DIARY
Sunday 26th October
0800 Holy Communion
0930 Sung Eucharist with Baptism – William Moger
1115 Coffee, Cake & Church Hilton Village Hall
1830 Sung Evensong
Monday 27th October
Tuesday 28th October
1030 Tuesday Treat Baptist Church
1930 Bell Ringing Practice
Wednesday 29th October
0945 Holy Communion
1015 All day drop in
Friday 31st October
1000 Bible Study
1930 Choir Practice Church Hall
Saturday 1st November
0800 Holy Communion St Mary Magdalene Hilton
0800 Holy Communion
0930 All Saints Sung Eucharist with Healing
1830 All Souls
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Sunday 26th October 2025 Last After Trinity
Holy Communion Minister: Jonathan Young
Reading Ecclesiasticus 35.12-17 (Apo)
2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18 (NT 229)
Gospel Luke 18.9-14 (NT 87)
Sung Eucharist Minister: David Busk
With Baptism Preacher: Peter Mojer
Deacon: Lucilia Azevedo
Reading 2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18 (NT 229) David Bowers
Gospel Luke 18.9-14 (NT 87)
Hymns 360, 357, 316, 470, 467
Communion272, 274
Organist Ken Diffey
Sung Evensong Minister: Jonathan Young
Readings Ecclesiastes 11, 12 (OT 650)
2 Timothy 2.1-7 (NT227)
Hymns 480, 381, 391
Psalm 119 vv1-8, Anthem – Lord I trust thee
Organist Colin Thirlwall
Collect
Merciful God,
teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty,
that trusting in your word
and obeying your will
we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Street Prayer Mission: Roberts Close, Southey Close, Reeve Way, & Gould Court with Scotts Crescent, Hilton
Buy Tickets for an Evening with David Starkey £25 – delicious homemade food included – at St Mary’s Church Saturday November 22nd at 7pm
“Catherine Parr: Henry VIII’s Last Wife: The Queen Who Survived – and Thrived”
Catherine achieved what five predecessors couldn’t: she outlived the King. This clever, comely, twice-widowed 31-year-old transformed the Tudor court through emotional intelligence rather than beauty or fertility. She won the hearts of Henry’s neglected children—reconciling Mary and Elizabeth with their dangerous father, while providing maternal love to 5-year-old Edward. Her reward? Unprecedented power as Regent of England. David Starkey’s talk offers radically new and surprising insights into the woman who navigated Tudor politics with grace, intelligence, and ultimately, survival.
Tickets from adrian@sington.co.uk 07770 638193 or Kate on 01480 454154
Parish News Subscriptions
Subscriptions for 2026 are now due. Please pay £9 to the person who delivers the magazine to you. If you collect your magazine from the church, please pay me directly, clearly marking the envelope who it is from. Payment by mid-December would be appreciated, so we know who is renewing for next year.
Thank you. Anne Francis, 20 Post Street
Bells and Flags
A quarter peal of Plain Bob Major will be rung before Evensong today. The Union Flag was flown from the tower last week on Tuesday for Trafalgar Day and on Friday for United Nations Day.
Grand Christmas Draw
For people who do not receive our monthly Parish News, where the November edition comes out today, there may well be an envelope for you containing Raffle Tickets for our Grand Christmas Draw on the table by the Font which will take place towards the end of our Christmas Bazaar on Saturday 29th November.
We ask for your support by selling the Raffle Tickets which generates funds towards the running costs of our Church. Prizes will include Hampers made up by various Church Groups. Please return Stubs and Money to a Church Leader no later than Thursday 27th November.Many thanks, Peter Morgan – Bazaar Committee
Community Board Game Cafe – TODAY!
The Community Board Game Cafe starts today and we would love to see you – it is open to all ages. We have been very kindly donated the start of a board game library so if you don’t have a favourite game you’d like to play that you can bring along with you don’t worry, we have lots to choose from. Please join us from 3pm in the church hall – we are very much looking forward to seeing you there!
Paula Williams
A new Curate!
Some good news: from July next year, we will have a newly-ordained Curate. Her name is Frances Stead, known as Frankie, currently in ordination training and due to be ordained deacon on July 4th 2026. Frankie is a retired research scientist, resident in Spaldwick and is a Lay Reader.
It is important to understand from the outset that Frankie will not be stipendiary (paid, in other words), and will be part-time in the benefice – probably this will mean two working days during the week plus Sundays, to be shared between Godmanchester and Hilton. She is likely to be with us until summer 2029.
Please pray for Frankie as she continues her training, and for me as I learn again after a very long interval how to be a training incumbent. David
Are you who we are looking for?
Do you enjoy spending time with enthusiastic and friendly people? Do you like helping others and also enjoy a good biscuit?! Then you might be just the person we are looking for! Children’s Church are on the lookout for some new leaders to add to our dedicated team who help nurture the younger members of the St Mary’s congregation. We have children from 0- to considerably older, as Children’s Church is very much a family affair – the parents, grandparents, and other family members are just as important as the children. As a leader we are wanting some help to lead a session once every couple of months. If you think you might be able to help us then please email paulawilliams30@tiscali.co.uk or see her after today’s service for more details.
A message from the Choir
The choir is looking for new voices to join us. Do you know how to sing or know anyone who does and have a couple of hours available per week? Please consider joining us and help us continuing to beautify the services in our Church. Remember that “singing is double praying”; (Old Portuguese proverb).
Talking about Christmas
Following on from Lucillia’s note in last week’s newsletter re: Operation Christmas Child the empty Shoeboxes and packing information leaflets will be available at the back of the church. As we all know the Mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate Gods Love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. The shoeboxes bring huge amounts of joy and since 1993 more than 232 million shoeboxes have been sent to children in over 170 countries. Please return shoeboxes for a blessing on Sunday 16th November or deliver to me at:- 14 Corpus Christi Lane. Godmanchester. Many thanks, Jane
Newsletter Compiler
Adrian Sington is the newsletter compiler for October and November. Please send any contributions that you may have by email to: adrian
