Welcome to the Quintet Benefice, a family of five churches in North Norfolk, serving the local community in Aylmerton, Beeston Regis, Gresham, East Runton, West Runton and offering a warm welcome to visitors.
All our churches are open daily.
Many thanks for your interest, we hope to see you soon.
THANK YOU AND FAREWELL FROM JEREMY
Dear Friends,
It was lovely to see so many of you at my last Service on the 12th July. It was a wonderful occasion, which Lesley and myself both very much enjoyed. It was also lovely to spend time with each other making new friends and renewing old friendships. We were also moved by the very kind words said on your behalf by Jean and William.
Lesley and myself were also extremely touched with your generosity towards us both. But I would say that generosity has been a feature of our whole time in the Quintet Benefice, from the very first day I started my ministry here, and we have felt appreciated and loved by you all. We have thoroughly enjoyed the years we have spent with you and will be taking very fond memories of our time here with us as we move to Ludlow.
Can I also thank everybody for the wonderful retirement presents you have given us, a digital picture frame, a grain mill and also a generous cheque.
Like many people in today’s modern age, most of our pictures sit either on my computer or on our telephones and we don’t often see them. Now that we have a digital picture frame we will be able to transfer those treasured memories on to it and enjoy them as they appear and are displayed. It is our plan to mount it in pride of place on our living room wall.
The grain mill will become a key piece of equipment in my home brewery, as by being able to crush my own grain, it will take my brewing up to another level.
With our increased leisure time, we plan to put the cheque towards a two person, inflatable boat, to take to the water when we go away in our caravan.
The process of packing and moving is well underway, and I have already made a number of trips to our new home prior to our final move in the middle of August.
I have given the Churchwardens and members of the Ministry Team, our new address in Ludlow along with our contact details, and if any of you find yourselves in the Ludlow area, please make contact, and come and have a cup of tea and say hello.
Thank you again for five and half wonderful years, it has been a privilege and honour to have been your Rector and Priest, and I will be keeping the Benefice and each and every one of you in my thoughts and prayers.
With all my love and blessings
Jeremy
Let us pray:
Lord God,
We give thanks for the gift of Jeremy’s time with us
and his ministry in this place.
We ask your blessing on Jeremy and Lesley as they take the next steps in their journey of life,
that in all they do they would know your presence and your peace.
Amen
PRAYER CORNER
“Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares for you”.
1 Peter 5:7
Please pray--
HELLO FROM PAM
Dear Friends,
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us”.
That quote is attributed to Alexander Graham Bell, the Scottish-born scientist, inventor and engineer who amongst other things is often credited with being the inventor of the first practical telephone. It is not a direct quote from the Bible, but it does seem to me that it is very true to life. It can often be true in relationships – when a relationship ends for whatever reason. It can certainly be true in the world of work, where people can find it hard to move on, especially if they were in their previous job for a long time.
I am sure that many of us have found it to be true when it comes to the life of the church. People can spend a lot of time looking back nostalgically to the way things used to be. They may look back to a golden age when you had to put extra chairs in the aisles of the church to fit everyone in at Harvest or Christmas. They may look back to styles of service they have known and loved and regret that things are not as they used to be. However, one thing that is often true is that nostalgia can become the enemy of progress. It can blind our eyes to the doors that are open in front of us now, to the opportunities that are there to enable the church to move forward and to all the possibilities for change and growth that are within our reach today. It is far better to acknowledge the doors that have closed behind us and to look forward with faith and expectancy to the open doors ahead.
I believe that we are entering into a time of great opportunity in terms of the life of our Benefice. It is clear that each of our churches have their mission priorities but the opportunity lies before us to see where we can collaborate more fully in God’s church across the Benefice. We need to remain open minded to different approaches of being church – indeed, we are already used to having services on Zoom.
Whatever our personal preferences may be, we should remember St Paul’s words: “I become all things to all people that I might save some of them by whatever means are possible” (1 Corinthians 9.22).
For all of us in our individual lives there are doors of opportunity that are open in front of us. They may not be the same shape, or look the same, as the doors that we are used to, but those opportunities are there, nonetheless. The same thing is also very true in the life of each of our churches. As individuals and as churches let us be careful not to be those who simply look back nostalgically to the doors that have closed behind us. Instead let us seek to look forward with faith and vision and be open to the new opportunities and the new doors that will open in front of us. This is the only way to keep moving forward in our own lives and the lives of our churches.
May God guide and inspire us as we seek to do that.
Pam
SERVICES DURING THE VACANCY
During the Vacancy there will be a new pattern for Services taking place in the Benefice so do please check carefully for details of where they are being held.
On the first, second and third Sundays of each month there will always be two churches holding a Eucharist Service, either at 9.15am or 11.00am.
