St John's Church LemsfordWelcome
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.
OPENING ST JOHN'S FOR WORSHIP
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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ST JOHN'S SERVICES LIVE OR RECORDED
ON YOUTUBE
SUNDAY SERVICE - HOLY COMMUNION 2nd August 2020 at 10 am
Rev Paul invites you to join him in this recorded service of Holy Communion by clicking on the YouTube link below. Do try to join the service but please note that it will not be available before 10 am on Sunday.
Another way to see this services is to go to Paul's YouTube Channel, by searching https://www.youtube.com/
AFTER CHURCH REFRESHMENTS
There will be a virtual prayer session after the service at 11.15 am followed by a virtual coffee morning commencing at 11.30 am. In order to take part in either or both, please either telephone Paul on 01707 271966 or email him by clicking the link below
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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
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 |
DAILY PRAYER
During this difficult time, and whist so many people are self-isolating, Paul will be posting on YouTube a daily video which will consist of prayers, a reading and a blessing. For those people who cannot access social media, you can watch the videos by typing Paul Seymour Daily Prayer into the search bar of your computer, and when you press enter you will see Paul's videos there. If you experience any difficulty with viewing the videos, please contact Paul direct.
BISHOP OF ST ALBANS HARVEST APPEAL 2020
Please click on the link below to see full details of the Harvest Appeal poster
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WHAT'S ON IN JULY/AUGUST AT ST JOHN'S
Wednesday 8th July at 11 am Virtual Coffee Morning - see below
Wednesday 15th July at 11 am Virtual Coffee Morning - see below
Wednesday 22nd July at 11 am Virtual Coffee Morning - see below
Sunday 2nd August at 10 am Holy Communion. Recorded. This will be followed at 11.15 am by a virtual prayer session and at 11.30 am by a virtual coffee morning and chat - see above.
Wednesday 5 August at 11 am Virtual Coffee Morning - see below
Friday 7th August at 8 pm Friday Quiz night.
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 June / July 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! |
SERMON OF DEAN JEFFREY JOHN On the 16th February 2020 Dean Jeffrey John came to preach to us. Please click the link below to read his sermon in full. |
SERMON OF REV HARRY STEELE On the 8th March 2020 Rev Harry Steele came to preach to us. Please click the link below to read his sermon in full. |
FOOD BANK We regret that because of the coronavirus outbreak we are not collecting food in our food bank box in church until further notice. If you would like to donate food to those in need, Sainsbury's and Morrisons 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 28th September 2020 at 7.30 pm in the annexe 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