I have been waiting for a while to share with you some exciting (and scary) news from the Walmsley family. As many of you know we have been members of St Mary’s for over twenty years since Rachel and I moved to MK. During this period we have enjoyed many wonderful moments as we worshipped and took part in our church community. But we also experienced the sad times, and many of you have shared our journey and prayed for our family when Rachel was diagnosed with cancer and then again when she died four years ago.
For the last two years I have been going through the discernment process with our diocese as I have felt God’s call for change, and I have recently finalised the next part of my journey. I have now been accepted to train for ordination in September. For the next two years I’ll stay in MK while I train with St Mellitus, but will sadly be leaving St Mary’s at some point near the summer as I move to my placement church in Buckingham.
St Mary’s is an exciting dynamic church that is full of the love of God. I will always remember the many people and events that helped shape my life over the last twenty years and it has been a privilege to be able to lead and preach at St Mary’s. Please pray for Jack, Tom and I as we head into this new adventure.
God bless,
Andrew Walmsley
Licensed Lay Minister
Easter at St Mary's Bletchley:
Details of our services during Holy Week and Easter will arrive in your inbox soon. Also, keep an eye on our Facebook page for details.
We will be opening up Zoom, for about 30 minutes, after the online service to provide an opportunity for prayer and reflection.
The details of how to log in will be shown near the end of the service so don't switch off straight away! So make sure you have pen and paper handy, or pause or rewind the video.
We also now have the facility to listen to the service on the phone for those who are unable to join on Zoom. Just dial one of the numbers below, then enter the ID and Passcode above to be connected to the audio of the service:
The census is coming, and it’s about you. Without the information you share, it’d be more difficult to understand your community’s needs and to plan and fund public services.
By taking part you will help inform decisions about the services you and your community need, like doctors’ surgeries and new schools.
Census day is on March 21, but households will now be receiving letters with online codes explaining how they can complete their forms. If you have not received one, please get in touch with the census contact centre. You can also request a paper questionnaire if you’d prefer to complete your census that way.
There is lots of support available such as a help area on the census website and a contact centre that can give you help over the phone and guidance in a range of languages and accessible formats, including paper questionnaires and large print. You can also use your postcode to find local census support centres on the census website.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) runs the census in England and Wales and is independent from the government. All information is held securely for 100 years. Statistics are only compiled based on anonymised data and personal information is not shared with any organisation and is never sold.
For more information, and to find out how to get help, visit census.gov.uk or call the contact centre on 0800 141 2021.
The Church of England is supporting the National Day of Reflection on 23 March, the first anniversary of the UK lockdown, to commemorate the tragic loss of life and to stand together with everyone who’s grieving.
Organised by Marie Curie, the National Day of Reflection looks to reflect on our collective loss, support those who've been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future
We are currently fundraising for St Mary's Community Centre on localgiving.org. If you donate before 26th March at 2pm then your donation will be matched by MK Community Foundation.
Money raised from this fund will build upon the community support provided since March 2020, where local MK3 residents and church members looked after those vulnerable in our community. We are looking at developing these relationships by providing a community cafe and re-launching our mid-week ministry for those at home during the day.
The Community Cafe will provide a large, safe space for people to meet and develop the relationships formed during the Covid19 restrictions of the last 12 months.
Other projects from the centre give people the opportunity to engage socially with each other and provide them with discussion topics and guest speakers, and hot meals.
HOLY WEEK & EASTER PRAYER PRAYMKresources now available.
As a church, St Mary’s along with PRAYMK is passionate not only about creating resources for those of you who pray already but also for people who don't consider God as their first port of call.
Shenley Christian Fellowship: Acorns Family Outreach Pastor
Acorns Family Outreach is a successful and growing ministry at Shenley Christian Fellowship. They have contact with approximately 100 families in their local community through their Acorns parent and toddler ministry and Messy Church, the vast majority of which are un-churched. A vacancy has arisen to lead this ministry into the new season that the post-covid world has presented and develop the role to offer greater pastoral support to the families they connect with.
The job description below contains the full details of the role. The successful applicant will not be expected to pick everything up as soon as they start, but SCF will support them as they learn the requirements of the role and a handover from the current leader of the role will take place.
The closing date for applications is Friday 26th March 2021
Please send completed applications to:
Rev Ross Dilnot
Shenley Christian Fellowship
C/o 20 Porthcawl Green
Tattenhoe
Milton Keynes
MK4 3AW
Our beautiful and ever-evolving churchyard is now affiliated to "The Quiet Gardens Movement". It's a lovely way of sharing our special outdoor space with the community and anyone who wants to take time out, to slow down and appreciate the wonder and creativity of God.
The quiet gardens movement nurtures and promotes outdoor spaces for prayer, rest and contemplation and there are currently 300 "Quiet Gardens" throughout the world. The locations and more information can be found on their website www.quietgarden.org/find-gardens
We hope to host our first quiet day in the churchyard when we are allowed, and this will be publicised by the movement to its followers and fellow quiet garden hosts.
You don't have to wait until then, come and visit the churchyard and see many welcome signs of spring. The snowdrops have been beautiful this year, and spring bulbs are blooming. Listen out for the woodpecker and songbirds. The new benches provide quiet spaces to sit where you can have inspiring views of the church.
The Quiet Garden Movement flows from the example of Jesus's withdrawal to natural places to pray with his invitation, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest' Mark 6: 31. Sarah Shrimpton
Flower Rota Team:
I am currently putting together a rota for the flowers in expectation of our return to the church building. If you would like to join the flower rota, either as someone who donates money or arranging the flowers in the church, then please contact me, Lynda Castle, using these details - lyndacastle@talktalk.net, 07753247404, 01908330096. Thank you.
Ask Us Anything:
What are the physical signs of the Holy Spirit?
This week's SMB Ask Us Anything "What are the physical signs of the Holy Spirit?" is answered by Rev Paul Pavlou.
You can still submit a question by emailing peter.landry@stmarysbletchley.org. We will not publicise who asked the question so you will be anonymous.
Message from Spring Harvest:
Why not join us for Spring Harvest Home 4th-8th April as we explore our 2021 theme ‘Unrivalled: Why we worship’. With the help of brilliant Worship Leaders and Speakers, we’ll be looking at why we worship which starts with who we worship. Every new challenge we face brings a new opportunity to tune into God and join in with his mission. Whatever comes our way, our God is unchanged, our God is unshakeable, our God is Unrivalled and we will worship him.
Visit https://springharvest.org/springharvesthome21 to book your place to access all the brilliant content online, both live and on-demand.
Click on the picture above for more information.
St Joseph's, Newton Leys
St Joseph's, Newton Leys, is the pioneer church linked to St Mary's in our parish. It is headed by Rev Ben Thorpe and is currently continuing online. You can follow what they are doing on Facebook here.
A service provide by Oxford Diocese
Giving To St Mary's
In these times when we are unable to meet in the Church building together, your donations are just as important to us as they have always been. Your offerings mean we can continue to serve our community both practically and spiritually, worship, and connect with each other and maintain our buildings ready for when we can open again.
Virtual Church is a real blessing, but it does mean physically making your offering interesting if you make your offering via the collection plate. The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) has responded to this need and it is now possible to sign up to the scheme over the phone. Please call them on 0333 002 1271, remembering to have to hand St Mary’s Bletchley Parish Code which is 270627709 and know that we are in the Diocese of Oxford. If you would like further information you can have a look on their website https://www.parishgivingscheme.org.uk/for-donors/
Or if you would prefer to make a one-off donation then please email me and I can tell you how to do this. nicky.whitmore@stmarysbletchley.org
Thank you.
