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Away Day Wholehearted banner
Away Day 2024

Forbes Mutch reflects on a wholehearted day at St Joseph’s in the Park School, Hertingfordbury in April 2024

As if by divine design, the damp clouds of the wettest spring on record cleared as the guests gathered cheerfully in the school car park. They registered their attendance (for fire safety reasons) and made their way into the school dining room for coffee and biscuits. After careful planning by St Andrew’s and St Mary’s, the 2024 joint parish ‘Away Day’ or get-together got underway and our enthusiasm was wholehearted, which was just as well, because that was the theme of the day.

A WHOLEHEARTED DAY BEGINS
Alan Stewart explained that the day was about wholehearted living, as defined by the American Christian philosopher Dr Brene Brown who once said that ‘wholehearted living is about engaging with our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think: No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.’ You might like to read her book, The Gifts of Art-QuoteCard-TGOI QuoteCard IImperfection’.

After an all-age introduction with worship, the children and young people left for their own activities, led by John Wacher. The rest of us considered in a relaxed atmosphere what wholeheartedness meant in our daily lives. Some interesting thoughts and opinions emerged, confirming that we are a diverse and eclectic bunch, and also how the annual awayday always creates a safe place for personal expression.

Following a coffee break, we split into groups and joined our selected workshops, which provided something for everyone. As one parishioner  said at the start: ‘I couldn’t decide; I felt spoilt for choice’. I know what she meant, as the range of sessions included standing, lying and sitting in Judy Bunny’s Pilates class; wholeheartedly discovering joy through singing with Sam Chaplin; enjoying the good weather outside with Nick Hoyle, producing artwork using natural materials – stones, twigs, foliage, blossom – or enjoying an interactive discussion led by Jenny Mutch about how communities around the world are engaging wholeheartedly with nature and how individuals and local churches can make a difference in the fight to protect God’s creation.

Lunch, prepared by Sharon and her team from the school, was a cut above the school lunches that we enjoyed when we were young. One guest described it as ‘comfort food’ and another as ‘a bit too tempting’. Breaktime after lunch was a relaxed opportunity to chat and explore the extensive woodland around the school before an all age eucharist service back in the school hall ends the day.

The joint parish Away Day has become an annual fixture in the calendars of St Andrew’s and St Mary’s and was eagerly anticipated by over 80 people this year. Previous locations have included High Leigh Christian Conference Centre in Hoddesdon (now only taking bookings for whole weekends) and Belsey Bridge Conference Centre in Bungay, Suffolk (now closed). While these venues might have offered more in the way of bespoke facilities, St Joseph’s in the Park in April 2024 came top of the class for being accommodating, local and affordable.

Well done to the organisers, workshop leaders, school staff and all who attended, for making it a memorable day.

FORBES MUTCH

Photo gallery

(Photos by Tim Pike unless otherwise specified)

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A wholehearted day begins

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Sam Chaplin leads the singing workshop

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Some guests wear make-up!

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Time to chat and relax 

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Nick Hoyle and co find art in nature

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Everyone gets the message

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St Joseph's in the Park School

St Joseph's in the Park
Aerial school photos: Darren Sheffield

Glenys
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.

Planning your Visit

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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