HARTFORD HUNDRED WEST Bayford, Brickendon, Essendon, Little Berkhamsted & Ponsbourne. THE PARISH MAGAZINE May Free 2020 . DIOCESE OF ST. ALBANS The Bishop of St Albans: The Rt. Revd. Dr. Alan Smith The Bishop of Hertford: The Rt Revd Dr Michael Beasley Archdeacon: The Venerable Janet Mackenzie . Rural Dean: The Revd. Canon Jo Loveridge, Assistant Rural Dean: The Revd. Mark Dunstan THE PARISHES OF BAYFORD & BRICKENDON, LITTLE BERKHAMSTED, ESSENDON & WOODHlLL, PONSBOURNE: RECTOR: Rev’d Theresa Musiwacho, Hartford Hundred Rectory, 1 Little Berkhamsted Lane, Little Berkhamsted, SG13 8LU. Telephone: 01707 875940 email - [email protected] Communion to the sick, Notice of Banns and of Marriage by arrangement with the Minister. Please advise us of any cases of sickness so that prayers may be offered or where they may be of any assistance. ST ANDREW'’S - LITTLE BERKHAMSTED ST MARY THE VIRGIN - ESSENDON & WOODHILL CHURCHWARDEN Sandie Ash, Hall Cottage, 7 Church Road, CHURCHWARDENS Little Berkhamsted, SG13 8LY 01707 875221 Mrs A Mitcheson, Farmleigh, Berkhamsted PCC SECRETARY Lane, Essendon, AL9 6JS 01707 658057 Ian Bailey, Tower House, Stockings Lane, Little Mr P Wombwell, 27 Rectory Close, Essendon, Berkhamsted. SG13 8LW 01707 875791 AL9 6HG 01707 273729 TREASURER Mr C Nunn, Trewinnard House, Little PCC SECRETARY Berkhamsted, SG13 8LS 01707 874299 Mrs J Thomson, Adelaide Cottage, 8 High ORGANIST Road, Essendon, AL9 6HW 01707 271626 ST MARY - BAYFORD and HOLY CROSS & TREASURER ST ALBAN – BRICKENDON Mr D Mitchell, Essenwell Cottage, Cucumber Lane, Essendon, AL9 6JB 01707 659243 CHURCHWARDENS ORGANIST Mr G Gay, Blackbird Cottage, 6 Wormley West, End, Broxbourne, Herts, EN10 7QN ST MARY - PONSBOURNE 01992 465304 CHURCHWARDEN Mr C Taylor, Baybury House,41 Ashendene Mr T M Sutcliffe, School Cottages, Newgate Road, Bayford, Hertford, SG13 8PX Street, SG13 8RA 01707 874388 01992 511041 PCC SECRETARY PCC SECRETARY Bradley Morgan Swallowfields Farm, Epping Mrs S Maniez. 11a Ashendene Road, Bayford, Green, SG13 8NB 07427 623643 SG13 8PX, 01992 511542 TREASURER TREASURER Marcello Delfino 39 Newgate Street Village, Mrs E Gay, Blackbird Cottage, 6 Wormley Hertford SG13 8RA 07595 219389 West End, Broxboume, EN10 7QN 01992 465304 ORGANIST Mr P Minchinton, 14 Byfield, Welwyn Garden ORGANIST City, AL8 7AL 01707 323742 Mrs V Haryott, Wellpond Cottage, Brickendon, SG13 8NU 01992 511575 PARISH MAGAZINE EDITOR Dr M E Wainwright. 12 Church Road, Little Berkhamsted, SG13 8LY. 01707 875970 [email protected] 2 ear All are, we can worship God. Since the Most countries worldwide are requirement for worship is that it is D being shaken by the current done in ‘spirit and in truth’. Coronavirus covid-19 outbreak. The Agreeably, it has been a testing time. world has gone into a state of fear due Yet, in times of uncertainty, God still to the rise in uncertainty. Besides speaks. On Maundy Thursday Chrism practical help being offered to Service, the Bishop of Hertford, the Rt. communities, Christians are reaching Revd. Dr. Michael Beasley, talked out to God. This is being done both about listening. In the world we live, individually and corporately in prayer we sometimes become so busy that and worship, with the help of modern we hardly take a moment to pause technology. We are truly thankful for and re-evaluate. A parishioner from the different ways of worshipping one of the Churches I look after made together that have been devised. a remarkable comment one day As a Church in Hartford Hundred during our conversation over the Group, we miss worshipping in our phone, “..we are going to come out of beautiful buildings. However, an this differently”. I pondered over the alternative perspective to the despair words for days. I found them to be can be considered: the absence of the profound and true. Across the world, physical Church (its literal emptiness) nations are taking drastic measures is a sign of God’s ability to meet us e.g. suspending sports, schools closing, regardless of our locations. I am banning of mass gatherings etc. This is reminded of the Samaritan woman giving us a chance to stop, for some of who met Jesus at a Well, described in us to be with our families, rest, listen the gospel of John chapter 4 verses and reflect. 