| Volume 16 No. 17 | Friday 20 March 2026 |
The Friday ThoughtThis Sunday, when Passiontide begins, the gospel reading is from John 11; it is the story of the raising of Lazarus. Apart from the story of Jesus’ Passion, it is the longest story in any of the gospels. In the Orthodox Church, the Saturday before Palm Sunday is kept as Lazarus Saturday – I found this description, in an address given to the Community of Sisters based at Fairacres in Oxford: (Lazarus Day) – ’is a reminder that everything that is dead, can and in God’s good time will be brought to new life. It’s a reminder that new life comes at the end of the Via Dolorosa.’
The story of Lazarus death, and the grief and turmoil of those around him, came to life for me as I read the story slowly and I stopped at the phrases that seemed to speak to me. My first stopping place was at verse 5; ‘Jesus, though he loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, stayed two days longer in the place where he was.’
There was no rushing off to be with his friends. There was good reason to stay, because to return to Judea meant he was returning to danger. As it all unfolded his return, and the raising of Lazarus led to his arrest and execution; In our ever more impulsive world, perhaps we could learn something by allowing ourselves time to stop and be still and prepare and allow for what lies ahead rather than rushing into action. My second stopping point is at verse 21; Martha says: ‘Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died.’
Later when Mary repeats these same words to him, Jesus begins to weep. It isn’t easy to be honest and to voice anger or to cry in public, but here, as the sisters and Jesus himself are surrounded by friends and community, they are supported in their grief. All too often we feel it is better to grieve alone and we miss the comfort of sharing our distress, yet here Jesus himself shows his own distress.. My third stopping place is verse 34. Jesus asks where they have laid Lazarus. They said, Come and see, and Jesus goes with them to the cave where Lazarus is buried. It reminds me that Jesus was right there, at the place of their loss and distress, and that he is with us too, even when we feel alone and abandoned and have lost hope. I would recommend a slow reading, and stopping at any phrase that speaks to you. The whole story is a mystery, a story of grief and life restored. Lazarus Saturday is kept as an in between time, a day of respite and celebration before we enter into the whole story of Jesus’ Passion as Holy week begins. I will keep a marker in the page ready to read it again next Saturday. |
Church news & notices Wednesday 25 March
Installation of the 106th Archbishop of CanterburyThe Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, will take place at Canterbury Cathedral on the Feast of the Annunciation. Historically known as an enthronement, the Installation marks the symbolic start of the Archbishop of Canterbury's public ministry in the Church of England and across the Anglican Communion. Archbishop Sarah will be installed on the Cathedra (the bishop's throne) as the Diocesan Bishop of the See of Canterbury. Following this, she will be installed on the St Augustine Cathedra as Primate of All England, which also symbolises her ministry in the Anglican Communion. Here at St Peter's Berkhamsted, we will pray for Archbishop Sarah. The Installation service will be broadcast live on BBC One. | Sunday 29 March at 9:30 am
Palm SundayOn Palm Sunday morning we gather in the churchyard for the start of our Palm Sunday liturgy (indoors if wet!). The palm crosses will be blessed with holy water as we recall Christ's entry into Jerusalem and process into the church. If you are not able to access the churchyard, please take your seat in the church as usual, and the procession of palms will enter after a few minutes. This is where our Holy Week story begins, when we follow Christ on the road to the Cross on Good Friday. Everyone is welcome at St Peter's. Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die:
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
O'er captive death and conquered sin. | Friday 3 April at 12:00 pm
The Way of the Cross: An All-Age Service for Good FridayOn Good Friday at noon, we will hold a series of reflections on Christ's final hours, based around the themes, 'Jesus and His Friends', 'Jesus Alone' and 'Jesus on the Cross'. Loosely based on the structure of the traditional Stations of the Cross, the service is suitable for all ages and will last around 40 minutes. | Saturday 4 April at 10:00 am
Spruce up for EasterPlease can you spare just an hour or two to help prepare your Church for Easter? Although the severely depleted Cleaning Teams do a wonderful job throughout the year, they could do with some help, especially during the ongoing building works. Everyone is welcome - there are jobs suitable for all. It would be helpful if you bought your own favourite duster etc. It is not all work - there is a wonderful buzz in Church and it is an opportunity to socialise too. Fr Stuart will be serving teas and coffees and homemade biscuits! | Volunteers wanted: reading lessons in Holy WeekDuring Holy Week we have a busy schedule of special services leading up to Easter. We will be looking for volunteers to read the lessons and prayers. If you don't normally read in church, you are invited to take part. Young people are especially encouraged to play an active part in our worship. Printed copies of the lessons will be left at the back of church, so all you have to do is pick a lesson, add your name to the sign-up sheet, take it home and practise it. The services are: - Holy Wednesday 8pm: Tenebrae (4 readers)
- Maundy Thursday 8pm: Eucharist (2 readers + 1 intercessor to read the prayers from the service book)
- Good Friday 2pm (1 reader)
- Easter Vigil, 6am (5 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed readers!)
