Last Friday I walked with a group of about twenty pilgrims for the last eight miles of a Franciscan pilgrimage that had started 70 days ago at the Friary at Alnwick.The pilgrims were commemorating the 800th anniversary of Francis’s death on October 4th.

Each stage of the journey was between places where Franciscans lived, some of the places like Hillfield were involved in caring for the land and hospitality, some like the sisters at Freeland near Oxford were contemplative, but there were many small groups who lived in challenging urban areas, sharing home and hospitality with vulnerable men and women. We walked from Southwark and at the end of our journey we were welcomed by the brothers who gave support to the community  in Plaistow. They gave us tea and cake and celebrated the Eucharist with us in the garden.

Several of the people who were walking with me were Tertiaries, the order Francis founded for people to follow his way of life in their daily lives, and it was good to share our stories with each other.

I think Francis speaks to us today, in his love for all of creation, his embrace of poverty, his simple lifestyle and desire for peace between all. We are beginning to see how much damage we do with our love of material things and the divisions we set up between humans and plants and animals. Francis praised God through Brother Sun and Sister Water, Mother Earth, Brother Fire and Air. He saw, as we are beginning to see, that we are all connected.

I do recommend pilgrimage, both the pleasure of walking, and the conversations along the way, and I am hoping to join in on next Saturdays pilgrimage to Aldbury.

Just a comment on this week’s gospel which is challenging; maybe I can find in it God’s call to everyone, good and bad, rich and poor; and what matters, what makes the difference, is our grateful response.

Sunday 11 October at 6:00 pm
Choral evensong

Our choir will lead worship in our October service of choral evensong in St Peter's. All is to the glory of God and everyone is welcome.

Responses: Rose
Psalms: Psalm 106 ( vv 1-12)
Canticles: Aston in F
Anthem: For the fruits of his Creation - ASD
Organ voluntary: Trio Sonata no. 3 in d, 1st mvt - J.S. Bach

Friday 16 October at 12:45 pm
Funeral of Barbara Baggaley

Barbara's funeral will take place in the Milton Chapel at Chilterns Crematorium.

Saturday 17 October
Parish Pilgrimage to Aldbury

On Saturday 17th October there will be a pilgrimage to St John the Baptist's, Aldbury. We will begin with Midday Prayer at St Peter's and then walk to Aldbury via the Ashridge Estate. After a picnic lunch we will say Afternoon Prayer and then walk back to Berkhamsted via the canal and finish with Evening Prayer. Please speak to Fr Stuart if you're interested and would like to know more.

Contact:

Fr Stuart    01442 879 739

 Email Fr Stuart

This week’s pew sheet

The Parish Office printer is still not working, and so pew sheets cannot be printed for Sunday mornings. If you like to have the readings, music and parish news on paper, please download the sheet below and print it at home. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

pew sheet trinity 19

Choir recruitment day

Our choir had a very successful recruitment day last Sunday afternoon, with 6 new children who turned up to give it a try, plus 2 siblings of current choristers, and 4 more who expressed an interest. Thanks are due to everyone who helped with publicising and running this event, particularly to Chris and Adrian and to the children of the choir who helped out. The day was an excellent showcase for the choir as a whole.

We do have something very special in our choir. Recruiting young new singers helps us to continue our wonderful musical tradition at St Peter's, and the children who take part gain so much, acquiring skills that will be with them for life. We will run another recruitment event at some point - if you have any ideas for what we might do next, please speak to our organist Chris Beauchamp. If you know of any musical families, do please share the choir brochure with them:

choir profile

Contact:

Chris Beauchamp   

 Email Chris Beauchamp

Promises Auction

Thank you to everyone who made offers and bids at the Harvest Promise Auction last Sunday. We made £540 for Christian Aid!

Christmas readers wanted

It's only October, but we are beginning to think about Christmas! (sorry!)

If you would like to do a reading at one of our services for Advent or Christmas, please fill in the online form below. Just select a date, fill in your name and email, and confirm. If you've not done a reading before, do please sign up - it's nice to have a wide range of voices reading in church.