21;23-24. In the course of their May I take this opportunity to conversation, Jesus said to her: encourage individuals, families, the “21Woman, believe me, the hour is isolated, those unwell, the anxious, the coming when you will worship the bereaved and all to remain hopeful Father neither on this mountain nor in and comforted. The Bishop of St. Jerusalem… 23 But the hour is Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan, gave a coming, and is now here, when the talk on the Second Sunday of Easter true worshipers will worship the reminding us of the peace the risen Father in spirit and truth, for the Christ left us. How the disciples had Father seeks such as these to worship locked themselves in a room, out of him. 24 God is spirit, and those who fear of the Jews succeeding the worship him must worship in spirit crucifixion of our Lord (recounted in and truth.” John 20: 19). Nevertheless, our risen Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman Jesus Christ entered the room to be cause us to stop and think. He reveals with them. So, we may seem to be that the Church will continue to be the alone in this time of isolation but, may Church whether gathered in one we remain hopeful and comforted - location or dispersed. Wherever we his presence and peace is with us. 3 I am touched by how the Church, the May we continue to seek the face of community members in Hartford God to know his will, pray for our Hundred Group, are looking after one leaders, key workers and each other, another. May I encourage the practice care for each other knowing full well to continue. We are going to come out that God is with us. of this challenging period by God’s grace. Reverend Theresa Musiwacho From the Editor. This is a very different magazine from those at the beginning of the year. There are quite a few gaps due to most of the regular items being irrelevant, but there are also quite a few new items, and they are in full colour! Feedback on this and April’s magazine has been zero. Please let me have any articles, however whimsical. I have left some items in place which are obviously cancelled, just as place holders for when normality returns. Best wishes. Mike MAY CALENDAR Sunday 3rd May 4th Sunday of Easter Acts Ch2, v42-end John Ch10, v1-10 Sunday 10th May 5th Sunday of Easter Acts Ch7, v55-end John Ch14, v1-14 Sunday 17th May 6th Sunday of Easter Acts Ch17, v22-31 John Ch14, v15-21 Thursday 21st May Ascension Day Sunday 24th May 7th Sunday of Easter (Sunday after Ascension Day) Acts Ch1, v6-14 John Ch17, v1-11 Sunday 31st May Pentecost (Whit Sunday) 31st May Acts Ch2, v1-21 John Ch20, v19-23 These readings have been chosen by Revd Theresa. (see p 6). Telephone services every Sunday and Wednesday at 10am Zoom services every Sunday at 11:30am Visit the Hartford Hundred web site at hartfordhundred.org.uk/ for full details of telephone and Zoom services 4 Pentecost. The Day of Pentecost marks fifty days since Easter Day and brings the Easter season to an end. It is a major feast of the Church’s year when Christians recall how God’s Holy Spirit was given to the disciples after Jesus’s ascension, empowering them to begin the work of making disciples of all nations. Pentecost (which comes from the Greek word for ‘fiftieth’) has its roots in the Jewish Feast of Weeks. Jesus had promised his followers that, although they would not see him after his Ascension, they would receive the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire them. The Acts of the Apostles describes how the crowds gathered in Jerusalem – representing many nationalities and speaking many languages – were able to hear the disciples preaching in their own language. 'When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.' Acts 2, Chapter 2, V1-2 The colour most often associated with Pentecost is red, representing the tongues of fire which the Acts of the Apostles describes appearing above the heads of the disciples as a sign that they had received the Holy Spirit. With its focus on God’s Spirit being poured out on believers, Pentecost is one of the most popular days for baptisms and confirmations in the Church’s year. Pentecost is also referred to as Whit Sunday (or Whitsun), especially in the north west, where traditional parades called Whit Walks take place, often featuring brass bands. Traditionally the next day, Whit Monday, was also a public holiday (however since 1971 fixed by statute on the last Monday in May). Many churches set aside the ten days between Ascension (since the late fourth century, on the fortieth day of Easter the Church celebrates Christ's ascension to heaven, this marks the end of his earthly ministry) and Pentecost as a special time of prayer for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thy Kingdom Come – the global wave of prayer established in 2016 following an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York – has seen millions of Christians across denominations and across the world joining together to pray for more people to come to know Jesus.