Welcome
The Four Church Benefice is a group of village churches in South Cambridgeshire comprising of St Mary’s Fowlmere, St Laurence’s Foxton, All Saints Shepreth and St George’s Thriplow.
We aim to reach out to every member of our community offering them occasions to meet with God within our worship and life together, to take opportunities to explore their faith and to receive support and help during the milestones on life’s journey.
Our Rector Revd. Angela Melaniphy is available to all members of the community.
Church services
In the light of latest Government advice for everyone to stay at home, the guidance from the Church of England is that our church building are now, very sadly staying closed and we will not be providing Public Worship.
During the current Covid 19 restrictions The Rector will be conducting morning prayer daily at the Rectory. You will find resources on the Worship section of the website to join in.
Live Streamed Services in Holy Week
Friday 10th April – Good Friday at 2.0 pm Reflections on the Cross
The link is https://youtu.be/-8efke0u7p4
Sunday 12th April – Easter Day at 11.00 am Holy Communion Service
The link is https://youtu.be/HwzO6ygas1o
In preparation for this service please make sure you have a small foil wrapped chocolate egg or a piece of foil and piece of chocolate or other sweet treat.
you will find resources for all services in the worship section of the website.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Revd Angela either, through the website or, by email rector@thefourchurchbenefice.org or telephone 01763 208195 should you need pastoral support or would like her to pray for anything that is concerning you.
Please STAY HOME, STAY SAFE and let us know if you need any spiritual or practical support. We have networks of people providing help where needed and we can put you in touch with the right people to support you.
View from the Rectory
Monday 6th April
I must have one of the loveliest views in the village. On Sunny mornings as the sun stream in from behind the church it is beautiful and at night when the tower and roof are lit it is almost magical. Last night as I went to close my curtains this was the view of our beautiful church with moon rising over it. As I stood and looked and drank in the peace and beauty of the scene I found myself thinking, “This building has been here for seven hundred years. It has seen so much, it has survived so much. And yet it remains, not open for worship, but its people are here in our community still worshipping, still serving.”
I found this immensely encouraging. Our churches have stood at the heart of our communities for many centuries. They stand as a symbol of God’s presence here with us, they are places where God is honoured and worshipped and provide a quiet space for prayer and comfort. They were here before the Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede, they have seen the wars of the roses, the peasants revolt, The dissolution of the Monasteries and the destruction of many features of our lovely buildings, the production of the first Church of England Prayer book, the English Civil War, the Great Plague, the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo, the invention of the steam engine and the industrial revolution; Two World Wars which were felt very much in our villages whose young men fought and died for their country and the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1919.
Our churches have seen a great deal. They have provided places of peace and solace to people during all these events. Today we are not able to use them for the moment but that doesn’t mean that God is not here. He is still with us. He is still amongst us. He still hears us and answers our prayers. He is here in the Christians worshipping in their own homes. He is here as we walk or run for exercise. He is here in the challenges we face in our changed world and he is faithful and cares for us.
Eventually we will worship again in our churches – and how wonderful that will be but when we enter the buildings and seek God we will find that he has been with us all the time.
Erik getting his exercise
View the previous ‘view from the Rectory’ updates here:
What's Going On?
Getting married in the Four Church Benefice
Some good reasons for getting married in the church:
- A wedding is one of life’s greatest moments
- A time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy
- A public and life-long covenant, declared and celebrated in the presence of God and before witnesses