There's no obligation to join a rota, but if you feel you would like to play an active part in our worship through the rest of the year, please contact the Parish Office. | Revision of the Church Electoral RollA reminder that the Church Electoral Roll will be revised by the PCC between Sunday 22 March and Saturday 4 April. Electoral roll forms are available at the back of church. This is a revision, so you only need to fill in a form if you have recently moved to the parish or have started worshipping at St Peter's, or if you have changed address. If your circumstances have not changed, there is no need to fill in a form. After the revision, a copy of the Roll will be available St Peter's Church for 2 weeks. See noticeboards for full details. Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) is set for Sunday 19th April (2 weeks after Easter). | Petertide Fair 2026 – help wanted! The Petertide Fair is back! The big day will be Sunday 28 June, when we welcome the whole Berkhamsted community to St Peter's and raise funds for our Renovation Appeal. Can you help?
We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who can organise a stall, entertainment or refreshments on the day. If you're willing to help, please let us know buy filling in the online form at the link below. There will also be a paper version available in church. Nearer the time, we will also be looking for donations of bottles (for the tombola), cakes, chocolates, sweets, bric-a-brac (no clothes), books (especially fiction) and toys so please start saving items for the Fair! | 8am readers wantedOur team of readers for the 8am Said Eucharist on Sunday mornings has lost a couple of people, and it would be helpful to have a few more names to add to the rota. If you are willing to read the lesson at our early Sunday service every couple of months, please contact: | Holy WeekEveryone is welcome at our services for Holy Week, as we focus on Christ's journey to the Cross and look forward to the joy of Easter. Here are the services for your diaries: - Palm Sunday 29 March 9:30am: Mass for Palm Sunday
- Wednesday 1 April 8pm: Tenebrae
- Maundy Thursday 2 April 8pm: Mass of the Lord's Supper
- Good Friday 3 April:
12pm Way of the Cross (all-age Stations)
2pm Choral Good Friday Liturgy
6pm Sacred Concert: Stainer's Crucifixion - Easter Sunday 5 April:
6am Easter Vigil & First Mass of Easter
9:30am Sung Eucharist for Easter
| Lent Lunches Margaret Burbidge and the team would like to thank everyone came to the lunches, and to all who provided the lovely soups and crumbles. The total raised from the 2 Christian Aid Lent Lunches, is £743.23 including Gift Aid. It is a very good result!
