This Week's News: 4th January 2026

Sunday 4th January - 10am Holy Communion - Epiphany Sunday

What's On This Week

Tuesday

• 11:00am to 1:00pm Mary and Isabel's Compassionate Cafe at the Parish Centre Hall Grove. All are welcome.

Wednesday

• 10:30am Midweek Communion, followed by refreshments

Sunday

• 10am Holy Communion
• 9.45am Joint Covenant Service at Ludwick Way Methodist Church (see below)

Parish Mission Morning – Saturday 10th January, 9.45am–1pm

To help us grow our congregation and its mission and ministry in Welwyn Garden City, Kate Lomax (Diocesan Church Growth Officer) will lead us in a mission morning. We will gather to discern our vision for what we would love our church to be like in the future. These reflections will help Ryan and the PCC work out what the worship, mission and ministry of the church should look like in its next chapter.

Everyone in the congregation is warmly invited. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. To register, please sign up on the sheet at the back of church.

Joint Worship Service with Ludwick Way Methodist Church – Sunday 11th January, 9.45am

As part of our ongoing partnership, Ludwick Way Methodist Church have invited our congregation to join them at their annual Covenant Service on 11th January at 9.45am (149 Ludwick Way, Welwyn Garden City AL7 3PN). A number of our congregation will attend that service instead of St Mary Magdalene that morning. You are most welcome.

This year we will also have a 10am service of Holy Communion at St Mary Magdalene Church, if you would prefer to attend that.

Beware of Email Scams!

Sadly there is an increase of email scams targeting members of church congregations. If you receive an email that appears to be from Ryan or anyone else in the church asking you to buy them a gift card, please don't do it because it will be a scam.

Foodbank Donations

New Zion Christian Fellowship food bank is open every Wednesday 9-11am. You may drop items in from 8am on Wednesdays at 140 Cole Green Lane AL7 3JE. Please use the food bank based at the back of church if you wish to give items.

Items that are particularly in need currently are:

• Long life milk
• Cereals
• Variety of tinned meat (meatballs, hotdogs, chicken curry or chicken in white sauce)
• Cleaning products
• Toiletries including sanitary products

For Your Prayers...

• For peace in the Holy Land.
• For Mary and Isabel's Compassionate Cafe, and Isabel Hospice as we work in partnership together.
• For all refugees and those fleeing their homes, especially those now living in our parish. For those persecuted for their faith. For refugees facing homelessness after receiving permission to reside in the UK.
• For growth in the mission, ministry and worship of St Mary Magdalene Church.

Those who are unwell:

Brian, June, Heather, Martin, Penny, Craig, Peter, Anna, Azizeh, Victoria, Naomi, and Lorna.

Those who have died in recent weeks:

David, Mark, and Pamila.

For the growth of St Mary Magdalene Church

God of Mission, Who alone brings growth to your Church of St Mary Magdalene, Send your Holy Spirit to give Vision to our planning, Wisdom to our actions, And power to our witness. Help our church to grow in numbers, In spiritual commitment to you, And in service to our local community, Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If you would like to request that we pray as a church for someone known to you, please first make every attempt to ensure that they would like to be prayed for by those at St Mary Magdalene. We will be conducting a monthly review of our Prayer List. If there is anyone who should come off the list or go on the list, please notify the churchwardens, Nick and Godfrey.