| Volume 16 No. 18 | Friday 27 March 2026 |
The Friday Thought | Fr Stuart Owen
Rector & Rural Dean |
It’s finally happened, I’ve finally stopped following the news. Well, okay, that’s an exaggeration, but I thought it made for a stronger opening than, ‘I’ve noticed over the past few weeks that I’m spending a lot less time listening to news bulletins and podcasts and I’m reading fewer newspaper articles.’ That is the truth. I’ve been an avid consumer of news in its many forms from an early age. When he came back from work, my dad used to sit in an armchair and disappear behind cigarette smoke and the capacious pages of The Daily Telegraph. Like a lot of boys, I wanted to emulate my father, and so I took to reading the newspaper too; some of it I understood. There was no conscious decision to switch off the news, I just rather drifted away after the recent launch of attacks on Iran. I’ve always been quite disdainful of people who say they don’t follow the news because the world is just such an awful place; if the world is an awful place, then as Christians we need to know about it so that we can do something to respond in faith. I haven’t withdrawn from following world affairs because I’ve suddenly succumbed to world-weary pessimism; I think that I’ve gone into my own little bunker because I no longer really understand what’s happening ‘out there’. It always seemed axiomatic to me, that keeping abreast of what was going on in the world, combined with some understanding of history, would give me a degree of insight into what the future might hold. Now I feel as if chaos is in the ascendent, so what is there to understand? Maybe sometimes you have felt something similar. So where is our faith in all this? Well, it seems to me that our Christian faith is right at home in the chaos. There is nothing orderly or predictable about the story of Holy Week and Easter; we’ve got betrayal and greed, religious fundamentalism and political expediency, we’ve got the braying mob and we’ve got men who like to use their power to inflict violence on the bodies of the powerless. And then we’ve got Easter. Nobody saw that coming. The New Testament authors do a good job of retro-fitting slivers of Scripture to make it all seem perfectly obvious that a crucified carpenter’s son from the back-end of nowhere was the Messiah; oh, and we can know that’s true because after He’d been executed and buried He returned to His friends and ate bread and fish with them. To most of Jesus’ contemporaries, none of this was obvious at all. It wasn’t really what anyone was expecting. It was God doing what God so often does and entering into the ugly chaos of our world to bring forth beauty; descending to the hells that we make of life to raise up hope; it was God going to the very grave, and bringing us life, new life. It was God doing something new. It’s what God does. We look around us sometimes, at the news of the world or the strife of our lives, and we ask ‘Where on earth can God be in all this?’ If we root ourselves in the stories of Holy Week then we can have confidence that no matter how untraceable God’s presence might presently seem, nevertheless God remains with us. And if we put our faith in the story of Easter, then we can trust that out of the strife God can bring new life. If we can hold fast to those hopes, then together we can seek to play our part in being in the darkness, some light. |
Church news & notices 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
| 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! | Sunday 5 April
Easter DayAfter the drama of Holy Week, we will celebrate Christ's resurrection at Easter with joyful music. - 6am: Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter
- we greet the risen Christ at dawn in the churchyard - 9:30am: Sung Eucharist for Easter
- a family celebration service with choral music and congregational singing
Everyone is welcome at St Peter's this Easter. It doesn't matter if you don't usually go to church or if you don't feel very "religious" - our doors are open for you. The strife is o'er, the battle done;
Now is the Victor's triumph won;
O let the song of praise be sung.
Alleluya!
| Sunday 5 April
No Easter coffee or lunchPlease note that there will be no coffee in the Court House on Easter Sunday. Our delightful coffee baristas will be back on duty the following week as usual. Also, there will be no Sundays Together Lunch. The luncheons will resume on Sunday 3 May. | Sunday 19 April at 11:00 am
APCMThe Meeting of Parishioners and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will be held after our morning worship on Sunday 19 April (2 weeks after Easter). Do please make every effort to be present at these meetings - they are a significant occasion in our communal parish life. | Volunteers wanted in Holy WeekWe are still looking for a few more readers for our Holy Week services. Fr Stuart will be providing lessons and a sign-up sheet on Sunday. Also, we would like to have some volunteers to take part in the foot washing on Maundy Thursday. This is a moving part of our service which recalls the part of John's Gospel when Christ washes the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper. Fr Stuart will provide a sign-up sheet at the end of the 9:30am service. | 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!
| Concerts at St Peter’sA joy as always to welcome Calum Zuckert and the Chiltern Chamber Choir to St Peter's last Saturday, when the choir treated the audience to some glorious music - all by British composers, ranging from Byrd to MacMillan. It's a sign of spring when our nave is filled once more with the sound of glorious music. St Peter's is at the heart of Berkhamsted's cultural life, and we are very fortunate to have such talented musicians on our doorstep! Do please continue to support our spring and summer concert season - next up is our own church choir singing Stainer's Crucifixion on Good Friday. Further ahead, we have Berkhamsted Choral Society singing Brahms' Requiem (25 April), The Blaze Ensemble playing Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 (16 May), and the Bridgewater Sinfonia's Summer Concert (13 June). Not to be missed! 
