Read the latest from St Mary's Church in their regular Nub News weekend column

Hitchin: A Churchwarden writes - Wise Owls, All creatures Great and Small and an early start for Ascension Day

On this Sixth Sunday of Easter, we've nearly reached the end of Eastertide as spring gives way to summer and we will rise early on Thursday to celebrate Ascension Day, the 39th day after Easter Sunday, commemorating the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Our choir will sing anthems from the top of St Mary's Tower, and those who have joined the open air service at 730am in the Churchyard, on the North side, may enjoy breakfast together afterwards. 

But before that, we are looking forward to a rich variety of services and events this week, at which you are very welcome to join in. 

After our 10am Sunday Communion we are holding a Parish Party, with a bring and share lunch and we hope the weather is kind enough for picnicing outside. 

At 5pm on Sunday at our first ever "Pet and favourite Toy Service", we will be celebrating the companions who are so cherished in different seasons of our life. Do bring your pet with you - we'd love to meet them and hear about what they mean to you.  Alternatively bring a favourite toy if transporting your pet might not be practical or possible!. It will be a short service of hymns and blessing for our dearly love animal companions.

St Mary's has many hidden treasures, and amongst them are some beautiful carvings of small animals and birds, in both wood and stone (See photos). Do come in when we are open, and see if you can spot them. Visiting hours are Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 11am until 3pm, and Sunday 11 am until 1 pm, apart from our regular services. 

On the long Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend we will also be open from Thursday onwards until Sunday, when our special Service for the whole Anglican parish of Hitchin will take place at 11am. Bishop Graham Knowles, formerly Dean of St Paul's will preach the sermon.

LIVESTREAMED Services on Sundays are available to watch live at 10 am, 6.30 pm or anytime afterwards on our Youtube channel available on this link: https://www.youtube.com/c/stmaryshitchin

Further updated details of our services, opening times and events are found on our public Facebook page @StMarysChurchHitchin    .

Further information is found on our website:

https://www.stmaryshitchin.co.uk/

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