News

Officially the Vicar of the Benefice

The Institution, Induction and Installation of Rev’d Dr Sarah Forrest as Vicar of the Benefice

Saturday 22nd March marked a very special day. After four and a half years as Priest in Charge, Rev’d Sarah was officially made Vicar of the Benefice!

It was a really lovely service led by The Rt Rev’d Dr Jane Mainwaring, Bishop of Hertford, and The Venerable Janet Mackenzie, Archdeacon of Hertford, with assistance from Rev’d Canon Mark Dunstan, Rural Dean. With over 100 people in attendance, the church was filled and united in celebration as the Institution, Induction and Installation of Rev’d Sarah took place.

Members of the Benefice family, including Churchwardens Richard Mellor, Margaret Mellor and Peter Melrose; Assistant Churchwarden Martin Vaughan; Readers Lynne Griffiths and Rachael Melrose with Ministry Team member Anne Pulford, took part in the service in various roles. We also had John Hookway as Patron’s Representative for CPAS, along with Master Eugene du Toit and Jonathan Trower as Patron’s Representatives for Haileybury College in attendance.

We asked members of the local community to be part of The Welcome. Helen Payne (1^st Stanstead Abbotts Brownies), Will Drury (Stanstead Abbotts Scout Group), Councillor Tom Foy (Great Amwell Parish Council), Councillor Michael Dormon (Stanstead Abbotts Parish Council), Michael Speed (Headteacher at St Andrew’s Primary School), Lydia Hunt (Headteacher of St John the Baptist Primary School) and Clare Jackson (Representing of All Nations Christian College) kindly came along to officially welcome Rev’d Sarah.

Prayers of Dedication and Intercession were led by Richard Mellor, Mary Salter (Deanery Lay Chairperson) and our Headteachers, Lydia Hunt and Michael Speed.

Lynne Griffiths also played the organ and performed a triumphant trumpet voluntary at the end of the service to lead us all out to the refreshments. And what a marvellous spread it was! Everyone had really pulled together to prepare a lovely buffet for us all to enjoy, and those in the kitchen did a stellar job making sure we were all well fed and watered.

Thank you to everyone involved in the planning, preparation and running of the event. It was really wonderful to be all together and to celebrate Rev’d Sarah taking up the permanent role of Vicar to our Benefice Family.

Anna Bond

[Images courtesy of Richard Mellor and Anna Bond]

: Lynne Griffiths on the organ

: Churchwardens Richard Mellor, Margaret Mellor and Peter Melrose bring forward Rev’d Sarah

: Declaration of Assent and Oaths

: Signing the Declarations

: Reading by Martin Vaughan

: Sermon by Archdeacon of Hertford

: The Institution by the Bishop of Hertford

: The Institution

: The Anointing

: The Blessing of the Vicar and Ministry Team

: The Induction and Installation

: Welcome by Cllr Tom Foy

: Welcome by Cllr Michael Dormon

: Welcome by Lydia Hunt

: Welcome by Michael Speed

: Welcome by Clare Jackson

: Welcome by Will Drury

: Welcome by Helen Payne

: Presentation of the stole (a gift from some of the church family)

: View of the congregation

: Presentation of a flagon of water by Anne Pulford (Act of Commitment)

: Presentation of a Bible by Rachel Melrose (Act of Commitment)

: Presentation of bread and wine by Lynne Griffiths (Act of Commitment)

: Processing out (Anne Pulford and Rev’d Mark Escott)

: Processing out (Rev’d Canon Mark Dunstan, Rev’d Sarah, Archdeacon Janet, Bishop Jane and Rev’d Theresa Musiwacho)

: Gathering outside the church, including Churchwardens, Clergy and Patron’s Representatives

: Churchwardens with Bishop Jane, Archdeacon Janet, Rev’d Canon Mark Dunstan and Rev’d Sarah

: Bishop Jane, Rev’d Sarah, Rev’d Canon Mark Dunstan and Archdeacon Janet

: Lynne Griffiths, Rev’d Sarah and Bishop Jane

: Lynne Griffiths and Rachel Melrose

: Rev’d Sarah with the gifted stole

: An excellent spread

: At St John the Baptist Church, on Sunday morning, all the churchwardens and assistants presented some spring flowers to Sarah for the springtime of her becoming Vicar.

The Bishop of St Albans’ Visit

Bishop Alan, the Rt Rev’d the Lord Bishop of St Albans, who has been visiting all the churches in the diocese over the time of his episcopacy, came to St John the Baptist, Great Amwell on Sunday 19th January to lead and preach at the 9am Eucharist Service.