Full details and ticket links are all on our website: | Lost propertyIf you find any umbrellas/gloves/glasses/shoes left in church, just place it into the lost property box on the table at the back of church. Please do not hand items in to the Parish Office - unfortunately people lose things every single day, and regrettably the office does not have the resources to handle lost property. | Greetings cards for saleWe have another lovely selection of greetings cards designed by Ella Short, featuring beautiful watercolour scenes of nature and landscapes. The cards will be on sale for £2 each, after the 9:30am service most Sundays in the Court House, and sometimes also at the back of church. All proceeds go to the St Peter's Renovation Fund. | Ann BraddickWe are sorry to share the news that Ann Braddick died peacefully at home last Saturday. Ann was closely involved in setting up the Hospice of St Francis and was known to many people at St Peter's an at All Saints. Details of the funeral will be share when known. |
Schools news Victoria School news As we get closer to the Easter break, we have been busy in the final week of the Spring term. On Monday it was lovely to come together at St Peter's for our Easter Service. Our Spiritual Ambassadors led the readings and shared a poem about the life of Jesus. After leaving the service all the children were given a palm cross to take home.  We also had an RE theme day to explore the idea of Spirituality through our special places that we like to go to and spend time there including places where we feel safe and comfortable. They also looked at places where they felt part of something bigger than ourselves or where they felt a sense of our place in the world.
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
 Church of England news
Installation of the 106th Archbishop of CanterburyOn Wednesday, some people gathered at a church in Kent. There was music by Vaughan Williams, royal fanfares, a Kyrie Eleison in Urdu, a Gospel acclamation in Swahili, a Gospel reading in Spanish, and prayers in Bemba. Bishops, royalty, politicians and ordinary people shared handshakes, smiles, tears and applause. On the Feast of the Annunciation, Rt Revd Sarah Mullally was installed at Canterbury Cathedral as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, and the first woman to serve in the post after over 1400 years. Among the guests was Bev Jullien, in her capacity as Chief Executive of the Mothers' Union, and our new bishop-designate, Andrew Rumsey. You can watch the ceremony on YouTube or on BBC iPlayer, and if you'd like to follow along, you can download the order of service at the link below. 
Almighty and everlasting God,
you have called your servant Sarah
to shepherd your Church
and proclaim your Gospel.
Grant her wisdom rooted in your Word;
courage to speak the truth in love;
and compassion to serve with humility.
Strengthen her in prayer and holiness of life,
that she may guide your people faithfully;
build up the unity of the Anglican Communion
and the whole Church throughout the world;
and bear witness to your kingdom in the world.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
|
 Diocesan news
Parish Share 2025The Diocese have conveyed their thanks to this parish for the generous financial support given by church members last year. The amount of Parish Share paid by St Peter's to the Diocese in 2025 was £126,431. Our financial contribution to the diocese is essential for the provision of clergy in our parishes and support from the diocesan officers. There's more about the Parish Share Scheme on the Diocesan website: |  | 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
|
Berkhamsted community news & events 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. | Sunday 29 March at 10:00 am
Guided Walk: Crusaders, Murders and GhostsThis spring, Berkhamsted Castle Trust is running a series of guided walks led by Dan Parry, a former BBC History producer and a professional guide with London Walks. The first tour is next Sunday (29 March) - Crusaders, Murders and Ghosts. On this family-friendly gentle walk through the town centre, explore the darker side of Berkhamsted. From the castle siege to haunted pubs, meet crusaders, murderers, highwaymen and the first murderer caught via telegraph message! £15, £10 seniors/students, £5 kids 5-16, (little ones go free), payment by cash or card. All proceeds go towards supporting the Save Castle Fields appeal. Meet at 10am at the Castle Gate. | 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. | Saturday 4 April at 2:00 pm
Wagner’s SiegfriedA performance of Wagner's fantastical opera Siegfried is being screened from the Royal Opera House at the Vyne Theatre Berkhamsted. Moments of transcendent beauty and heroic triumph sparkle in the third chapter of Wagner's Ring cycle. Tickets £18, children £12, available from: | Sunday 12 April
Berkhamsted Artisan Market AprilThe next Artisan Market is on the High Street, offering handmade jewellery, gifts, crafts, wooden homewares, ceramics, sculpture and more. Cand have a browse - all stall fees go towards the Friends of St Peter's. | Sunday 10 May
The Berkhamsted Walk 2026Registration is now open for the Berkhamsted Walk. This is Berkhamsted's annual fundraiser for the Children's Society, helping disadvantaged young people and vulnerable children which has been going since 1968! You can choose from three different walks: 6, 12 or 18 miles (the routes vary each year), and there are checkpoints and refreshments along the way. To take part, you need to register on their website, and you can make a personal donation (online or by bank card on the day), or collect sponsorship (download the sponsor form from the website). | Sunday 14 June
