The gospel set for the First Sunday of Lent is the story of Jesus’ temptations in the Judaean wilderness, a human being just like us wrestling with those inner temptations that can lure us away from time to time from our true calling as Christians. The temptations Jesus resists are to do with physical needs, forcing God’s hand and being corrupted by worldly power.

Stanley Spencer, a famous British artist, painted a series of paintings entitled ‘Christ in the Wilderness’, marking the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Spencer’s images give us a deep insight into Jesus’ vocation and his understanding of his ministry. So much could be said about one of the images before us, ‘Rising from Sleep in the Morning.’ Jesus is depicted rising from sleep in the morning, with his whole body and self reaching up to God. He appears to be in a sort of crater from which he is being propelled towards God. From the gospels we know of Jesus’ dependence on prayer in order to fulfil all God was asking of him. The image is almost like a flower growing and opening up in response to the energy of the sun. Also notice that Jesus is emerging from what appears to be a shell, perhaps indicative that his prayer emerges from the fragility and brokenness of the world, as well as his own vulnerability.

What are we to learn from this painting as we face the temptations that can be part of our everyday lives? In a nutshell, it is to prayer that we turn, prayer reaching out to God, prayer that reaches deep down into our innermost being as we wrestle with our physical needs, our feeble attempt to do deals with God and to be corrupted by power. As we reach out to God therein lies the energy that will enable us to see off temptation and turn to face God, who will enable us to flower and flourish rather than wither and die. It is out of the frail, earthen vessels that we are, that God’s Spirit renews and remakes us in his image.

I don’t suggest for a moment that prayer is a quick fix for all the temptations that we face from time to time. However, it is the place where we start by laying before God who we are, with a longing in our hearts that we might become more the people God made us to be. The second century theologian Irenaeus said this: ‘The glory of God is a human being fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.’ It is at all times to have the vision of God before us as we face those things in our lives that tempt us away from focusing our attention on God.

Thursday 26 February - Thursday 26 March
Lent Course 2026 – To be a Pilgrim

For this year's Lent Course, we'll be reflecting on the experience of pilgrimages, the different forms they can take, and how they can help us to grow in faith. Fr Stuart will take as a starting point for each session, some of his experiences from his pilgrimage last year from the birthplace of St Columba in the north of Ireland to the island of Iona. The groups will meet in the Court House on Wednesday mornings at 10am, and Thursday evenings at 8pm, and each session will last around 60-90 minutes. The course starts on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th February. Please do speak to Fr Stuart if you'd like to know more. All are welcome.

Contact:

Fr Stuart Owen    01442 879 739

 Contact Fr Stuart Owen

Thursday 26 February at 12:00 pm
Christian Aid Lent Lunches

There are two opportunities for you to enjoy a Lent lunch in the Courthouse: Thursday26th February and Wednesday 18th March from 12noon -1.30 pm
As usual there will be a choice of soups, followed by fruit crumble. All donations are for Christian Aid.

Sunday 28 June
Petertide is back!

We have exciting news - the Petertide Fair will be returning in the summer! Everything is still at the planning stage, but we hope to put on a fabulous community festival, and raise more money for the St Peter's Renovation Appeal. The date will be on the Feast of St Peter and St Paul - this is our patronal festival, when we celebrate the life of our patron saint, Peter. Pop the date in your diaries - there will be more information later in the year, along with a call for eager volunteers!

Roof repairs

A reminder that the scaffolding inside the North Transept is closed off during roof repairs. This means that during the 9:30am Eucharist, we will all receive communion from the chancel step rather than at the altar rail, as the left-hand arch is blocked off by hoarding. Sunday School and weekday services take place in the St Catherine Chapel. For access to sound system and heating controls, please see the attached document.

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme closes

We received yesterday a notification from the Diocese that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has closed. It was set to run until 31 March 2026, but we understand that the £23 million fund which had been allocated for the scheme by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has run out. The is due to be replaced by the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, but this has not yet been set up. It is not currently clear how this will affect the St Peter's Renovation Fund.

 www.nationalchurchestrust.org

Saturday 21 February - Sunday 22 February
Snowdrop Garden Open Days

This weekend is your last chance to visit the Bishop of St Albans' Garden to see the snowdrops and other early bulbs in bloom. Entry: £5 per adult (all proceeds to the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust). Abbey Gate House, Abbey Mill Lane, St Albans AL3 4HD. Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February, 2pm-4pm.

