Away Day 2025

Sunday 4 May, 9.30am - 4.00pm, at All Nations College, Ware

This year’s theme: ‘Peace’

Worship, workshops, free time
Activities for young people
Beautiful surroundings
Two-course lunch
Newcomers especially welcome

We are looking forward to Away Day 2025 which, this year, takes place on Sunday 4 May. Our venue is All Nations College in Ware - just 12 minutes’ drive from Hertford - and members of St Andrew’s and St Mary’s will be able to enjoy facilities which include generous indoor space, beautiful grounds, excellent areas for our young people and the provision of refreshments throughout the day, including a hot lunch.

Our theme will be Peace. We aim to explore ideas around what peace means to us, why it is absent in many parts of the world and how we can achieve it, not least in a personal sense. There will be the usual mix of worship and plenary time, breakout groups and free time when we can meet friends and make new ones.

The cost of the day, including lunch, will be £40 per adult with Under 18s attending free of charge.

In past years, people have found our Away Days to be enjoyable, enriching and memorable. For some, especially those new to St Andrew’s or St Mary’s, it has been a great opportunity to meet others and become more part of our worshipping community.

The Away Day will be Alan’s last engagement before starting his three-month sabbatical, so do try to come along and be with him as he prepares for this important period in his ministry.

More details, including how to book your place

Rev. Alan Stewart writes...

A DAY AT ALL NATIONS

On Sunday 4 May, we are going to the beautiful venue of All Nations College, Easneye, Ware. Just a short journey from Hertford, we will experience a building that dates back to 1869, since when it has maintained a consistent Christian presence. In 1979, it took on its present name and is now one of Europe’s largest centres for ministry and missionary training. It is also a regular venue for conferences, with most rooms, including toilets and communal areas, having wheelchair access. More information about the college can be found here: https://www.allnations.ac.uk/

PEACE

At this year's Away Day, we will explore the theme of Peace. This will be done through words, prayer, music and a range of activities that should offer lively and stimulating insights into the need for peace in our personal lives as well as in the wider world. There will also be time to experience the College’s beautiful grounds where, by early May, trees and plants will be in bloom.

ALL WELCOME

As always, we welcome those of all ages, including children and young people for whom activities will be organised. Also, this year, we particularly look forward to welcoming those who have joined our churches in recent times; we know how, in the past, attendance at an Away Day has been a significant help to newcomers who, as a result of their day away, have got to know others and have developed a real sense of belonging to their church community.

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY

The day will start with coffee at 9.30am, and then a short introductory all-age session with worship, followed by some deeper reflection for the adults and separate activities for the children and young people. There will be a range of exciting workshops (we’ve already confirmed the always-popular singing workshop, an art-based activity and a discussion group on Peacemakers). We’ll then have a hot lunch (Sunday Roast with veggie options), some free time and a concluding Eucharist for all ages. The day will end with a cup of tea at approximately 3.45pm.

Please note that there won’t be a 9.15am service at St Mary’s or a 10.30am service at St Andrew’s or on Zoom that day. There will be a short 8am service at St Andrew’s.

COST AND BOOKING

The cost of the day will be £40 per adult with children (Under 18s) coming free. In previous years, some have offered to increase their donation to cover the cost for others and this has always been helpful.

To book your place(s), please contact catherinesleath@gmail.com. If you are unable to use email, you should write a brief note confirming your interest and hand this to Robin Bishop or David Gorton at St Mary’s or to Chris Seward or Catherine Sleath at St Andrew’s. Payment will be requested once bookings are confirmed and anyone who wishes to participate but is concerned about the amount involved can speak to either Chris Seward or myself. We do not want anyone to be unable to attend on grounds of expense.

Also, lifts can be arranged for anyone without a car.

We very much hope you will be able to join us at this local venue for what should be a fantastic time away together as sister churches. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis with all requests to Catherine, please, by Sunday 23 March.

Alan
Rev. Alan Stewart

Hello and welcome to St Andrew's. If you are new, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

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Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

No one belongs here more than you.

We look forward to meeting you! Here's some information so that if you're planning a visit you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning. We have other pages telling you more About Us, our approach to Faith and our Online services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find a parking space and can settle in before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Plan your journey:
While, unfortunately, St Andrew's does not have its own carpark, there is a council-run pay and display carpark a short distance along St Andrew Street, to the east of the church; there is a £1.50 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays (though half an hour or less is free).

This is a useful East Herts Council website page for full details of parking in Hertford.

There are single yellow lines outside the church with parking restrictions, but some 30-minute parking bays are situated on the opposite side of the road for short stays (longer on Sundays).

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is a disabled toilet towards the back of the church, behind the kitchen.

Our Service

The service will usually begin promptly at 10.30am and will last between 60 and 75 minutes. We enjoy the presence of an excellent choir who help us sing hymns (modern and traditional) as well as provide anthems and special songs through the period of communion. We have a traditional organ but also benefit from music played on the piano and by our band (eg on the Second Sunday of each month when we have an All-Age Service in which our children and young people are fully involved).

Each 10.30am service includes a sermon, prayers and eucharist.

After the service, everyone is invited for coffee and conversation - some like to stay for a quick chat while others remain in the church for a longer time.

Communion

Children and Young People

Children are never too young to come to church. You and your children are very welcome at St Andrew’s.

We really value worshipping God together as a family, so children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service before being invited to leave for the young people's activities after the first hymn. Junior Church meets in the St Andrew's Centre (our adjoining hall), accessed through the church on Sunday mornings. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children and young people then return to the main service in time to join the eucharist and, if confirmed, take Holy Communion or, if not, receive a blessing. We offer a little box of raisins to children being blessed at the altar.

There is a Children's Corner in church where you can go at any time. You will find books, toys and drawing materials there.

Toilet and baby-change facilities are located at the back of church, behind the kitchen.

There's more information here: Children and Young People at St Andrew's

Junior Church celebration

Getting Connected

Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week. Check out Home Groups on our website and see if there’s one that you could join. Alternatively, speak to a member of the Welcome Team who will give you the information that you need.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. Please contact Phil in the Church Office.

Get in touch with us

If you have any questions, please do get in touch. You'll find our contact details here.

We hope that you will feel at home at our church.

Group photo at the top of the page taken by Tim Pike