At Christmas, it's especially nice for our young people to do readings, so parents please encourage your child to take part! If you're nervous, Fr Stuart can help you to practise a reading. We are looking for readers for:

• Sunday 29 November 6pm: Advent Carol Service
• Sunday 13 December 6pm: Nine Lessons and Carols
• Christmas Eve 11pm: Midnight Mass
• Christmas Day 9:30am: Christmas morning service

100th anniversary of BBC Choral Evensong

Wednesday was the 100th birthday of Choral Evensong on BBC Radio, one of the treasures of British broadcasting. To mark the occasion, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a celebratory service live from Westminster Abbey. The service included the Howells Gloucester Service, Blest Pair of Sirens by Parry (both composers whose repertoire has featured prominently over the last 100 years), together with an introit composed especially for the occasion by Kerensa Briggs. Glorious music indeed!

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 23 October at 9.15am
• 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 21 November at 5:00 pm
Bishop Richard’s farewell service

The Bishop of Bedford, Rt Rev Richard Atkinson, is retiring after 14 years in the post. All are warmly welcome to attend a special service of Choral Evensong at St Albans Cathedral to give thanks for Bishop Richard's ministry and leadership. Following the service, there will be an opportunity to greet Bishop Richard and share refreshments in the Lady Chapel.

The life we make and the life God makes

Walking in the ruins of Verulamium, the ancient Roman town by St Albans, Bishop Andrew reflects on the words of the Jubilate (Psalm 100), "It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves". He explores the difference between the life we are building for ourselves and the life that God is shaping within us.

Video:

Friday 9 October at 6:00 pm
Comedy Evening & Pop-up Beer Bar

BerkoBeerFest are holding an autumn comedy evening in the Civic Centre, with four tip-top comedians: Stephen K Amos, Conor Drum, James Alderson and Max Fulham. There'll also be live music, street food suppers and a bar. Tickets £22.

 www.tickettailor.com

Saturday 10 October - Sunday 11 October
Kings Langley Palace exhibition

This weekend, Kings Langley Local History and Museum Society (KLLH&MS) are holding an exhibition about the lost Royal Palace of Kings Langley, once the residence of Plantagenet kings of England. The exhibition is at the former Rudolf Steiner School, 10am-4pm. Free admission and parking, refreshments available.

Saturday 10 October at 7:30 pm
Retro Rewind

Étoile Events present Retro Rewind, an evening of live music from The Simply 70s Show band at Northchurch Social Centre. Get on down to disco, soul, glam rock and funk, and enjoy a licensed bar and retro food. There will be prizes for the best dressed guests and a charity raffle in aid of Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled. Advance tickets £30, or £35 on the door, table bookings welcome. To book contact:

Contact:

Étoile Events    07769 183 362

 Email Étoile Events

Saturday 10 October at 7:30 pm
Bridgewater Sinfonia

The thriving Berkhamsted music scene continues with the Bridgewater Sinfonia new concert season. It opens on Saturday 10 October at Berkhamsted School's Centenary Theatre with Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture. Also on the programme is Mozart's Violin Concerto N° 5, played by Nathaniel Anderson-Frank, leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra; and Beethoven's Eroica Symphony (please note that this replaces the performance of Verdi's Requiem advertised earlier).

Looking ahead to Advent Sunday 29 November, Bridgewater Sinfonia will be presenting a pre-seasonal Sunday matinée performance of Tchaikovsky Ballet Suites in Deans' Hall, Berkhamsted School. Advance/online tickets are £22, or £24 on the door, under-18s free. Pick up a season brochure at the back of church or visit:

 www.bridgewater-sinfonia.org.uk

Saturday 10 October at 7:30 pm
Fibonacci Quartet

The Fibonacci Quartet, one of Europe's leading young string quartets, are playing at Berkhamsted Civic Centre, with works by Mozart, Janá?ek and Tchaikovsky. Tickets £ 25, under-18s free. Berkhamsted Music season tickets are also on sale.

