Reflections Blog

Sunday 29^th March – Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem

9.15am – Benefice Holy Communion – St Ippolyts Church

11.00am – Holy Communion – Iris Court Residential Home, Gosmore

The service lasts about 25 minutes and is followed by coffee and cake.  Open to everyone.

Monday 30^th March

6.00pm – Compline (night prayer) – St Mary’s Church, Great Wymondley

Compline, or night prayer, is a quiet, prayerful service lasting around 20 minutes.  It is a beautiful way to step out of life’s busy-ness and spend some time with God before the day ends.

Tuesday 31^st March

6.00pm – Compline – St Mary’s Church, Great Wymondley

Wednesday 1^st April

6.00pm – Compline – St Mary’s Church, Great Wymondley

Thursday 2^nd April – Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper

11.00am – Chrism Eucharist – St Albans Cathedral – all welcome

7.00pm – Holy Communion – St Ippolyts Church

Friday 3^rd April – Good Friday,a day of solemn remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion

2.00pm – The Way of the Cross – St Ippolyts Church

This is a quiet service of music and readings as we reflect on Jesus’ crucifixion

Saturday 4^th April – Holy Saturday, a day of quiet reflection and remembrance before the celebration of Easter Sunday

9.30am-10.30am – Children’s Easter Workshop – St Ippolyts Church

Come and hear the Easter Story, make an Easter Garden, craft activities and refreshments.  All welcome

7.00pm – Easter Vigil – St Mary’s Church, Great Wymondley

We gather around the fire and mark the end of the emptiness of Holy Saturday as we lead into the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.  This is a service of readings and hymns and lasts around 35 minutes.

Sunday 5^th April – Easter Day, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ

8.00am – BCP Easter Holy Communion – St Ippolyts Church

9.15am – Easter Holy Communion – St Ippolyts Church

11.00am – Easter Holy Communion – St Mary’s Church, Little Wymondley

We will be selling plants both at our Plant Sale 16 May and at Open Gardens 28 June so we will need lots and lots of plants. Now it is getting warmer and we are all getting busy in our gardens if you are digging plants up or separating them, please pot a few up for us. If you are sowing seeds a few more sown for us would be wonderful.

Many thanks

Barbara

Please bring arrangements in a vase, flowers in a jam jar or spring plant to St Ippolyts Church on Saturday 4^th April from 9.30 am. There will be refreshments and hot cross buns on offer. We would love to see you as we decorate St Ippolyts Church as we prepare to celebrate Easter at the service to be held on Sunday 5^th April.

There is the Community Coffee Morning on Wednesday 1st April. This is our lead up to Easter and we welcome all who would like to join us with refreshments. This is being held in the Hall Committee Room and starts at 10.30 am until 12.00 pm. If you would like a lift, please let Joan Pinkstone know on 01462 457660.

St. Ippolyts feels a huge hole and it is hard to take in that Gillian is no longer with us in person (though no doubt looking upon us with that glorious laugh).  She had been such a central figure for so many years, involved in every event and doing such a huge amount for the Church and community which were both so important to her.  We give thanks for all her hard work and inspiration to us all.

David, Gillian’s son, quoted so aptly from this poem at the beginning of her Service: 

“I shall pass this way but once:  any good that I can do or any kindness I can show let me do it now”

How well that sums up Gillian – so many kind and thoughtful acts – so many people when ill must have found wonderful homemade food on their doorsteps, offers of help and/or a visit to cheer them.  She truly put into practice “Love your neighbour as yourself”.

James (another of Gillian’s sons) gave an excellent Eulogy at her Funeral Service, excerpts of which are below.  It gave a true picture of her and all the things which were so important to her:

“Our family would all like to thank ‘All of You’ for being here today to remember and celebrate Gillian’s life in this beautiful Church which meant so much to her and where she spent so many happy hours and celebrated so many special occasions during her life.  Church was a very important part of her life, and she said that the hour in Church on Sundays, when all five of us had to sit still and in silence, gave her an enormous sense of calm, a place of peace in more than one sense.  She loved to see the Church full, especially with young families.

Gillian was brought up at Girons in Hitchin and spoke very fondly of a happy childhood.  She married Hugh in 1957 and so began the key roles in mother’s life, being a great wife and a fabulous mother and homemaker.  

Central to my mother’s life were family, friends, creating a welcoming home, being with people and the importance of fun and laughter … and she certainly loved a party. She was proud of being a mother and of the importance of making a happy and comfortable home for her family.  So many of our friends have commented how welcome they felt when they visited.  A key part of our happy childhood was built around the community. She was a great contributor to events in the village to which she gave her time, energy and an awful lot of cooking. She was totally committed to the parish and community and to raising money for good causes – but also having lots of fun.  Charity and being charitable to others was one of her key beliefs and she enjoyed her involvement with many local groups.  And she had a staunch devotion to the British Monarchy.

She was happy in her final home in Cranborne Avenue, enjoying the garden, and deriving so much pleasure in seeing people.  We are so grateful that all the kindnesses mother had shown people during her life were repaid in her later years – keeping her spirits up.

