Something wonderful is about to happen. The Saviour of the world is about to be born. But the grumpy owl who lives in the barn just wants to be left alone... Will the animals help our owl to discover the Joy of Christmas? You're invited to find the joy of Christmas, too. Learn about the story of Jesus' birth and what this can mean for you today. There are thousands of local Advent and Christmas services and events at AChurchNearYou.com.
From Ely Cathedral:It is with great sadness that we share the news of Canon Jim Garrard who died unexpectedly on Monday 8 December.Jim had been the Canon Precentor at Ely Cathedral since 2008. He will be sorely missed by all the staff, the choirs and the wider Cathedral community.Further details regarding funeral arrangements will be shared in due course. Please do keep Ros, Richard, Sophia, members of Jim’s family and friends in your prayers at this time.If you wish to send cards or messages, please address them to the Chapter House at Ely Cathedral and they will be passed on to Jim’s family.May he rest in peace and rise in glory.The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely
🚧 Urgent Repairs at Holy Trinity This week brought sobering news for Holy Trinity. Following a meeting with our architect, alongside Peter Clayton and Toni, it has been confirmed that one of the main beams in the south aisle of the church is unsafe and must be replaced immediately. Even more concerning, two adjoining beams have also failed, meaning urgent work is required on this section of the building. The architect is now consulting with engineers and will put the work out to tender. The estimated cost of this immediate repair stands at £20,000, while the longer-term replacement of the roof is projected at around £150,000. The Good News ✨ Despite these challenges, Holy Trinity will remain open. Worship, fellowship, and community life can continue, which is a blessing as we approach the Advent and Christmas season. The Difficult News ⚠️ To ensure safety, the south aisle of the church must be cordoned off. This unfortunately means the organ will be out of action until the roof is repaired. While this is a significant loss, it is a necessary step to keep our doors open and our congregation safe. Why Act Now? 💡 Though the costs are daunting, the alternative is far worse. If the beam were to collapse, it could bring part of the roof down with it - leading to greater expense and disruption. Acting swiftly is the most responsible course. Next Steps 📅 PCC Meeting: An urgent meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 26th November at 7.30pm at Holy Trinity. This will allow us to discuss faculty processes and agree on the way forward. The PCC will update you following that meeting. A Community Effort ❤️ Holy Trinity has always been more than bricks and mortar - it is a living community of faith. While this news is difficult, it is also an opportunity to come together, to protect our heritage, and to ensure that worship continues in safety and joy. Let us rise to this challenge with hope, prayer, and generosity. Once we have more information, we will update you, but also recognising that a large fundraising project is now a reality! Please do keep Holy Trinity very much in your prayers as we work to protect this wonderful building. If you would like to discuss this in more detail please contact the Vicar or Churchwardens.
Charity Commission Warning to CofE This morning the Charity Commission issued a warning to the Church of England’s Archbishops Council that the independent safeguarding structures agreed at General Synod in February should be implemented 18 months from now – a year sooner than the plans had originally suggested. I wholeheartedly support the announcement from the Charity Commission. It is somewhat shameful that we are suggesting that we cannot implement many of these changes much sooner than had been originally suggested. We must reinstate trust and integrity back into the CofE and we cannot do this if we are not demonstrating any ability to take robust, tangible and solid action to support our safeguarding processes and procedures. Setting lengthy time frames does nothing more than suggest that we are not serious about change. Yes, all new procedures and processes need to be delivered in a measured, and timely fashion, and, of course, they must meet the needs of the organisation, but 2 ½ years after their agreement is simply, as I have said, shameful. We must take action today to ensure that we can meet the expectation set of us by the Commission and exceed that time frame. We must now work to deliver these changes asap. I believe that the CofE must set up a dedicated unit to understand and then drive forward these changes – if we don’t, we simply fail the victims of abuse and impede those victims who have yet to come forward, from having faith in our processes, and instil a fear we won’t take them seriously. For my part, I will continue to serve my Deanery and Parishes with Safeguarding at the forefront of all we do. With Best Wishes Andrew+
