We hold a variety of special services throughout the year as below. Please see our church diary which shows what is taking place.
Palm Sunday
We often welcome the choir of St John the Baptist, Great Amwell, to lead us through “The Way of the Cross” – a series of hymns, anthems and Bible readings and prayers focussing upon the arrest, trial and death of Jesus.
Easter
A great celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead – the heart of the Christian faith. This is a service of Holy Communion.
Patronal Festival
Our church bears the name of St John the Baptist. His feast day is 24th June, so we celebrate with a special service on the Sunday nearest to this date. In recent years, we have held a special “Songs of Praise” service in which we have all joined together in singing the village’s favourite hymns (chosen by the people).
Harvest
In early October, we come to give thanks for God’s provision of food to eat and remember with gratitude all those who are involved in the supply chain. We take an additional collection for the Bishop of St Albans’ Harvest Appeal which supports a specific overseas project overseen by one of the world’s largest Christian aid agencies, e.g. TEARFund or Christian Aid. You can join us in supporting this charity by donating online.
Despite the coronavirus restrictions, our special Harvest Festival service on Sunday 4th October 2020 was a delight.
photos by B Dunstan
Remembrance
Our service on Remembrance Sunday starts at 10:50am, so that we can sing one hymn, then proceed to the War Memorial over the road for the Act of Remembrance and two minutes silence at 11am before returning to church for the rest of the service. There are families living in the village whose ancestors are named on the memorial, making this a particularly personal event for the community. We take an additional collection for the work of the Royal British Legion. You can join us in supporting this charity by donating online.
Carols by Candlelight
This service has an enduring appeal. Thanks to a wonderful team of creative volunteers, the church building is beautifully decorated and lit by candles throughout. We sing traditional carols together and hear readings from the Bible which tell the Christmas story.
photos by Mark Dunstan
Christmas Day
Our Christmas Morning Family Service is always full as the community gathers for a joyful celebration of what God has done in coming to earth as one of us. Following this service, there is a shortened celebration of Holy Communion for those for whom this is an important part of their faith tradition.
Others
We are always alert to other important events and pleased to mark them with a special act of worship. In recent years, we have held the following special services (some of which may be repeated):
- Service of Evensong with visiting choir
- Mothering Sunday Family Service
- Good Friday Meditation (every three years, taking turns with the other churches in the benefice)
- Celebration of completion of Tower Restoration work
- Service to mark the 100th Anniversary of the start of World War I
- Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration for the lives of loved-ones lost
- Crib / Christingle Service for children
- Service of Commemoration for the life of HM Queen Elizabeth II
- Service of Celebration for the Coronation of HM King Charles III
Image “Christmas at Widford” by Mark Dunstan