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Schools news Victoria School prepares for Easter We have been getting ready for our Nursery Stay and Play on Friday, where we are looking forward to welcoming lots of new and current families to come along to see out nursery. This is a wonderful time where the children and parents can get to have a taster of what Nursery is like before they start in September. We are still taking Nursery applications if any families are looking for a place in September. We have been looking at the Easter story, with our focus this week being on the Last Supper. It has been lovely to see the different ways each year group have been focusing on Easter. Reception have been working really hard to create their own Easter garden, looking at why we have a cross and also looking at why we have Easter eggs. We are ending our week with Comic Relief, where the children are coming as grown ups. I cannot wait to see what they dress up as! Mrs Lisa Freeman,
Head of School, Victoria CE Infant and Nursery School |
The Castle Federation is the governing body responsible for our two Church of England schools in Berkhamsted
 www.castlefederation.org
More about our schools:
www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk/about/schools
 Diocesan news
Return of the Cathedral PeregrinesThe peregine falcons have returned to the roof of St Albans Cathedral, and once again there is a live video stream where you can follow their progress as they nest and hopefully hatch chicks together. Visit the Cathedral website to see the video. Fascinating fact: the peregrine falcon was named by the medieval philosopher Saint Albert of Swabia (Albertus Magnus). The Latin name peregrinus means "pilgrim". | Next Bishop of St Albans announced Downing Street has announced that the Rt Revd Dr Andrew Rumsey, currently Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury, is to be the next Bishop of St Albans. Bishop Andrew, a native of Hitchin, returns to the Diocese in which he was born and baptised, describing the appointment as "a homecoming". The full announcement is on the Diocesan website. A prayer for Bishop Andrew :
God, eternal shepherd, you tend your Church in many ways and rule us with love. You have chosen your servant, Andrew, to be shepherd of your flock in the Diocese of St Albans. Give him a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he build your Church as a sign of salvation for the world.
Amen.
Video: |  | The Parish of Great Berkhamsted is in the Church of England's Diocese of St Albans |
www.stalbansdiocese.org St Albans Cathedral:
www.stalbanscathedral.org
 Church noticeboard
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Berkhamsted community news & events Saturday 21 March at 7:30 pm
CCC Spring ConcertDon't miss the Chiltern Chamber Choir's spring concert at St Peter's. Come and enjoy some radiant sacred music by British composers, including motets by Byrd, Britten, William Harris, John Ireland, James MacMillan and William Walton. This will be a relatively short concert, with a glass of wine on offer afterwards. There are still tickets available - book now for just £20, or pay £22 on the door. Tickets are available from choir members or Brown & Merry Estate Agents, or online. Under-18s and full-time students free. | Sunday 22 March at 4:00 pm
Behind the Mirror concertGardener to the Sun King - an afternoon of music and words in Berkhamsted Town Hall celebrating the court of Louis XIV of France, a world of secrecy and quiet sensuality. Liam Byrne (viola da gamba) Clare O'Connell (cello) and Nada Sharp (storyteller), with music by François Couperin and Marin Marais entwined with the voices of Linda Catlin smith and Hildur Guðnadottir - music that breathes, whispers and glows. | Thursday 26 March at 8:00 pm
Berkhamsted Citizens Association Awards Berkhamsted Citizens Association are holding their 101st Annual General Meeting in Berkhamsted Town Hall, followed by the presentation of the prestigious BCA Environment Award. This annual award recognises buildings, renovations or landscaping that have contributed to the enhancement of Berkhamsted or Northchurch. The Town Clerk, Sue Severn, will present a talk, "Brilliant Berkhamsted, including Berkhamsted in Bloom".
| Friday 27 March - Sunday 29 March at 7:30 pm
Don CarloAylesbury Opera presents a fully staged production with orchestra of Verdi's great opera, Don Carlo at the Dembe Theatre in Tring. Performances are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, sung in Italian with English surtitles. Tickets are on sale now: | Saturday 28 March at 7:30 pm
Northchurch Spring JazzEtoile Events presents Northchurch Spring Jazz, an evening of entertainment at Northchurch Social Centre on Bell Lane with the Steph Pirrie Quartet and the Choir on the Green. Refreshments and pizza on sale, charity raffle in aid of Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled. Early bird tickets £20 or £25 on the door. To book contact: | Saturday 28 March at 7:30 pm
Castle Choir concert: A Time for HopeJoin The Castle Choir to celebrate the arrival of Spring with an uplifting programme of enchanting music in Berkhamsted town Hall, featuring soloist Jeanette Ager. Led by Music Director, Bertha Kum, the choir will perform a varied programme of musical theatre, folk and contemporary choral music including Somewhere (Bernstein), Rest (Vaughan Williams), Seal Lullaby (Eric Whitacre) and Time (Jennifer Lucy Cook). £12 adults, children free. | Friday 3 April
Family Easter Discovery TrailThe Friends of St Peter's are running a family-friendly Easter Discovery Trail in Rectory Lane Cemetery on Good Friday 10am-1pm. Come and hunt for Easter eggs in this beautiful historic green space! Book "Early Chick" tickets online for just £3.50 per child, or £6.50 on the day. | Adopt a graveCalling all gardeners! How about taking on a miniature garden in a unique and beautiful community setting? Come down to Rectory Lane Cemetery (behind the Rex cinema) on Saturday 21 March or Wednesday 25 March 2pm-4pm to and meet the team and find out about adopting a grave. 
