This Sunday we will celebrate All Saints’ Day at the Parish Mass in the morning, and in the evening we will commemorate the departed at the All Souls’ Requiem. Two very different acts of worship reflecting two different moods, one of celebration and the other more solemn as we remember “those we have loved but see no longer”. Of course, the two services do have a very different feel about them. We will sing with gusto the hymn “For all the Saints”, I hope, and in the evening Faure’s Requiem will set a very different tone as we listen to the final chorus “In paradisum deducant angeli” (May the angels lead you into paradise.) There may be a distinct variation in the mood of the two services, but actually they are both in a sense inextricably linked.

The origins of All Saints’ Day goes back as early as the 3rd century when Christians honoured those of their number who had been martyred for the faith. All Souls’ Day evolved long after All Saints’ Day in about the 11th century, when the Abbot of Cluny in France encouraged monks to pray for the souls of those who had died. The two feasts are in a sense actually one as they honour the entire Christian community, those who are living and those who are dead. On All Saints’ Day, yes we remember those individual human beings who did extraordinary things with their lives, such that the Church recognised their greatness by declaring them to be saints. But actually we are all called to be saints, the people of God filled with faith and love, and there are countless unknown people who have lived and are living saintly lives now, and we commemorate them too on All Saints’ Day.

Our commemoration of All Souls is an opportunity to remember and pray for all those who have died, and especially those we have known and loved. For some people praying for those who have died is a problem, and many arguments against this practice have been offered, among them: what possible difference does it make to the dead? They are dead and that is it. We pray for the dead just as we pray for everything else, and praying for the dead helps us, comforts us, an acknowledgement that we have not and never will forget our loved ones. And we pray for the dead because there is a seamless flow of life between us and the departed, and that is love, for “Death is not the end, love remains unchanged, and all in the end is harvest.” (Edith Sitwell)

Perhaps the 13th-century Persian poet and mystic Rufi best sums up the love we will bring to the All Souls’ service on Sunday evening: “Love is the bridge between you (us) and everything.”

This week’s pew sheet

If you would like to have the readings, music and parish news on paper on Sunday, please download the sheet below and print it at home. Unfortunately the Parish Office is still without a functioning printer and so we are relying on the kindness of individuals to provide pew sheets. Thank you to everyone who has been helping out by printing these each week, and to the Way Inn who have been printing posters.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

pew sheet all saints

Sunday 1 November at 9:30 am
Sung Eucharist for All Saints

This Sunday morning, all are welcome to our sung Eucharist when we commemorate the saints of the church. We give thanks for the lives of the saints whose lives inspire us today.

God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Sunday 1 November at 6:00 pm
All Souls

As is our tradition, every year on the Sunday evening nearest 1 November, we mark All Souls' Day. This is a special time in the church calendar when we remember the dead - "those whom we love but see no longer". The choir will sing Gabriel Fauré's beautiful setting of the Requiem Mass.

During the service there's an opportunity to light a candle in memory of someone you have lost, and we read out the names of the departed. If you plan to come to this service and you'd like to include the name of a loved one, there will be list at the back of church. 

If you are mourning a loved one - whether someone who has died recently or many years ago - this service offers a time for quiet remembering and thanksgiving.

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Sunday 8 November - Wednesday 11 November
Remembrance

Our annual commemoration of our war dead will take place next week. All are invited to join us at these special ceremonies to remember those who lost their lives in war and to pray for peace in our world:

Remembrance Sunday 7 November

9:30am Sung Eucharist in St Peter's Church
10:45am Act of Remembrance in Rectory Lane Cemetery
with laying of wreaths at the Garden of Remembrance War Memorial
2:30pm Royal British Legion High Street parade
3:00pm Remembrance Service in St Peter's Church

Armistice Day - Tuesday 11 November

10:55am Act of Remembrance at the Town War Memorial
with 1 minute's silence at 11am

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Saturday 14 November at 7:00 pm
Casserole evening

Join us for another evening of heart-warming good food and good company in the Court House. £15 per head, bring a bottle, all proceeds go to the St Peter's Renovation Appeal (roof fund). Please let Carolynne know if you're coming, for numbers.

If you can provide a casserole, please contact Carolynne and let her know what you plan to cook - beef, chicken, pork, vegetarian, traditional English, something French, Irish stew.... what's your speciality? 