The fourth Sunday of the month will be a Benefice Eucharist Service held at the usual time of 10.30am which will rotate between Aylmerton, Beeston Regis and West Runton. This Service will usually have a guest President/Preacher.
If there is a fifth Sunday of the month then this will also be a Benefice Eucharist Service held at the usual time of 10.30am which will rotate between West Runton, Aylmerton, Beeston Regis and Gresham. This Service will usually be taken by one of our own Ministry Team.
If there is not a Service taking place in your usual place of worship, then why not pop along to one of the other churches.
“STREAMS”
On Pentecost Sunday the Diocese of Norwich launched "STREAMS" which forms part of an exciting and emerging diocesan vision and strategy, with this first phase focusing entirely on Stories. Below are extracts from Bishop Graham’s letter to the Parishes:
“STREAMS is the culmination of multiple conversations, ideas and feedback from parishes and chaplaincies and it has enjoyed strong support by the Diocesan Synod. We all wish to see new people come to be a part of the life of our churches and congregations and we are hopeful for this journey ahead.
STREAMS offers us a simple invitation: to notice where God is already at work in people’s lives, to listen well, and to grow in confidence as we share stories of faith, hope, and everyday discipleship. It marks the beginning of living out our diocesan vision – to see every person deepening their life as a disciple of Jesus, prayerfully, pastorally, and prophetically.
Many people find it difficult to speak about faith, even within church life. Yet throughout the Gospels, Jesus invited people to tell their stories, by asking questions.
STREAMS Stories seeks to create simple and welcoming opportunities for people to do just that, helping us nurture a culture in which sharing our faith becomes something natural and life-giving.
I encourage every parish to make space for story-sharing in ways that feel appropriate to your context, whether during worship, in small groups, over coffee after services, in schools, or pastoral gatherings. These moments need not be polished or formal. The aim is simply to give people confidence and permission to speak naturally about faith and life, or to ask questions they may never previously have felt able to ask.”
We can all find it easy to talk to someone we know, or a stranger at the bus stop or in a shop, about a favourite food/recipe, TV show, job, or a recent holiday but could we talk to them about our faith?
We probably say, we cannot do that because:
· It’s too personal or private
· I wouldn’t really know what to say
· I don’t have the right to force my faith on anybody else
· I wouldn’t feel able to speak intelligently about my faith
· I’m worried or embarrassed about how people will respond
But as Bishop Graham says:
"STREAMS Stories seeks to create simple and welcoming opportunities for people to do just that, helping us nurture a culture in which sharing our faith becomes something natural and life-giving."
So why not give it a go and share your faith story with someone.
Visit the website for further information: https://exploringstreams.org/
The website also has a section about Prayer.
Prayer is a way of getting to know God – listening, learning, and sharing ourselves and our needs with him. Through prayer, we begin to discover that he cares for us and wants to guide and help us. Prayer is not something reserved for a particularly holy few; it is open to everyone. Many people turn to prayer in times of crisis, but God wants us to know that he is present in every moment, not just the difficult ones.
In “Pray the Small Stuff” there are suggested prayers which you can say whilst boiling a kettle, for preparing food, for looking in a mirror, for pulling the curtains, for charging your mobile, etc. Here are a couple to get you started:
For Charging a Phone
Lord, as my phone is recharged,
recharge my spirit.
Renew my strength in you, and keep me connected to your love.
‘Those who hope in the Lord will
renew their strength.’ Isaiah 40:31
For Opening Curtains
Jesus, light of the world,
Chase away the darkness.
May your light fill this room and shine through my life today.
‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.’ John 1:9
“Pray The Small Stuff” can be found at:
https://online.flippingbook.com/view/681103856/6-7/
All our churches are open daily.
Many thanks for your interest, we hope to see you soon.
THANK YOU AND FAREWELL FROM JEREMY
Dear Friends,
It was lovely to see so many of you at my last Service on the 12th July. It was a wonderful occasion, which Lesley and myself both very much enjoyed. It was also lovely to spend time with each other making new friends and renewing old friendships. We were also moved by the very kind words said on your behalf by Jean and William.
Lesley and myself were also extremely touched with your generosity towards us both. But I would say that generosity has been a feature of our whole time in the Quintet Benefice, from the very first day I started my ministry here, and we have felt appreciated and loved by you all. We have thoroughly enjoyed the years we have spent with you and will be taking very fond memories of our time here with us as we move to Ludlow.
Can I also thank everybody for the wonderful retirement presents you have given us, a digital picture frame, a grain mill and also a generous cheque.
