Sunday is Trinity Sunday. It has been a Principal Feast of the church only since 1134. The church has worshipped in the name of the Trinity since the earliest of times, blessing in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit, and worshipping with liturgy dedicated to the Trinity. However, many people thought that despite this there should be a special day dedicated to the Holy Trinity.  The church resisted this until Pope Paul the 23rd gave in, 1000 years after Jesus’. He chose the day after Pentecost, partly because it wasn’t allocated to any other feast.

Trinity Sunday is the only principal feast associated with a doctrine of the church rather than with a person or a significant event in the life of the church and Christianity. The Holy Trinity is a foundational doctrine of Christianity – our understanding and perception of the Holy Trinity as Godden three persons, the father the son and the Holy Spirit. We honour and emphasise this every time we say together the creed, and that makes Trinity Sunday especially important. For me, at least, this day commemorates the culmination of the story of God’s creation that we follow and share every liturgical year between advent and Pentecost. We live in the presence and knowledge of the father and son and Holy Spirit forever evermore, and it’s entirely fitting that we dedicate one special day each year to remembering this.

The church now enters “Ordinary Time ” until we next arrive at Advent and start the story again. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity isn’t an abstract idea. Before there was a doctrine, there was, and is, the experience of God in three persons in our lives. It is the gift of that experience that sustains us and draws new disciples into the church. The reality of the Trinity in our lives and our faith might no longer surprise us but “ordinary time” seems rather an understatement. It is an extraordinary gift from God that we celebrate on Sunday.

Every blessing
Richard

Fr Stuart’s sponsored walk

Over the past week, Fr Stuart has been on a 6-day sponsored walk from Berkhamsted to Manchester. He's been raising money for the local suicide prevention charity Hector's House, walking 180 miles via Nuneaton, Lichfield and Leek. You can catch up with his interview on BBC Three Counties Radio last Sunday on BBC Sounds:

You can find out more about the work of Hector's House at the link below. Importantly, it's not too late to add your sponsorship donation on his JustGiving page!

 www.justgiving.com

 hectorshouse.org.uk

Petertide Fair – donations wanted!

We are gearing up for our fundraising fair on 28 June and we need donations - good quality bric-à-brac (no clothes), books, plants, toys, and wine/beer/spirits. For storage reasons, please donate bottles on Sunday mornings only, and donate plants from 20/21 June onwards.

It's not too late to volunteer! We need a few extra people to help out on stalls, so don't be shy - fill out a volunteering form now!

Contact:

Hayley Khazaneh     07734 601 136

 Email Hayley Khazaneh

Hilary Armstrong    07969 654 160

 Email Hilary Armstrong

Carolynne Charman (cakes)    07506 156 751

 Email Carolynne Charman (cakes)

Sarah Dawson (plants)    07788 843 186

 Email Sarah Dawson (plants)

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Berkhamsted School development plans

Berkhamsted School have unveiled some interesting development plans. The scheme involves demolition of certain buildings along Mill Street (between the Wilderness and the canal) and constructing new blocks. Of particular interest is the plan to relocate the school coach pickup/dropoff in the coach park of a new sports block, which is to be built on the astroturf playing fields on Lower Kings Road/Greene Field Road. This would hopefully mean an end to the coach parking on Castle Street, as school buses would instead go via Lower Kings Road (and possibly the Wilderness) - download a detailed site plan here. The plans are not yet approved - copious documentation is available on the Dacorum Planning website (Planning Application 26/00768/MFA), where residents can submit comments or objections.

 planning.dacorum.gov.uk

 planning.dacorum.gov.uk

Friday 12 June at 7:30 pm
Music from the St Albans Abbey scriptorium

A medieval manuscript written by the monks of St Albans Abbey 800 years ago is being brought to life in a rare live performance. For the first time in eight centuries, these monastic chants will be heard within the very space for which they were created - the church that is now St Albans Cathedral. For one evening only, the Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, Andrew Carwood MBE, joins singer and early music specialist James Preston will perform chants from the book, transporting the audience you back to the sounds that shaped medieval worship.  The performance will be introduced by Dr Thomas Phillips (University of Cambridge). Tickets £15/£7.50 concessions.

