Join Revd Olly in St Disen’s Church on this first Sunday in Lent, for a short time of prayer, a Bible reading and talk. We’re thinking today about how the Holy Spirit was at work in Jesus and is at work in us.
On 21st February 1173 Thomas Becket was canonised by Pope Alexander III. So what has this to do with the parish of Bradninch? Well, one of the four knights responsible for his murder in Canterbury Cathedral just over two years earlier was William de Tracy, Baron of Bradninch. Read more on our new Connections page.
We deeply regret that St Disen’s is now temporarily closed. We will re-open as soon as we feel it is wise to do so.
In the meantime please do join us in saying the Lord’s Prayer at 10.30am on a Sunday morning.
Many churches and cathedrals continue to stream their services on-line. Our Altogether Not Together page has some links that you can follow.
The bells of St Disen’s Church rang out loud and clear on Christmas Day to proclaim the birth of the Christ Child. Our thanks go to the Crispin family bubble which enabled three generations of bell ringers to ring out the message of Christmas.
Our Lady and Child
‘The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’ ‘In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1.14, 4-5). As we move forward into an uncertain new year during this dark time of pandemic we take comfort and hope from Jesus our Emmanuel, God with us. ‘Your word [Lord] is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path’ (Psalm 119.105). Happy New Year.
It is with deep regret, that due to to the recent increase in cases of Covid 19, our services on Christmas Eve and on subsequent Sundays until the end of January have been cancelled.
However, St Disen’s will still be open for private prayer and reflection from 7.00-8.00pm on Christmas Eve and from 10.30-11.30am on Sunday mornings.
Many churches and cathedrals will be streaming their Christmas services and carol services and suggested links can be found on our Altogether Not Together page.
We take comfort from the fact that we have taken this action in order to protect our congregation and hope that you will take comfort from this too. We wish everyone a blessed and peaceful Christmas.
We were very pleased to welcome Jess Meale, Relationships Manager with The Children’s Society to St Disen’s last Sunday to speak to us about the work of the Society. It is our particular Christmas charity, one that we have supported for many years, and so we will be having a special collection this coming Sunday, 20th December.
To find out more about The Children’s Society and how you can donate on-line please take a look at their website.
Due to unforseen circumstances, we regret that St Disen’s Church will not be open for private prayer and reflection this Advent Sunday, 29th December.
We will be open again for Holy Communion on the 6th December, the first Sunday in Advent, at 9.00am and 10.30am.
The Archishops of Canterbury and York have invited us to come together at 6.00pm [or when we can] each day during this lockdown month of November to say a short prayer. A weekly cycle of prayer has been designed with a different theme for each day including the bereaved, the NHS, our families, schools and local businesses. The prayers can be found on the Church of England website together with other prayer resources for use at this time.
‘O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while troubles last and our eternal home.’
Isaac Watts paraphrasing Psalm 90
Bradninch Together is a community group established to support local residents during the Covid-19 pandemic. As we head into another period of lockdown their team of volunteers are there, ready to support you, whatever your circumstances.
They can offer practical help with tasks like shopping, picking up prescriptions and dog walking. There is also the BradAid Hardship Fund offering grants of up to £50 to help residents of Bradninch and Hele experiencing hardship to meet an immediate need. This is a new fund that can exist thanks to donations from local people and organisations
For more information on how you can get help with your shopping or apply to BradAid and for all the latest news and information on the projects that Bradninch Together are running please visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
Bradninch Together – Offering Support, Neighbour to Neighbour