Faith News (Including talk by Holocaust and Rwandan genocide survivors)

Hymnathon at St Lawrence Church in Abbots Langley

St Lawrence Church is holding its first ever hymnathon, a 10 hour hymn singing marathon on Saturday February 7 from 9am to 7pm.

The hymnathon is to raise money for the repairs needed on the church organ. You can help by donating online at mydonate.bt.com/events/stlawrencehymnathon or by filling in the donation forms at the back of the church.

When you donate you can also help choose the Parish’s top 10 hymns by voting for your favourite hymn.

Steven Smith, Organist and Choir Master said: “So far we have six organists scheduled to play throughout the day.

“There will be a big screen with live updates of donations and which hymn is top of the leader board at the end of each hour and refreshments will be served throughout. This never before event will be a unique occasion in St Lawrence’s 850 year history so do please drop by and sing for an hour or two, spread the word and importantly, donate!”

Local schools to take part in Holocaust Memorial Day

Survivors of the Holocaust and Rwanda genocide are going to be sharing their experiences with local pupils at Watford Synagogue on Monday February 2 and Borehamwood Synagogue on Thursday February 12.

Students in years 9 - 13, from several Hemel Hempstead schools including, Cavendish School and Abbot’s Hill School will participate in educational workshops relating historical facts about the holocaust to contemporary issues.

The events are part of the Holocaust Memorial Day activities whic have been going for 14 years, with this year marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz - Birkenau death camp.
As well as hearing moving testimony from a Holocaust survivor, students will participate in a workshop relating historical facts about the Holocaust to contemporary issues such as racism, discrimination, persecution and citizenship.

Students at the Watford Synagogue event will also hear the story of Eric Eugene Murangwa, a football-crazy survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis were slaughtered by their Hutu countrymen.

All of the sessions will conclude with closing reflections from each synagogue’s rabbi and the lighting of a memorial candle.

The aims of the event are to educate students about the Holocaust, make a connection between the Holocaust and subsequent genocides and invite students to consider their individual personal responsibility to promote tolerance in today’s world.

Murder mystery evening at St John’s Church

An evening of sleuthing fun on Saturday January 17 at St John’s Church in Boxmoor.

Tickets cost £10 which includes supper from 7pm onwards.

Sign up at the back of the church or contact the Parish office on 01442 260299.


Christian Viewpoint
Many great sporting events bring tens of thousands of spectators to an almost hysterical pitch of pleasure - if their team or individual is winning. The sight and sounds of these great events can be overwhelming if you are present.  
But, in a few hours, it will all be over and, back home, normal life resumes with only the memory of an exciting time.  We read in Revelation, the last book in the Bible, of myriads of people enjoying an ecstatic time, far greater than anything ever experienced, not just for a few hours, but for ever and ever. To be one of those people we have to accept God’s conditions for entry. No sin or evil can be present in heaven, so the only way we can be certain of being there is to trust in Jesus in this life before it is too late. He paid the penalty for our sins. Our part is to believe this, repent  and give our lives to God.  What a prospect to be there!

John Young, Wigginton