Hatfield St Lawrence Church would like to invite you to join us for one of our many services, events and activities this advent and Christmas season. Please find details below, including any booking links (booking preferred but NOT ESSENTIAL – everyone is welcome at all of our services).

Tower Lights Switch On and Carols

Friday 2nd December 5:30pm

A short family friendly time of singing carols together, followed by the switch on of our Tower Christmas lights. We are then invited to head down to Hatfield Community Library for mulled wine afterwards.

Christmas Fayre

Saturday 3rd December 11-3pm

Messy Church Celebrates Christmas

Sunday 4th December 10am

Join us for our family friendly all-age service. Messy Church will be celebrating Christmas by learning more about ASTRONOMERS – the wise men in the Christmas Story. There will be crafts, stories and songs. Everyone welcome, no booking necessary.

Christingle

Sunday 11th December 4pm

Our traditional family friendly Christingle service where we celebrate Jesus as light of the world. Booking preferred but not essential – it will help us know how many oranges to buy! Book here

Angels and Stars Art Installation Drop In

Saturday 17th December 2-4pm

Our local school children will be contributing to a special art installation this Christmas entitled “Angels and Stars” where we will be creating a net ceiling from which will hang hundreds of angels and stars. The church will be open from 2-4pm for visitors to view it. Drop in anytime.

Traditional Christmas Carols Service

Sunday 18th December 6:30pm

Our traditional Christmas Carol Service where we will be accompanied by our oragnist – Vernon Hoyle. Booking is preferred but not essential – it will help us to know how many mince pies to buy! Book here.

Noisy Children’s Choir Workshop

Monday 19th December 10-2pm

Would your child like the opportunity to learn some fun new Christmas songs to perform at our Christmas Eve 5pm Service? If so, book them on to our Noisy Children’s Choir Workshop Day (and enjoy a child-free day of Christmas shopping!). Places are £5 per child to cover snacks and activities. Places are limited so book early. BOOK HERE.

Free Edible Christmas Crafts in Church

Thursday 22nd December 10-2pm

From gingerbread to mince pies – Christmas food is just the best. So pop down to church the Thursday before Christmas to make some fun edible crafts. A great way to keep the children occupied in the week off before the big day.

Children’s Christmas Eve Services

Saturday 24th December 3:30pm or 5pm

Join us for our Christmas Eve service complete with children retelling the Christmas Story. Narrated by our Hatfield Heroes Youth Group, you are invited to come dressed up as your favourite nativity character. Booking preferred so we know how many extra chairs to put out.

Our 3:30pm is a toddler friendly early bird service – book here.

Our 5pm service is for all ages – book here.

Midnight Service

Saturday 24th December 11:15pm

A traditional Holy Communion Service where we bring in Christmas Day together.

Christmas Morning Service

Sunday 25th December 10am

A short service to celebrate Christmas morning together.

Easter is a time to reflect, pause and also to celebrate new life found in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This year we have lots of different activities taking place to help every member of our congregation, both young and old, to explore this more together.

Holy Week and Easter at St Lawrence Church, Hatfield

Palm Sunday – 10.4.22

10.00   Celebration Service for all ages! Will there be a donkey?  Watch this space!

18.30    Palm Sunday Holy Communion Service

Monday 11.4.22

13:00-15:00 Noisy Children’s Choir Workshop.

Book your free place for your child here. They will be performing the song they learn at the Easter Sunday Service.

Tuesday 12.4.22

10:00 – Chalk Prayer Path open around the outside of church

11:00-13:00 – Pop up Pre-loved Uniform Bank stall outside church (inside if weather is bad)

18.00 – 20.00                “Time to pause and be still”

An unstructured evening of peace and quiet in our beautiful church building for personal reflection with prayer stations, art work, tea, coffee and people on hand to talk to if you wish….. Come for a few minutes or for the full evening and use this time and space for your personal refreshment.

Wednesday 13.4.22

Chalk Holy Week Prayer Path open all day

10.00    Holy Communion followed by drop in open church until 12.30

Maundy Thursday 14.4.22

13:00-15:00 – Easter Family Quiz and Bingo afternoon

19.00    Maundy Thursday service with Communion, followed by hot cross buns and drinks

Good Friday 15.4.22

09:00-10:00 – Hot Cross Bun Brunch

10:00-13:00 – Free Easter Crafts in Church – drop in anytime

14.00 – 15.30                 “Journey to the cross”   with reflections, songs, time to be quiet

                                           Stay as long as you like.

Easter Sunday 17.4.22

5.00? (keep an eye on our Facebook page for the exact as this is done as dawn breaks!

 Lighting of the Easter Fire on Zoom!  Short service

10.00   Easter Celebration with Communion – suitable for all ages.  Bring a few flowers to decorate our Easter Cross

18.30    Easter Songs of Praise with Communion.

There is lots planned at St Lawrence Church to celebrate Christmas 2021 back in person. We are, however, being very cautious and asking that adults wear facemasks to our services and that spaces need to be pre-booked for our most popular events and services.

