Welcome to the Lordsbridge Team
Monthly Newsletter
December 2023
“…the angel said to them,
‘Do not be afraid;
for see—I am bringing you good news
of great joy for all the people:
to you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour,
who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 (NRSV)
Worship with us across the Team
Details of services across the team, as well as our worship at home resources, are available each week on our website.
Our Sunday Zoom Church meets every week at 11.00am at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82311473640. Everyone is welcome.
Did you know… that each week a new service sheet is posted onto the worship at home page of the website? This service, complete with songs, reflection and prayers for the week, can be printed off and used at home, or passed on to those who can’t access church in person or online. Is there someone in your parish who you could share this with?
West Cambridge Churches Joint Service
On Sunday 26th November, our morning services will join together with churches across the area for our annual West Cambridge Churches Joint Service. This is taking place at Comberton Leisure, at 10.30am. A flyer is attached. Everyone is very welcome.
The children’s ministry (for primary school age) during this service will be run by GenR8. Please could you sign your child(ren) up in advance at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_-fI2AETX3vUgpU_n-XMNzztyt9f3jm2xQ0GcYlFlao2cXQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
For those who cannot attend in person, but would like to join the service online, please use the following Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85077823475?pwd=TFZKRkc3TkQyRm9sM2cxV1VjeVVZZz09
Finally, this will be the final big gathering that includes the whole benefice before David Newton moves on to his new role. For many of us it will therefore provide a natural opportunity to say goodbye to him and his family. We’ll be providing lots of cake to spruce up the refreshments. Do stay after the service for this if you can.
Lordsbridge Team Advent and Christmas
There is lots going on across the Team this Advent and Christmas. For more details of services, events and more, please see our Advent and Christmas page.
Each week during Advent, a new reflection will also be available on our website. Why not take some time to pause and reflect?
Team News
Our Team Rector, David Newton, will be leaving us at Christmas to begin his new role as the Diocesan Director of Ordinands for the Diocese of Ely. David will be licensed into his new post on Thursday 4th January. Please hold him and his family in your prayers on that day, as David begins his new ministry.
During the vacancy the Team Vicars – Clare Coates, Charles Fraser, and Claire Robertson – will continue to share leadership across the team, as Lead Ministers in their respective parishes. The “Core” Team, which also includes the new Team Curate, