St Mary's Church, North Mymms

Richard Jackson from local North Mymms digital media company Virtronix has been working with Ruth, Martin and Gill to create a virtual church which it is hoped will help keep a sense of togetherness for our church community and some familiarity while we are unable to gather in St Mary's.

To enter the virtual portal for St Mary's follow this link: https://virtronix360.world/stmarys

17 March 2020: ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS' OFFICE

To the parishioners of St Mary’s, North Mymms,

This letter is written having consulted with the bishops across the Church of England, with gratitude for their wisdom and help, to offer you advice and encouragement at this very difficult time for the whole of our country.

It has always been the historic vocation of the Church of England to be the church for everyone. As the challenge of the Coronavirus grips the world, and as the Government asks every individual and every organisation to rethink its life, we are now asking the Church of England in all its parishes, chaplaincies and ministries to serve all people in a new way.

Public worship will have to stop until further notice. Our usual pattern of Sunday services and other mid-week gatherings must therefore be put on hold.

But this does not mean that the Church of England has shut up shop. Far from it. We need to look at new ways of serving everyone:

1. Please be encouraged that the clergy will continue their pattern of daily prayer and praise for the nation and for the world.

St Mary’s North Mymms church building will now stay open 24/7 for private prayers and for you to light a candle.

Both nationally and in our dioceses, we will produce and provide resources for prayer and worship in the home. This will be especially important for those who are self- isolating, but also for the benefit of everyone. Please check our website & Facebook page for details.

2. Many people are going to suffer during these coming months as the Coronavirus reaches its peak. Tragically there will be deaths and so many will be grieving and fearful. We, the Church of Jesus Christ, along with others from Christian churches, must be in the forefront of providing practical care and support for the most poor and the most vulnerable, and we offer our services to all those who are beginning to think through how best to provide for those in need.

Being a part of the Church of England is going to look very different in the days ahead.

Our life is going to be less characterised by attendance at church on Sunday, and more characterised by the prayer and service we offer each day. We may not be able to pray with people in the ways that we are used to, but we can certainly pray for people. And we can certainly offer practical care and support.

Please carry on supporting the local foodbank and buy extra provisions for it. Ensure the night shelters wherever possible are kept open. There are many very encouraging schemes happening right across our country in communities to focus on caring for the most vulnerable, so do continue to play your part in those.

Then by our service, and by our love, Jesus Christ will be made known, and the hope of the gospel – a hope that will counter fear and isolation - will spread across our land.

We have called, along with our fellow church leaders, for a day of prayer and action this coming Sunday - Mothering Sunday (22nd March).

Mothering Sunday has always been both a day of celebration for many and a sensitive and emotional day for some.

Wherever you are this Sunday please join in this day of prayer and action and remember especially those who are sick or anxious, and all involved in our Health Service. As one action, we are calling on everyone to place a lighted candle in their window at 7.00 p.m. as a sign of solidarity and hope in the light of Christ that can never be extinguished.

This is a defining moment for the Church of England. Are we truly a church for all, or just the church for ourselves? We urge you sisters and brothers to become a different sort of church in these coming months: hopeful and rooted in the offering of prayer and praise and overflowing in service to the world.

Please, therefore, join us in this great challenge; and pray for our Government and nation, for each other, and especially for those who work in our health and emergency services.

With every blessing,

Revd Ruth and the Church Wardens, Martin & Gill

15 MARCH: A MESSAGE FROM YOUR VICAR

Here at St Mary's Parish Church, North Mymms, we are very aware that these are troubling times for everyone with the news about the Coronavirus changing so rapidly. We are following guidelines from the Government, the Church of England and also our own Diocese of St Albans and have regular updates and advice. See announcement above

If you need to self-isolate for whatever reason, please let us know so that we can be: a) praying for you b) ensuring you have someone to bring supplies and leave at your door if necessary c) arranging for someone to check and make sure you are being looked after. I have attached a small card you might like to fill in and send back to us.

Please be assured of our prayers for our community at this time. Jesus reminds us in John 14: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Blessings | Revd Ruth Barr | Team Vicar: St. Mary’s, North Mymms, Hatfield | Parish office: 01727 825578 | email: northmymmschurch@btinternet.com

You are invited to take a virtual tour of St Mary's Church by clicking here or on the logo to the left

We are indebted to Richard Jackson from local North Mymms digital media company Virtronix for generously creating this virtual 3D tour with 360° photography of St Mary's Church

Once you have entered the site either press the PLAY button in the bottom left corner, and let the tour take you around, or you can pause, click and interact with the model in your own time