Contact:

Carolynne Charman    07503 156 751

 Email Carolynne Charman

Sunday 7 February
Confirmations 2027

Bishop Jane will be with us to confirm those who have been prepared on Sunday 7th February next year at our 9.30am Parish Eucharist. If you would like to be prepared for confirmation, please complete this form and return it to Fr Stuart. A handful of printed forms are also available in church. If you are not sure whether or not you would like to be confirmed at this time but would like to know more, please contact Fr Stuart for a conversation.

confirmation application form

Contact:

Fr Stuart Owen    01442 879 739

 Email Fr Stuart Owen

Festival of Light: volunteers wanted!

The Berkhamsted Festival of Light will take place on Sunday 22 November. This is a wonderful opportunity for St Peter's to reach out to the wider community and welcome through the door people who may not normally set foot inside a church. As part of the town's celebrations, we lay on a spectacular display of the church lit by thousands of candles, and we sell refreshments. Will you help us this year? If you've never helped before, please join in this year. Young people are especially welcome!

Please sign up as a volunteer using the online form button below. (This is just to indicate your willingness to help - once we have all the contact details, there will be an opportunity to allocate duties). If you don't want to sign up online, there will be a paper form in church on Sunday. Please use this form rather than just agreeing to help in a conversation, as this makes planning so much easier.

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Christmas Hamper!

Carolynne is organising another hamper for our Christmas raffle, in aid of the St Peter's Renovation Appeal (fix the leaking roof!). Last year's raffle raised hundreds for our roof repairs, so let's make it another success! Please donate quality food items to make this a wonderful prize to attract ticket sales - no perishables please, but as before we are looking for posh biscuits, posh wine, posh crisps, posh sweeties - you get the idea. Please bring stuff to church, or contact Carolynne:

Contact:

Carolynne Charman    07503 156 751

 Email Carolynne Charman

Music list

Please hold our church musicians in your prayers as they prepare for the musically busiest part of the year. As we look ahead to November and December, the choir will be rehearsing music for All Souls, Remembrance Sunday, Advent Sunday and Christmas, with some glorious music to enrich our worship. Our organist is also preparing some fabulous voluntaries to raise the roof! You can see the music list on our website:

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Can you help to lead Little Fishes?

Little Fishes Parent & Toddler Group has been an important outreach of St Peters since September 1997 when it was set up Kate Bonney. It regularly attracts around 15-20 "families" each week. The current leaders are retiring in December, after many years. One new volunteer has come forward, but a second person is needed if Little Fishes is to continue. Please make contact if you are interested or know of someone who is:

Contact:

Tracy Robinson   

 Email Tracy Robinson

Fr Stuart Owen   

 Email Fr Stuart Owen

 www.facebook.com

Changing the locks

The Church and Court House locks are soon to be changed, with a planned date for the change on Thursday 19th November.

The following locks will be changed:

• Church West door
• Church South door
• Church North door
• Vestry door from St Catherine's Chapel
• Vestry door from Lady Chapel
• Court House entrance door on Church Lane

The following locks will not be changed:

• Tower door from St Catherine's Chapel
• Heating cupboard door in North Transept
• Flower and cleaning cupboard doors
• Balcony doors
• Internal Court House doors

Separate keys will be supplied for:

• Church external doors (W, S, N), one key works all three
• Vestry doors (2 no.), one key works both
• Court House entrance door

If you need new keys, please submit a request to the Parish Office by 9th November using the online form, giving reasons why you need access. Paper copies will also be available in church.

Victoria Collins MP meets SBJC

Our local MP Victoria Collins has posted a lovely photo of her recent visit to the Festival of Sukkot at St Peter's last month. She has thanked Rabbi Neil for the welcome, and has spoken about it in Parliament.

"Watching all the families celebrate joyously was really heartwarming. Seeing, however, how they had to have security to stay safe was heartbreaking and hearing that many feel they have to hide their faith is devastating."

We also had a message from The Swan Youth Project, who took a group of kids to meet SBJC:

"It was wonderful [...] that two different religions can work together and for the good of the community. Wonderful to see compassion and humanity in our community and more importantly a great real-life experience for members teaching them it doesn't have to result in hate or conflict."

Open mornings for prospective families

Looking for a Reception or Nursery place for your child to start September 2027 in the local area? Victoria School are holding open mornings for prospective families to have a tour of the school:

• Friday 6 November at 9.15am
• Thursday 3 December at 9.15am
• Thursday 7 January at 9.15am
• Friday 19 March 1.45pm-2.30pm - Nursery Stay and Play
  Come along with your child to have a taster of Victoria Nursery.

Victoria also currently have spaces in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 to start immediately. Follow the link below here for details on 'in year' admissions and how to apply directly through the school.

