The Theydon Parishes Benefice

WORSHIP IN THE THEYDON PARISHES – JANUARY 2021

The beginning of 2021 is both a time of hope and challenge to us all.  In the last few Sundays, in common with Christian communities around the world, we have heard again the message of Christmas, that the very Word of God, Jesus Christ, came to live in the world in the fulness of humanity and experienced in his earthly life its joys and it sorrow.  

Looking ahead, as a nation, we face ongoing restrictions on our national life, in an effort to protect as many as possible from COVID-19.  The most recent restrictions still allow for public worship to take place in England, but the Churchwardens of the Benefice and I are acutely aware that the local area has one of the highest number of cases per 100,000 of the population in the country and our local health service is under significant pressure.    Our Diocese has strongly advised that all services should move online (except for funerals) and as a result, online services will once again become the main way in which the churches of the Theydon Parishes gather in worship until mid February.   

Every Sunday, a recorded act of worship will be posted on our Recorded Services page and there will be a weekly Sunday evening service at 6pm and Wedneday Morning Service at 10am on Zoom where we are going to be reading Mark's Gospel until Easter (see the calendar for each week's reading beneath this text).  Groups for children and young people will also continue online and details will be circulated to parents and carers.  Our church buildings will be open for private prayer at the times shown below.   There may also be occasional services of Holy Communion on festival days, and details of these will be posted on the Benefice website and circulated in the weekly notice sheet emails.

As the Bishop of London, who chairs the Church of England COVID recovery group has written “I would urge everyone in our churches to pray for those on the front line in our public services - the NHS and those working in social care, for schools and many others on whom we depend; and for parents and carers of children at this anxious and stressful time.  There is hope. The vaccination programme is underway and, as Christians, we have a deeper hope in God that comforts us beyond fear itself. As we have been remembering this Christmas Season, even in the midst of our darkest fears, that hope brings light.”

Rev John Fry – Vicar of the Theydon Parishes

A warm welcome is extended to all visitors, both to this website, and visitors of our four churches.

The Benefice is the coming together of a number of churches (All Saints Theydon Garnon, St Mary the Virgin Theydon Bois, and the joint parish of St Michael’s Theydon Mount and St Mary the Virgin Stapleford Tawney)

We are:

• one Benefice,
• three Parishes,
• three congregations,
• four Churches

We are three active parishes that provide the opportunity to deliver a range of styles of worship from the Book of Common Prayer to All Age Worship. Our congregations are committed to developing their churches and reaching out to their communities in mission and ministry. We face different challenges in our quest to serve God in each community, whilst promoting the Christian faith.