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'For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything' - Hebrews 3 v4
St Barnabas Church, is an Anglican Church in the Parish of Hemel Hempstead,
in the Diocese of St Albans.http://www.stalbans.anglican.org/ministry/equipping-god-s-people
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II laid the foundation stone of the Church on 20 July 1952.
St Barnabas Church was the first new church to be built in the new town of Hemel Hempstead
following central government's plans to develop the small and historic town of Hemel Hempstead
into one of the new towns to be built in Britain. The local Hemel Hempstead Gazette newspaper
headline of the 7 February edition of 1947 said, ‘The Hemel Hempstead new town
(Designation Order 1947) has been made. Hemel Hempstead is to become a new town'.
The Development Corporation built the nearby Adeyfield hall, on the other side of
The Queens Square, in the early 1950s as a village hall for letting. This was the first to be built to
meet the social needs of the new tenants of the Adeyfield Development Corporation Estate who
were moving into the area for employment on the expanding industrial estate. St Barnabas
Church was built to meet the spiritual needs of the people.
Whilst the exterior of the Church is typical of the 1950's period, favouring function over design,
it was however, to have been a little more elaborate. Sadly, as is often the situation, funds ran
out and the building was not completed as originally envisaged. The summer of 2005 saw the
addition of a new main entrance and reception area, plus refurbishment and inspired
redecoration. The bright and colourful interior warmly welcomes all who enter. At the east end
is the Parish room which is used as a vestry, youth room and for other meetings at other times.
At the west end, beneath the balcony off the main seating area separated by full height glass
divider and doors, is the large reception area (this is used as out creche area so parents can
see and hear the services while their children play) and the Church Office. Upstairs and
adjacent to the balcony is the Prayer Room offering a peaceful setting for prayer and
contemplation.
Also at this end of the premises is a modern two-storey building of two halls used most days of
the week by the various groups, predomanently St Barnabas Pre-School. Both halls can be
accessed from within the Church or via their own outside entrance. At the rear of the Church and
Halls is our peaceful and secure Community Garden. Up to date kitchen facilities are available
as well as modern toilets, including disabled, for your convenience.
The Church has full central heating and a state of the art audio visual system with inductive loop
facilities.
St Barnabas is part of the Hemel Hempstead Team which comprises the areas of the Grove Hill,
Highfield, the Old Town, Gadebridge and Warners End. The Team Rector is vacantl.
We are a registered charity with the number 1133788
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