Welcome

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.

 
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• • Readings 

  

ADVENT COURSE Making Room for Life - An Advent journey toward the fullness of life This Advent, take a little time for yourself — and for God. Join us for a gentle, reflective course, exploring how to live more freely and lightly, discovering balance, peace, and renewal in the midst of a busy world. 4-week course – Wednesdays 10–11am at St Michael’s, Birchwood (coffee from 9:45am) Starting 26 November 1-session retreat morning – Saturday 13 December, 9:30am–12:30pm at St John’s, Lemsford (coffee from 9:15am) Each session includes readings, conversation, and quiet reflection. No experience needed — just a willingness to explore and pause. Warm drinks • Gentle space • All welcome “Come to me, all you who are weary… and you will find rest for your souls.” Please let Rev Kathryn know if you plan to come to either the 4-week or morning retreat version of the course - revkathrynalford@gmail.com   Come and join us for this popular multi-generational service of pure Christmas joy! Expect candlelight, well-known carols and a wonder-filled retelling of the Christmas story for all ages. Followed by festive refreshments. Bring grandparents, neighbours, cousins, siblings... we can't wait to see you - all are very welcome. Also, if you can please bring mince pies and small cakes suitable for children and those who don’t like mince pies for both this service (14th) and on the 21st (Service oof Carols and Readings) services?

FOOD BANK CHRISTMAS APPEAL    As Christmas approaches, our local Food Bank at the New Zion Christian Fellowship church would be grateful if we could possibly send them some festive food and toys for them to give to the many poor individuals and families who they see and help each week. It would therefore be wonderful if you could donate some Christmassy treats for those needy people to enjoy.  There is not normally a shortage of donated mince pies, but such things as chocolates, special biscuits, cakes, sweets and so on would be very gratefully received.  As a number of people who attend the Food Bank have children, donating toys, games, bobble hats, scarfs, gloves etc for the volunteers to distribute would be very welcome. Our big Food Bank box will as usual be in the porch of the church, and if you are able, please bring your Christmas donations and place them in there.  I take all donations to the Food Bank every Wednesday morning. Many thanks for your generosity   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 CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE What are your gifts and skills? How might you help St John’s flourish? Last Sunday, Revd Kathryn shared some simple ways we can all play a part in church life. From welcoming at the door to helping with refreshments, music, or tech — every role makes a difference. You can explore the lists here:  Sign-up link Feel free to add your name online or on the paper versions in church. Thank you!     THE DECEMBER/JANUARY PARISH MAGAZINE     This edition contains the usual amazing articles from our regular contributors Rev Kathryn, Jo Holyfield, Michelle Boylan and Andy Chapman. As well as that, there's a very interesting piece from Richard Cuthbert on public rights of way, and much more.  Download or get your printed copy of the magazine in church. Printed copies were in church from yesterday (Sunday) and also available to our deliverance team. You can, as usual, download the pdf version by clicking here

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' NOVEMBER DRAW WINNERS

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

1st prize:  Number 104    £91.80

2nd prize:  Number 78  £55.08

3rd prize:  Number 56  £36.72

To join the 100 Club contact please 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.

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CHURCH GIVING Many of us are happiest giving cash rather than scanning QR codes or tapping payment cards or smartphones. But, if you like the QR Code, you can point your Smartphone’s camera or QR app at it, and it will let you give, or from your PC/Mac you can just click this link: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/10cd954f-25f7-46d9-8813-634634729bfa.    You can also give via the new (easy to use) card payment device – both at the back of the church - these donations go to St Johns funds.  We are planning to make the QR Codes easily accessible from the pews too

PLEASE CAN YOU HELP

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

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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Choir practice every Sunday at 9.45 am 

Bell ringing practice every Monday evening at 7.30 pm