Newsletter of the Meridian Benefice

More news from the villages of the Meridian Benefice can be found in:

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CAFE SUNDAY AT NEEDINGWORTH VILLAGE HALL

This service is being discontinued. The last Café Sunday will be at 9.30 am in the Village Hall Pavilion on Sunday  4 August .

BENEFICE BARBECUE

Many thanks to Valmor and Thais for hosting a very enjoyable and well-supported barbecue party for the communities of our three churches on Saturday 13 July. A great chance to get together, which also celebrated Valmor’s 21 years as a priest. See photos

NEW PATTERN OF WEEKLY SERVICES AT HOLYWELL-CUM-NEEDINGWORTH

The Vicar and PCC have announced a new pattern of Sunday morning worship at St John the Baptist church. From September, the pattern will be:

1st Sunday of the month 8 am Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer), followed by 9.30 am Morning Worship

2nd Sunday 9.30 am Holy Communion (Common Worship)

3rd Sunday 9.30 am Morning Worship

4th Sunday 9.30 am Holy Communion (Common Worship)

If there is a 5th Sunday in the month, morning service will be at 9.30 am and will either be Holy Communion (Common Worship) or a special service

In addition, Revd Valmor will conduct a service every Tuesday in the church at 12 noon – Holy Communion on the 1st Tuesday and Morning Prayer on other Tuesdays – followed by pastoral visits in Needingworth and Holywell.

‘WELCOME SPACE’ FACULTY GRANTED TO ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

The Chancellor of the Diocese of Ely has now granted a faculty to St John the Baptist Church, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, giving permission to proceed with the church’s Welcome Space project. This will involve providing long-awaited toilet and refreshment facilities in the church. The bell-ringing floor will move to a new mezzanine level to enable the entrance through the tower to be clear for wedding and funeral processions while the bells are being rung. The main body of the church will be opened up by removal of all the pews in favour of chairs, to provide a flexible space for different types of worship, events and meetings. This includes moving the font to a new position which will be more visible to baptismal congregations, also establishing space to provide a better welcome as people enter through the main (south) door.

Before work can begin the church will be looking to raise substantial amounts of money through grants and local fund-raising.

For more information on the project, contact the churchwardens.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW BISHOP OF ELY DELAYED

The Church Times has reported that the Crown Nominations Commission has failed to agree on a new Bishop of Ely and a new attempt will not take place until spring next year. For more, see:

www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2024/19-july/news/uk/questions-asked-after-crown-nominations-commission-fails-to-agree-over-ely

www.elydiocese.org/an-update-on-the-next-bishop-of-ely.php