welcome at all our services, but these services and events are especially suitable for families and children (as well as people of all other ages!)
 
  •  

    • Readings 

      Seventh Sunday of Easter 

            Psalm: 66.7–18 - to read click here (opens in new window or new tab)

First Reading: Acts 17:22–31 - to read click here (opens in new window or new tab)

Gospel: John 14:15–21 - to read click here (opens in new window or new tab)

Please note: Although it’s Easter 7 this Sunday, these are actually the Easter 6 readings.

  
CAR PARKING

Because car parking at the church is becoming difficult, we are  opening up the school playground on Sunday mornings for everyone to use.  The playground is at the back of the school, and is large enough to accommodate about 30 cars.  Please do use this area to park in, but take extra care when exiting into the street as cars do tend to speed up and down the hill.

 

MEET YOUR CHURCHWARDENS, SYNOD REPS AND PCC


Thank you to everyone who came along last Sunday for our special APCM service and meeting. It was wonderful to celebrate all that God’s been doing in St John’s. Part of the meeting involved electing people into key roles in the church. Thank you to all who were willing to serve in the roles below (and more widely).

Full PCC

Rev’d Kathryn Alford (Chair)
Andrea Armstrong (Synod Rep)
Jo Brooks
Gina Butler
Kiran Davé
Lorraine Dewar (Churchwarden)
Kevin Earl
Nigel Johnson (Churchwarden)
Alicia Menonça-Richards
Frank Puranik (Synod Rep)
Jenny Roden
Edie Spencer
Nick Stevens
Geoff Watts

Lay Vice-Chair (elected)

Jenny Roden

Appointments

Secretary – Andrea Armstrong
Treasurer – Gina Butler
Electoral Roll Officer – Lucy Earl
Parish Safeguarding Officer – Lucy Earl
Deputy Safeguarding Officer – Jo Brooks
Data Protection Officer  – Kevin Earl

Standing Committee (appointed)

Rev’d Kathryn Alford
Jo Brooks
Lorraine Dewar
Kevin Earl
Gina Butler
Nigel Johnson

Finance Committee (appointed)

Rev’d Kathryn Alford
Gina Butler
Kevin Earl (Chair)
Nigel Johnson
Jackie Spry
Nick Stevens

ACWs (appointed)

Edie Spencer
Frank Puranik
Jean Mitchinson
Jenny Roden

Sidespeople (appointed)

Paul and Gina Butler
Richard and Sarah Cuthbert
Ian Douglas
Kevin and Lucy Earl
Martin and Janet English
Jean Mitchinson
Tracy Sainter
 

TEAM ASCENSION DAY SERVICE

On May 14th there will be a TEAM Ascension Day Service. 
The service will take place at St. Mary's Church North Mymms starting at 6.30p










THE CHRISTIAN EXPLORER (A WEEKLY EVENING) COURSE - 17th MAY SERMON

 

Exploring Our Easter Faith Together This spring we're inviting everyone — long-faithful, newer, returning, or simply curious — to explore Christian faith together.

Sunday Services Four Sundays of sermons shaped to speak to people at every stage of faith.

  • 26 April — Invitation (from God the Father) 
  • 3 May — Following The ‘Way' (of God the Son) 
  • 10 May — Following with the help of the church — St John's APCM
  • 17 May — Following with the One who walks beside us (God the Holy Spirit)

Christian Explorer Morning (Adults) A relaxed, informal morning to explore the Christian faith, ask questions, and talk things through - with the option of confirmation.

School Explorer Sessions (Years 5 & 6) Four lively sessions in school exploring the big questions of faith — with the option of confirmation.

  • 28 April | 5 May | 12 May | 2 June | St John's School

Confirmation Preparation (All ages — 11-12pm, Saturday 9 May) At the end of the  Explorer Morning, adults, children and families are warmly invited to join for a conversation about confirmation and a walk-through of the service. 

  • Confirmation takes place at the cathedral on Saturday 23 May — evening (exact time to be confirmed)
  • Under 18s need parental permission.


🌿 St John’s@3 – Wild Spring - Sunday 17th May at 3pm



Join us on Sunday 17th May at 3pm for a relaxed afternoon gathering for all ages.
This month we’ll be celebrating Wild Spring — getting outdoors, noticing the beauty and new life of the season, and exploring faith together in a simple, creative way.
Expect activities for children and adults, story, music, prayer, conversation, and cake. 
📍 Meet outside St John’s Church Annexe (around the back of church)
🧥 Please come dressed for the weather.
St John’s@3 is informal interactive church for everyone — especially families, children, and anyone looking for something a little different.
 


                      CHORAL EVENSONG


  Choral Evensong - Sunday 17th May, 5.00pm at St Michael's

We are holding a special Choral Evensong for Ascensiontide, with the Joint choirs of St Michael's and St John's, Sunday 17th May, 5.00pm at St Michael's.
Should be amazing! All are welcome.




 


ALZHEIMERS' AFTERNOON TEA - FRIDAY 22nd MAY 2-4pm

This event will be held in the church grounds / annexe (weather dependent)
Come along and enjoy tea / coffee, cake and good company whilst raising funds for this charity.
 

A SPECIAL SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING AND REMEMBRANCE - SUNDAY 31st MAY AT 4pm    


You are warmly invited to our Spring Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance on Sunday 31st May at 4pm.

This short, reflective service offers us a gentle space to give thanks for the lives of those we have loved and lost — whether recently or many years ago.

For our Spring gathering, we'll hopefully be gathering outside in the Garden of Remembrance, unless it's raining and then we'll move to the church.

After the service, everyone is invited to stay for tea and delicious cake.
 