Gillian, Granny, Mother – you can rest now – thank you from us all.”

Anne Steel

Have you time to spare?!

The Vicarage in St Ippolyts is currently undergoing some changes.  I am really hoping to make both myself and parts of the Vicarage more accessible to everyone!  French doors have been added to my office and a patio is being laid outside with direct access from the driveway.  The intention is that when I am working from home I will be able to invite people to ‘drop in’ for a coffee, a chat, or for anything else really!  The French doors lead out onto part of the garden that I would also like to leave open regularly for people to enjoy.  I would like it to be a place of peace where people can sit and read or have their lunch, or somewhere that could be used for a youth or children’s club.  I have visions of seating areas with fragrant shrubs, etc, and maybe even making use of the front garden too.  

Grand plans – in my head anyway!!  But I will need some help to make the vision a reality.  If anyone else thinks that this a great idea – and has an hour or two to spare every now and again – I’d really appreciate your help in making it happen.  So, if you can spare any time to garden, cut grass, prune, mend, sand/stain, etc, or have any surplus seating to donate then I would love to hear from you!!  

Email me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At the 28^th AGM Phil Byford, Rebecca Elliott and Michael Fisher were elected as trustees. The appointees subject to confirmation by St Ippolyts P.C.C and St Ippolyts Parish Council. 

In the year ended 31^st December 2025, the trust received rental income as well donations. Total income was £36,933 and expenditure £24,082 giving a surplus for the year of £12,851which has been added to reserves to fund ongoing maintenance to keep the hall in excellent condition. 

After the AGM Frank Harding was thanked for all his voluntary work and being our chairman for 33 years. We wish him all the best for the future. Frank was presented with a Thank You card and gift voucher.

Diary dates: -Management meetings with User Group Representatives on Wednesday 10 June at 7.30pm. September date to be arranged.

Christmas Fair on Saturday 28 November from 2pm to 4.30pm. 

For bookings and enquiries please contact Dawn Barnes, Booking Secretary on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07792 763811. 

Visit www.stippolyts-hall.co.uk and / or Facebook.

The next meeting will take place on Monday 13 April following the above meeting. Copies of the Agenda and Approved Minutes are displayed on the council notice boards and the website.

There is always an agenda item for Public Participation where residents can ask questions and raise issues. Please contact Susan Mears on 01462-421409 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Members of the public are most welcome.

Pam Skeggs

This meeting will take place on Monday 13 April at 7.15pm in St Ippolyts Parish Hall.  Copies of the Agenda will be displayed on the council notice boards and on the website. 

As usual invites to present or submit a report have been sent to our County and District Councillors, Police, Church, School, Bowls and Football Clubs etc.

Persons entitled to speak, and vote are people registered as local electors for the parish. All welcome.

Friends would like to take this opportunity of saying a very big thank you to Frank Harding who has just retired from being the Hall Chairman. He has held this position for many years and, with his guidance and co-ordinating with a fabulous hall committee and our hall caretaker, the hall has improved immensely during this time. There are excellent facilities offered, the cleanliness has improved and new disabled parking has made huge improvements. We all wish Frank and his wife Sheila some extra time together.

Franie Williams, Carol Scott, Joan Pinkstone

As spring gently arrives, painting our gardens and fields with vibrant hues and tender shoots, we are reminded once again of the beauty and promise of new life. The Easter season, nestled within this time of renewal, brings with it a profound sense of hope that resonates through our parish and beyond. It is a time when the days grow longer and the earth awakens, offering us a fresh perspective and renewed energy to face the days ahead.

Easter, at its heart, is a celebration of resurrection and transformation.  The journey from the pain of Christ’s death upon the cross to the joy of his resurrection reminds us that even after the darkest winter, light and life return. It gives us the chance to reflect on the many possibilities open to us, both as individuals and as a community. When we look out for one another, and extend kindness and compassion, we share in that hope, helping it blossom in every corner of our parish.

Just as the daffodils and cherry blossoms herald the arrival of spring, so do small acts of care and neighbourliness spark new beginnings among us. Whether it’s checking in on a friend, lending a hand to those in need, or gathering together in worship and fellowship, each gesture contributes to a stronger, more resilient community. Easter reminds us that together, we can nurture growth and inspire positive change.

Let us embrace this season with open hearts and minds, welcoming the new life it brings and the hope it gifts us. As we journey through Easter and into spring, may we continue to support, encourage and care for one another, knowing that the possibilities are endless when we walk together in faith and friendship. 

Wishing you all a peaceful, joyful Easter filled with hope and the promise of new beginnings.

With love

Ginni

PAX

Material for the April issue of Pax should be sent to Pam Skeggs by 15^th March 2026, please. Or given to Rosemary Stratton or Jackie Harding by 12^thMarch. Thank you.

Copies of the magazine are available from St Ippolyts Stores

and the various churches.

