Weekly Newsletter

Morning Service at 10.30 on Sunday 12th April at Glenvale C of E School

Message from the Vicar:

‘Connecting with Jesus, with each other, with the community’

APCM

Our annual meeting is Sunday 26th April during the morning service. We will be reflecting on what God has done among us in the last year and crucially, electing our church leadership team, the PCC (Parochial Church Council). The PCC meets around 6/7 times a year and is responsible, along with the Vicar, for the life, vision, mission and ministry of the church. It’s a really exciting team to be part of and is a real opportunity to shape the life of the church, being involved in all of the major decisions. Of course this coming year the PCC will be writing a parish profile in order to interview and appoint a new Vicar.

Is God calling you to serve the church in this way?

The PCC is made up of clergy, 2 churchwardens, 2 deanery synod reps and then a further 9 others from within the congregation. We elect churchwardens every year and they can serve for 6 consecutive years if they wish before stepping down for at least a year. The Deanery synod reps are elected for a 3 year period and can be elected for a further 3 year period before stepping down for at least a year. Lay members of PCC are elected for a period of 3 years before stepping down for at least a year. We have spaces in all of the 3 ways to serve on the PCC so please consider if this might be a role for you. If you wish to be elected please complete the relevant form (can be collected from the welcome table in the foyer on Sunday mornings), you will need 2 people to nominate you (their details need to be put on the form) and return the form to me asap.

Our current PCC is:

Clergy: Dawn, Ben & Livvi

Churchwardens: Matt Ellson ( we need a second churchwarden)

Deanery Synod reps: We currently do not have any representation in the deanery

Lay members: Alan, Mel, Sam, David W, David M, Ruth W, Chiaz A and Fiona (PCC secretary)

At the APCM Alan and Mel would have completed their 3 year term on PCC and will need to step down but can be nominated for another PCC role. Sam will be stepping down as he is living in London and cannot be an effective part of the church leadership. This means there are 4 lay spaces to fill.

In addition, Dale Gilbert is our church treasurer, Marion Darker is our Electoral roll officer and John Gilyead is our parish safeguarding officer (with support from Amanda Allen, our parish administrator). These roles are essential but do not have to be done by PCC members.

Weekly Services:

This Sunday there will be groups for all under 16s.

Midweek Service at Glenvale Care Home:

Extra News

You are invited to hear Debbie, Bishop of Peterborough, talk on

‘What will the Church of England be like in five to ten years?’

at St John’s Church Hall, St John’s Church, Corby, NN17 1XF

at 7.30pm on Wednesday 15th April 2026

an opportunity to think, dream, question, pray

Complimentary cheese, wine and fruit juice will be served from 7pm.

Organised by Peterborough Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship (DEF) but open to all – not only paid-up Peterborough DEF members.

Parking is available nearby

More details are available from andrew.presland.harborough58@gmail.co
or on 07943 307873.

‘How to be a Bad Christian and a Better Human Being.’ Dave Tomlinson

We are invited to watch an ‘In Conversation evening’ with Rev Dave Tomlinson at Kettering Arts Centre (St. Andrew’s church) on Wednesday 22 April, starting 7.30pm.

Dave – you’ll know – is best known for his ‘Pause for Thought’ contributions to Radio 2’s breakfast show. He was a C of E parish priest for 19 years and, via his books and Holy Shed podcast, is committed to keeping / bringing back Christian discourse into the mainstream of public debate. Having spent time as a leader of the house church movement in the 70s, Dave went on to found Holy Joe’s – a church in a pub for those disillusioned with organised religion – before his time as a Church of England vicar in north London.

Our conversation will be a discussion of Dave’s experiences, widening out to consider the larger questions of how Christians and the church should respond to and engage with the wider world in 2026.

The title of our evening takes its names from one of Dave’s best-known books: ‘How to be a Bad Christian and a Better Human Being.’ Dave is a great speaker – I’m delighted to be able to bring him to Kettering and I’m sure it’ll be a great evening, both thought-provoking and entertaining. Early tickets are £10 from the venue website -Kettering arts centre [dot] com. Best wishes Duncan Steer.

Parish Prayer:

There are two opportunities to pray together as a parish each week:

1) Sunday mornings from 9.45am in the glass pod off the corridor at Glenvale School.

2) Tuesday mornings, 11am at the Vicarage.

Prayer Chain:

If you would like to send a prayer request to the prayer chain, or join the prayer chain, please contact Jackie Brooks Cheesman: jackiebrookscheesman@yahoo.co.uk

Giving:

Thank you to you all for your sacrificial giving. If you would like to give to the work and ministry of the church please collect a form from the table at church which will enable you to give via the recommended route of the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS). However, people are welcome to give in whatever way suits them and please consider gift aiding your contribution so that the church receives an extra 25%.

You can also give via the QR code:

Please contact Dale Gilbert for more information: treasurer@nwanglicanchurch.co.uk

Church Vision – Key Priorities

Discipleship:

Connect Groups:

Connect Group Facilitators:

Monday afternoon (fortnightly 2-4pm): Carol Maycock
Wednesday evening (fortnightly 7.30pm): Ruth Wium
Thursday morning (fortnightly 10.00am): Alan Palmer
1st Sundays in the month evening (12.20): Rev Livvi Haughton-Scales

Under 18’s:

Wholeness in Jesus/wellbeing

Creations Craft Group:

Bereavement Support Group:

The Facebook support group has 85 members and continues. If anyone feels they have the capacity and passion for reaching out to those bereaved, please speak to Dawn.

Safeguarding:

As God’s distinctive community we want to be a church that is safe for everyone. Where there are safeguarding concerns please talk to me (or if I am away, to John Gilyead our parish safeguarding officer) as soon as they arise. Even if you’re not sure, just talk to me anyway….please. Dawn.