For all the booking links and more information about each service/activity see below:

TOWER LIGHTS SWITCH ON

Join us at 5:30pm on Friday 3rd December for carols in the church as we switch on the Tower Christmas Lights. You are then invited to join us at Hatfield Library for festive refreshments afterwards. (No booking necessary)

FREE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS CRAFTS AND RECYCLED NATIVITY BUILD-A-LONG

On Saturday 4th December you can pop in to have some FREE crafting fun with Rachel and the Children’s Team. Not only will we be emptying the cupboards and using up any Christmas craft materials we have, but we’ll also be building a “RECYCLED NATIVITY” from things that would have been thrown away. Bring your own recycling or just come and witness the fun. No booking necessary. Donations welcome and a tombola will take place on this day too.

MESSY CHURCH CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS

Our family friendly, all ages Messy Church service will be celebrating Christmas on Sunday 5th December at 10am in church. Messy Church involves crafts, stories and songs suitable for everyone to engage in, and this month will be gingerbread themed!

No booking necessary, but if you don’t normally come do let us know to expect you by emailing rachel.ridler@centenaryproject.org.uk

SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE BAND CONCERT

CHRISTINGLE SERVICES

If you love Christingle as much as we do, then make sure you get booked on for one of our two services this year. Places are free but numbers will be limited for safety, so book early to save your space:

SERVICE 1 – Sunday 12th December at 4pm

SERVICE 2 – Saturday 18th December at 6:30pm

TRADITIONAL CAROL SERVICES

Our traditional Carol Services featuring 9 lessons and carols will take place twice to accommodate more people safely. Adults are asked to wear facemasks and numbers are limited at each service for safety, so please book your free space now:

Service 1 – Sunday 19th December at 6:30pm

Service 2 – Wednesday 22nd December at 7pm

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Our very popular Christmas Eve Service for children and families is returning this year. Narrators (from our Hatfield Heroes Youth Group) will retell the Christmas story for all to take part in. Come dressed up as your favourite Nativity Character ready to join in, and bring a torch for a torch lit carol! Adults are asked to wear facemasks and numbers are limited for safety. Book your free spaces here:

Service 1 – 3:30pm (ideal for those with babies and toddlers)

Service 2 – 5pm

OTHER SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES

Midnight Communion – 23:15 on Friday 24th December

Christmas Day Communion – 10:00 Saturday 25th December

For those who have been struggling to access our Easter Trail using the what3words app, here are the locations of our Easter eggs around Hatfield. Please follow them in order:

1. Church door

2. 60 Station Road (by the plant trolley -telegraph pole)

3. 72 Station Road (corner of pudding and dip lane -driveway gate)

4. 115 Ash Hill Crescent (lamppost)

5. 81 Ash Hill Crescent (driveway gate)

6. 2 Brokenhurst Road (side driveway gate on ash Hill Crescent)

7. 26 Manor Road (driveway gate)

8. Coffee at No 4’s (window)

9. 2 Vicarage Close (driveway gate)

10. The Barn

As we face another lockdown, we are pleased to be able to announce that we will be launching some new virtual activities for children and families to provide support in our local area.

Messy Church will continue via our Facebook Group and with postal packs. If you would like to sign up to this please send your postal address to rachel.ridler@centenaryproject.org.uk

LEGO CONNECT

Join Rachel and her two boys for an interactive after-school club for primary aged children. We will have a lego themed game, a bible story and a lego building challenge every week.

Tuesdays on Zoom at 4-4:45pm

Sign up here

TOY LIBRARY

Struggling to keep the kids engaged? Then why not borrow something from our toy library. Ideal for toddlers and young children. You can borrow a toy for 2 weeks, and at the moment they will be delivered to your door whilst we are in lockdown. Deliveries will be made on the following dates and you will need to reserve by 7pm the day before using the eventbrite links below:

Thursday 21st Jan

Thursday 4th Feb

Thursday 18th Feb

VIRTUAL LITTLE LIONS

Thursdays is going to be our Little Lions Day with activities aimed at babies, toddlers and their families. We had hoped to launch these in person in January, but we’ll make a start online and transition to in person when we feel the timing is right.

1-1:45pm Bumps and Babes – bring your cuppa for a chat with other mums, finishing with some fun songs together (you can be on mute!)

2-2:45pm Toddlers and Over 1’s – join us for a short time with a story, songs and play idea each week.

Sign up here to be sent the Zoom Codes

Please read our Zoom Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct here before taking part in these meetings.

Christmas will look very different at St Lawrence Church this year, but we are hoping to keep some of our favourite traditions and services alive using virtual methods instead. Here is a list of what is going on during December to help us celebrate advent and the birth of our Saviour Jesus.

29th November – Memorial Service 16:00 (ONLINE – Facebook/You Tube)

29th November – Tower Lights switch on 18:00 (ONLINE – Facebook)

6th December – Messy Church Bake-a-long LIVE 10:00 (ONLINE – Facebook Group. Pick up baking packs from church on Saturday 5th December 11-1pm)

6th December – Advent Songs of Praise 18:30 (ONLINE – Facebook)

12th December – Children’s Society Coffee Morning and Games 10:00 (ZOOM – Meeting ID: 895 0435 0535, Passcode: 235090). Donate here

13th December – Family Christingle on Zoom 16:00 (book in advance to receive a make at home kit and Zoom codes)

20th December – Traditional Carol Service 18:30 (ONLINE – Facebook)

24th December – Children’s Pre-recorded Christmas Eve Service (ONLINE – Facebook/YouTube)

OTHER SERVICES TBC

Yes, your local parish church in Hatfield now has its own dedicated website, where we can share news, reflections and other information.

We hope you like the new website, and if you see anything that is missing or incorrect please do get in touch.