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BANNER 2 Away Day 2026
Away Day 2026: 'Belonging'

Sunday 10 May, 9.20am - 4.00pm, at All Nations College, Ware

  • Worship, workshops, free time
  • Activities for young people
  • Beautiful surroundings
  • Two-course lunch
  • Newcomers especially welcome

Processed group shot

We are looking forward to our Away Day, when members of St Andrew’s and St Mary’s churches can come together for a wonderful day of worship and fellowship back at the beautiful and very accessible (including wheelchair access) All Nations College venue (more details about All Nations below).

* * The deadline for bookings has now passed and all the places have been allocated. If you're unable to attend this year, we hope that you'll come to our Away Day in 2027! * * 

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PROGRAMME

The day will start with coffee and then a short introductory all-age session with worship, followed by some deeper reflection for the adults through belonging-themed workshops and separate activities for the children and young people. We will then share a hot lunch, have some free time to chat, play, read, relax or walk around the lovely college grounds. We will conclude with an all-ages Eucharist. The day will end at approximately 4.00pm with time for a final drink and chat before heading home.


Timings for the day

Arrival 9.20am Please aim to arrive in good time for parking your car/bike, finding your way, grabbing a drink, having a chat, and getting to the hall for a prompt start. There is ample car parking. 
10.00-10.10am Welcome and information for the day.
10.10-11.00am An all-age introduction to our theme of “Belonging” with reflection and discussion (Note: children will leave earlier for their activities)
11.00-11.30am Coffee
11.30am-12.45pm Workshops (see below)
1.00pm Lunch 
1.30-3.00pm Free time, play outside, or join one of our themed drop-in activities (see below)
3.00pm All-Age Eucharist 
4.00pm Tea, cake and departure 

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WORKSHOPS

The overall theme is 'Belonging' - here are the four workshops:

WORKSHOP 1
Theme: “Nobody belongs here more than you”
Type of workshop: opportunity to share experiences and discuss ideas.
This is the strapline for both St Andrew’s and St Mary’s churches. So, we will be exploring questions such as:
·       What helps you feel you belong?
·       What makes some people think they don’t belong in a church?
·       What can we do to remove the barriers to belonging?
Suitable for adults
Convenors: Kath Oates and Nick Hoyle

WORKSHOP 2
Theme: Home 
Type of workshop: Mediative and thought provoking with opportunity for input and discussion.
Within this workshop we will be considering what makes us feel at home and what that means as we embark on our Christian pilgrimage throughout life.
What to bring: Your favourite copy of the Bible and a pen, if you can
Suitable for adults and older teenagers
Convenors: Juliet and Alastair Curry

WORKSHOP 3
Theme: Playing your part in God’s family
Type of workshop: Drama. This will be an action activity with lots of fun along the way.
An opportunity to explore what it means to belong though games, warm-up exercises, improvisation and the acting of scenes from the Bible. We hope to have, by the end of the workshop, a deeper understanding of belonging through the joy of bringing Biblical stories to life.
Suitable for adults and children over the age of 12
Convenors: Jules and Mick Donovan

WORKSHOP 4
Theme: Can prayer unite?
Type of workshop: Creative exploration of senses to help us pray.
In this workshop we will be asking questions such as: how can prayer unite us,  can it break down barriers and help us forgive? We will explore creative ways to pray using our senses and objects that remind us of belonging. 
Suitable for adults and teenagers
Convenors: Alan Stewart and Jane Chaplin

PLUS 1.30-3.00pm: Afternoon activities
  • Join Julie Hollings and Chrissy Barclay to make your part of a string of bunting to depict your interpretation of belonging.
  • Visit Kath Oates on her discussion table in the Windsor room.
  • Follow the short prayer route which includes thoughts and reflections on belong and the natural world to coincide with the Hertford Eco-Fest day (weather permitting).
  • Join the children playing a bat and ball game (or cheer them on) - weather permitting.
  • Or just - sit, chat, make new friends in the lounge.
The choice is yours!

Please note that there won’t be a 9.15am service at St Mary’s or a 10.30am service at St Andrew’s or on Zoom that day. There will be a short 8.00am service at St Andrew’s.
 

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Covid:
If you are testing positive for Covid, please don't attend the Away Day - get in touch with us and let us know that you're unable to be there. If you have been in contact with someone else who has tested positive for Covid, please seek advice from us before the day. Thank you.


QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, please speak to Jenny or Melanie or email: awayday.hertfordstandrews@gmail.com

Easneye Melvyn Cousins 143411

A DAY AT ALL NATIONS

We are returning to the beautiful venue of All Nations College, Easneye, Ware. Just a short journey from Hertford, we will experience a building that dates back to 1869, since when it has maintained a consistent Christian presence. In 1979, it took on its present name and is now one of Europe’s largest centres for ministry and missionary training. It is also a regular venue for conferences, with most rooms, including toilets and communal areas, having wheelchair access. More information about the college can be found here: https://www.allnations.ac.uk/

 

All Nations site map
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

Banner group 1140x320A 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 £2 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays, Bank and Public Holidays.

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 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 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.

Group photo at the top of the page taken by Tim Pike