With our 150 anniversary underway, and as more details are arranged, it’s high time for a further update on the events that will help us to celebrate, but also enable us to bring others along to share everything with us too.
Still not all the jigsaw pieces have been assembled, it seems, but a much clearer picture for the year ahead is now emerging. Please note the dates here, but please too engage with the members of our Taskforce 150 team - email enquires@wrbchitchin.org.uk - and be a part of it!
PROGRAMME • PROJECTS • PROMOTION • PRAYER • PRAISE
Programme
Our #WRBC150 celebration season opened with internationally renowned pianist Masa Tayama. On 9 March, Stevenage Male Voice Choir have a concert at 7.30pm while Felici Opera present 'An Enchanted Evening of Song' covering Mozart to Monty Python on Saturday 23 March (7.30 pm). Concert tickets are now available from the performers - Felici tickets are also available through our website.
Rehearsals for PILGRIM, our musical production, are now well underway. Based on the book by John Bunyan and arranged by Harold Liberty, there will be two shows starring and performed by members of Hitchin churches. Tickets for Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March shows (7.30pm start) are now available on our website.
Stotfold Christian Choir lead an Easter Meditation on Good Friday (19 April) at 7pm - more details will be released soon! Looking further ahead, Vivace Singers have a concert on Sunday 14 July at 3pm and Orpheus Choir, who rehearse on the premises, perform on Saturday 23 November at 7.30pm. Information on both concerts will be shared nearer the time.
One Fine Day is THE! #WRBC150 event, the biggest event of the year in terms of input. Envisaged as a neighbourhood festival through which we are showcasing the church, our event has been included in the Hitchin Festival calendar - thanks to the team at Hitchin Festival for their support! One Fine Day will has a full programme of music booked, a range of activities, and food throughout the day - including bacon sandwiches, an afternoon tea and an evening hog roast. Best of all, the entire day is free, so book the date now and get involved; there’s another anniversary being celebrated that weekend too - hint “One giant leap”!
Our Flower Festival in the second weekend on 8-9 June, with the theme ‘Praise the Lord’ while we’ve just invited local primary schools to participate with our Art Exhibition (5th-7th July).
Our last event of the celebrations in 2019 will be Fifth Tuesday which lands on Tuesday 31 December! Plan now to join us as we start things off early in the evening, with food and fun for all ages, taking a break for a time of worship and prayer around 8pm (and marking symbolically the arrival of the New Year at 20.20 hours!). The evening celebration will continue until midnight, and the end of our 150th celebrations, when we sound loud and clear the note of thankfulness and praise together. And then let us embrace the possibilities that lie ahead in our 151st year together!
Our next guest preacher is Rev. Dr. Michael Quicke on 24 March at 10.30am after former WRBC minister Rev. Ian Green led morning worship on 27 January.
We’re arranging a Songs of Praise service on Sunday 8 September, and a dinner event on Saturday 19 October as part of a WRBC reunion weekend, investigating offering overnight accommodation to any returning friends who need it.
Then another big occasion towards the end of the year, for, with Tilehouse Street Baptist celebrating their 350 years, Christchurch 50 years, and indeed St Faith’s 125 years, all in 2019, we are arranging a joint celebration Service of Thankfulness booked for Saturday 30 November at St Mary’s Church, led by a WRBC-organised preacher Rev Dr Paul Goodliffe, a Baptist minister, but also General Secretary of Churches Together in England, so very relevant to all participating churches!
Projects
Stay tuned for updates on the projects which are in the pipeline for this year, including the Banner. Have you signed up to create a mosaic tile for our Pathway of Life? And we yet hope there will be some legacy artwork both from within the church and in partnership with others in the community. Also keep your eyes out for our anniversary merchandise, the first items of which are coming soon!
Promotion
The people of Hitchin have already been getting involved during our anniversary year. Make sure to follow the #WRBC150 hashtag on social media for the latest details and events, and check our recently refreshed website for regular updates.
Prayer & Praise
Rejoice and pray - the multiple pieces are continuing to come together!
Join the WRBC150 celebrations throughout 2019 - come and celebrate with us!