The parish diary for February 2023 lists upcoming church services and events. Highlights include Ash Wednesday services on February 22nd with imposition of ashes, a pancake party on Shrove Tuesday, and a 5-week Lent course on "Images of Christ: The Story of Jesus in the Arts" running Monday and Thursday evenings from February 27th to March 30th. Help is also requested from parishioners to volunteer and support the life of the church. A pilgrimage to Walsingham is scheduled for March 24th-26th.

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PETER D HANNABY
Painter & Decorator
Interior and Exterior work
Undertaken
For competitive quotations
Please call
Mobile: 07765 250092
Home: 01442 288956
MAGAZINE ADVERTISING COSTS
Why not use this parish magazine to advertise your business. There
are eleven issues per year with double issue in December/January.
Charges are: Full Page £115 per annum
Half Page £80 per annum
Quarter Page £60 per annum
For part year charges are pro rata of the annual rate rounded up to
the nearest whole pound (e.g. 1 month/issue full page 115/12 =
9.58 rounded up = £10 charge)
To discuss your requirements or for further information, please
contact Sally Bates, 01442 266912 or 07792 768236
or email: magazine@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk

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THE VICAR’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
This year Ash Wednesday and Lent follows hard on the heels
of Christmas and Epiphany - we have just two Sundays
between the 2 seasons. Often this can make us feel a little
bit rushed. No sooner have we celebrated the birth and manifestations of
Christ during Christmas and Epiphany (and put our decorations away) than
we are focusing on a season of self-denial and discipline, prayer and study,
culminating in Christ’s death and resurrection at Easter. A child recently
asked “did they take Jesus straight out of the crib and put him on the
Cross?” We could be forgiven for thinking the same. Somewhere 30 years
of Christ’s life have got lost from the record books.
And although the nearness of Lent and Easter to Christmas can be
unsettling, perhaps the proximity of these seasons and festivals this year
can be to our advantage. Maybe it might help us to make the connection
that it is the same person, God incarnate, who is lying in the manger and
who has his arms outstretched upon the cross. Perhaps we will remember
more clearly that the child of Bethlehem whom angels, shepherds, and
wise men adore is the same person who is crowned with thorns and whom
the crowd of Jerusalem disown and condemn to die. Perhaps the depth of
God’s love will be revealed more fully to us as we connect together the
birth, death, and resurrection of Christ to new life as a promise and gift of
God to all his children.
Of course, for some these dots have already been joined and none of these
things may speak to you, but as we enter into Lent I hope and pray that this
season may be a time of spiritual refreshment and growth for each of us.
Whether this is through the traditional models of fasting, prayer, and absti-
nence, or through more contemporary models of taking on additional
duties or studies, may the Lord bless you in your journey and relationship
with him.
Every Blessing,

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PARISH DIARY FOR FEBRUARY 2023
Enquiries regarding baptisms weddings or marriage blessings
are always welcome.
Please contact the Vicar.
Morning Prayer is said Daily at St John’s at 9.00am.
You are most welcome to join the clergy in prayer.
Evening Prayer is said privately for the life of the Parish unless details are below.
St John’s is open daily 9.30am-5.00pm for private prayer
(10.30am-5.00pm on Saturdays)
Wed 1 10.00am BCP Holy Communion followed by coffee St John’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
Thur 2 8.30am Dacorum Music School/MaSJ Music Making Day
St John’s
Fri 3 5.30pm Junior Choir Rehearsal St John’s
7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s
Sun 5 CANDLEMAS - Presentation of Christ in the Temple
8.00am BCP Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am All-Age Eucharist sung by the Junior Choir
St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen's
12noon Holy Baptism St John’s
Mon 6 7.45pm Together on Monday Club St John’s Hall
“Ramblings of a Vicar” - Speaker: Mike Macey
Tue 7 9.30am Tiny Tots Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall
& Church
11am-4pm Warm Space St John’s
8.00pm Church Meeting: PCC Standing Committee
St John’s Hall
Wed 8 10.00am Holy Communion followed by coffee St John’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
Thur 9 11.00am Mountbatten Communion Mountbatten Lodge
12.30pm Funeral - Peter Price St John’s
Fri 10 7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s

