Best known to thousands and thousands as a fleeting extra in Britain’s film and TV history, All Saints Church in Borehamwood is trying to find a latest vicar to guide its resilient, creative congregation in certainly one of the country’s most distinctive parish settings.
If you stroll down Shenley Road in Borehamwood, you would possibly get a wierd sense of déjà vu. Nestled within the bustle of the high street, All Saints Church is immediately recognisable – not simply to locals, but to anyone with a keenness for traditional British film and tv.
Its Jacobean-style brickwork, standing proudly since 1909, has served as a silent extra in all the pieces from The Saint and On the Buses to Here Come the Double Deckers! and even Confessions of a Window Cleaner, where the unique ‘Jack the lad’ actor Robin Askwith pedals by with a ladder on his shoulder through the opening credits.
For a long time, All Saints has been a ‘background artist’ for countless productions shot in Elstree and Borehamwood, the UK’s film-making capital.
But now, the congregation is hoping to forged a latest leading role – this time not for the screen, but for their very own community. After greater than three years with out a resident rector, All Saints is actively searching for a latest vicar to tackle full-time ministry in certainly one of England’s most distinctive parish settings.
“We’ve not missed a Sunday in all that point,” says the Rev Louise Collins, team vicar for the Parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, which incorporates All Saints and three other churches. “That’s all the way down to our churchwarden Pam and numerous behind-the-scenes effort. But having a dedicated vicar for this church would mean a lot to the congregation.”
In the meantime, All Saints has kept its doors and its diary open. Regular worship is joined by weekday prayer, classical live shows from Borehamwood Brass and the Elstree Mozart Players, and seasonal events that attract residents who might never attend on a Sunday morning.
The church also serves as a civic venue; local councillors and even the mayor count themselves among the many congregation. Among the regular faces are the churchwarden, whose persistence keeps services running easily; John, the long-serving organist whose son often provides choir vocals; Elizabeth from Manor Way, an lively and caring member of the prayer group; and a number of other local councillors who see All Saints not only as a spot of worship, but as a hub for community life.
The wider setting makes the emptiness unusual. Borehamwood is pleased with its century-old role within the screen industry. Signs at the sting of town declare: “Home of Film and Television”. BBC Elstree Studios seems household names equivalent to EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing. Star Wars was filmed here. Sky Studios Elstree, which opened in 2022, has already hosted large-scale productions equivalent to the forthcoming Wicked 2 starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Rev Collins herself has a foot in each worlds, serving as chaplain to Sky Studios.
“The industry moves at a quick pace,” she says. “It’s demanding, but individuals are often open to conversations about purpose and faith. Chaplaincy is about being there – offering a listening ear without an agenda.”
The congregation’s resilience has been tested by the shortage of clergy. A decade ago, the parish had 4 vicars for 4 churches; now there may be only one, plus the emptiness at All Saints. This has meant more lay leadership and inventive approaches to ministry – from carol singing within the pub to a teddy bear picnic, and an annual Bluebell Pilgrimage to nearby Hertfordshire woodland.
“We’ve had to seek out latest ways of being church,” Collins says. “It’s shown us how much the congregation can do together.”
Technology has also modified the landscape. The pandemic brought livestreamed services, Zoom prayer meetings and an increased social media presence – tools the parish has kept.
“For some, the primary contact is online,” Collins explains. “It’s not a alternative for in-person worship, but it surely’s often the bridge.”
For the people of All Saints, the hope is straightforward: that the precise vicar will see the chances here – a church with strong community roots, a creative local culture, and a willingness to try latest things.
As one latest member, a former actor, puts it: “Growth, fellowship and love for each other. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”
And in a town where a passing glance at a church can spark memories of old television scenes, the seek for a latest vicar is a reminder that the story of All Saints remains to be unfolding – not only in a movie series, but within the lives of those individuals who step inside.