DENS Castle WalkAnother community fundraising walk coming up in summer: registration is now open for the DENS Castle Walk, 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: |
Cartoon Church This week's cartoon courtesy of CartoonChurch
Copyright © 2026 Dave Walker
  | Worship with usThis Sunday: 29 March 2026
Palm Sunday |
9:30am Sung Eucharist
You are invited to join us at our main Sunday service
Next Sunday: 5 April 2026
Easter Day| 9:30am: | Sung Eucharist | | 6:00am | Easter Vigil |
Music this weekHymns: | Anthem: | Lift up your heads - Mathias | | Voluntary: | Valet wir ich dir geben - J.S. Bach |
ReadingsIsaiah 50.4-9aThe Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Psalm 118 (vv 1,2, , 19-29) Tone VI1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious * because his mercy endureth for ever.2 Let Israel now confess, that he is gracious * and that his mercy endureth for ever.19 Open me the gates of righteousness * that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord.20 This is the gate of the Lord * the righteous shall enter into it.21 I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me * and art become my salvation.22 The same stone which the builders refused * is become the head-stone in the corner.23 This is the Lord’s doing * and it is marvellous in our eyes.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made * we will rejoice and be glad in it.25 Help me now, O Lord * O Lord, send us now prosperity.26 Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord * we have wished you good luck, ye that are of the house of the Lord.27 God is the Lord who hath shewed us light * bind the sacrifice with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.28 Thou art my God, and I will thank thee * thou art my God, and I will praise thee.29 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious * and his mercy endureth for ever. Gospel: Matthew 26.14 - 75This Sunday, there will be a dramatised Passion Gospel read by members of the congregation. Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’ While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’ Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’ Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’ While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.’ At once he came up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, do what you are here to do.’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?’ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” ’ The high priest stood up and said, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, ‘I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?’ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ But he denied it before all of them, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.’ When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ Again he denied it with an oath, ‘I do not know the man.’ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know the man!’ At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself.’ Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.’ After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.”’ The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’ At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away.
 In our prayers this weekAnglican Cycle of Prayer:The Anglican Church of MelanesiaIntercessions | Diocese | ✚✚Sarah, Archbishop of Canterbury, ✚Andrew, Bishop Designate 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, Peter Kirk, Gwen Roberts, Fr Chris Rogers, Peter Rolfe, David Steadmann, Charlotte Szypryt, Neata Thomson, Sienna Vallance, Liz | 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 | Owen Ford, Ann Braddick | | Memorial (year's mind) | Mary Rhodes, Sheila Birch, Nita Hennessey |
 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 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 |
Sunday 5 April 2026 - EASTER VIGIL 6AM| 8am Eucharist |
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| President | | | Preacher | | | Reader | volunteers. | | 9:30am Eucharist |
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| President | | | Preacher | | | Sidesperson | Jenny H. | | Sidesperson | Richard H. | | MC | Will G. | | Acolyte | Mark G. | | Acolyte | TBC. | | Thurifer | Nick A. | | Cruficer | . | | Reader | . | | Intercessions | . | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | . | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | . | | Sunday School | . | | Sound | . | | Friday Thought | |
Sunday 5 April 2026 - EASTER| 8am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart (6AM) | | Preacher | N/A | | Reader | . | | 9:30am Eucharist |
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| President | Fr Stuart (Fr David) ((Helen Rowland)) | | Preacher | Fr Stuart | | Sidesperson | Liz Y. | | Sidesperson | Barbara J. | | MC | Libby G. | | Acolyte | Peter M. | | Acolyte | Hayley K. | | Thurifer | Chris C. | | Cruficer | . | | Reader | Robin M. | | Intercessions | Dagna H. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Paul J. | | Eucharistic Minister (Chalice) | Pru M. | | Sunday School | . | | Sound | Jeremy D. | | Friday Thought | Fr David |
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