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Sun 12 Second Sunday before Lent
8.00am BCP Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am Parish Eucharist St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen's
6.30pm Choral Evensong St John’s
Mon 13 2.00pm Poetry Group 53 Beechfield Road
Tues 14 9.30am No Tiny Tots - Half Term
11am-4pm Warm Space St John’s
Wed 15 10.00am Holy Communion followed by coffee St John’s
3.00pm Friendship Tea St John’s Hall
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
Fri 17 7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s
Sun 19 Sunday next before Lent
Nb: Gade Valley Harriers training run this morning
8.00am BCP Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am Parish Eucharist St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen's
Mon 20 7.45pm Together on Monday Club St John’s Hall
AGM and Supper
Tues 21 Shrove Tuesday
9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall
& Church
11am-4pm Warm Space St John’s
4.00pm Pancake Party St John’s Hall
& Church
7.30pm tbc Social Event St John’s Hall
Wed 22 Ash Wednesday
10.00am Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
followed by coffee St John’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
8.00pm Parish Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes
St John’s

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Thur 23 11.00am Mountbatten Communion Mountbatten
Lodge
Fri 24 5.30pm Junior Choir St John’s Hall
7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s Hall
Sat 25 7.30pm Concert: Lumina Choir St John’s
Sun 26 First Sunday of Lent
8.00am BCP Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am Parish Eucharist St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Holy Communion St Stephen's
Mon 27 7.30pm Holy Communion St John’s
8.00pm Lent Course Wk 1 St John’s
Tues 28 9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall &
Church
11am-4pm Warm Space St John’s

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY 17 JANUARY
2023
The PCC met in St John’s Hall on Tuesday evening 17 January 2023,
chaired by the Vicar. He felt that the parish was in good heart. Some
1,250 worshippers came to our five key Christmas services, only a shade
down on the figures for 2019, which showed a trend of people coming
back to church following the pandemic. There was discussion on the tick-
eting system, the Christmas Tree Festival and leaving the Christmas Tree
Festival trees in church over all of Christmas.
Chris Angell, the PCC Treasurer, tabled the General Fund outturn for
2022, going through the figures with the PCC. The budget for 2022 was in
surplus, but only because of some significant unexpected one-off dona-
tions and legacies. We were in a reasonable position to weather a deficit
budget for 2023 preceding a major fundraising campaign in 2024 associ-
ated with celebrating the 150th
anniversary of the St John’s church build-
ing. We had an excellent Christmas collection resulting in £686.25 going
to each of the three designated recipients, including parish funds.
Expenditure for stonework repair under St John’s East Window, gutter
cleaning and the Council’s new green bin charge were approved. Revised
fees for 2023 were agreed.
Job Rombout, Churchwarden, briefed the meeting on his research into
the best energy contracts for the parish to sign up to in these difficult
times. While obviously cost was important, environmental factors on the
origin of the energy supplied should also be a factor. He recommended
British Gas Lite’s 36 month contract for St John’s and St Stephen’s, and
the PCC endorsed this.
There had been no progress on the parish’s Mission Action Plan goals,
except that the meeting was briefed on arrangements for this year’s Lent
Course. They were enthusiastic about the Vicar’s idea to lead a course
looking at Christian themes through the eyes of artists, poets and com-
posers. This would be advertised soon. Also discussed were the Warm
Hub scheme that the parish was participating in, the revision of the Sides
Persons list, the introduction of a CCTV system at St John’s church, and
the Ukrainian refugee family currently living in the Curate’s house.

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The PCC tend to spend a lot of time on administrative and financial
matters, so the Vicar redressed this by initiating a discussion on more
spiritual matters. He noted that in the 2021 Census only 46.2% described
themselves as Christians. Some 18,800 people lived in Boxmoor parish, so
it followed that at least 9,000 of them thought of themselves as Christian.
Should getting a few of them to join us and be added to the 177 people
already on our electoral roll be that difficult?
Reports were received from the daughter churches and the various PCC
committees, to which was added a new committee on the celebrations
for the 150th
anniversary of the St John’s church building. The meeting
also heard from our representatives at the Deanery and the wider
church.
This is of necessity a brief summary of the meeting, but if anyone on the
Parish electoral roll would like to see the full minutes of this PCC
meeting, then the PCC Secretary would be glad to provide them.
Richard Lyne
PCC Secretary
01442 260998
pccsecretary@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk

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Christmas
I should like to offer my heartfelt thanks, once again, to everyone who contribut-
ed to making Christmas such a wonderful and joyful celebration of the birth of
the Christ-child. Christmas, as I am often reminded, is a busy time within the life
of the Church, and it was good to return to many of our pre-pandemic in-person
services and activities whilst incorporating some of our new practices. I think we
hosted 9 Carol Services, 2 Christingle Services, a Crib Service, Midnight Mass, 2
Christmas Morning Eucharists and then St Stephen’s Day Patronal Eucharist. We
hosted the annual Christmas Tree Festival and had contact with all but three of
the schools in our Parish. Although attendance figures were slightly down on the
pre-pandemic levels they were markedly up on recent years. Over 1550 people
came through our doors between 6.30pm on Sunday 18 December and 11.00am
on Christmas morning and joined us for worship. Note this does not include the
many people who joined us for Outdoor Carols or for the Tree Festival. Our
publicity through Facebook and the Christmas Cards delivered to every house
reaped its reward.
Thank you to all who delivered the cards. Thank you to all who cleaned the
church over this busy period to retain our welcoming and hospitable atmosphere.
Thank you for all who decorated our churches with such lovely displays. Thank
you to all who helped at/sponsored/organised our Tree Festival. Thank you once
again to our musicians and the St John’s Ensemble for the stunning effort in
raising our hearts to join those of the angels in praise of the birth of Christ. Thank
you to all who were on duty, in any way, over the festive period.
Christmas would not have been the same without all the effort that was put in.
Thank you.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party: for Children and Adults
Before we begin our Lenten disciplines, on Tuesday 21 February
there will be our annual Pancake Party for under 12s in St John’s
Hall, starting at 4.00pm. This will comprise of pancake races and
quizzes, as well as the opportunity to eat them.
We will also be holding a Wine and Cheese Social Event in the evening in the Hall
for adults. 7.30pm onwards. There will also be some tasty sweet treats! I hope
many will be able to join us for this happy occasion on the eve of entering into
the Lenten season of penitence.
More details in due course via the Newsletter.

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Ash Wednesday – 22 February
A Service of Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes will be held at
10.00am in St John’s, and the Parish Sung Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at
8.00pm at St John’s. Everyone is most welcome to attend these services. A good
start to Lent is to be encouraged and I look forward to seeing you at one of these
services.
Lent
Traditionally Lent is a time to reflect on one’s discipleship in Christ and how our
relationship with him might be strengthened or renewed. To that end, we often
either give-up something we particularly like, or take on a Spiritual Discipline like
reading an entire Gospel or committing to a certain time of Prayer every day.
Have you decided what you might like to do this year? As usual I intend to give-
up biscuits throughout Lent and to spend longer in prayer each day – making use
of the provision of Night Prayer (Compline) that has been produced and will be
posted on our website.
This year we are reading St Matthew’s Gospel during our Sunday worship – per-
haps you might like to read through his entire Gospel? It’s only 28 chapters long
and is written with the view of showing that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Jewish
Law and the Prophets.
Alternatively there are other books available at the back of church which can
help encourage you and deepen your journey of faith.
Lent Course 2023: Images of Christ: The Story of Jesus in the Arts
This year our Lent Course will be a custom-designed, tailor-made course, for our
Parish to challenge and encourage us in our thinking on the person and divinity
of Christ this Lent. I intend to lead a 5-week programme that explores different
aspects of Jesus’ life in visual, musical, and written form. Each week the session
will be offered twice (as has become our custom – see below) and will be preced-
ed by an offering of the Eucharist which I hope will help set the Lent Course with-
in a context of prayer. So that we have a rough idea of numbers at each session,
please would you sign-up on the sheets provided at the back of church.
Mondays @ St John’s Thursdays @ St Stephen’s
7.30pm – Eucharist 9.30am – Eucharist
8.00-9.30pm – Session 10.00-11.30am – Session
Wk1: Christ: God Incarnate is born 27 February 2 March
Wk2: Christ: Revealed at Baptism 6 March 9 March
Wk3: Christ: The Body and Blood of Life 13 March 16 March
Wk4: Christ: Crucified 20 March 23 March
Wk5: Christ: Risen from the Dead 27 March 30 March