 www.berkhamstedmusic.co.uk

Sunday 11 October
Berkhamsted Artisan Market October

The next Artisan Market is on the High Street, offering handmade jewellery, gifts, crafts, wooden homewares, ceramics, sculpture and more. All stall fees go towards the Friends of St Peter's.

 www.berkhamstedartisanmarket.co.uk

Sunday 11 October at 4:00 pm
Behind the Mirror concert

Silence & Humanity: an afternoon of intimate music in Berkhamsted Town Hall, with John Cage's String Quartet in Four Parts and Beethoven's String Quartet no. 14 Op.131. Tickets £25, under-18s free.

 www.behindthemirror.org

Tuesday 13 October - Saturday 17 October
The Pepper Show 2026

The Pepper Show returns to the DEMBE Theatre in Tring for five nights (plus a matinée) with rock and pop hits across the decades. This hugely popular annual event raises funds for The Pepper Foundation, a local charity that raises vital funds for children's hospice at home care in Bucks & Herts. Tickets are on sale now:

 www.pepper.org.uk

Wednesday 14 October at 8:00 pm
BLHMS talk: A History of Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted Local History & Museum Society are holding a talk in the Civic Centre on the History of Berkhamsted using unused photographs from the 1990 book A Hertfordshire Valley by Scott Hastie and David Spain. Visitors are always welcome @ £5 at the door.

 berkhamsted-history.org.uk

Saturday 17 October at 7:30 pm
Chiltern Sinfonietta Autumn Concert

The Chiltern Sinfonietta will be playing a free informal concert in Victoria Hall in Tring. The programme includes Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, Finzi's Five Bagatelles for Clarinet and String Orchestra, and Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony. Refreshments available, retiring collection.

 chilternsinfonietta.com

Sunday 18 October at 4:00 pm
Alexander Ardakov piano recital

Virtuoso pianist Alexander Ardakov returns to St Peter's with a recital of works by Brahms, Debussy and Schumann in the intimate setting of the Lady Chapel. Come to experience sublime music offered one of Britain's leading pianists. £15 on the door, under-18s free.

Thursday 22 October at 7:30 pm
1,000 Years of Berkhamsted History

Berkhamsted Citizens invite you to their next speaker event, with a talk by local historian Peter Morgan, who will take us on a stroll through our local history. The Clock Room, Berkhamsted Town Hall, BCA members free, £5 non-members, or join the BCA for just £10/year

 berkhamstedcitizens.org.uk

Saturday 31 October at 7:00 pm
The Berkhamsted Ball

Only three tables of 8 people are now remaining for Berkhamsted Castle Trust's fundraising ball! This glittering black-tie event will feature a three-course dinner, live music and dancing with The X Tones, and a Gala Charity Auction hosted by Antiques Roadshow experts John Bly and Eric Knowles. Auction lots will include holiday home stays, a painting of your house by Mary Casserley, a private plane flight, a fly fishing experience day, and a personalised visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum with John Bly. All proceeds will go towards the Castle Fields Appeal, saving the historic battlefield site next to Berkhamsted Castle. 

Tickets are £75 each and include a welcome drink. Book online - individuals or couples welcome, or get friends together and book a table of 8!
Nash Hall, Berkhamsted Girls' School, Kings Road

 buytickets.at

Saturday 7 November
Fleetwood Mac by candlelight

The Rumours are true...! Something to look forward to in November - 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 really will be a super evening, so don't Go Your Own Way - book now! Say You Will! Tickets £20-£45, two sittings at 5pm and 7pm.

Friday 20 November
DENS Sleepout 2026

Local homepess charity DENS are holding their annual Sleepout event. Take on a challenge with a real purpose - give up your home comforts for one night and experience sleeping outside while raising vital funds for local people facing homelessness and hardship. The organised event takes place in a secure, covered sleeping area in Kings Langley, and participants receive a welcome pack, live music, games, street food vendors and tasty treats. In the morning, there's a free breakfast to round off the experience. Ticket Price: Adults (18+): £10 / Child (8-17): £5. Book your space online:

 www.dens.org.uk