With the relaxation of COVID restrictions we are planning to re-open the Church for worship from Sunday 18 April at 11:00 am together with fortnightly Wednesday morning services. Clearly this is subject to no further changes in Government, Local Authority or Church of England guidance.

Number will remain restricted to comply with social distancing requirements and to assist in the management of this we ask that wherever possible you pre book to join us for worship.

You can pre book by clicking here or on the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGhNlY9Vp08TImw7PmMKDLn_O-LmT6TCDc4EDfqL2-mzmW9A/viewform

Please see our new tab for full details of services and worship planned for this special time of the year or please click here.

Ash Wednesday & Lent Study; The Poet’s Gospel

Next Wednesday (17 February) as we enter Lent please join us on Zoom via the internet or the telephone (full details below) at 7:30 pm for a short Ash Wednesday service.

Then, starting on Wednesday, 24 February, again at 7:30pm, we will be running a weekly Lent course.   We will be using material written by John Alan Davis and made available through Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.  The meetings will comprise listening to some pre-recorded material followed by discussion prompted by some simple questions.  If you would like to get a taster of this you might want to click here to see a summary of the weeks materials.

Our meetings will be led by members of both St Stephen’s and Wimpole Road and will be another great opportunity to share together as we explore our faith and how we are called to act based upon it.

Meetings will be via Zoom and can be access from either the internet or telephone.  Please see below for joining instructions:

Join Zoom Meeting by clicking here.

Meeting ID: 780 700 295
Passcode: 011904

Telephone Dial In
0131 460 1196, 0203 051 2874, 0203 481 5237, 0203 481 5240, 0203 901 7895
Meeting ID: 780 700 295
Passcode: 011904

During Lent our weekly Bible study meetings will be suspended and will re-start after Easter at their normal time and day.  Weekly Prayer meeting on Tuesday morning at 10:00 will continue as normal.

We hope that you will be able to join with us for this time together as we prepare for Holy Week and Easter.

From 06 December weekly Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 we will be sharing with a shortened Eucharist service, subject to no further changes in Church of England guidance and / or restrictions. We will also celebrate Christmas with a short service on Christmas morning at 10:15 (you will also be able to join these services live on Facebook).

Numbers will remain restricted to ensure adherence to social distancing and to assist with managing this together with Track and Trace requirements we request that if you would like to join us for worship you pre book.

To pre book to join us for worship at 10:15 on Sunday please click here

Wednesday morning worship will recommence on 06 January 2021 and fortnightly there after (pre booking is not required for this service).

We will also prepare for Christmas with a Rolling Carol Service on Facebook from Sunday 20 December until Christmas Day and invite you to join with Wimpole Road on Facebook from 11:00 on Sunday 20 December for their Carol Service.

For other Worship and meetings during the week please see the Newsletter.

Please also continue to watch our Facebook page and web site for up to date information about services and events.

Due to the new lockdown restrictions our worship in Church has been suspended.  Please watch our web site and Facebook page for news of re-opening together with other events and activities.

Please click here to see notices of this meeting scheduled for 25 October 2020 after morning worship or you can join via Zoom (please see below).

This will also include the election of Churchwardens, click here for details.

To view copy of the Annual Report please click here.

Year end 31 December 2019 accounts can be viewed here; Income & Expenditure and Balance Sheet.

To join the APCM you can either stay on at the end of our Sunday service or if you are unable to attend in person you will be able to join with us via Zoom (either through a video link or on the telephone).  Full details of how to join are set out below and you will be able to join via Zoom from 10:45.

To join on Zoom via video link:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86156318976
Meeting ID: 861 5631 8976

To Join via your telephone:

Dial in in your phone:
0203 051 2874, 0203 481 5237, 0203 481 5240, Meeting ID: 861 5631 8976

You will be asked for a participant code, don’t’ worry that you haven’t got one as you will be told to simply press #

We have made an application for a faculty to undertake some alteration works within the Church here at St Stephens.

Please click here to view that Public Notice (form 4a) and to view the application itself click here.

Any enquires should be progressed as per the instructions within the Public Notice.

We are due to hold our APCM meeting on the 25th October as part of our morning worship. As we lead up to that date we are renewing our electoral roll. If you wish to be added (and meet the criteria noted on the form) then please use the form attached here and email it back to the church office (office@ststephens-colchester.org.uk) or post it to the church. The last date that this can be completed prior to the APCM is 11th October 2020. Many thanks, Rev Lorraine

Please click here for details. All are welcome.

As mentioned earlier, plans are now well progressed to start to re-open for worship and prayer. At this stage we have services planned until 20 September and we will be using the experiences and feedback from these to inform our plans going forward.

A detailed risk assessment has been undertaken to ensure that it is safe to re-open and this together with both Government and Church of England Guidance and restrictions means that we have to introduce a number of new measure to ensure that everybody is kept as safe as possible, whilst still allowing us to worship together.

These changes include:

· The need for people to pre book to attend worship.  This can be done by clicking on the service that you wish to attend, as detailed below and completing the pre booking request form. If you are unable to access this on line, or would prefer not to, you can  ask a friend or family member to do this for you, phone / contact Andrew in the Office or one of the Church Wardens,

# Below you will find details (date and times) of services which are currently planned. To reserve a place, please click on the desired service(s) and this will enable you to book a place.

Meditative Service led by John Clifton on Sunday 6 September at 10:15 am

Said Eucharist on Wednesday  9 September at 10:30 am

Short Service with Eucharist  on Sunday 20 September at 10:15

# Social distancing will be required and this means that we are restricted to a maximum number of people who will be able to attend any one service,

# Masks / face covering will need to be warn while in the Church premises (unless you are exempt from wearing one on medical grounds),

# You will be asked to sanitize your hands upon entering the Church and will be able to do the same upon exit,

# A one way system will be in operation and you will be required to follow this,

# All are welcome to attend, but once you have been allocated your seat you will not be able to move about the building and children, whilst welcome, will need to supervised and stay in their seats at all times and will not be able to wonder about.

We hope that this all makes sense, but if  you have any questions, please speak to Rev Lorraine, Andrew Topple or one of the Church Wardens

The Parochial Church Council of New Town and the Hythe