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Help needed: This is your Church
Despite being incredibly grateful and thankful to those who help week on week
with the various jobs/ministries/tasks, and with all who helped over Christmas, I
am once again all too aware that we are heavily reliant on a small core of people
for the majority of tasks. As a large Church this is not sustainable. We need to
think afresh about what we all do and can do for the life of the Church here in
Boxmoor. We each have a vocation – in life and in the Church: what is yours and
how can it be put to good use within the life of our Church?
Pilgrimage to Walsingham: 24–26 March
A wonderful opportunity has opened up, in conjunction with the Parish of Hemel
Old Town, to go on Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for the
weekend, enabling pilgrims space to reflect and worship, as well as plenty of time
for fellowship and friendship. The Shrine offers excellent facilities including
en-suite accommodation, and close proximity for visits to Wells Next-the-Sea or
Sheringham, nice food and great company. Cost: £145. There are limited places
for this event so if you are interested please speak to the Vicar.
New Bishop of Hertford
On Thursday 2 February, The Feast of Candlemas, our Archdeacon for St Albans,
The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, will be consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral
and made our new Bishop of Hertford. Bishop Jane is an excellent pastor so we
will be in very good hands as she leads the Archdeaconry of St Albans under
Bishop Alan. I look forward to welcoming Bishop Jane to the parish – when an
appropriate occasion presents itself.
Warm-Spaces
Each month of the winter so far we have experienced some mightily cold weath-
er. With the soaring cost of energy many in the Parish and wider community are
struggling to heat their homes. The PCC has committed to heating St John’s each
Tuesday, thus making it a Warm-Space for people to come and be warm in. We
have seen a modest take-up of this venture so far but it will continue to be
offered as we strive to serve our community.

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Some Dates for your Diaries
23 April Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) after the 10.00am Parish
Eucharist
Choral Evensong: Guest Preacher: The Reverend Lauretta Wilson –
former Curate
6 May The Coronation of HM King Charles III
7 May St John’s Patronal Festival
12-14 May MaSJ Music Festival
14 May Service in Celebration of The King’s Coronation
Photos of Father Ben & Elizabeth’s daughter Rosina
Photos by kind permission
of Elizabeth Weitzmann

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Canon Paul Hardingham considers what showing love can mean in every-
day life.
The Language of Love
Valentine’s Day reminds us of the importance of expressing our love to
those close to us. But how can we go beyond simply offering flowers and a
card? Jesus says: ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another’ (John 13:34). How can we
express love like Jesus in our everyday relationships to our partner, chil-
dren, neighbours or work colleagues?
Listening
We need to listen to others, just as Jesus did. He asked questions of
people and waited for them to process their answer. According to
James, ‘everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to
become angry’ (James 1:19). How well do we listen to others? How often
do we find ourselves already thinking of what we want to say before
somebody’s finished speaking? Listening takes time; don’t rush it!
Touching
Jesus reached out to touch the untouchables in His world, including lepers,
the sick and children. This was completely out of character for rabbis of
His day. For us today, a warm handshake may be of value. Of course, it
should always be an appropriate touch – helpful for the other person, not
just for ourselves.
Speaking
Jesus’ conversation was always full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Do we
speak words of grace, by offering comfort, giving encouragement or
expressing care and concern? However, we should also be ready to speak
words of truth, in asking for forgiveness, seeking reconciliation or address-
ing conflict. As Paul urges us, don’t avoid: ‘speaking the truth in love’.
Where is the challenge for us in expressing love this Valentine’s Day?

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HALLS FOR HIRE
ST JOHN’S HALL - Well equipped hall suitable for use by special interest
groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and special occasions.
Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary on 07939 226977 or email:
hallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and availabil-
ity.
ST STEPHEN’S HALL, CHAULDEN - (opposite Tudor Rose) - Sunny Hall with
tiled floor suitable for dancing and exercise groups as well as being ideal for
children’s parties. Please contact Jean on 01442 257023 for further
information and availability.
ST FRANCIS HALL, HAMMERFIELD - Well equipped hall suitable for use by
special interest groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and
special occasions. Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary by email: stfran-
cishallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and
availability. More urgent queries can be handled by leaving a message on Paul
Davies mobile phone: 07802 442908
Please Note: St. John's Church PCC cannot accept any responsibility for goods or services

