All posts by stmaryswebguru

Introducing Forest Tots

It has been wonderful to catch up with so many of you at our outdoor Teddy Tots meet-ups in the churchyard.   Please note will not be meeting for the next two weeks.

The Teddy Tots team has been discussing how we can continue to meet in the coming term.  We have decided that meeting indoors will not be safe or viable, and after much thought we are very excited to bring you…. Forest Tots.

Forest Tots will meet outside in the churchyard every Friday morning in the coming term, whatever the weather(!).

Each week we will walk together around the churchyard, stopping to do an activity together, to say rhymes and play instruments, to make things and collect things. We’ll pause at the “thank you tree”, the “worry tree”, the ‘quiet tree” to chat, think and say a prayer.  We’ll plant bulbs and watch them grow, look at the churchyard and fields beyond, noticing how they change through the seasons.  We’ll splash in puddles and run around in the fresh air.

We really hope you can join us!  

Forest Tots will begin on Friday 9th October, meeting at 10.30am in the churchyard.  

As always, please do spread the word to anyone who might like to join us. We would particularly love to reach out to new parents who haven’t had the opportunity to join baby groups during lockdown.  

We do hope you’re as excited as we are about Forest Tots – see you there!

With love from The Teddy Tots Team x

Watch Rachel Snow’s Ordination

This coming Saturday 26th September Rachel Snow will be ordained at St Albans Cathedral at 2.00pm. Rachel has been with us at St Mary’s since 2018 whilst training for ordination.

Whilst we would ordinarily have a coach load of supporters at the service to support her, this year only a very small number of people will be allowed in to the service.

However, the ordination service will be broadcast live from the Cathedral at 2.00pm and you can watch it on YouTube, either live as it happens, or later on.

Click here to watch the ordination service

 

Charity Cakes and Concerts

Thanks to those who gave so generously in the retiring collections following the two superb concerts by the string trio at our Patronal Festival celebrations. We haven’t counted the total amount but it will comfortably come to over £1000 towards our Charity of the Year appeal ‘Pumps for Mpwapwa’ –  a project to provide a solar-powered water pump in the village of Msagali, Tanzania, in partnership with the Diocese of Mpwapwa.

And further thanks to our Junior Choir members who took the initiative to organise a cake sale after last Sunday’s service, also in aid of ‘Pumps for Mpwapwa’. They baked all the cakes themselves and raised a magnificent £385 for the charity. Thanks to all who bought cakes and supported the stall with generous donations.