Parish Passover Meal 2012

This was the largest we have ever had and with a lot of children, which really added a new dimension to things, as they play quite a key role in the Jewish celebration. There were over a 100 people in our Hall, to relive this key time in the life of faith which we have inherited from our Jewish forebears -, there is a mixture of joy and sorrow in the whole event and it makes an excellent entry into the reality of what Holy Week is. We are most grateful to Jane, Trish and all who helped in anyway at all to prepare, serve and clear away afterwards: it was a great event in our Parish life and it was good to welcome a goodly representation from St Mary’s Church. We also had new Orders of Service and Hymn Sheets, so that we could go into the background a little bit more and join together in songs which emphasise the various elements of the celebration. It really is a key-note event in our Parish Life!

Walk of Witness Good Friday

Good Friday Service in the Market Place: we had a truly wonderful day in prayer and sun! We had goodly numbers at our Morning Prayer and there has been a big increase in the numbers of Parishioners who came along and joined in the Walk of Witness (reportedly 770) and the Service. Trish got us off to a good start and it was good to see quite a Catholic slant to our Service. This was combined with good support from the Anglican Tradition and also the Pentecostal one, as the new Minister at Hitchin Christian Centre, spoke powerfully about the Redemption and Salvation offered by Jesus. The Celtic Tradition was very present in the Introduction before we started and for the Opening of the Service and very ably led by Trish as Chair of Churches Together in Hitchin.

Heading off from Bancroft and the Three Crosses in the market place

The music group leading us in song, Fr Michael and Trish and Charmaine reading the Letter from St Paul.

Matt delivering his wonderful sermon, Ian leading us in prayer and the blessing by all the Ministers. Trish getting enthusiastic about 'Lord I lift your name on high'