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  | Worship with usThis Sunday: 22 March 2026
Passion Sunday |
9:30am Sung Eucharist
You are invited to join us at our main Sunday service
Next Sunday: 29 March 2026
Palm SundayMusic this weekHymns: | Anthem: | Verily, verily I say unto you Thomas Tallis | | Voluntary: | Kyrie Gott, Heiliger Geist BWV 671 - J.S. Bach |
ReadingsEzekiel 37.1-14The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’ Psalm 130, tone IV:61 Out of the depths have I cried to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.2 If you, Lord, were to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who could stand?3 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you shall be feared.4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope.5 My soul waits for the Lord, more than the night watch for the morning, more than the night watch for the morning.6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy;7 With him is plenteous redemption and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins. Gospel: John 11.1-45Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’ When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’ Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
 In our prayers this weekAnglican Cycle of Prayer:The Anglican Church of KoreaIntercessions | Diocese | ✚✚Sarah, Archbishop of Canterbury, ✚Richard, Acting Bishop of St Albans, ✚ Jane, Bishop of Hertford, and Charles, Archdeacon of St Albans | In our
continuing prayers | Denis Beard, Mary Beard, Christina Billington, Patricia Cody, Barbara Conway, Nola Frost, Yvonne Hart, Judith Hill, John Malcolm, Ghullam Mutaheri, Frozan Mutaheri, Clare Wallington, Stacy Giles | In our
immediate prayers | Graeme Davis, Mark Few, Barbara Fisher, Owen Ford, Peter Kirk, Gwen Roberts, Fr Chris Rogers, Peter Rolfe, David Steadmann, Charlotte Szypryt, Neata Thomson, Sienna Vallance | Weddings
(next four weeks) | | Wedding banns
called this Sunday | Sylvie Bunyan & Nathan Lodge
Harry Phillips & Evie Abbott
Eleanor Simmons & Edward Hughes
| Baptisms
(next four weeks) | Delilah Carr
| | RIP | | | Memorial (year's mind) | Gwen Beddall, Ralph Cousins, Mary Rhodes |
 RotasWe are ever thankful for our team of dedicated clergy and volunteers who support our collective worship every week. If you are new to St Peter's, we encourage you to get involved in our parish life. Listed below are rotas for this coming Sunday and the week after. You can check future rota dates on the parish website at www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk/rotas Sunday 22 March 2026 - Lent 5| 8am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart | | Preacher | Fr Stuart | | Reader | Mike H. | | 9:30am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart (Helen Rowland) ((Margaret)) | | Preacher | Margaret | | Sidesperson | Cathy I. | | Sidesperson | Carole D. | | MC | Mark G. | | Acolyte | Hayley K. | | Acolyte | Emma G. | | Thurifer | Chris C. | | Cruficer | . | | Reader | Adrian D. | | Intercessions | James O. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Hilary E. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Uli G. | | Sunday School | . | | Sound | Julian D. | | Friday Thought | Margaret |
Sunday 29 March 2026 - Palm Sunday| 8am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart | | Preacher | N/A | | Reader | Liz P. | | 9:30am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart (Fr David) ((Helen Rowland)) | | Preacher | Passion Gospel | | Sidesperson | Uli G. | | Sidesperson | Helen P. | | MC | Peter M. | | Acolyte | Hayley K. | | Acolyte | Richard C. | | Thurifer | Kiril S. | | Cruficer | Mark G. | | Reader | David N. | | Intercessions | Bev J. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Paul J. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Hilary E. | | Sunday School | . | | Sound | Michael A. | | Friday Thought | Fr Stuart |
Holy week: the various lessons and prayers will be read by volunteers | |
Contact Sarah Hyde
07769 183 362