IGNATION SPIRITUALITY SESSION - SATURDAY 4th JULY FROM 8.45 to 10am
 
Revd Kate Pearson (Marshalswick) will be hosting an introductory contemplative session on Ignatian spirituality at the Welwyn Garden City Quaker Meeting House. 
Saturday 4 July from 8.45 to 10am (followed by coffee and croissants). 

All are welcome to attend, please email wgcquakermeeting@gmail.com to book a place.

Note from Kathryn: Kate is amazing. I went on an Ignatian retreat with her and it was absolutely wonderful. Can highly recommend! 
 


 
We also launched our new April/May Parish Magazine last Sunday. Those of you who were in church will have seen the printed copies, but here is the pdf version, in full colour as usual for those who prefer to read it this way.
I'm sending this a few days early as Holy Week is starting today, and the 1st of April is this Wednesday.
It's got lots of great articles as usual, and this edition is a bumper one covering Holy Week, Easter and the Fete.  To download it click here.  Enjoy!




Exciting News! Dan Ide will be joining us at St John’s and St Michael’s as a full-time stipendiary curate
We’re delighted to share that Daniel (Dan) Ide will be joining us at St John’s and St Michael’s as a full-time stipendiary curate from July 2026. 🙌🏼
Dan is currently training for ordained ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and we can’t wait to welcome him — and to share in this next stage of his journey with God.
Please keep Dan in your prayers over the coming months as he completes his studies and prepares to begin his curacy here with us. 🙏🏽

 

THE YEAR OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL AND WELLBEING
This year, St Albans Diocese invites us all to embark on a journey of reconnecting with our faith and discovering the renewing life of the Holy Spirit. There’s a wonderful new website full of opportunities, including retreats, quiet days (some specially for churchwardens), pilgrimage walks, talks, online accompanied prayer weeks, courses, and a special summer Cathedral celebration.

You’ll also find resources for prayer, as well as helpful guidance to care for your own wellbeing.

Why not take a look? You can book events directly, but if something catches your eye and you’d like some company, let us know, and we can see if others would like to join in too.

Visit: year.stalbansdiocese.org


 

'IOO CLUB' APRIL DRAW WINNERS

The winning numbers of the April '100 Club' Draw were:

1st prize:  Number 18  £92.70
2nd prize:  Number 7  £55.62
3rd prize:  Number 115  £37.08

To join the 100 Club please contact Nigel.


FOOD BANK
Our local Food Bank at the New Zion Christian Fellowship church would appreciate receiving donations of food and other things from us now and all year round. It would be wonderful if you could support them by bringing various things in on Sunday mornings, and placing them in the big plastic box which will be placed in the porch. The sort of things the Food Bank would like to receive are:
  • All food with good sell by dates (tins of fruit and veg, jams, packets of cereal, coffee, tea, long life milk and so on)
  • Toiletries such as shampoo and conditioner and toilet rolls
  • Cleaning products (kitchen and bathroom cleaners etc)

We are asked not to donate clothes.

Nigel will arrange to take our offerings to the New Zion church every Wednesday morning.




COULD YOU BE A ST JOHN'S SCHOOL FOUNDATION GOVERNOR?

St John’s school currently has a vacancy for a Foundation Governor. Foundation Governors are nominated by the PCC, represent the Church of England on the Board, and help ensure that the Christian ethos of the school is maintained.
 
Please pray and think about whether you - or someone you know - would make a great governor. They don’t need to be a member of St John’s church, but would need to be able to fulfil the role description above.
As a governor myself, I promise you that it’s an extremely rewarding (and often fun) role, and is manageable alongside other responsibilities.
Please contact me if you’re interested.
Rev Kathryn




CHURCH GIVING

We greatly value, and desperately need, your financial support to help with the running of St John's Church.  We are always delighted to receive weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or ad hoc donations, and these can be made in the following  different ways:

  • By bank transfer or Standing Order.  Our church bank account details are:  HSBC Bank, sort code 40-46-08, account number 51431609.
  • By cash into the church plate during services.
  • By using the contactless card machine near the main door of the church.
  • By using the link from this QR code:
This code is also printed into many of our church service leaflets.
  • By using our Quick donation page via this link
CLICK HERE

  • By text.  Just text the word LEMSFORD followed by a space and then an amount that you wish to give, to 70085, e.g. to give £10 type LEMSFORD 10, and send to 70085.
  • By using the Parish Giving Scheme, which is a direct debit scheme.  Please ask the Treasurer or a Church Warden for more information.

MANY THANKS INDEED




 HOME INSURANCE

If you need to take out, or renew, a home insurance policy, please think of using Ecclesiastical Insurance as they will donate £130 to the church through their Trust 130 Promotion.  All you need to do is to say that the donation is to go to St John's Church, Lemsford.  Find out more at www.ecclesiastical.com/trust130 or call their team on 0800 783 0130 and quote Trust 130.

 



Please sign up for a spot in the Cleaning Rota or to help with refreshments after our Sunday services


More volunteers are needed to help us. All the materials you'll need for church cleaning are provided. All that we need is your time.

Please contact the churchwardens if you would like to take a turn with either cleaning or by helping with refreshments 
You can choose dates that suit you.




 

2026 PCC meeting dates


2nd February 2026 at 7.15 pm

20th April at 7.15 pm

APCM - 10th May at 12 noon

16th May 2026 Away morning at Codicite Church at 9.30 am

14th July 2026 at 7.15 pm

29th September 2026 at 7.15 pm

 


  


    

 

  

 

To email us either click the button below or go to the Who's who and Contacts page and click on the person you would like to contact.  Alternatively please use the form at the bottom of the Who's who and Contacts page.