Welcome

                      

                                          

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.

To contact our vicar Paul Seymour, please either email him by clicking        Email: vicar or by using the form at the bottom of the Who's who and Contacts page, or phone him on 01707 271966.     

 SUNDAY SERVICES HAVE RESUMED AT ST JOHN'S

A message from Rev Paul

Dear everyone

Having received a report from me and the churchwardens, the PCC has decided that church services are to resume on Sunday the 9th August 2020.  The services on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th August will be Morning Prayer at 11 am.  In September, the normal rotation of services will resume, including the 8 am service of Holy Communion.

The safety of everyone has been our priority when planning to resume services.  Safety and hygiene have been carefully considered, and there follows some points which I would like to bring to your attention.

• Covid symptoms:  Please do not come to church if you or anyone in your household has a temperature, a persistent cough or experiencing a loss of taste or small.

• Sanitising:  Everyone will be asked to hand sanitise before entering and upon leaving the church.

• Entry/Exit:  There will be a one-way system operating, entering and leaving the church by the main door.  Please follow the guidance you will receive from the churchwardens on duty.

• Steps:  If you are unable to use the steps into church please tell the churchwardens on duty and they will assist you.

• Record of attendance:  When you arrive at church, a churchwarden will add your name and a contact telephone number to a list which will be kept for contact tracing purposes for 21 days.

• Hygiene:  You are asked not to touch surfaces in the church if at all possible.

• Face coverings:  In line with the Government’s instructions, all members of the congregation must wear face coverings, preferably face masks, when in the church. If you do not bring your own, there will be some disposable masks available for you to use.

•  Social distancing:  The 2m social distancing rule will apply inside the church at all times.

• Seating:  The churchwarden or another person on duty will direct you where to sit.  To maintain the 2m rule, some pews will not be in use and roped off.

• Kneelers/cushions:  In line with Church of England guidance, all kneelers and pew cushions in the church have been removed.  If you wish to do so, please bring with you your own cushion to sit on.

• Services:  As mentioned above, the services on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th August will be Morning Prayer.  When services of Holy Communion are resumed in September, communion will not be taken at the altar rail.  I will come down to serve each member of the congregation individually in their seats.  Wafers only will be used.  The wafers will be kept in a ciborium (silver box with a lid).  I will hand sanitise before handing the wafers.  I will take care not to touch your hand when giving you a wafer.  I will wear a mask when I need to get close to anyone, e.g. when I give communion.  I will not give a blessing by placing my hand on anyone’s head.

• Orders of service:  Printed orders of service will be placed in the pews for you to use.  This will be your personal copy and you are asked not to share it with anyone other than members of your family group.  Please take the sheet home with you after the service or dispose of it in one of the bins at the door.

• The Peace:  Unfortunately, there must be no personal contact such as shaking hands.

• Music:  We are not allowed to sing in church, but we will either have an organist or use CDs.

• Children:  The Sunday Club will not be running in August because of school holidays. During August children will therefore need to sit with their parents in the main church. It is hoped that Sunday Club will resume in September.   

• Collection:  We are not permitted to collect cash, but you will be asked to make donations when you get home using the means available on our website.

• Toilet:  Our toilet will be available for use.  Entry will only be via the annexe door and not through the vestry.

• Refreshments:  Unfortunately, we cannot offer refreshments after the services at this time.

• Recordings:  I am giving consideration as to how recordings of services can be sent out to be watched by those who cannot come to the church.

• Review:  The guidance we are receiving is constantly changing and therefore the arrangements for services will be reviewed regularly.

I do hope that the above notes are clear.  If you have any queries about anything, please do not hesitate to contact me or one of the churchwardens.

I very much look forward to seeing as many people as possible in church at our first service of Morning Prayer on Sunday the 9th August 2020 at 11 am.

God bless

Paul

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DAILY PRAYER

 During this difficult time, Paul will continue to record his Daily Prayer sessions consisting of a reading, prayers and a blessing, and posting them on his YouTube Channel.  Search https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePaulseymour or just type Paul Seymour Daily Prayer into the search bar of your computer and when you press enter, you will be able to select the video you want to watch.  If you experience any difficulty with viewing the videos, please contact Paul direct.

 

COFFEE AND CHAT AND EVENING PRAYER

Every Sunday at 4 pm from Sunday 16th August there will be a coffee and chat session via Zoom followed at 5 pm by a service of Evening Prayer.  The litugy for the service will be on the screen, and the service will include time for open prayer and silence.  If you would like to join in for just the Evening Prayer service, please ring Paul on 01707 271966 by 4.55 pm on Sundays or email him by clicking the link below

Email: vicar

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PLEASE CAN YOU HELP

WE COULD REALLY DO WITH YOUR FINANCIAL HELP IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME OF CHURCH CLOSURE.

PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING IF YOU CAN TO SUPPORT OUR CHURCH AND OUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

EITHER

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR QUICK DONATION PAGE

CLICK HERE

 OR

ALTERNATIVELY WE CAN NOW RECEIVE DONATIONS VIA TEXT MESSAGE BY TEXTING THE WORD LEMSFORD FOLLOWED BY A SPACE AND THEN AN AMOUNT OF YOUR DONATION, TO 70085.  FOR EXAMPLE, TO GIVE £5 TYPE LEMSFORD 5, TO GIVE £10 TYPE LEMSFORD 10.  THEN SIMPLY SEND YOUR TEXT TO 70085.  TEXTS WILL COST YOUR DONATION AMOUNT PLUS ONE STANDARD RATE MESSAGE.

MANY THANKS

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IMPORTANT LETTER TO REGULAR GIVERS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Please read this important letter from the Finance Committee by clicking here. Your early response to the requests in the letter will be very much appreciated. If givers would prefer to make their regular payments by bank transfer, the bank details of the church are: HSBC Bank.  Sort Code: 40-46-08 A/C No: 51431609 Many thanks

BISHOP OF ST ALBANS HARVEST APPEAL 2020

Please click on the link below to see full details of the Harvest Appeal poster

Click here

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WHAT'S ON IN SEPTEMBER AT ST JOHN'S

This week our preacher is Bishop Alan of St Albans.  The service will be available for you to download from 8.30 am on Sunday.  There is no separate liturgy for the service as it is contained in the video.

Sunday 6th September at 5 pm - Evening Prayer.  To join the service, please contact Paul by 4.55 pm - see contact details above.

Wednesday 9th September at 11 am  Virtual Coffee Morning - see below

Friday 11th September at 8 pm  Friday Quiz night. If you would like to join in, please either email Paul or telephone him on 01707 271966 and he will send you a link.

For all those who cannot, or would prefer not to come to church at the moment, a Sunday service has been recorded, and you are welcome to view it by clicking :

This week our preacher is the Dean of the abbey Jeffery John.  The service will be available for you to download from 8.30 am on Sunday.  There is no separate liturgy for the service as it is contained in the video.

Sunday 13th September at 5 pm - Evening Prayer via Zoom.  To join the service, please contact Paul by 4.55 pm - see contact details above.

Wednesday 16th September at 11 am  Virtual Coffee Morning - see below

For all those who cannot, or would prefer not to come to church at the moment, a Sunday service has been recorded, and you are welcome to view it by clicking :

This week our preacher is Bishop Richard.  The service will be available for you to download from 8.30 am on Sunday.  There is no separate liturgy for the service as it is contained in the video.

Sunday 20th September at 5 pm - Evening Prayer via Zoom.  To join the service, please contact Paul by 4.55 pm - see contact details above.

Wednesday 23rd September at 11 am  Virtual Coffee Morning - see below

For all those who cannot, or would prefer not to come to church at the moment, a Sunday service has been recorded, and you are welcome to view it by clicking :

The service will be available for you to download from 8.30 am on Sunday.  There is no separate liturgy for the service as it is contained in the video.

Wednesday 30th September at 11 am  Virtual Coffee Morning - see below

Friday 2nd October at 8 pm  Friday Quiz night. If you would like to join in, please either email Paul or telephone him on 01707 271966 and he will send you a link.

 

Choir practice every Sunday at 9.30 am  Cancelled until further notice

Bell ringing practice every Monday evening at 7.30 pm  Cancelled until further notice.

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PARISH MAGAZINE

The August / September edition of the Parish Magazine is now out, but because of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is only available online.  To see this issue, please click here

To see earlier editions of the magazine, please visit the 'Getting Involved' page. 

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WEEKLY VIRTUAL COFFEE MORNINGS - EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 11 am Come and join our weekly virtual coffee mornings which will take place every Wednesday at 11 am.    In order to take part, please phone Rev Paul on 01707 271966 or email him by clicking on his email link below, and he will provide you with details of the meeting link, ID number and password. Email: vicar See you there!

FOOD BANK  Now that Sunday services have re-commenced we are once again collecting non-perishable food and toileteries to send on to our local Foodbank.  If you bring things for the Foodbank to church, please hand them to a churchwarden on duty.  Alternatively you may like to donate food to those in need by taking it to Sainsbury's and Morrisons who have collection facilities in all their shops.  Thank you.

HOME INSURANCE If you need to take out, or renew, a home insurance policy before 31st  December 2020, 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.

PCC dates 15th March 2020 - short meeting in the church following the APCM to appoint officers (including sidesmen) and standing committee 23rd March 2020 at 7.30 pm Cancelled 18th May 2020 at 7.30 pm in the school Cancelled 22nd June 2020 at 7.30 pm via Zoom 21st July 2020 at 7.30 pm in the annexe *note date change 19th October 2020 at 7.30 pm via Zoom 3rd November 2020 at 7.30 pm in the annexe

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FETE HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SUNDAY THE 13TH SEPTEMBER 2020

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FETE HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SUNDAY THE 13TH SEPTEMBER 2020