It was wonderful to celebrate Communion with Bishop Alan in our beautiful church, with the church family and the wider community. He even got involved with some bell-ringing, which has been a passion since he was a teenager. As many of you will know, we have a historic set of six bells (with the earliest dating from sixteenth century, called ‘Come all ye faithful’) all hung with wheels so they can be rung full circle.

Churchwarden, Richard Mellor said, ‘The Bishop’s visit to St John’s was welcomed by the congregation. He gave an amusing yet powerful sermon and he left us with much to consider. He joined us for refreshments after the service and chatted to everyone, who enjoyed the opportunity to meet him and talk to him.’

Rev’d Sarah said, ‘It was a joy to have Bishop Alan visit us in these last few months of before his retirement, and to receive a handwritten note from him following his visit in which he expressed a real pleasure at being with us. Please remember Bishop Aan in your prayers as he prepares for retirement.’

Bishop Alan, the Rt Rev’d the Lord Bishop of St Albans (image courtesy: Richard Mellor)

The Christmas Journey 2024

Every year we see the numbers who attend ‘The Christmas Journey: The Nativity Story Reimagined’ increase and there is quite a buzz in the local community in the lead up! We had a fantastic 180 children and adults (not to mention dogs) gathering together at St Margarets Train Station to make the journey to meet baby Jesus in the manger (at St Andrew’s Church).

As our numbers swell, we are even more conscious of the need for road safety. As such, we had a greater number of helpers in hi-vis jackets marshalling everyone safely on our journey. Thank you so much to everyone who helped.

We visited inns along the way and, as always, love to see the engagement with the general public as we sing and share the nativity story. Special thanks to The Jolly Fisherman, The Oak and The Red Lion for taking part again this year. We were amazed to see our Innkeeper at The Red Lion dressed for the part – that was an extra treat!

We are really pleased that this special service continues to go from strength to strength and has become a Christmas tradition for local families.

Cups on a String: a TLG/Riding Lights Performance

On Wednesday 16th October, we were delighted to host the Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) / Riding Lights Theatre Company production, ‘Cups on a String’, created to mark 25 years of TLG bringing hope and a future to struggling children across the UK.

Here at The 3 Churches Benefice we are passionate about the charity TLG and the important work they do. We are actively involved with Make Lunch (running Make Lunch Club on Mondays and Fridays during the school holidays) and Early Intervention (with a number of Early Intervention Coaches in our Benefice, who mentor children once a week in school). With this in mind, we wanted to support the national tour of ‘Cups on a String’ and host a performance.

‘Cups on a String’ is a warm-hearted and moving new play, developed from remarkable true stories. Challenging, surprising and beautifully hopeful, ‘Cups on a String’ takes you into the heart of the friendship between Heather and Joe, and the profound impact it has on them both.

St Andrew’s Church was a hive of activity on Wednesday afternoon as the stage was set. The doors opened at 7.30pm and we had an audience of 65 strong. The performance was really good and it was a great evening.

Thank you to those who hosted the performers and for everyone who helped on the evening with tasks like ushering, refreshments and car park duty.

News from St John the Baptist

South African Braii
In August, in the lovely summer sunshine, we had a South African braai in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, organised kindly by parishioners Graeme and Paola McSorley. We enjoyed boerewors followed by melktert, washed down with fabulous South African wine.

Visitors come to St John the Baptist
St John’s church has been blessed this year with visitors from overseas. Recently, we have had visitors from America, who can trace
their ancestry to Richard and Elizabeth Warren who were married in the church in 1610. Richard being one of the Pilgrim Fathers on Mayflower 10 years later.

In September, came Sue and Tom Dietrich from Arizona, followed on 3rd October by well-known authoress Jodie Picoult and her husband, Tim Warren Van Leer from New Hampshire. On the same day, Eric Nye, a visiting professor at Cambridge and related to the Warrens, joined us. It was great to welcome them to St John’s and show them round the church and the churchyard.

Benefice Harvest Festival 2024

Sunday 22nd September was the date of this year’s Benefice Harvest Festival. We had a lovely service at the Old Parish Church of St James, with a brilliant turn out of people. Once again, the church was beautifully decorated with seasonal displays, for which special thanks go to:

The Friends of St James’s Church
Stanstead Abbotts Scouts – Forest Beaver Colony and Oak Squirrel Drey
Stort Valley Organics, Stanstead Abbotts
Joe and Mo from the High Street Allotments
The Easneye Estate
Hill House
Kate Green (overall mastermind)

After the service, there was a very special lunch in the Haybarn at Stanstead Bury Farm, Stanstead Abbotts, organised by Antonia Trower and supported by helpers from the Friends of St James’s. Locally produced food and drink was provided in the barn, and there was a real community feel. Thanks go to the local food and drink producers:

Temple Farm, Roydon
Stanstead Bury Farm
Stort Valley Organics, Stanstead Abbotts
New River Brewery, Hoddesdon
Brick Lock, Roydon
Four Acre Estate, Little Hadham
Hazel End, Bishop’s Stortford

Thank you to everyone for all the hard work that was put into making this such fantastic event.

