How Green is our Valley

(Article taken from Feb 2021 edition of Grapevine Magazine)

Thanks to everyone who was able to take part in Carey's Lifestyle Survey concerning the Christian response to environmental issues. This was good for a number of reasons:

18 surveys were received, which was a good response.
It has provided Carey with a positive starting point and also a benchmark for measuring future progress.
Our church is now even closer to receiving a bronze Eco Church Award
The full comments people made on the back page of the survey showed that many people, as we thought, were already wrestling with these issues and taking action in the face of environmental crises.

Highlighting some of the results:

No-one has yet conducted a personal CO2 audit
5/18 people said they regularly buy Fairtrade
7/18 currently have a domestic renewable energy supplier
2/18 said they took part in community activities with an environmental agenda
17/18 said they adhered to the principles of 'reduce, re-use, recycle'

Given the positive response to the recycling question, the deacons decided that the January Church meeting should discuss the issue of recycling at Carey. Green Team member, Jon Tripp, had started to research other possible arrangements for Carey's waste which would mean more recycling and probably less cost. In light of this, the Church Meeting decided that once we had further information about our current waste contract and about a potential alternative contract, we would discuss this more fully at our March Church Meeting. Watch this space... Anyone wishing to make their views known should either attend the March Church Meeting either via Zoom, phone or by contacting a deacon or someone on the Green Team (Bhagya Leeniyagoda, Andrew & Dawn Suzmeyan, Jon Tripp, Shirley Sebuliba, Colin & Christine Cartwright). Thank you.

Finally, now is the time to take action over Dacorum Borough Council's Local Plan, 2021-2038: The comments deadline for this consultation has now been moved back to the end of February, due to the very low level of responses they had received by mid-January. Any local resident wishing to take part in the consultation should go to DBC website and search for the page on the Local Plan. Comments can be submitted online or via the post to: Strategic Planning, Dacorum Borough Council, The Forum, Marlowes. Many will question the need for so much new housing in the area. However, is this development is to go ahead, as seems likely, people might want to ask about ensuring that any development is consistent with the original vision for Hemel as a garden community with plentiful green spaces. It seems that the plans for the 'North Hemel' development in particular, do not ensure sufficient levels of provision of green space, including for 'wildlife corridors' between the green spaces, both for the sake of wildlife, but also to help residents' mental health.
Colin Cartwright, member of Carey's Green Team
(Article taken from Feb 2021 edition of Grapevine Magazine)

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. We also have toilets for the disabled.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10:30am with a warm welcome from our minister or one of our leaders. Then follows a time of sung worship, sharing of news and notices, usually about what's going on in the life of the church. The morning also usually includes a special talk or lesson aimed at the younger members of the congregration. All of this is interspersed with sung worship. Our minister will then give a sermon that is bible-based and which we can apply to our everyday life. We then conclude with a final worship song and prayer.

After the service we serve tea and coffee in the adjoining hall. We'd love for you to stay and have a drink and a chat. It's a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

images: Church Building1

What about my children?

We have a programme lined up for children of all ages:

Informal Creche (Babies and Toddlers 0-3 years).
Children's Church (3+ - 10 years)
Youth Church (10+ - 16 years)

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At some stage of the programme someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. However, on the second Sunday of each month we have an All-age Service, which, as the name implies, is a service suitable for all age groups. Children don't go out to the various groups on these occasions, but stay in the service.

Getting Connected

Small 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, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

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.

Get in touch with us if you have any questions before your visit

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.