Saturday 21 February at 8:00 am
Prayer Breakfast

The next Berkhamsted Churches Prayer Breakfast will be held at Kings Road Church. Please send your prayer requests by Wednesday 18th February to:

Contact:

Peggy Sear   

 Contact Peggy Sear

Wednesday 25 February at 7:30 pm
Band of The Household Cavalry

The Band of The Household Cavalry are playing at the Centenary Theatre, Berkhamsted. Tickets are £20 which includes a souvenir brochure and a free drink before the concert starts. All proceeds go to the Household Cavalry Foundation, supporting serving soldiers, operational casualties, veterans and their dependants.

 berkhamsted.ticketsolve.com

Sunday 1 March
Sponsor the Castle Fields Flyers!

It's the Berkhamsted Half Marathon & 5-Mile Fun Run on 1st March, and a team of hardy athletes are running to raise money for Berkhamsted Castle Trust's Save Castle Fields appeal! BCT are trying to save a cherished piece of green space next to Berkhamsted Castle from housing development, and the Castle Fields Flyers are doing their bit to support the campaign. Please do sponsor them and help raise funds to save the historic Castle Fields for the community. You can find out more about the appeal on the Castle website.

 www.justgiving.com

 www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk

Monday 2 March - Saturday 25 April
Amersham Festival of Music

In March and April there's a month-long music festival over in Amersham (just 5 miles from Berkhamsted), featuring orchestral, jazz and chamber music. Highlights include a screening Wallace & Gromit's The Wrong Trousers with live brass band, band music of the 1920s & 30s, the London Community Gospel Choir, Handel's Samson, Holst's The Planets, Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and much more. Pick up a brochure at the back of church. Book online at:

 www.amershamfestival.org

Friday 6 March at 1:30 pm
World Day of Prayer

This years World Day of Prayer will be a service written by Christian women of Nigeria, held at Sacred Heart Church on Park Street. There is plenty of parking space. Do come and take part in this annual 24 hours of prayer around the world! Light refreshments will be served after the service. All are welcome.

Saturday 7 March at 7:30 pm
Bridgewater Sinfonia: Bruch Violin Concerto

The next Bridgewater Sinfonia concert will be at Berkhamsted School Deans' Hall on Castle Street, with soloist Emmanuel Bach playing the Bruch Violin Concerto No 1. Also on the programme will be Schubert's Symphony No 9 in C, "The Great". Advance tickets are available from Ashtons Estate Agents (next to Tesco) and online for £20, or £22 on the door, under-18s free.

 www.bridgewater-sinfonia.org.uk

Sunday 8 March
Ashridge Estate public event

The National Trust have a project under way to make changes to visitor access at the Ashridge Estate. As new housing developments spring up around the local area, they forecast a major increase in visitor numbers. This will lead to damage to the landscape though soil erosion and overcrowding at the parking near the Bridgewater Monument. The NT plan to ease pressure on certain popular areas by encouraging visitors to spread over a wider area, and they are proposing to replace the current parking with new visitor "hubs" around the edge of the estate. For Berkhamsted, this will involve turning part of Northchurch Common into a car park and building a new visitors' centre.

They are holding a public engagement event at Berkhamsted Civic Centre 10am-4pm, where you can see their plans and share your views with the NT team. You can find out more about the Ashridge Estate "Protecting Our Roots" scheme on the NT website:

 www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Saturday 21 March at 7:30 pm
CCC Spring Concert

The Chiltern Chamber Choir will be back at St Peter's, presenting 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. Tickets: £20 in advance, £22 on the door, under-18s and full-time students free, available from choir members or Brown & Merry Estate Agents, or online:

 www.eventbookings.com

Saturday 28 March at 7:30 pm
Castle Choir concert: A Time for Hope

Join 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.

 www.thecastlechoir.com

 www.eventbrite.co.uk

Friday 3 April
Family Easter Discovery Trail

The 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. 

Contact:

Kate Campbell, ranger   

 Contact Kate Campbell, ranger

 tickets.mp

Spring at Boxmoor Trust

There's an opportunity this month to "meet the cows" - the Boxmoor Trust are inviting visitors to come and see the Belted Galloways (the stripey coos you see in the field near Hemel Hempstead station)! The "Belties" are spending winter in the cattle barns in Howes Retreat on Felden Lane. In March, the Boxmoor Trust are holding Lambing Events, when you can come to meet newborn lambs in the barns at Snook's End, London Road. All these events are extremely popular with families, so be sure to book your tickets well ahead - there is no entry without a ticket! Full details on the Boxmoor Trust website:

 www.boxmoortrust.org.uk

Just in at the Way Inn!

The Way Inn Christian Centre inside Berkhamsted Post Office are promoting some new arrivals. These include Mothering Sunday & Easter cards and a range of seasonal Christian resources for children & adults at promotional prices for Lent & Easter. Needing a meaningful gift for Mother's Day? Come and have a look!

Take Note 1 – 2026

Kids Corner 1