Benefice Celebration Service for Elizabeth and Martin Goldsmith

On Sunday 30th June, we held a very special Benefice Celebration Service for Elizabeth and Martin Goldsmith at St Andrew’s Church. The service was followed by a ‘bring & share’ lunch in The Wilshere Hall.

During the Celebration Service we heard about their backgrounds: Elizabeth being a 4th generation missionary and Martin from a secular Jewish family. Martin came to faith as a teenager and they met while training for missionary work. We listened to their stories of life and work across the globe, including decades of international ministry.

Rev’d Dr Bob Hunt preached on Acts 1: 6–11, which includes Jesus’s call to ‘be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’

The ‘bring & share’ lunch was a lovely time of fellowship together.

Thank you to everyone involved in organising this special service.

Easter 2024

Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday, is always a busy time for everyone with lots of different services and chances to come together as we remember Jesus’ last days and crucifixion, and ultimately celebrate Jesus’s Resurrection! Alongside the church services, Rev’d Sarah was also involved with the Easter activities at both St Andrew’s and St John the Baptist’s Primary Schools, as well as leading services for both schools in the churches, sharing the good news of Jesus with over 400 children.

Our Holy Week and Easter services were wonderfully attended. Thank you to everyone who came along to join us and especially to those who helped with organising, runnning or the logistics of these services. As you can see from the photos, despite the bad weather we had a good turnout at our Walk of Witness and the service held at dawn on Easter Day was a very special.

Good Friday Walk of Witness
(© Lynne Griffiths)

We hope that you all had a Happy Easter!

Easter blessing
“May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear. And may Christ, Our Risen Saviour, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide.”

A Year of Make Lunch Club

This Easter, we’re celebrating an important first anniversary. It’s a year since we first started ‘Make Lunch’, a club for families who need extra help in the school holidays, whether in terms of finances and food, or space to be together and find support. The 3 Churches Benefice partnered with a national charity ‘Transforming Lives for Good’ or ‘TLG’, whose aim is to help churches to work in their communities to combat poverty and improve the lives of children and young people. We started in the Easter holidays last year, running lunch and activity sessions twice a week for anyone who wanted to come. To date we have run 21 sessions, usually Mondays and Fridays, through all the school holidays, and we have made over 300 meals for children and their parents/careers, welcoming over 74 different children and 38 adults.

Every session is different in terms of who comes and what kind of day it is, but we always have an activity and a theme, a two-course hot meal, time to sit together and eat, and to get to know each other and build relationships. We have 16 volunteers signed up and try to have at least 6 or 7 on each session, working in the kitchen, cooking and washing up, or out front coordinating activities or chatting to folk.

It’s been hard work but we know it’s worthwhile from the stories we can share of parents who moved to the area recently and now feel part of the community, of children who were anxious and struggling at school but now feel they belong and have a sense of their identity and value. We shared some of our stories of the last year with our Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) Lead, Alex Hall, who has supported us on the journey and led our yearly review. She is so pleased with our work that she has awarded us Gold Club status!

We look forward positively to the next year at Make Lunch and thank all our supporters, volunteers and families for sharing the adventure!

Join us at Make Lunch Club over the Easter Holidays for fun, friendship and some yummy food. See the poster HERE for all the details.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Email us at makelunch@3churches.net

Warm Welcome Spaces: come and join us!

Every week, we offer two Warm Welcome Spaces to those who need it over the cold winter months:

Coffee Morning on Monday mornings, 9–11.30am at The Wilshere Hall
The Community Hub Drop-in on Wednesdays, 10.30–11.30am at St Mary’s, St Margarets

These groups are a great way to make new friends, and share a cuppa and a chat (and some enjoyable activities) in a warm, welcome space.

In our Monday Coffee Morning, we have been having a lot of fun! On Monday 29^th January, we recycled old candles to make new ones using a slow cooker. The wax was melted on a low heat and we added frankincense to scent it. We then poured the wax out and left them to cool. It we really well! We shared our new candles at Candlemas Prayers (on Wednesday 31^st January after The Community Hub Drop-in) as we celebrated Jesus, who Simeon called The Light of the World!

Everyone is welcome at our Warm Welcome Spaces. We look forward to welcoming you!

[Click HERE to see our Warm Welcome Spaces poster. Please note, these sessions finish on 25th March]