Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Join us as we journey through Lent and prepare to celebrate Easter...
Find out what this season is all about on the Church of England website
*Move straight to Holy Week and Easter information here
Lent
Ash Wednesday - 18 February
Our traditional Ash Wednesday services at St Andrew's Church mark the beginning of the season of Lent.
10.30am Holy Communion with imposition of ashes
8.00pm Holy Communion with choir, organ and imposition of ashes
Ash Wednesday: 'Ashes to go'
Rev. Simon Cutmore from All Saints' Church is offering ashing outside Hertford East station from 7.30am and in Salisbury Square from 10.00am.
www.allsaintshertford.org
In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the holy season of Lent, a time for reflection and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. For centuries, Christians have received a cross of ashes on the face at the beginning of that season as a reminder of our failings and an invitation to receive God's forgiveness. Ashes to Go provides the opportunity to participate in that tradition for people who have lost their connection to a church, or have never participated before.
Mothering Sunday - 15 March
10.30am A service for all ages at St Andrew's Church
Children will be invited to give their mums and carers a posy of flowers. We are joined by Hertford Children's Choir who will be singing for everyone.
LOCAL LENT EVENTS
All Saints' Festival of Faith for Lent
Do some of the things that drive neighbourhoods and nations still matter? Focussed on the theme of 'Faith in...', these speakers will help us to think about why politics, science and care for our children matter for the good of all:
Professor Canon Russell Cowburn
Sunday 8 March, 7.30pm at All Saints'
Rt Hon Josh Dean MP
Sunday 15 March, 7.30pm at All Saints'
Mark Russell OBE
Sunday 22 March, 7.30pm at All Saints'
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Lent Resources
The Church of England’s Lent theme for 2026 is 'Draw Near: Life-giving habits for Lent'
This year’s resources have at their heart the theme of a ‘rhythm of life’ – habits and patterns which help us grow as disciples of Christ day by day, especially as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of God’s saving love at Easter.
"Draw Near is all about teaching us how we can cultivate the habits and practices that will draw us nearer to God. And we will find that, in doing so, God will draw nearer to us, too."
- Archbishops Sarah Mullally & Stephen Cottrell
Journey through the Psalms this Lent with Bible Society
Lent is a time to focus on what really matters and put God’s word at the heart of your life. The Bible Society's daily Lent Encounter emails will help you grow in your Bible confidence and make space for God’s word to speak into your life this Lent.
Sign up to free daily Lent reflection emails straight to your inbox from Ash Wednesday (18 February). Explore how these ancient songs speak to topics of creation, grief, justice, forgiveness and worship – and how they point us to Jesus.
Walking the Way of the Cross is a podcast series written and recorded by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, Dr Paula Gooder and Bishop Philip North, that will take people on the Holy Week journey by exploring and reflecting on the fifteen biblical Stations of the Cross.
Living Water is a free email devotional with Bible-based reflections and prayers to encourage you every week during Lent. You can look forward to the first email coming on Sunday 22 February.
A Quiet Day in Lent - Trees:
Here is Rosemary's Lent Quiet Day material on the theme of trees which you can enjoy at home.
Holy Week
Sunday 29 March - Palm Sunday
*If you won't be able to attend a Palm Sunday service or you are joining the service on Zoom, please do collect a Palm Cross from the entrance area in St Andrew's Church*
8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) at St Andrew's Church
10.30am Holy Communion at St Andrew's Church
The congregation is invited to begin the service outside the church, weather permitting. For those who are able to join this, please collect a palm cross, service book and hymn book and head outside, where we will process into church through the West Doors, led by the clergy and the choir, as the service begins.
10.30am A Special Online Service for Palm Sunday ON ZOOM
Led by a Lay Leader of Worship, we will use readings, music and images as we follow the Passion story from Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday.
7.00pm Compline ON ZOOM
Rev. Alan Stewart
Monday 30 April
8.00pm Compline for Holy Week ON ZOOM
A short, spoken service marks a quiet end to the day in Holy Week, as we give to our loving God the day that has passed and the night that is to come.
Tuesday 1 April
8.00pm Taizé Service for Holy Week at St Andrew's Church
A candlelit service for Holy Week in the style of Taizé.
Wednesday 2 April
10.30am Holy Communion at St Andrew's Church
8.00pm A Meditation for Holy Week at St Andrew's Church and ON ZOOM
A guided meditation on the anointing of Jesus.
Maundy Thursday
8.00pm Eucharist at St Andrew's Church
Holy Communion, with washing of feet, followed by Tenebrae & watch ’til 10pm. Tenebrae is a candlelit medieval service of the shadows.
Good Friday
10.00-11.30am: Good Friday Walk of Witness
Last year's Good Friday Walk of Witness was a great success. About 130 gathered at three of our churches, took to the streets and carried three large crosses through Hertford. The three teams converged on Salisbury Square in the centre of town and from there processed to Hartham Common for a short time of worship, prayer and Bible readings.
Join us this year and lets make the event bigger and better, impacting Hertford with the good news of Easter.
The three groups will gather at three different locations between 10.00am - 10.15am:
· Hertford Methodist Church
· All Saints Church
· Hertford Baptist Church, in the garden
Join us and play your part in sharing God’s great love with Hertford this Easter. Simply turn up between 10.00am – 10.15am on Friday 3 April at one of the locations.
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12noon-2.00pm at St Andrew's
Details to be confirmed
2.00-3.00pm at St Andrew's: The Last Hour
Led by Rev. Bill Church and our Choir, there are hymns, Choir pieces and passages from the Bible to mark the final hours of Jesus on the cross.
2.00-3.00pm at St Mary's: The Last Hour
We spend the final hour at the foot of the cross.
Easter Day
5.30am
Dawn Service at St Mary's Hertingfordbury
On Easter morning, as the dawn rises, we gather at St Mary’s where we light the first fire of Easter and share in the Dawn Eucharist. Do remember to wrap up warm and bring a torch and a noise-maker. Breakfast is offered in The Brace Room at St Mary's following the service.
8.00am
Holy Communion (BCP) at St Andrew's Church
Easter Morning Holy Communion Service at St Andrew’s using a traditional liturgy.
10.30am
All-Age Holy Communion at St Andrew's Church
All-Age worship, with Choir and Organ, and an Easter Egg Hunt for the young ones. Please remember to bring a fresh flower to decorate the cross and a noise-maker (a rattle or a small bell, for instance).
[No 10.30am Zoom Service on Easter Sunday]
[No Compline on Easter Sunday]
Easter Monday
Easter Monday Pilgrimage
6 April, from 2.30pm
St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 1BY
Join a thousand other pilgrims from across St Albans Diocese to celebrate the risen Christ at St Albans Cathedral.
More details to follow soon.
Perfume - performed by Julia Thomas
"I wanted to tell him I loved him before it was too late. The seasons of his life passed quickly, so quickly. Spring, summer autumn and, now, winter...
..."I'd always wanted to read the Torah, to sing and shout God's praises, but I was suffocated by my gender. With him, I could breathe. He let me sit at his feet and listen to his teaching. He allowed me to be myself."
First Light: A Passion Play for Hertford in 2015