Mission total for 2013

We now have the final total for our Mission fundraising for 2013. We had several exciting events including our Scottish and 1940s themed evenings, our Summer and Christmas Fayres as well as our regular Table Top Sales.

Together these events and other donations meant that we successfully met our target of £2000 which will be shared equally among our three nominated Missions; The Willow Foundation→, Diabetes UK→ and Mary’s Meals→.

The final total for the year was £2307. The £307 above our target will be donated to our own mission, ASCEND.

We also collected £384 for one-off appeals including the Syria and Philippines crises. This makes a grand total for 2013 of

£2691.

Thank you to everyone who helped organise any of our events in 2013 and all those who came along to support them and help us reach this total.

Our new Missions for 2014 will be announced soon.

Saints, Pilgrims and Peggy

At our service yesterday we watched the annual new year message from Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans. His message centred around the centenary of the formation of the current Diocese of St Albans in 1914. As part of this celebration, there will be a festival day of fun and praise on the 25 August in Keysoe, Bedfordshire. For more information, you can visit the Diocese website www.celebrate100.org.uk.

Also accompanying this special year, we have been given a book “Saints and Pilgrims in the Diocese of St Albans”. This book has 366 pages for each day of the year with each one reflecting on the life of an inspirational person from our diocese. One of the people represented is our very own Peggy Leech who most of you will remember preaching at All Saints’ for many, many years.

We hope to put this inspiring book on display in the church so that all our congregation and visitors can follow this centenary year through the interesting stories of these fascinating individuals.

Merry Christmas from All Saints’ Church

All the shopping is done and the presents are under the tree. Now take time and remember what Christmas is all about.

Our Christingle and Nativity Service is at 4pm on Christmas Eve. This service is designed with children in mind and is a great way to take time out from your Christmas preparations to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas.

We will be holding Midnight Mass at 11:30pm on Christmas Eve as we wait beside the manger.

Then at 10am on Christmas morning, come along to celebrate Jesus’s birthday and bring along your favourite present to show us.