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Toe-tal
FOOT CARE
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For the treatment of corns, callus,
ingrown or thickened nails,
nail trimming, cracked heels
In the comfort of your own home
Call Graham Spendlove, MCFHP, MAFHP
Qualified Foot Health Professional
Book now 07799 033974

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For Candlemas, 2nd February
Dear Lord,
Here we are in February – month of cold days, winter days, but days that
promise hope and signs of Spring. Snowdrops and lengthening light;
echoes of the hope and light that Jesus brought to Simeon and Anna all
those years ago in the Temple.
Thank you, Lord, that you always bring light, you
always bring hope and peace and joy when we put
our trust in Jesus, our Saviour. Jesus, Lord of all
our days and seasons. In His name we thank you,
as we look to His Light.
Amen.
By Daphne Kitching

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22. - 20 -

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Come reign in me
Oh God, who made the world so fair,
And formed the earth, the sky, the sea;
Who gave us ears, and eyes, and minds,
To hear, to see, to know all love is thee.
Oh God, who in the Lord Jesus,
Gave us a light to light our way;
Let our life’s lamp be lit by Him
Whose strength will see us safely through
each day.
Oh God, whose Spirit gave us birth,
And holds all life secure, e’en mine;
Take all I am, and all I have,
Bless and redeem them for they both are Thine.
Oh God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, three in one;
Blessed be thy name, come reign in me,
And in me let thy will be done.
By Sam Doubtfire
SMILE-LINES
Blessing
One Sunday, when my granddaughter was about two years old, her daddy
and mummy made their Communion at my local church and took her up
with them for a blessing. Arriving back in our pew she said in a loud voice:
“Granny, the man has said his prayers on my head, and he has a lovely
dress on.”

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'Music Percentage Club Update’
Congratulations to the winners of the November and
December 2022 Music Percentage Club draws:
November 2022 December 2022
Sheila James 1st £15 Job Rombout 1st £15
Richard Lyne 2nd £8 Noel James 2nd £8
Garth Bridgwood 3rd £4 Richard Lyne 3rd £4
SMILE-LINES
Little Teapot
Our new curate had young children and they insisted he choose for his
screensaver a picture of a dancing teapot, playing the children's song ‘I'm a
Little Teapot’. When the earnest young HR officer for the diocese came to
call, she sent back a message to the bishop: “The curate may be suffering
from an identity disorder."
Answer to prayer
A small boy badly wanted a baby brother, so his dad suggested he pray
every night for one. The boy prayed earnestly, night after night, but his
prayers seemingly weren't answered. So after a few weeks, he didn't both-
er to ask anymore.
Seen in a church pew sheet:
For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a crèche
downstairs.
Next Friday the church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertain-
ment and gracious hostility. Do come along!
In a sack
Seen in a church magazine: “Bring your old newspapers (and your neigh-
bours), put them in a sack and tie them if possible.”

25. - 23 -
MARCH 2023 - PRICE 60p
Please note the deadline for articles for the March 2023 edition of the magazine
is Sunday, 5th February.
You can e-mail direct to magazine@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk or leave articles in
magazine pigeonhole or deliver direct to 27 Beechfield Road. Please note any
articles sent by email should be in A5/A4 format (MS Word or MS Publisher
preferred). Thank you. Sally Bates, Editor, Tel No. 266912 or Mobile 07792
768236.
PLEASE NOTE
Website for St John’s Boxmoor is:
www.stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
E-mail: office@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
Website for Music at St John’s is http://masj.org.uk
Facebook Page: St Johns Church, Boxmoor
NEWSLETTER: If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly Newsletter by
e-mail, please contact Alan Munford - alan.munford@btinternet.com with your
e-mail address and he will arrange to send it to you.
Please send any items for inclusion in the Newsletter to the Parish Office at the
email address: newsletter@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
SUBSCRIPTION TO MAGAZINE
If you would like to receive a copy of St John’s Parish Magazine on a regular
monthly basis, please email alan.munford@btinternet.com or telephone him on
01442 242543 or complete your details below and return tear-off slip to:
Mr. Alan Munford, 16 St Nicholas Mount, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2BB
Name…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Address ………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
...........................................................................................................................
Contact Telephone Number ………………………………………………………………………...