 www.stalbanscathedral.org

Saturday 20 June
Alban Day: Pilgrimage & Festival

St Albans will be holdings its city-wide celebration of Britain's first saint, Alban the Martyr. The day begins at 11am with the Alban Pilgrimage procession of giant puppets through the city centre, followed by a Pilgrimage Eucharist at noon in the Cathedral. Throughout the day there are entertainments and activities across St Albans city centre. Parishes and pilgrimage groups are invited to walk in the procession - see the Cathedral website for details.

 www.stalbanscathedral.org

Monday 18 May - Wednesday 3 June
High Street roadworks

Berkhamsted High Street and London Road are going to be resurfaced! According to Herts Highways, there will be road closures from Monday, lasting a fortnight from the Kings Road junction, past Swing Gate Lane and up to Bourne End.

Fixing potholes is welcome, but there will be disruption, so check Google maps before you try to drive anywhere! Find out more on the Herts Highways map:

 one.network

Friday 5 June - Sunday 14 June
Great Big Green Week 2026

Berkhamsted will be holding another Great Big Green Week, with events all over town - walks, talks, family activities, quizzes and gardening events. On Saturday 6 June there will be the popular Berkhamsted Eco Fair in the Civic Centre.

eco fair

green week

 www.berkhamsted-tc.gov.uk

Saturday 6 June at 3:00 pm
Save Your Space launch event

Berkhamsted Castle Trust is launching a new initiative to enable supporters to sponsor a square of this historic Castle Fields next to Berkhamsted Castle. For £39, you will be able to put your name to a 3m x 3m square on an interactive map, and all money raised will help to save Castle Fields from development. You can sponsor as many squares as you like.

Come along to Castle Fields (next to Berkhamsted Castle on the other side of New Road) between 3pm and 5pm to find out more at a special launch event, and celebrate with donors and campaigners. Bring your own drinks and picnics, and enjoy a surprise performance!

 www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk

Saturday 6 June at 7:30 pm
Green Week talk: Disappearing wildlife of the Chilterns

Ian Gamble gives an illustrated Great Big Green Week talk about The Chilterns' Unique and Disappearing Wildlife. Ian is a wildlife expert who will surprise you with the variety of plant, animal and insect life to be found in our area - while identifying the species on the rise and those declining. Northchurch Baptist Church, High St, Berkhamsted HP4 3QH. 

Sunday 7 June at 10:00 am
Great Big Nature Hunt

The Friends of St Peter's are participating in Great Big Green Week again with a fabulous Nature Hunt through our historic cemetery on Rectory Lane, 10am-1pm. Come and discover the hidden life of bees, bugs, newts and hedgehogs - it's teeming with life! Children can collect little natural treasures as they go around and visit the nature-themed craft tent. Home-made refreshments on sale. Free event - donations welcome to support the cemetery maintenance. 

 tickets.mp

Sunday 7 June at 2:30 pm
Sarah Garrett organ recital

The next Sarah Garrett Recital at All Saints' Church will be given by Jane Watts, one of Britain's leading concert organists. Refreshments will be available at the interval. Entry is free and no booking is required, and there will be a retiring collection to support the series and the church fund.

All Saints' Church, Shrublands Road

 www.allsaintsberkhamsted.org.uk

Saturday 13 June at 7:30 pm
Bridgewater Sinfonia concert

Bridgewater Sinfonia is back at St Peter's this summer for a performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, and they welcome soloist Michael Foyle to the concert stage. The programme will also feature Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, making this an ideal concert for young people (under-18s' tickets are free!), followed by Shostakovich's famous Symphony N° 5 in D Minor. Advance tickets are available from Ashtons Estate Agents (next to Tesco) and online for £20, or £22 on the door.

