Easter is about new life – it’s when Christians celebrate Jesus Christ coming back to life and offering that new life to anyone who believes in him.

And no one can doubt the abundant life that exists within the churches of St Albans, Harpenden and across the district. Take a look at this listing to see how churches are marking Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and celebrating the joy of Easter Day.

St Albans Abbey has many services and events across the Easter period. These include the Good Friday ‘Unity at the Cross’ service that brings together churches across St Albans, the dramatic Easter Eve vigil that begins in darkness and ends in joyful celebration and the Easter Monday pilgrimage when people from across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Barnet will throng the Abbey.

In local churches, there is feet-washing, processions, Easter sunrise vigils, Passover meals and a wide range of activities for all ages including, importantly, gathering to share in Holy Communion.

Christians will be celebrating these momentous daysin ways that demonstrate the life in our churches – a new life that we seek to share.

You are warmly invited to visit your local Christian church this Easter.

Rev Peter Crumpler

Curate, St Leonard’s Church, Sandridge

The churches of St Albans, Harpenden and the district around invite you to join them in worship this Easter.

St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans

Maundy Thursday April 17th: 8pm Maundy Eucharist with washing of feet. Good Friday April 18th: 10am Pre-school Children’s Service; 10am-1.30pm Children’s Event - places must be reserved in advance;12noon Three Hours’ Devotion - 12-1.30pm Preaching of the Passion, 1.30-3.00pm The Liturgy of Good Friday; 8pm Unity at the Cross, an ecumenical service by Churches Together in St Albans. Easter Eve April 19th: 4pm Evensong; 8.30pm Easter Vigil. Easter Sunday April 20th: 9.30am Parish Eucharist; 11.15am Matins; 6.30pm Evensong. Easter Monday April 21st: 3pm - Easter Monday Pilgrimage. Pilgrims walk to the Abbey from across the diocese and meet in the Cathedral from 2pm.

Ashley Church, Ashley Road

Good Friday 10am Quiet Reflection. Easter Sunday 10am Family Celebration

Bricket Wood United Reformed Church, West Riding

Maundy Thursday 8pm Service (at St Luke’s). Good Friday 10am Service. Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter Service.

Chiswell Green United Reformed Church, Watford Road, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion; Easter Sunday 9.30am Easter Service

City Church, Lyon Way, St Albans

Easter Sunday 10:30am Celebration

Dagnall Street Baptist Church, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Communion. Good Friday 10.15am Morning Worship. Easter Sunday 9am Reflective worship; 10.30am Baptismal Service, Family Worship and Communion; 6.30 pm Evening Worship

Hatfield Road Methodist Church, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Reflective Seder Meal. Good Friday 10.30am Good Friday service. Easter Sunday 10.30am All Age Worship with Holy Communion

Holy Trinity Frogmore, St Albans

Good Friday 10:30am Open air service at How Wood shops; 2-3pm ‘At the Foot of the Cross’ in Holy Trinity, Bible meditations. Easter Sunday 10:30 All-age Easter Celebration

Homewood Road United Reformed Church, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 6pm Family Passover Meal; 8pm Communion Service. Good Friday 2pm ‘Coming Before the Cross’, an hour of song, readings, music and words. Holy Saturday 2-5pm Music, Readings and Prayer Come and go as you please. Easter Sunday, 10.30am Family Communion Service; 6.30pm Evening Service

Marlborough Road Methodist Church

Maundy Thursday 1pm Holy Communion. Good Friday 10.30am Worship with activities for young people in church hall. Easter Sunday 8.30am Holy Communion; 10.30am All-age Holy Communion.

Marshalswick Baptist Free Church, Sherwood Avenue, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Communion. Good Friday 3pm Reflective service. Easter Sunday 10.15am Family celebration and communion; 7pm Easter evening worship

Ridgeway Church, meeting at Sandringham School, The Ridgeway, St Albans

Good Friday 11am Short reflective service. Easter Sunday 10am Family service.

SS Alban & Stephen Catholic Church, Beaconsfield Road, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Mass of the Last Supper (Altar of repose open until midnight for quiet prayer) Night prayer from 11.30pm. Good Friday 12 noon Stations of the Cross for Children; 3pm Liturgy of the Passion in Church; 4pm Confessions in Church; 6.30pm Stations of the Cross; 7.20pm Procession of the Cross from the Church to the Abbey. Holy Saturday 10am Praying at the Tomb; 10.30am – 11.30am Confessions; 4pm-5pm Confessions 9pm Easter Vigil. Easter Sunday 8am Mass in Church; 9am Mass at Marshalswick Mass Centre; 9.30am Special Family Mass; 11.30am Mass 4pm Polish Mass in Church

St. Batholomew’s RC Church, Vesta Avenue, St Albans

Good Friday 9am Lauds; 10.15am South St Albans Churches United Procession of Witness leaves from St Stephen’s; 3pm Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord. Holy Saturday 9am Lauds; 8.30pm Easter Vigil. Easter Sunday 8.30am Mass; 10.30am Mass; 5pm Low Mass.

