Dear Friends,
St Mary’s Hardwick has given “honour and glory to God” (1 Timothy 1:17) for centuries and it was with great excitement and joy that we re-opened the church on Sunday 26 May. It was wonderful to worship together again in such a beautiful, spiritual place and to celebrate finishing the repairs project. St Mary’s has been at the centre of village life for a very long time. Generations have worshipped, prayed, served, loved and taken care of this little church over the centuries. It has been a great honour for me to be part of the team involved in the latest project here. We join an historic line of people who have worked hard to keep the church going, giving honour and glory to God.
We are so happy that the repair project went so well. Alistaire Lingard from AJ Restoration has done an incredible job repairing the church! We are very grateful to him, for his hard work and dedication. Alastaire has completed repair works to the ceiling throughout the Nave as well as other repair works to the East window, and above the Vestry door inside the Church. He has also completed external repairs to the porch and east end of the Church. There is still a crack in the wall behind the altar at the East end of the church. Graham Pledger, a retired surveyor who has been advising us during this project, wanted us to leave that crack in order for him to be able to monitor any movement in the building over the next few years. It is a good reminder to us that our church building will always be a work in progress, and we will continue to have to maintain it in the years to come. We are grateful to Graham, and also to David Grech, a retired architect for their support and advice during the project.
Thank you also to all who have worked on this project, including all at Marlows Scaffolding and local Carpenter, Steve Bond, and of course the Team here at St Mary’s, including the late Clare Bigg who was an integral member of the team. Clare was a wonderful, calming presence, especially when things were difficult, and I will always remember her saying: “We don’t need to worry because God is with us. He’s helped us before and He will help us again.” And how right Clare was and is, and as a Church community we are very thankful to God who has watched over us and helped us through this time, which has had its challenges and times of great sadness. We are incredibly grateful for the continuing help and support of the wider community, which has meant so much to us. Over the last year I have seen how our church really matters to so many people. We are here for the whole community, and we look forward to welcoming you back through our doors!
God Bless,
Clare
Rev’d Clare Coates
Lead Minister for Hardwick, Dry Drayton and Caldecote with Childerley
clarecoates@lordsbridge.org
07818618795
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Services in June
Sunday 2 June
9:30am Holy Communion with Revd Clare. All welcome.
Sunday 9 June
9:30am Holy Communion with Revd Clare. All welcome.
3:00-4:00pm Wild Church. A fun outdoor service for families and children of all ages.
Sunday 16 June
9:30am Holy Communion with Revd Clare. All welcome.
Sunday 23 June
9:30am Morning Worship for all ages, with Ali Marcus and Peter Cornwell. All welcome.
Sunday 30 June Lordsbridge Team Service at St Mary’s Comberton
10:30am Holy Communion with Revd Barnabas and Revd Priscilla. All welcome.
Zoom Services
Worship at Home – All Lordsbridge Zoom Service
Every Sunday, 11.00am. Join any time from 10.50am: https://zoom.us/j/82311473640.
Weekday Services
Wednesdays
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:00am at the Cabin
And in the following weeks, on zoom. All welcome.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89886404258?pwd=TUowNlY3bVBSUThEa0pRTmZoT0liUT09
Friday Night Prayers
You are warmly invited to join us on Zoom to say Night Prayer together on a Friday to mark the transition to the weekend. Short and sweet, we are open for chat from 7:30pm, pray promptly at 7:45 and are finished by 8. Please contact Michaela McNeill for further details: mjvmcn@gmail.com: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71608180893?pwd=fuuOG49PrrXExUf82dKU1H3Lv6fn9W.1
What’s On
Tuesdays – Toddlers in term time
Tuesdays
Alternate weeks either:
12:15pm Meditation with Howard Bigg in the Cabin
or 2:00-4:00pm The Colour Wheel – Hardwick Mindful Colouring Group
£4 donation which includes refreshments and materials. For more information contact Nicky.
Thursdays
10:30am-12noon Bumps and Babies with Ali
Saturdays
1st Saturday of every month: 10.00am-12noon, Pippins, in Hardwick School Hall.
Drop in for a cuppa, cake and a chat! This month we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary, so please do join us!
Useful Contacts
Revd Claire Robertson, Lead Minister for Coton, Barton, Harlton and Haslingfield: 01223 874194; clairerobertson@lordsbridge.org
Revd Charles Fraser, Lead Minister for Little and Great Eversden: charlesfraser@lordsbridge.org; 01223 264974
Team Administrator: Becca Herrick; rebeccaherrick@lordsbridge.org