‘When is it ever going to stop raining?’ is a question I’m sure we are all asking. Sitting forlornly looking out at a waterlogged garden through the mist and mirk does nothing to lift our spirits. So, a trip to the garden centre is always a treat. Looking at all the bright coloured seed packets with sowing instructions and pictures of blooms we can expect is a real tonic indeed. With the plant sale in mind, I come out armed with vegetable seeds and some good old cottage garden favourites (probably would have been a good idea to try some rice, I think my veg patch could easily become a paddy field!) 

We shouldn’t complain about the weather, we are quite fortunate in this part of the country, other areas have fared far worse with floods and wind damage, but the dreary winter seems never ending, but there are signs of spring. The days are getting lighter and apart from the cold snap at beginning of new year, it has been relatively mild.

The snow drops are blooming, and the bulbs and early flowering cherry trees are beginning to bud up. The Hellebores are starting to flower and the Witch Hazel is looking its best along with the Viburnum, which has been in flower for a while.

It won’t be long before we are all back to the weeding, grass mowing and moaning about the heat and lack of rain, I can’t wait. 

Rosemary Stratton

PLANTS PLEASE

We will be selling plants both at our Plant Sale in May and at Open Gardens at the end of June so if you are out in your garden digging plants up or separating them, please pot a few up for us. If you are sowing seeds a few more sown for us would be wonderful.

Many thanks

Barbara

The Lent Coffee Morning will be held every Wednesday morning during the Lent period. They will start at 10.30 am until 12.00 midday in the Hall Committee Room. These will continue up until Wednesday 1^st April. This is the week leading up to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and then the Easter Sunday celebration on the 1^st April. There will be savoury refreshments served. Everyone is welcome to come along and if you would like a lift then please contact Joan Pinkstone on 01462 457660 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Joan Pinkstone

We had a joyful Christingle service in church on February 1^st with children joining Revd Tricia in making Revd Ginni into a Christingle, hymns with actions, lighting everyone’s Christingles and all enjoying a delicious breakfast afterwards.

A huge thank you to all who filled candle collecting boxes, wrote cheques and gave so generously at the service, all of which resulted in a fantastic £400 being raised for The Children’s Society, to help them in their amazing work with young people.

Jenny Sheach

Please note that there will be a change in some of our services from Easter Sunday.

St Mary's Church, Little Wymondley will be moving to 2 Sunday services per month, on the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays at 11am.

St Mary's Church, Great Wymondley will be moving to 1 Sunday service per month on the 2^nd Sunday at 11am, plus Compline at 6pm every Wednesday

Holy Communion at Iris Court residential home will be on the 4^th Sunday of each month at 11am

We will be celebrating World Day of Prayer at St Marys, Great Wymondley this year. The service is on Friday 6^thMarch at 11am and has been prepared by the Christian women of Nigeria.

Everyone welcome.

Jackie Harding

SPRING CLEANING FOR THE SOUL

Can you feel it? Even though it’s still a bit chilly, March is finally here, and spring is definitely in the air. I’ve noticed the first crocuses poking through the mud, daffodils popping up, their trumpet heads defiantly announcing the hope of brighter things to come, and the days are getting longer and lighter.  There is something very special about this time of year—a feeling that no matter how dark or cold – or wet - the winter was, new life is just around the corner.

It’s the perfect backdrop for Lent which began quite early this year, on Wednesday 18^thFebruary.

Traditionally, we look at Lent as a time to give things up. For me, it’s usually chocolate or that evening glass of wine – or two!  But honestly, how often do we end up just waiting for Easter Sunday so we can indulge again?  And even worse, sometimes I find myself feeling a bit... smug about it. “Look at me, I haven’t had a drink in three weeks!”

But if we are doing Lent just to prove we have great willpower, we’re kind of missing the point, aren't we? It’s meant to be about humility, self-reflection, and a chance to make changes that will draw us closer to God, not simply boosting our own egos.

If we really want to shake things up this year, maybe we should aim for a harder fast. Something that actually changes how we live, rather than just what we eat.

Imagine how radical it would be if, instead of giving up treats, we tried to give up negative thinking, about ourselves as well as others, and focussed on seeing the good in people and the world instead of the bad?

Now that is tough. It is so much harder to stop ourselves from passing on a snarky comment about someone else, or to silence that voice in our own heads that tells us we aren't good enough. Yet, changing those habits would make a much bigger difference to our lives—and to the people around us—than skipping a dessert or glass of wine.

Fresh beginnings

So, as we watch nature wake up this March, perhaps we could take the opportunity to make our own fresh start.  To use this Lent to be more careful with the words we use and speak more kindly, to others and ourselves, to be thankful for what we have before we complain about what we don’t have, and to actively seek out the good in others as opposed to the negative.  Then maybe we can head into spring not just feeling proud of our self-discipline, but genuinely lighter, happier, and full of hope.

With love

Ginni

NORTH HERTS SANCTUARY

Thank you for the gifts left in the collection box in the Baptistry with donations to the Homeless Centre. They are very grateful to receive all dry groceries, tooth care items, deodorants and personal care items. This time of year, is particularly difficult for homeless people and North Herts Sanctuary regularly visits those who sleep rough and offer all support with food and care. Please could you continue with these gifts?

Thank you.

Joan Pinkstone