 www.bridgewater-sinfonia.org.uk

Sunday 14 June
DENS Castle Walk

Don't forget the DENS Castle Walk is raising money for our local homelessness charity. Beginning at Berkhamsted Castle, participants can select either a 5- or 10-mile route through beautiful Hertfordshire countryside. Adults £15, U18s £10, family ticket £40. Participants are invited to get friends and family to sponsor them through JustGiving. Register online:

 www.dens.org.uk

Friday 10 July - Saturday 11 July
Berko Beer Festival

The 11th BerkoBeerFest is taking place over the weekend of 11 & 12 July at Kitcheners Field, behind Berkhamsted Castle. The event will feature stand-up comedy, live music, street food stalls, and of course a huge range of cask and craft beers and ciders. This year, BerkoBeerFest is supporting four wonderful charities: Electric Umbrella (as seen on Britain's Got Talent), the Swan youth Project, Toy Hub and Save Castle Fields. Advance tickets are now on sale - they always sell out!

 www.buytickets.at

Saturday 11 July at 7:30 pm
Celebrating 50 years of the Chiltern Chamber Choir

In July, the Chiltern Chamber Choir are celebrating their 50th anniversary! There will be a celebratory concert in St Peter's featuring works by Vaughan Williams, Schumann and Chilcott - do come along and help them celebrate with a glass of fizz and a slice of cake after the concert!

Berkhamsted in Bloom

Berkhamsted in Bloom is a new initiative which aims to bring the beautiful town of Berkhamsted together through horticulture, sustainability and community. They're supporting many events across the town, bringing natural colour into our local environment. Recently, they've helped Rectory Lane Cemetery by donating flowering plants, and generous volunteer gardeners have helped to plant out some of the forgotten graves so that our historic cemetery will be ablaze with colour this summer! Follow Berkhamsted in Bloom on their Facebook page. If you'd like to get involved, drop them an email:

Contact:

Berkhamsted in Bloom   

 Email Berkhamsted in Bloom

 www.facebook.com

Chiltern Arts Festival

It was a delight to host the Chiltern Arts Festival in St Peter's. Concert-goers were treated to a fabulous orchestral concert from Blaze Ensemble under the baton of George Vass. Highlight of the evening was Anjulie Chen's breathtaking performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23.

Meanwhile the Choir on the Green sang an uplifting and inspirational concert of pop and Broadway hits last Thursday. The evening raised over £3000 for two wonderful local charities, the Hospice of St Francis and Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled. 

Coming up this summer in the St Peter's concert schedule:

• Saturday 13 June: Bridgewater Sinfonia - Britten, Shostakovich and Sibelius
• Saturday 11 July: Chiltern Chamber Choir 50th anniversary concert
• Saturday 25 July: A Hans Zimmer Candlelight Experience

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

1966 Berkhamsted Castle Pageant

Who remembers the 1966 Berkhamsted Castle Pageant? It took place 60 years ago in June, when an extravagant historical pageant was played out among the castle ruins. It celebrated the 900th anniversary of the Norman Conquest and the surrender of the Saxon nobility here at Berkhamsted. The event attracted thousands of visitors to the town. This summer, Berkhamsted Library have a display telling the story of the Pageant, with programmes and photos of the event on show. There's are also photos and a video of the event on the Berkhamsted Castle website. Will it spark memories and will you recognise anyone?

 www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk

Food Hub Community Shop

The Food Hub Berko Community Shop is now up and running on the High Street. This friendly little shop offers food and essentials at subsidised prices to help people in our community who are struggling with the cost of living crisis. The shop is appealing for donations to help with their stock - can you help? They have requested: tinned stewing steak in gravy, squash, custard in tins or cartons (not fresh), sponge puddings, washing powder, cat food and dog food, chickpeas, tinned vegetarian food, mayonnaise, ketchup, as well as anything you may have that you may not be planning on using. Please drop off donations at the shop this week on Friday morning or email to arrange a collection:

Contact:

Food Hub Berko   

 Email Food Hub Berko

TV location shoot

There will be a film crew filming for a TV romantic comedy called Lightbulb on Monday. Shooting will take place at Fred and Ginger Coffee between 9:30am and 9:00pm. A number of Pay and Display parking bays are suspended from 0800 on Monday June 1st. The exterior filming will involve a tracked camera on the pavement running beside St Peter's. The production company have assured us that pedestrian access will be maintained at all times, but you may be asked to wait briefly when filming is actually taking place. If you have any questions, you can contact them:

Contact:

Location Manager   

 Email Location Manager