St Mary Magdalene, Barkway

Welcome to the United Benefice of Barkway, Barley, Reed and Buckland. Our service times can be seen by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

Our benefice is committed to safeguarding all our children and vulnerable adults providing consistent policies and practice. Please click https://www.stalbans.anglican.org/diocese/safeguarding/ The PCCs of the churches in the United Benefice of Barkway, Barley, Reed and Buckland have also adopted the House of Bishops “Promoting a Safer Church; safeguarding policy statement”. The Church of England’s Parish Safeguarding handbook is also available from the Church of England website so please click on https://www.churchofengland.org/

For any further information please click on the Safeguarding details button under Categories to the right of this screen OR contact one of the Churchwardens.

Reverend Mark Bridgen became our Rector in May 2024 and we ask you to please remember Mark, Karen (his wife) and their family in your prayers.

All our churches are open for private prayer and for Sunday worship with details available by clicking the appropriate tab at the top of your screen. We send out details every week of these services, so please contact Liz Kershaw at [email protected] receive these details. We seek to worship God and discover ways to live out our faith in our communities and beyond, in word and action, through loving God and loving our neighbour.

We offer you, your family and friends a warm welcome to worship with us or to attend any of our social events. Whether you live in these villages or further afield you are welcome. All of our villages are vibrant communities with many activities and groups and the churches are central to each.

Our small rural benefice in North East Hertfordshire, covers an area which includes Barkway, Barley, Reed, Buckland, Chipping, Nuthampstead and Newsells. Our nearest towns are Royston and Buntingford, but Cambridge is also within easy reach. Buckland Church, in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, is a beautiful church where we hold occasional services.


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Get in touch

Rev Mark Bridgen

The Rectory
135 High Street
Barkway
Royston

SG8 8ED
Rev Mark Bridgen
01763 848756
Rev Mark Bridgen
07375299944

Our website

What's on

Normal service pattern

Every First, Third, Fourth, Fifth Sunday at for 1 hour
St Mary Magdalene, Barkway
Church Lane Barkway Royston SG8 8EJ, SG8 8EJ, United Kingdom

Copy and paste our web site link: https://unitedbenefice.wordpress.com/service-times-in-the-benefice/

But please check our web site for up to date service times, which include evensong and United Benefice services.

More info
Our Benefice

Safeguarding

Our United Benefice is proud to be a part of the Diocese of St. Albans in the Church of England, whose Archbishops, Bishops, clergy and leaders are absolutely committed to safeguarding as an integral part of the life and ministry of the Church.

Safeguarding means the action the Church takes to promote a safer culture. This means we will promote the welfare of children, young people and adults, work to prevent abuse from occurring, seek to protect those that are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused. We will take care to identify where a person may present a risk to others, and offer support to them whilst taking steps to mitigate such risks.

The Church of England affirms the ‘Whole Church’ approach to safeguarding. This approach encompasses a commitment to consistent policy and practice across all Church bodies, Church Officers and that everyone associated with the Church, who comes into contact with children, young people and adults, has a role to play.

The Church will take appropriate steps to maintain a safer environment for all and to practice fully and positively Christ’s Ministry towards children, young people and adults; to respond sensitively and compassionately to their needs in order to help keep them safe from harm.

Although safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone here at St Mary’s; Nicholas Tufton is our designated Safeguarding Lead and can be contacted about any safeguarding matter on 07768 526461 or by emailing [email protected]

Two very useful links:

More information on the Church of England’s National Safeguarding can be found here: www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding

More information about Safeguarding in the Diocese of St. Albans can be found here: https://www.stalbans.anglican.org/diocese/safeguarding

Recording and live streaming services

1) Following changes in worship patterns due to the pandemic, services from the churches in Barkway Barley and Reed may sometimes be recorded and or live-streamed. Streaming will not normally include images of the congregation, but of ministers and leaders. Any images of the congregation will be distant or in passing. There will be no images of people in close up, praying, or at the communion rail.

3) Worshippers will be advised if a service is being recorded/live-streamed through announcements in church and via the weekly notice sheet. A notice is also by placed at the entrance to the church and on the noticeboard.

2) Only ministers leading the service will be filmed, and, if those leading readings and intercessions are likely to be on film, their permission will be sought beforehand.

3) If children are going to appear on the recording or live stream, the express permission of their parents/guardians will be sought prior to filming.

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