We are a North West Essex benefice of five Churches, in four parishes. At the heart of what we do is our faith in God and our love for him. Sacramental worship and prayer are central as we seek to make our love of God known through our lives and discipleship.
Collectively, we have a lot going on! We strive to be welcoming and inclusive, hoping always to witness to God as he builds up the body of Christ in these churches and the communities they serve.
Our churches have quite distinct identities. St John the Baptist with Our Lady and St Laurence, in the small town of Thaxted, has a liberal anglo-catholic history and outlook. St Michael the Archangel, Great Sampford, St Mary the Virgin, Little Sampford; St Mary the Virgin, Radwinter; St Andrew's, Hemstead, worship in a 'central' church tradition with congregations that are dedicated both to their own parish and to the 'the villages', and, indeed, increasingly to the benefice collectively. (14.01.26 There is so much to say about these churches; they are wonderful places with wonderful people, more detail will be added in the pages dedicated to the individual churches in the next few weeks).
Fr David
The Revd David Sheppard, rector of Thaxted, the Sampfords, Radwinter and Hempstead.