26. - 24 -
St James the Least of All
On why rural churchgoers like to freeze in church
The Rectory
St James the Least
My dear Nephew Darren
Winter certainly exposes the difference between those of you who live in
cities and us rural folk. While you bask in your centrally heated flat, with
every modern convenience that could be imagined and complain about
the half an inch of slush that makes your life so inconvenient, we country
folk wear overcoats in our houses, open all doors and windows to let the
heat in and battle through snow drifts, measured in feet, to get the
morning paper.
Colonel Wainwright has acquired a new toy: a snow blower, of sufficient
power that I believe it could clear the Antarctic. He kindly volunteered to
clear the paths around the church. Working outwards from the church
door, the path to the church soon became snow free. Unfortunately, he
only realised when his job was complete that the blown snow then
formed a five-foot drift under the lychgate. We now have to climb over
the churchyard wall and negotiate buried gravestones before we can
reach his pristine paths.
Miss Margison, ever meaning to be helpful, decided to unfreeze the
pipes in the church hall. A blow torch was not the ideal solution,
although the resulting burst did make some rather attractive ice sculp-
tures round the kitchen equipment. The village badminton team that
uses the hall has now temporarily changed sport, to ice hockey.
Inevitably, our congregation has soared these past few weeks. There is
nothing like adversity for making people want to prove they have the
moral fibre to overcome it. Much satisfaction seems to be obtained on
discovering who has not dared venture out, which is taken as judgement
on their strength of character. The Prentices upstaged most people by
arriving on a sleigh. Cont’d….

27. - 25 -
Mr Prentice was warmly wrapped in a travelling rug, while his wife pulled
it. As her husband explained, he couldn’t possibly let the pony work in such
conditions.
What I momentarily thought was applause during my sermon was merely
people keeping their hands warm and the hymns were drowned out by the
stamping of feet. Our organist complained that the cold made his fingers so
numb that he couldn’t play properly – although I didn’t notice that things
were much different from normal.
No, my dear nephew, you continue to fret about your church heating drop-
ping to temperate, and a few flakes of wet snow obliging you to close your
car park for health and safety reasons. We shall continue to triumph heroi-
cally over adversity and return home after Mattins, feeling we have proved
our Christian commitment by being utterly uncomfortable.
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
The Berkhamsted Walk – Sunday 30th
April 2023
Join in the Berkhamsted Walk to raise funds for The Children’s Society. The
walk is Berkhamsted’s longest-standing sponsored walk and since 1968 has
raised over £300,000. The money raised is given to The Children's Society,
who work tirelessly on projects to help children of this country facing
neglect and abuse, with nowhere else to turn.
All walks this year start from Kitchener’s Fields, Castle Hill, Berkhamsted
HP4 1HE - by the Cricket Club. There is an 18 mile walk for the adven-
turous, a 12-mile Bluebell walk and a family friendly 6-mile walk. Find out
how you can participate and register at www.berkhamstedwalk.com.
To find out more about The Children's Society's work, take a look at their
website: www.childrenssociety.org.uk

28. - 26 -
Your Eco Team:-
Hi, Rosie Shaw, Mark Harbour and Dee Fisher are on the PCC and have
volunteered to be on the Eco MAP (Mission Action Plan) TEAM to help
steer St John’s, St Francis and St Stephen’s churches towards becoming
Eco Churches by 2030!
Thinking about improving our approach to living sustainably as a church is
not our idea but a direct request from the Church of England (CofE). The
CofE has given a direct pledge to reduce the carbon emissions of its 42
dioceses by 2030. In order for us to begin to work towards this we have
done two things: firstly, we have carried out an initial Eco church survey to
assess our carbon footprint and environmental status and secondly we’ve
registered St John’s church with Dacorum CAN (Climate Action Network).
More details about both of these are given below. This is to benefit our
global and local thinking and to ultimately benefit our impact on the local
community and beyond. We will aim to keep you up to date on our
progress in the church newsletter, magazine and online regularly.
Eco Church
We registered St John’s church with the suggested Eco Church survey to
help guide us as to what is required of us to become a more sustainable
parish. The A Rocha UK Eco Church survey and more details can be found
at Ecochurch.arocha.org.uk.
To become an Eco Church there are awards you can receive e.g. the areas
we are looking at are changes to our behaviour and carrying out actions to
improve our environment such as car shares and encouragement to
reduce waste through recycling or reuse of goods. To demonstrate our
progress there are BRONZE, SILVER AND GOLD AWARDS!
The five areas which the survey asks church communities to focus on are:
1 Worship and Teaching
2 Buildings
3 Land
4 Community & Global
5 Lifestyle

