Hello Everyone
Holy Week begins on Sunday with Palm Sunday as we remember Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey to cheering joyful crowds. During the morning services, Palm Crosses will be blessed and distributed to the congregations. Samson the Donkey will make a special appearance at Harlington Church and a pony will be visiting Westoning Church. Bishop Richard is visiting as a special guest this week at Tingrith and Westoning churches and at Toddington we offer our first monthly Messy Church Sunday morning with crafts and breakfast, at Wilkinson Hall.
As we move further into Holy Week, on Maundy Thursday Clergy and Readers (and members of our congregations) are invited to attend the annual Chrism service at St Albans where we will renew our ministry vows and observe the blessing of the Holy Oils to be used in our parishes during the year. If you would like to attend this service with us, please liaise with Linda and Nigel so we can sort lifts. You will be very welcome. The Maundy Thursday evening services in our local churches remember Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples, before Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he had gone to pray.
Holy Week then moves swiftly forward into Good Friday, with services and events to mark Jesus' journey to the cross. These services vary from a Walk of Witness in Harlington (with Churches together) to re-enact the Easter Story, a morning family service at Westoning with children and families sharing craft and stories to remember the special day, and an Easter reflective service at Chalgrave church. During the week, Toddington church will be open to enable visitors to follow the Easter Encounter stations to interact with Jesus' journey.
Good Friday afternoon 'Last Hour at the Cross' services will be held at Westoning, Harlington and Toddington at 2pm, to offer quiet reflective services watching and waiting with Jesus during His final hour on the Cross.
Easter Saturday (or Holy Saturday) is also remembered but there are no services in church, and we meet again in church on Easter Day to celebrate the day of Jesus' resurrection, when visitors to the tomb discovered that Jesus' body was no longer there, because 'Jesus is Alive' - 'He is Risen'.
We invite you to walk the way of the cross with us this Easter time. Jesus is the reason for the season!
Palm Sunday services on 10th April 2022
9.15-10.30ish Palm Sunday, Messy Church with Breakfast, Wilkinson Hall - Rebecca
9.30am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion - Linda
9.30am Tingrith Church, Holy Communion with Bishop Richard and Jon
9.30am Harlington Church, Holy Communion - Nigel and Robert
11am Toddington Church, Holy Communion - Linda
11am Westoning Church, Holy Communion - Bishop Richard and Nigel
6pm Palm Sunday Upper Roo
Other services and events from Sunday 10th April
Monday
Morning Prayer, Toddington 9.30am
Seated Pilates, Wilkinson Hall with Jo at 2pm
Tuesday
Westcaf 10am- noon Westoning Village Hall
Knitting Group, 10.30- noon Wilkinson Hall, Toddington
Sewing Bees 1.00pm Westoning Village Hall
Youth Group 5.30pm -7pm (years 4,5, and 6)
Wednesday
Harlington Morning Service at 10am
Lent Lunch, Wilkinson Hall, 12-1.15pm - proceeds to Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
St Albans Abbey Maundy Thursday Chrism service 11am
Fellowship afternoon with friends 2pm Wilkinson Hall
Maundy Thursday Holy Communion Service 6pm, Toddington - Linda
Maundy Thursday Holy Communion Service 7.30pm Westoning - Nigel
Maundy Thursday Holy Communion Service 7.45pm Harlington - Linda and Robert
Friday (Good Friday)
Good Friday reflective service 9.30am, Chalgrave Church
Walk of Witness, 10am Harlington finishing at Harlington Church (more information from Robert)
Good Friday Family Service, Westoning Church 10am
(No Churches Together Walk of Witness in Toddington this year)
'The Last Hour at the Cross' 2pm services at Harlington, Toddington and Westoning Churches
Easter Sunday
7am Dawn Service followed by breakfast, Westoning Church
9.30am service Chalgrave
9.30am service at Harlington
11am Service at Toddington
11am Service at Westoning
Looking ahead to 23rd April, Toddington Church is planning some special events to celebrate St George's Day:
'Art Attack' in church in the morning
Coffee Morning in Wilkinson Hall
7.30pm Ceildiih with Ploughman's supper, Wilkinson Hall. For information about tickets, please contact Dee
Thinking of you all and sending our love and prayers
Linda and Nigel