St. Julian’s Church, Abbotts Avenue, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 7pm Simple supper; 8pm Liturgy of Maundy Thursday. Good Friday 10.15am South St Albans Churches United Procession of Witness leaves from St Stephen’s Easter Sunday 10am Family communion.

St Leonard’s Church, Church End, Sandridge

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion. Good Friday 10-noon Children’s Easter craft morning; 2pm Quiet meditation at the Cross. Easter Sunday 10am All age celebration; 6pm Easter Communion Praise.

St Luke’s Church, Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Celebrating Jesus’ Last Supper. Good Friday 10.30am Procession of Witness, St Luke’s & Thirlmere churches join together; 2pm Hour before the Cross; 2pm Children’s hour before the Cross. Easter Sunday 9am and 10.30am Easter Day Services with Communion

St Mark’s Church, Church Lane, Colney Heath

Good Friday 10.30 am All-age service; 2pm Reflection Service. Saturday 19th April Messy Church 4pm-6pm at Colney Heath Primary School. Easter Sunday 10.30 am. All-age service.

St Mary’s, Childwick Green

Easter Sunday 11.15am Festival Communion

St Mary’s, Marshalswick, Sherwood Avenue, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion, followed by vigil. Good Friday 11am Worship and activities for all ages; 1.30pm Service of Reflection and Meditation, Before the Cross. Easter Eve 8.30 pm Service of worship with Easter fire. Easter Sunday 9.30 am Come and celebrate with us—Christ is Risen!

St Michael’s Church, St Michael’s Street, St Albans

Good Friday 1pm Family service; Easter Sunday 9.30am Festival Communion and Baptism.

St Paul’s Church, Hatfield Road, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion. Good Friday 10.30am Choice of two family services; 2pm An hour at the cross. Easter Sunday 8am Traditional Holy Communion; 10.30am Family Communion 6.30pm Easter Evening Praise

St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Street, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Eucharist of the Last Supper; 9-10 pm Garden Prayer Vigil. Good Friday 10am-12pm Messy Church worship for children and parents with craft, music, stories and prayers; 12pm-2pm Meditations at the Cross Choral music for Good Friday, hymns, words and silence; 2pm-3pm Stations of the Cross; 7.20 pm Carry the Cross ecumenical walk of witness from SS Alban & Stephen Church, Beaconsfield Road, to the Cathedral. Holy Saturday 9pm The Easter Liturgy for Holy Saturday. Easter Sunday 8am Said Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer); 9.30am Sung Eucharist with blessing of the Easter Garden; 11.15 am Choral Mattins; 6.30 pm Festal Evensong

St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 8pm Eucharist of the Last Supper. Good Friday 2pm Liturgy of the Cross. Easter Eve 8pm Easter Vigil Easter Sunday 8am Low Mass; 9.30am Procession and Festal Eucharist

St. Stephen’s Church, Watling Street, St Albans

Good Friday 10.15am South St Albans Churches United Procession of Witness leaves from St Stephen’s; 2pm Liturgy of the Cross and Passion. Holy Saturday 8.30pm Easter Vigil.

Easter Sunday 8am Holy Communion; 10am Family Communion; 6.30pm Holy Communion

Salvation Army, 16/18 Victoria Street, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 7pm Easter Reflections. Good Friday 10.30am Good Friday Service. Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter Celebration

Thirlmere Church, Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans

Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter Celebration

Trinity United Reformed Church, Beaconsfield Road, St Albans

Maundy Thursday 7pm Service. Easter Sunday 10am Easter Service.

United Reformed Church, West Riding, Bricket Wood

Maundy Thursday 8pm service (at St Luke’s). Good Friday 10am service. Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter service

Vineyard Church, Brick Knoll Park, Ashley Road, St Albans

Good Friday Noon free screening of ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ The film is certified as ‘18’ and is not suitable for children. Easter Sunday Guest services 9.30am and 11.30am both with ‘Vineyardkids’ and youth programmes.

Harpenden

All Saints’ Church, Station Road

Maundy Thursday 9.30am Holy Communion; 7.30pm Agape meal, foot washing and Communion followed by stripping of the altar and vigil. Good Friday 2pm Procession of witness starting outside Sauncey Wood School. Easter Sunday 6.30am Lighting the Easter Fire and first Communion of Easter; 10.30 am Joint worship with Easter Communion.

Bethany Community Church, St George’s School assembly hall, Sun Lane

Easter Sunday 10.30am Celebration service.

Christchurch, Vaughan Road

Good Friday 9.30am Communion service at the URC Church, Vaughan Road. Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter family service at Roundwood Park School; 6pm Evening service at the URC Church Vaughan Road Harpenden.

Network Church

Easter Sunday 10.30am Informal Easter service at Rothamsted Conference Centre, off the A1081 Harpenden Road, AL5 2JQ.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Rothamsted Avenue

Maundy Thursday 8pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper; 11pm to midnight Prayer in the Garden. Good Friday 10.30am United Walk of Witness Begins at Rothamsted Park gates; 11,30am Children’s Stations of the Cross; 3pm Liturgy of the Passion 7.30-8.15pm Prayer at the Tomb. Holy Saturday 11am Morning Prayer; 8 pm Easter Vigil. Easter Sunday 8.30am, 9.45am and 11.30am Masses.

St Mary’s Church, Kinsbourne Green

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion followed by stripping of the altar and vigil. Good Friday 9am Stations of the Cross; 4pm Children’s service. Easter Sunday 5.30am Dawn Service and breakfast; 10am Family Communion for Easter.

St Nicholas’ Church, Church Green

Maundy Thursday 8pm United Communion Service at St Nicholas followed by Procession for Stripping of the Altar at Our Lady of Lourdes, with Vigil at St Nicholas’. Good Friday 9.30am All-age service; 10.30am United Procession of Witness, from Rothamsted Park; 12 noon Good Friday liturgy. Easter Eve 8.30pm Easter Liturgy and First Communion of Easter. Easter Sunday 8am Holy Communion; 9.30am Sung Eucharist; 11.30am Morning Praise with Holy Communion; 6.30pm Traditional Sung Holy Communion.

United Reformed Church, Vaughan Road

Easter Sunday 9am Easter communion; 10.30am Easter all-age service.

Redbourn

St Mary’s Church, Hemel Hempstead Road

Maundy Thursday 8pm Lord’s Supper with foot washing; 9pm The Vigil of Gethsemane until midnight, concluding with 11.50pm Compline. Good Friday 10am All age service; 11.30am Ecumenical walk of witness from St John Fisher RC Church to the Common; 1.30pm Good Friday Liturgy with Communion. Easter Sunday. 6am Dawn Vigil with Easter Ceremonies including parish breakfast leading into 8am The First Communion of Easter (Book of Common Prayer);10am All age Eucharist; 12 noon Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer); 6.30pm Festal Evensong for Easter.

Wheathampstead

St Helen’s Church, High Street

Maundy Thursday 6.30pm Seder meal followed by Holy Communion and vigil. Good Friday 10am Procession of Witness, followed by service in churchyard; 2pm Tenebrae service. Easter Sunday 8am Holy Communion; 9.30am Parish Communion; 11.15am Easter praise.

St Peter’s, Gustard Wood

Good Friday 10am Procession of Witness, followed by service in St Helen’s churchyard. Easter Sunday 5.30am Son-rise Communion; 11am Communion.

St Thomas More RC Church, Marford Road

Maundy Thursday 8pm Mass of the Last Supper. Good Friday 10am Procession of Witness, followed by service in St Helen’s churchyard; 3pm Passion of the Lord; 7.30pm Stations of the Cross. Easter Sunday 8.30am Mass; 10am Mass.

St John the Baptist Church, Church Lane, Aldenham

Good Friday 9am Morning prayer; 2pm The Last Hour. Easter Sunday 8am Holy Communion; 10.30am Parish Communion; 6.30pm Evensong

St Lawrence’s, Bibbs Hall Lane, Ayot St Lawrence

Holy Saturday 10-11am Vicar available in church for those seeking reconciliation with God. Easter Sunday 11.30am Traditional Holy Communion.

St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, Church Lane, Kimpton

Maundy Thursday 8pm Holy Communion, Stripping of the Altar and Vigil. Good Friday 11am Walk of Witness around the village, starting at church and returning at approx.12noon for service and vigil. Holy Saturday 10-11am 4-5pm Vicar available in church for those seeking reconciliation with God. Easter Sunday 8am and 9.30am Holy Communion.

King’s Community Church

Easter Sunday 10.30am ‘Life after death’. Church meets at Onslow St Audreys School, Old Rectory Drive, Hatfield.