2024

News from churches across the area and brief notes and links from CTSD council meetings; see also our Facebook page for Hope4Spalding - with further news, events and more throughout the year.  Italics = awaiting confirmation; apologies for errors or omissions

🎄🎵🕯️🎶🍊Christmas 2024 collation of church services began in August
Resources from the Methodist Church 'Hush the noise' and webinar on 4 September (6/8)

Churches Together in England - and Churches Together in England collated resources listing: https://ctbi.org.uk/advent-christmas-2024/

Clergy & Staff Moves

Rev Neil Bullen, farewell on Sunday 29 December 2024, moving from the  Ringstone in Aveland Group (FB) to  the Four Spires benefice ACNY (FB) in Peterborough diocese on 30 January 2025; more info on our December page

Rev Rebecca Rock to be licensed on Wednesday 13 November at St Andrew's, Billingborough ACNY as Interim Priest in Charge of the benefices of Billingborough [Gilbertine] and South Lafford ACNY (7/10); more info via Lincoln Diocese

Rev Canon Darren McFarland licensed on 1 October in Lincoln to provide dedicated pastoral support, St Mary & St Nicolas (FB)

Rev Dr Anna Sorensen, farewell and retirement, Sunday 1 September, 11:00am at St Bartholomew's, Ingoldsby ACNY NG33 4EU; see also St Peter's, Ropsley (FB) ACNY (North Beltisloe Group)

Pastor Ross Dean retirement  on Sunday 18 August, 3:00pm as part of the Five Star service at Fleet Baptist PE12 8LH; more info via Long Sutton Baptist (FB) / Sutton St James Baptist (FB)

Rev Jane Sivers licensing Sunday 21 July by the Archdeacon of Boston, St John the Baptist, Whaplode Drove (Schoolroom FB) (Gedney Hill FB) ACNY (Elloe Fen group) 

Rev Ruth Charlesworth, farewell on Sunday 21 July, 6:00pm at Bourne Methodist (FB) (Stamford Circuit)

Lt Sarah O'Grady, farewell on Sunday 7 July from 10:00am at Bourne Salvation Army (FB); new appointment in Newark

Fr Ed Martin to be licenced as minister in charge of Stamford St Mary and St Martin's ACNY FB (Rector designate of Stamford St Mary and St Michael) at 7:00pm on Thursday 20 June - in addition to Incumbent of Edenham, Witham-on-the-Hill and Chair of the Society Local Mission Partnership and Clerical chair of Lincoln Forward in Faith.  More info via Lincoln Diocese

Rev Mark Williams to be licenced as priest in the Haven Group on Monday 22 April at St Mary the Virgin, Swineshead (FB) ACNY PE20 3LJ

Rev Greg Bannister to be licenced as vicar and Rev Sophie Bannister to be licensed on open ended basis, 10:45am, 4 February at St John the Baptist, (FB); see also February 2021

Fr Stephen Buckman, 7:00pm, 27 February, Bourne Abbey ACNY

Rev John & Mary Bennett farewell and retirement, Sunday 30 June; various events in June at St Mary & St Nicolas (FB)

Rev Aileen Workman retirement service, 10:30am, Sunday 28 January; more info via St Mary & St Nicolas (FB)

Rev Michael J Howard retirement service, 10:00am, Sunday 21 January at Langtoft; more info via The Ness Group (FB) ACNY

Welcome to Allison Willson, church administrator and to Anthony Horton, Youth Worker, St John the Baptist, Hawthorn Bank, (FB) ACNY (10/1)

Vacancies

Administrator/Secretary, The Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham, South Holland (FB); closing date 25 October 

Vicar for via St Mary & St Nicolas (FB) and to support  St Paul's (FB); more info via Lincoln Diocese or CofE Pathways; closing date 18 October, interviews 19/11

Renew SSJ Community Hub team member at Sutton St James Baptist (FB) (3/7); closing date 28 July

Youth and Community Worker, 35 hours pw; closing date 15 January;  more info from Broad Street Methodist (FB) (Circuit website) (21/12); Mary Dobney commissioned 24/3

Church changes

St Norbert's, The Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham, South Holland (FB) has been nominated a Jubilee Church for the year of Jubilee, 2025

Pinchbeck Baptist (FB) has a new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567088535656 (23/10)

Holbeach Baptist Church (FB) website closed during 2024, Facebook page (FB) remains live

