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The Vision for the Centre

 

There was once a time when a church was the centre of daily life; a place of gathering and commerce; of learning and sanctuary. It was in many ways the soul of a community.

Times have changed however and for most the church is now little more than a museum attraction or the venue for a Sunday-only leisure pursuit. In relegating the church to its margins many would say that society has lost something of the glue that holds it together, perhaps even its ‘soul’.

The vision for the St Andrew’s Centre has been simple; to provide more and better space for the church’s growing activities (particularly with children and young people), and to re-establish that connection with the wider community. Our old hall was coming to the end of its shelf-life, and as a congregation we were outgrowing it. For over ten years, plans have existed to rebuild the hall and we have spent many years asking God for his vision for this project.

We came to believe that God was calling us to create a safe space devoted to well-being, wholeness and reconciliation. Creating the St Andrew's Centre has been  an enormous act of faith involving enormous amounts of money, but underpinning it is the sincere belief that, as William Temple once said: The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members’. In other words, the Church is not a ghetto but an agent both of good news and good actions.

 

old hall croppedcentre from fence

The old church hall                                                                               The St Andrew's Centre

The Project

The St Andrew's Centre has been created by extending, altering and refurbishing the old Parish Hall. The Centre consists of a range of meeting rooms, including a one-to-one counselling room, rooms for larger groups and a multi-purpose hall with kitchen facilities, an art/utility room and disabled toilet.

There are three discreet entrances, two accessed through the churchyard and one through a new link from the church itself so that each user group can be assured of a degree of security and confidentiality.

The Centre has also been designed for easy access for all, and with as low a carbon footprint as possible. It is tucked away behind the Church on St Andrew Street; this we believe allows for a degree of privacy.

 
Glenys
Hello and welcome to St Andrew's. If you are new, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

No one belongs here more than you.

We look forward to meeting you! Here's some information so that if you're planning a visit you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning.  We have other pages telling you more About Us, our approach to Faith and our Online services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find a parking space and can settle in before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Plan your journey:
While, unfortunately, St Andrew's does not have its own carpark, there is a council-run pay and display carpark a short distance along St Andrew Street, to the east of the church; there is a £1.50 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays (though half an hour or less is free).

This is a useful East Herts Council website page for full details of parking in Hertford.

There are single yellow lines outside the church with parking restrictions, but some 30-minute parking bays are situated on the opposite side of the road for short stays (longer on Sundays).

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is a disabled toilet towards the back of the church, behind the kitchen.

Our Service

The service will usually begin promptly at 10.30am and will last between 60 and 75 minutes. We enjoy the presence of an excellent choir who help us sing hymns (modern and traditional) as well as provide anthems and special songs through the period of communion. We have a traditional organ but also benefit from music played on the piano and by our band (eg on the Second Sunday of each month when we have an All-Age Service in which our children and young people are fully involved).

Each 10.30am service includes a sermon, prayers and eucharist.

After the service, everyone is invited for coffee and conversation - some like to stay for a quick chat while others remain in the church for a longer time.

Communion

Children and Young People

Children are never too young to come to church. You and your children are very welcome at St Andrew’s. 

We really value worshipping God together as a family, so children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service before being invited to leave for the young people's activities after the first hymn. Junior Church meets in the St Andrew's Centre (our adjoining hall), accessed through the church on Sunday mornings. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children and young people then return to the main service in time to join the eucharist and, if confirmed, take Holy Communion or, if not, receive a blessing. We offer a grape or a little box of raisins to children being blessed at the altar.

There is a Children's Corner in church where you can go at any time. You will find books, toys and drawing materials there.

Toilet and baby-change facilities are located at the back of church, behind the kitchen.

There's lots more information here: Children and Young People at St Andrew's

Junior Church celebration

Getting Connected


Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week. Check out Home Groups on our website and see if there’s one that you could join. Alternatively, speak to a member of the Welcome Team who will give you the information that you need.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. Please contact Phil in the Church Office.

Get in touch with us
If you have any questions, please do get in touch. You'll find our contact details here.

We hope that you will feel at home at our church.