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As part of our new initiative we also recommended to the PCC that we
become part of an network called Dacorum CAN - THINK GLOBAL act local.
You can join as an organisation or an individual and it will give you details
of events. As a result of joining Dee went to a great Sustainable Clothes
Swap - completely free and also a Dacorum CAN Annual Event 2022 where
there were lots of speakers and stall holders all with one mission in mind
to inform the public how we can help reduce our carbon footprint. You
can find out more about the network on their webpage (see above) or
contact Sustainability@dacorum.gov.uk, or join the Dacorum CAN Face-
book group: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/dacorumcan/)
We’ve already started to make some changes as part of our efforts to
become an Eco Church - we have twinned two of our toilets and two taps
for clean water in countries where they don’t yet have proper, safe toilets
- particularly women and girls who are attacked in the bush. These certifi-
cates can be found in the toilets at the back of church and they say where
the toilets are. They cost £60 each - and one toilet was kindly donated by
Christine Ellen Doyle, a colourful visitor to our church in the summer of
2022.
She also told us about a water saving device for toilets (https://
watersave.co.uk/) this is a five minute video which explains it all. More
information about toilet twinning can be found on https://
www.toilettwinning.org In addition to this you can twin your tap, bin and
fridge. There are some leaflets at the back of church about this if you’re
interested.
In addition to this we have trialled different brands of Eco hand wash and
Eco washing up liquid in St John’s toilets and kitchen. If you have any
comments on these products we’d be pleased to hear from you.
SUSTAINABILITY (To keep on going and going)
This is a word that is going to be heard of more and more. Sustainable
gifts, cards, living etc etc.
Cont’d

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We held our first SUSTAINABLE present swap shop on Saturday 28 Janu-
ary 2023 in St John’s church hall. If this goes well we intend to try and
hold one of these Sustainable Swap Shops at St Francis and St Stephen’s
church which would not only help to achieve our Silver/Gold award but it
will also be a great opportunity to involve the community and increase our
fellowship at the same time.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and look forward to seeing you at
one of our forthcoming events.
The Eco TEAM
Rosie, Mark and Dee
January 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Prayers Around the World
By Deborah Lock and Helen Cann, Lion Children’s Books, £7.99
Across the continents, this beautifully illustrated book of prayers reflects
on God’s amazing world, celebrating different countries, landscapes and
traditions. From fishing villages to the African plains, farming in Peru to
the snowy landscape of Greenland, blossoms in Japan and leaf kicking in
Eastern Europe and to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, these prayers share
God’s love and care for His world.

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at St John’s
in the months of November & December 2022
HOLY BAPTISM
20 November Danielle Mullery Grovehill
20 November Maddie Skye Mullery Grovehill
20 November Wendy Olive Buckland Kings Langley
18 December Mirielle Charlotte Royle Halwick Close
May the Lord of his great mercy bless these children and give them
understanding of his wisdom and grace.
HOLY MATRIMONY
No Weddings in November/December 2022
CONFIRMATIONS
20 November Catherine Louise Duvall Chaulden Terrace
20 November James David Charles Duvall Chaulden Terrace
20 November Lauren Tamsin Duvall Chaulden Terrace
20 November Danielle Mullery Grovehill
20 November Gary John Mullery Grovehill
20 November Sadie Joyce Mullery Grovehill
FUNERAL & MEMORIAL SERVICES
There were no funeral or memorial services in November
21 December Faramarz Taghavi - Memorial Service
May this soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace.
BURIAL OF ASHES
22 November Sylvia Macklin Warmark Road
17 November June Shaw Letchworth
24 November Una Eulalie Higson Horsecroft Road
There were no burials of ashes in December

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36. Produced and printed by the Parish of Boxmoor