Download the Castle Federation Schools Prospectus

 www.victoria.herts.sch.uk

Saturday 7 November - Monday 9 November
Cathedral Artisan Market & Art Fair

As we hurtle irrevocably towards the season of Christmas fairs (!), you can make an early start in November at Artisan Market & Art Fair in St Albans Cathedral. At the market you'll find makers, artists, creatives & small businesses filling the nave and south transept. The market is only on the Saturday 11am-3pm and is a ticketed event: adults £2.50 and children under 16 FREE. The Art Fair runs for 3 days and is FREE to visit. Book market tickets online:

 www.eventbrite.co.uk

Saturday 7 November
Fleetwood Mac by candlelight

The Rumours are true...! Experience the hits of Fleetwood Mac as you've never heard them before, played by a string trio! We welcome Lumos back to St Peter's for an enchanting evening of classical rock by candlelight. We wouldn't tell you Sweet Little Lies - it's such a popular concert that there will now be three performances at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. Don't Go Your Own Way - book now! Tickets £20-£45 - booking links on our website:

 www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk

Saturday 7 November at 7:00 pm
Berkhamsted Fireworks

Berko Rotary presents the annual Bonfire Night fireworks, with a fabulous pyrotechnic display at the Cricket Club, with food and drink on sale. Tickets on the night £14, children £9, family £35, or get discounted advance tickets at the Rotary market stall and on their website:

 www.berkorotary.org

Sunday 8 November at 2:00 pm
Bulb planting on the Moor

Berkhamsted in Bloom are holding an afternoon of free family fun 2pm-3pm on the Moor (end of Castle Street, by the canal). Come and help to plant 2000 bulbs, which will bloom in spring 27. There will also be a children's I-spy trail!

Thursday 12 November at 6:30 pm
Talk: The Battle of Rorke’s Drift

Berkhamsted Castle Trust presents a speaker event with South African historian Douglas Rattray, examining the events of the Battle of Rorke's Drift, one of the most dramatic battles of the Anglo-Zulu War - made famous by the 1964 film Zulu. The evening is kindly being supported by Ashridge House and is in aid of the Save Castle Fields appeal. Spaces are limited (there are not "thousands of 'em, sir") so booking is essential. 6:30pm to 8pm - doors open from 6pm. Location: Brindley Room, Ashridge House, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 1NS - room located off the Bakehouse Coffeeshop Courtyard.

 www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk

Friday 13 November - Sunday 15 November
Berkhamsted Art Fair

Berkhamsted Art Society's winer art fair will be in the Civic Centre, with hundreds of artworks on display and for sale, including framed and unframed pictures, folios, ceramics, glassware, resin art, greetings cards, plus children's activities. Entry to the exhibition is free.

Sunday 29 November at 2:00 pm
Tchaikovsky ballet suites

Get ready for the festive season with Bridgewater Sinfonia's magical Sunday matinée concert in the Centenary Theatre, Kings Road. This family concert presents two of Tchaikovsky's most famous ballet suites - Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. It's a perfect afternoon for introducing young people to wonderful music with tales of princes and princesses, magical toys and a Mouse King! 

 www.bridgewater-sinfonia.org.uk

Sunday 6 December at 7:30 pm
The Nutcracker

Tickets are now on sale for a Christmas event at the Centenary Theatre, Berkhamsted: Adrian Scarborough & Friends present The Nutcracker and a selection box of festive fun! Enjoy magical evening in support of our local homeless charity DENS, with Christmas stories, songs and comedy, including a reading of E. T. A. Hoffmann's classic fairy tale, The Nutcracker and The Mouse King. Tickets from £26.40 - book now:

 eventsatberkhamsted.ticketsolve.com

Christmas cards

If you're starting your Christmas cards soon, please remember to support our local Christian bookshop, the Way Inn. They have a wide selection of Christmas cards, as well as a range of books, gifts and picture frames. If you like to do a Christmas letter to all your friends and family, the Way Inn also have a print shop. They can do photos, scanning, video transfer and much more. Drop in to see what they have on offer - they're just in the back of the Post Office on Berkhamsted High Street. 

Castle Fields in the Sunday Times

It was lovely to see Berkhamsted Castle Trust featured in the last Sunday Times - see anyone you recognise in the photo?. Their fundraiser to save Castle Fields has made national news, which will help their campaign enormously! The Trust needs to pay off a £500K loan to buy the fields next to Berkhamsted Castle and they are encouraging supporters to sponsor a square of land for £39 via an interactive map on their website. The fields are a fragment of a lost royal deer park, and the scene of a major siege during the Barons' War in the 13th century, and today a much-loved local green space. You can find the story on the Sunday Times website (subscription required):

 www.thetimes.com

 www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk