We publish a Parish Magazine 4 times a year and in each Magazine there is a letter from Jonathan Smith, the Vicar at St John's. Here is the Easter 2008 letter:
2008 is an important and exciting year for us at St John's for it is when we celebrate our Centenary. During the year there will be various events and occasions when we will celebrate God's faithfulness to this church and parish. Do make a note of these as they are advertised and come along and help us celebrate.
What a terrible shock it must have been for the congregation of the old St John's, known as the Paper Church, to arrive for worship on that Sunday morning to find that, in incendiary terms at least, the Paper Church had lived up to its name and there was virtually nothing left but a few charred ruins, dust and ashes. How tempting it must have been to give into despair, to shrug the shoulders and say "well that's it then, no more church in this part of Harpenden, how on earth can we recover from this?"
However, under the inspired and inspirational leadership of the priest in charge, the Reverend William Colley, priorities were quickly established. It being the Lord's day, worship must be offered and so Mr Colley led the people along to the Hall and there the congregation came together in prayer and praise. Immediately after this, Mr Colley declared that St John's would rise again, perhaps in a different form and in a different place but there would be no entertaining the thought of withdrawing from this part of Harpenden. 'We will start a fund to build a new church' he declared and, so the story runs, an elderly lady parishioner at once delved into her handbag, produced half a crown (not an inconsiderable sum in those days) and so began the fund raising.
What faith, what determination, what hope, what courage. Truly at St John's we have a goodly heritage.
During that morning's worship in the hall there must have been so many mixed emotions but I'm sure Mr Colley would have reminded his people that Sunday, every Sunday, is a celebration of our Lord's Resurrection. Each Sunday is a little Easter and the Easter message is clear. When all seemed lost, finished and dead this not in fact the truth, but rather it was a precursor of a glorious victory and triumph. Thus, just a few years after the Paper Church was burned to the ground the present St John's was consecrated on 2 March 1908. This year 2nd March, most wonderfully is Mothering Sunday when we celebrate love and care and nature whose source is God, who is himself Love.
I pray that St John's may continue to stand throughout the next century and far beyond witnessing to his grace and peace and love of God and His Son Jesus Christ Our Lord.