Like many people in today’s modern age, most of our pictures sit either on my computer or on our telephones and we don’t often see them. Now that we have a digital picture frame we will be able to transfer those treasured memories on to it and enjoy them as they appear and are displayed. It is our plan to mount it in pride of place on our living room wall.
The grain mill will become a key piece of equipment in my home brewery, as by being able to crush my own grain, it will take my brewing up to another level.
With our increased leisure time, we plan to put the cheque towards a two person, inflatable boat, to take to the water when we go away in our caravan.
The process of packing and moving is well underway, and I have already made a number of trips to our new home prior to our final move in the middle of August.
I have given the Churchwardens and members of the Ministry Team, our new address in Ludlow along with our contact details, and if any of you find yourselves in the Ludlow area, please make contact, and come and have a cup of tea and say hello.
Thank you again for five and half wonderful years, it has been a privilege and honour to have been your Rector and Priest, and I will be keeping the Benefice and each and every one of you in my thoughts and prayers.
With all my love and blessings
Jeremy
Let us pray:
Lord God,
We give thanks for the gift of Jeremy’s time with us
and his ministry in this place.
We ask your blessing on Jeremy and Lesley as they take the next steps in their journey of life,
that in all they do they would know your presence and your peace.
Amen
PRAYER CORNER
“Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares for you”.
1 Peter 5:7
Please pray--
- For all the countries that are going through conflict and political instability; we ask for peace, and that their citizens be free from fear and know stability once more.
- For all the areas across our country and in France and Spain where wildfires have swept through swathes of countryside due to the extreme, prolonged heat. For the lives which have been lost due to the wildfires; and for those who had to be evacuated because of the threat to their homes.
- For people throughout the world who struggle to get enough food. May God inspire us all to reach out with small acts of love, making a big difference, so that no one goes hungry.
- For the Church throughout the world: that it may be a sign of God’s love for all people and a beacon of hope for all who are in need.
- For our Benefice and Parishioners, especially those who have died recently; those who are suffering with their health; and for everyone who is sick or afraid, bereaved or isolated; and we pray for all who support them. May God grant each of them peace and comfort, courage and perseverance.
- For our Ministry Team, Churchwardens and members of the Parochial Church Councils as they work through the Vacancy.
- For heavenly wisdom for those who are to choose a new Priest for this Benefice, that the one whom we receive may be a wise and gentle shepherd of your people: ready to serve us with joy, to build us up in faith, and to lead us by example in loving obedience to your Son.
HELLO FROM PAM
Dear Friends,
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us”.
That quote is attributed to Alexander Graham Bell, the Scottish-born scientist, inventor and engineer who amongst other things is often credited with being the inventor of the first practical telephone. It is not a direct quote from the Bible, but it does seem to me that it is very true to life. It can often be true in relationships – when a relationship ends for whatever reason. It can certainly be true in the world of work, where people can find it hard to move on, especially if they were in their previous job for a long time.
I am sure that many of us have found it to be true when it comes to the life of the church. People can spend a lot of time looking back nostalgically to the way things used to be. They may look back to a golden age when you had to put extra chairs in the aisles of the church to fit everyone in at Harvest or Christmas. They may look back to styles of service they have known and loved and regret that things are not as they used to be. However, one thing that is often true is that nostalgia can become the enemy of progress. It can blind our eyes to the doors that are open in front of us now, to the opportunities that are there to enable the church to move forward and to all the possibilities for change and growth that are within our reach today. It is far better to acknowledge the doors that have closed behind us and to look forward with faith and expectancy to the open doors ahead.
I believe that we are entering into a time of great opportunity in terms of the life of our Benefice. It is clear that each of our churches have their mission priorities but the opportunity lies before us to see where we can collaborate more fully in God’s church across the Benefice. We need to remain open minded to different approaches of being church – indeed, we are already used to having services on Zoom.
Whatever our personal preferences may be, we should remember St Paul’s words: “I become all things to all people that I might save some of them by whatever means are possible” (1 Corinthians 9.22).
For all of us in our individual lives there are doors of opportunity that are open in front of us. They may not be the same shape, or look the same, as the doors that we are used to, but those opportunities are there, nonetheless. The same thing is also very true in the life of each of our churches. As individuals and as churches let us be careful not to be those who simply look back nostalgically to the doors that have closed behind us. Instead let us seek to look forward with faith and vision and be open to the new opportunities and the new doors that will open in front of us. This is the only way to keep moving forward in our own lives and the lives of our churches.
May God guide and inspire us as we seek to do that.
Pam
SERVICES DURING THE VACANCY
During the Vacancy there will be a new pattern for Services taking place in the Benefice so do please check carefully for details of where they are being held.
On the first, second and third Sundays of each month there will always be two churches holding a Eucharist Service, either at 9.15am or 11.00am.