Saturday 12 October: Inaugural Messy Church, Bourne Abbey ACNY

Our Googlemap has been updated to include Postcodes (18/9)

Gosberton Clough Methodist (FB) (Circuit website) last service, 15 September

Bourne and Deeping Roman Catholic parish new website: https://bourneanddeepingrc.org.uk (September) (tbc)

Sunday 25 August, 2:30pm: South Holland Methodist Circuit at Gosberton Clough Methodist (FB)

Sunday 21 April, 2:30pm: Rev Angy Long and Rev Luke Smith South Holland Circuit service at Holbeach Drove Methodist

Easter Day: Merger of the parishes of Holy Trinity Holbeach and The Immaculate Conception & St Norbert (FB) to become 'The Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham, South Holland' in the Southern Lincolnshire Deanery, each church retaining their long standing titles; inauguration service 8:00pm, 30/3; Feast Day 24/9

Bourne Salvation Army shop closing early April; more info: Bourne Salvation Army (FB) 

Saturday 23 March: Bourne United Reformed Church last service

Churches Together in Grantham closing their Facebook page, March 2024

Second Helpings, Stamford: new opening hours from 2 April (FB)

The Benefice of St Mary's and St Martin's churches to be disolved with each church having seperate internet presence; more info via St Mary's Stamford (FB) ACNY and St Martin's, Stamford Baron ACNY; see also Lincolnshire Society Parishes (inc Edenham, Witham-on-the-Hill, Swinstead, Skirbeck, Fosdyke and Kirton)

 All Souls and Remembrance services in November

Disability and Accessibility: CTSD churches weblisting being updated ♿ (9/9/24, ongoing - including pictures of Accessible parking spaces at churches in The Deepings (16/10/24) Bourne, Holbeach (20/12/24) and Spalding)

15 - 22 September: Disability Awareness Week (Lincoln Diocese)

Spalding United Reformed Church Facebook page includes an image of their new Accessible space in the church  (28/9)

St Paul's website includes an Accessibility page with photographs of the main door and ramp (18/9)

🌽Harvest Festivals in August, September and October; some include Flower or Arts and Crafts Festivals

Heritage Open Days in September

RoadHog (FB) new bus launch: Saturday 11 May, 2:00pm at Boston Rugby Club PE21 7PB

🏖️Holiday Clubs in July and August and some summer service time changes

AgapeCare (FB) foodbank at Lighthouse church - new website (July 2024): https://agapespalding.co.uk

Matthew Flinders  weekend
Saturday 13 July, 2:30pm: Reinterment of Matthew Flinders service led by the Bishop of Lincoln at St Mary & the Holy Rood, Donington ACNY PE11 4UA

General Election - 4 July 2024 - Hustings in June

🔵🔴🟡🟢⚪Resources from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland "including a 'Hosting a hustings' guide from The Joint Public Issues Team and briefings from Operation Noah and NCLF - National Church Leaders Forum; https://churcheselection.org.uk"
Resources from the Catholic community: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/election24/
Resources via the Baptist Union: https://jpit.uk/elections
Hustings include 18 June at Open Door, Deeping St James, 20 June at Hobeach Methodist, 23 June at Centenary Methodist, Boston, 24 June at St Wulfram's, Grantham, 27 June at St George's, Stamford

Optional football shirts, bacon rolls and prosecco - some Fathers' Day services

🎖️There's a selection of D-Day services and events throughout June

Pentecost - a listing of church services

Christian Aid Week 12 - 18 May

Spalding Flower Parade weekend, 11 & 12 May; our listing includes churches open for refreshments 

Ascension Day: Thursday 9 May - a listing of services

Easter Holiday Clubs and more in April

Family Play on Thursdays at 1:00pm starts 25 April, £1, Broad Street Methodist (FB) (Circuit website)

Easter - Palm Sunday | Maundy Thursday | Good Friday

 Services listing collation continued throughout February and March

🌷Snowdrop Walks and Flower Festivals and more including the Spalding Flower Parade weekend; comprehensive listing available (11/4)

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Lent Groups, Lent Lunches, Lent Talks in February and March 

World Day of Prayer (WWDP 2024) 'I beg you bear with one another in love', Palestine, Friday 1 March; preparation day Friday 2 February, 9:45am at Spalding Baptist (FB)

Friday 1 November, 10:00am: World Day of Prayer 2025 Preparation Day at St Norbert's in The Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham, South Holland (FB), PE11 2XX; more info and resources from WWDP

