Easter Services

Dear all

As we journey through Holy Week we are keen to let you know about the services and other opportunities for Easter Trails.

Below are listed the services for Maundy Thursday which now also includes a link to the morning Diocesan service in the Abbey which clergy normally attend each year to affirm their vows and ministry commitment, and the sacred oils are blessed for distribution to the parishes. This year the service will be filmed at the Abbey with just Rural Deans and key clergy in attendance, but it offers a great opportunity for you to join us, as part of the congregation.  Do please tune in if you can.

Please also note the zoom access information for the evening zoom Maundy Thursday service at 7.30pm.

Maundy Thursday:

Diocesan Maundy Thursday service relayed from St Albans Abbey at 11am 

Chrism Eucharist

The Chrism Eucharist, at 11:00 am on Maundy Thursday,  is being streamed online from St Albans Cathedral and can be viewed here on the Cathedral YouTube channel.

6pm Reflective service at Toddington Church

7.30pm Maundy Thursday service at Harlington Church

TONIGHT 7.30pm Maundy Thursday service by zoom please ask for details

Good Friday:

10am Family Service at Westoning Church (Booking required via church website or phone 01525 862357)

10.30am morning service with reflective readings Chalgrave Church

2pm Service Final hour at the Cross with reflective readings, at Toddington Church

2pm Service Final hour at the Cross with reflective readings at Westoning Church (Booking required via church website or phone 01525 862357)

2pm Service Final hour at the Cross at Harlington Church

Easter Sunday

8am BCP Holy Easter Communion at Harlington Church

9.30am Holy Easter Communion at Chalgrave Church, 

9.30am Holy Easter Communion at Harlington Church (Booking advised via Church website)

11am Holy Easter Communion at Toddington Church

11am Holy Easter Communion at Westoning Church (Booking required via Church Website or phone 01525 862357 - if bookings are full, please register your interest in case it is possible to offer an alternative service)

3pm Easter service at Tingrith Church

The Diocese have offered times during Holy Week for a silent led retreat:  Come Away and Rest A While.

If you missed attending one of the silent led retreats.... I have attached the personal Bible reading and reflection on Mark's account of The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mark 6:30-44) for your quiet contemplation.

Easter Trails are running at Harlington, Toddington and Westoning.

• Harlington Easter Trail is running all of Holy Week and until the end of Bank Holiday Monday.  Please see the attached poster for more information. It is a wonderful opportunity for families to share and explore the Easter story together.  It is already popular.. but come along and see for yourself.

Harlington also have a pre-school trail to follow.

• Toddington Church Easter Trail will run from Good Friday until Easter Monday and has been prepared by the Rock and Redeemer Church in Dunstable, for which we are very grateful.  The link for more information is: 

https://fb.watch/4wrZQO_Mw-/

• Westoning Church Easter Trail starts at the church and runs from Good Friday until Easter Monday.  The information leaflet is available on the church website along with fuller information about all Westoning's Easter Services.

Diocesan Virtual Easter Monday Pilgrimage

The Easter Monday Pilgrimage is not taking place at the Cathedral this year due to Covid restrictions.

Join us online on demand from 0800, where there are resources including a video so that you can make an Easter pilgrimage where you are. The video will feature a short talk by theologian Canon Paula Gooder.

Alternative Services if you are not able to get to church

If you cannot get to church over Holy Week or are still shielding please be aware that there are services which you can access:

Daily Hope – dial 0800 804 8044 for prayer, reflection, music and worship services from the Church of England. A weekly service is available from 9 am every Sunday.

• BBC Sunday worship (TV and iplayer)
• BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wzfs

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

Prayer During the Day and Night Prayer audio are available on Soundcloud and via the Church’s free Time To Pray app.

We pray that you will be able to step aside for a while this Holy Week to connect with Jesus on his journey into Jerusalem to the cross, from Palm Sunday to the Crucifixion on Good Friday and to the Celebration Alleluia moment on Easter Sunday when be declare that 'Jesus is Risen'.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you as we recall the heart of the Christian Story and travel together this Easter, and hopefully, out of lockdown too, to brighter times.

God bless you all

Linda and Nigel