WICKFORD AND RUNWELL PARISH
LENT 2026
Inspired to Follow: Who is my Neighbour
A journey through Lent

A course from St Martin-in-the-Fields in conjunction with the National Gallery, exploring Art and the Bible Story. We are offering this six week course from week commencing 23rd February. The final week will be decided by each group.

There will be three groups meeting:

Tuesday 7.30pm 46 Penrith Crescent, SS11 7FL
Thursday 2pm 41 Ozonia Way, SS12 0PQ
Thursday 7.30pm 51 Pebmarsh Drive, SS12 9AH

Friday 27 February, 7.30 pm
St Andrew’s Church,
11 London Road,
Wickford SS12 0AN

Suffolk-Essex musician, Rev Simpkins, presents an evening of acoustic music of great imagination and charm.

The Rev will perform songs from his acclaimed folk albums such as ‘Big Sea’ and ‘Saltings’, together with songs from his band album ‘Pissabed Prophet’.

The gig will also feature songs from the Rev’s most recent album ‘Headwater’, a collection of fever dreams and reflections on awe and delirium, recorded in the aftermath of an extreme reaction to immunotherapy treatment for stage 4 cancer. These songs recreate sounds and visions experienced on the hospital ward.

The Rev’s sweeping melodies, rich harmonies, and fascinating lyrics have won him both a cult following and national acclaim.

This is a rare chance to experience the breadth of the Rev’s work in one evening.

"Bizarre Post-Punk mastery...Ludicrously cool" 8/10 Vive le Rock on ‘Pissabed Prophet’

“Headwater takes us into new ruminative territory with its industrial electronic soundscapes and use of drones and silences to bring us into contemplation.” International Times

Part of ‘Unveiled’, the Friday night arts and performance event at St Andrew’s Church
No ticket required – donations requested on the night

Saturday 28th February, 7.00pm
St Andrews Church Hall, SS12 OHZ

Back by popular demand, Join us for a fun general knowledge quiz

Teams of up to 8. £5 per person

Bring your own snacks & drinks (Tea and Coffee available)

To book a table contact Caroline or Alison email [email protected]

A live streamed Service at 10.00 am on Sundays from St Andrew's Wickford.

Join us in a Service of Morning Prayer. See https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer for the Order of Service.

A chance to meet at St Andrew’s weekly – bring along knitting, sewing, crafts of any kind and spend a couple of hours in good company. No particular skills required, you are welcome whether you have nimble fingers or butterfingers. And if you don’t have a project of your own to bring, there are always blanket squares to be sewn up, or the chance just to sit and chat. Meetings, open to anyone from our three churches and our local community, are held Tuesdays in St Andrew’s Centre, 2 – 4 pm: no charge, and refreshments provided.

Exploring Life and Faith together
Being With is for anyone who’s curious about faith — or wondering if the Christian faith has something meaningful to offer.

It’s for those who perhaps feel on the edge of church — uncertain, disconnected, hurt, or simply searching for something deeper. It’s also for those who’ve never explored faith before but feel open to discovering more together with others.

Date: 13/01/26 - 17/03/26
Time: 7.30 pm
Location: St Andrew's Church
Address: 11 London Rd, Wickford SS12 0AN
Contact Number: 0783562329
Email: [email protected]

The Church gathers primarily for worship, to celebrate all that God is and all that God has done, to be drawn into the life of the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We offer God songs and words of praise in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We attend to God’s words in Scripture. We gather around the table of the Lord in the Holy Communion. We offer prayers for our own needs and the needs of the world. When we do this we join our prayers – thin and weak as they often are – with the great hymn of praise of the Church in both earth and heaven, in time and in eternity.

The Eucharist or Holy Communion is celebrated by the whole people of God gathered for worship. The ministry of the members of the congregation is expressed through their active participation together in the words and actions of the service, but also by some of them reading the Scripture passages, leading the prayers of intercession, and, if authorized, assisting with the distribution of communion.

Art History Workshop with Maurizio Galia
From the false reality to the objective reality: The rise of Contemporary Arts in the XIX Century
Tuesday 10 March, 3.00 - 5.00 pm St Andrew’s Church (11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN)

Maurizio Galia, from Turin, Italy, is a highly versatile art professional who has traversed various creative realms throughout his career. His artistic journey began as an illustrator for advertising, a role that laid the foundation for his future endeavours. Since 1990, he has also shared his extensive knowledge and passion for the fine arts as a dedicated teacher. His teaching experience extends beyond Italy, including a collaboration with a British institute in London in 2019. His commitment to education aligns with his desire to nurture the artistic talents of others.

His workshop will provide a panorama of art movements from the XIX Century to the Present. Discover key artists and art movements from Neo-Classicism to Contemporary art and Jacques Louis David to today’s top names.

A talk by Geoff Whiter of Wickford Community Archive
Friday 13 March, 7.00 pm
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN

Geoff’s talk will include a number of unseen photographs of Wickford Town centre.

A youth discussion group meeting monthly on Fridays, 7.00 pm, St Andrew's Centre. All discussion topics chosen by the group. All teens and twenties are welcome.

Men's Breakfast - Fellowship in the Park

Men’s Fellowship breakfast takes place on a monthly basis (3rd Saturday in the month).

It is held at Memorial Park Café, Wickford Memorial Park from 9.00am and is a time for food, friendship, conversation and laughter.

Please come and join us for fellowship in the park. Please let Steve Talbot or Revd Jonathan if you plan to come so we can give them an idea of numbers.

For more information on Memorial Park Café find them on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569174024379...
or their menus: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122116023308639134&set=pb.61569174024379.-2207520000&type=3&locale=en_GB

Wednesday 25 March, 7.30 pm

IN ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

Choral music is one of the great treasures of the Anglican tradition. Enjoy a themed programme which combines music with stories of how the pieces came to be written and reflections on the theme.

Calling all talent, it’s the return of the OPEN MIC NIGHT at the best location in Essex, St Andrew’s Church, London Road, Wickford on Friday 27th March from 7.30pm. Our previous open mics have been extremely busy so best to get there early and get your name down! As always, absolutely everybody is welcome to join in and either perform or simply spectate and enjoy the live entertainment in the most comfortable of surroundings and the best acoustics ever! There is also a bar and drinks are available for a small donation towards the evening. We look forward to seeing you all there!!

Friday 10 April 2026, 7.00 pm
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AN

Fr Spencer Reece is Rector of St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wickford, Rhode Island, and an internationally acclaimed poet. Hear him read poems from his upcoming collection Farewell Symphony.

Fr Spencer Reece is Rector of St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wickford, Rhode Island, and an internationally acclaimed poet. His project teaching poetry to abandoned girls at the Our Little Roses orphanage in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was made into an award-winning film, Voices Beyond the Wall: 12 Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World.

Saturday 30 May 2026, 7.30 pm
St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN

We are celebrating the 150th Anniversary of St Catherine’s Wickford with a fundraising concert as subsidence has caused cracks in the walls requiring underpinning - a retiring collection will be taken.

The Ladybirds Song Group are a voluntary community group spreading joy through music, performing in care homes, clubs, and other local venues.