Revive Thursday 25 April, 7:30pm: Revive with Rev David A Hull at Gosberton Methodist (FB) PE11 4NQ

❓Alpha courses - launch: Tuesday 9 January, 7:30pm, St John the Baptist, Hawthorn Bank, (FB) ACNY; also:
Thursday 18 January, 11:30am, fortnightly, alternating with Bible Study; further details from St John's
Also starting 24 September, further details from St John's

Alpha starts 19 September at at Bourne Baptist (FB)

Alpha also starts in September at Open Door Baptist church, Deeping St James (FB) PE6 8NJ

Thursdays starting 2 May, 7:00pm with Rev Sherine Angus and Rev Paul Carey-Slater; venues and sign up via flyer/poster/Facebook; more info via , All Saints, Holbeach (FB) or St Matthew's, Sutton Bridge (FB) (ACNY)

Starting Thursday 18 July, 7:30pm: Alpha introductory  talk and meal, Bourne Baptist (FB)

Christianity Explored Tuesday 6 February, 7:00pm for seven weeks in the Heraldic Suite, St Mary's, Whaplode (FB) ACNY (Elloe Stone group)

A Life Worth Living course starts Sunday 21 January, 10:30am, Harvest Church (FB)

🌍Gaia Monday 5 - Sunday 25 February,  Lincoln Cathedral (FB)

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 18-25 January - 'Go and Do Likewise' prepared by Burkina Faso ecumenical team and Chemin Neuf CCN (CTBI, 2024 Resources)

Epiphany a selction of services for Epiphany on our January Diary page

Bourne Foodbank (FB) moved from Bourne United Reformed Church to the Butterfield Centre (FB), North Road, PE10 9AP on 29 December 2023

The Bread and Butter Thing launches in March at the Iron Horse, High Street, Market Deeping, PE6 8EB; more info via Open Door Baptist church Deeping St James (FB), St Guthlac's, Market Deeping (FB) or Churches Together in the Deepings (FB)

Ecumenical prayer meetings are hosted by Broad Street Methodist (FB) (Circuit website) on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00pm for an hour

Spring Harvest: 'Up and Alive!' (FB) discounted day tickets for Thursday 4 April for Church Leaders and their families, in the region of the Lincolnshire Coast, at 75% off their usual price. Only 60 tickets available this year; more info via Lincoln Diocese (FB) (29/12/23)

See also Midweek and our Facebook page Hope4Spalding. Warm Spaces dates and times subject to changes; please check with the church for the latest

Warm/Welcome Spaces; various churches open during the winter months or longer, including:

Mondays: 10 - 2 at Broad Street Methodist (FB) (Circuit website) as a 'Welcome Space'

Tuesdays: [Coffee Morning at Broad Street]

Wednesdays: 9:30 - 12:30 and 3-6 at Lighthouse (FB)

Thursdays: 12 - 5:30 at St John's (2023)

Fridays: 10:30am - 2:30pm at Spalding Baptist (FB) (Warm Welcome FB)

Saturdays, 11 - 2pm Calvary Cares, Calvary Baptist (FB) (November 2024)

Sundays: 12 - 2:30pm at St Norbert's FB (Project St Thomas); see also Hub In Hub Out (FB)

Apologies for errors and omissions; please check with the individual church for changes

Cool/Warm/Welcome Spaces; neighbouring churches open including:

Monday - Friday, 10 - 12: Sutton St James - Baptist (FB)

Monday and Friday, 10:00am - 1:00pm: Pinchbeck Baptist (FB)

Mondays and Thursdays: Market Deeping - St Guthlac's (FB) ACNY

Mondays, 2 - 4: St John's, Baston (FB) - The Ness Group (FB)

Mondays, 12-2: Hub In Hub Out Holbeach (FB) at Holy Trinity Holbeach (see also St Norbert's FB and HIHO Spalding (FB))

Tuesdays: 10 at Bourne Baptist

Third Wednesdays, 3 - 6 at St Matthew's, Sutton Bridge (FB) ACNY - Cool Spaces from May 2024 during the summer

Thursdays in Whaplode, 10-1 at St Mary's, Whaplode (FB) ACNY; also other days around Whaplode

Thursdays: 9:30 - 1, Holbeach Methodist (FB) 

Our News and Diary Archives extend back to 1954; see also 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018