The fourth Sunday of the month will be a Benefice Eucharist Service held at the usual time of 10.30am which will rotate between Aylmerton, Beeston Regis and West Runton. This Service will usually have a guest President/Preacher.
If there is a fifth Sunday of the month then this will also be a Benefice Eucharist Service held at the usual time of 10.30am which will rotate between West Runton, Aylmerton, Beeston Regis and Gresham. This Service will usually be taken by one of our own Ministry Team.
If there is not a Service taking place in your usual place of worship, then why not pop along to one of the other churches.
“STREAMS”
On Pentecost Sunday the Diocese of Norwich launched "STREAMS" which forms part of an exciting and emerging diocesan vision and strategy, with this first phase focusing entirely on Stories. Below are extracts from Bishop Graham’s letter to the Parishes:
“STREAMS is the culmination of multiple conversations, ideas and feedback from parishes and chaplaincies and it has enjoyed strong support by the Diocesan Synod. We all wish to see new people come to be a part of the life of our churches and congregations and we are hopeful for this journey ahead.
STREAMS offers us a simple invitation: to notice where God is already at work in people’s lives, to listen well, and to grow in confidence as we share stories of faith, hope, and everyday discipleship. It marks the beginning of living out our diocesan vision – to see every person deepening their life as a disciple of Jesus, prayerfully, pastorally, and prophetically.
Many people find it difficult to speak about faith, even within church life. Yet throughout the Gospels, Jesus invited people to tell their stories, by asking questions.
STREAMS Stories seeks to create simple and welcoming opportunities for people to do just that, helping us nurture a culture in which sharing our faith becomes something natural and life-giving.
I encourage every parish to make space for story-sharing in ways that feel appropriate to your context, whether during worship, in small groups, over coffee after services, in schools, or pastoral gatherings. These moments need not be polished or formal. The aim is simply to give people confidence and permission to speak naturally about faith and life, or to ask questions they may never previously have felt able to ask.”
We can all find it easy to talk to someone we know, or a stranger at the bus stop or in a shop, about a favourite food/recipe, TV show, job, or a recent holiday but could we talk to them about our faith?
We probably say, we cannot do that because:
· It’s too personal or private
· I wouldn’t really know what to say
· I don’t have the right to force my faith on anybody else
· I wouldn’t feel able to speak intelligently about my faith
· I’m worried or embarrassed about how people will respond
But as Bishop Graham says:
"STREAMS Stories seeks to create simple and welcoming opportunities for people to do just that, helping us nurture a culture in which sharing our faith becomes something natural and life-giving."
So why not give it a go and share your faith story with someone.
Visit the website for further information: https://exploringstreams.org/
The website also has a section about Prayer.
Prayer is a way of getting to know God – listening, learning, and sharing ourselves and our needs with him. Through prayer, we begin to discover that he cares for us and wants to guide and help us. Prayer is not something reserved for a particularly holy few; it is open to everyone. Many people turn to prayer in times of crisis, but God wants us to know that he is present in every moment, not just the difficult ones.
In “Pray the Small Stuff” there are suggested prayers which you can say whilst boiling a kettle, for preparing food, for looking in a mirror, for pulling the curtains, for charging your mobile, etc. Here are a couple to get you started:
For Charging a Phone
Lord, as my phone is recharged,
recharge my spirit.
Renew my strength in you, and keep me connected to your love.
‘Those who hope in the Lord will
renew their strength.’ Isaiah 40:31
For Opening Curtains
Jesus, light of the world,
Chase away the darkness.
May your light fill this room and shine through my life today.
‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.’ John 1:9
“Pray The Small Stuff” can be found at:
https://online.flippingbook.com/view/681103856/6-7/
If you would like to make a donation and help us to keep our churches open, please click on the button below:
SAFEGUARDING, HELP AND ADVICE
Safeguarding means protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of children and adults at risk of, or experiencing, emotional, psychological, physical or spiritual harm and/or neglect.
Safeguarding means enabling those who are affected to live safely, free from any kind of abuse or neglect. It is about people and organizations working together to prevent and reduce both the risks and actual experience of abuse in all of its forms.
We take safeguarding very seriously, at all of the Benefice Churches and care about all those we seek to serve within our churches and our communities.
We conform to the policy of Norwich Diocese which can be found at https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/about/safeguarding
If you believe that either yourself or someone you know may be at risk of harm or neglect, please contact the Benefice Safeguarding Officer Rev. Paul Yeomans 07437203535 to discuss your concerns and what the next steps might be.
Alternatively, you may contact the Norwich Diocese Safeguarding Team by email at [email protected] or by telephone on: 01603 882345.
If you yourself or someone you know is in immediate danger of being harmed then please call 999 to be advised by the emergency services.
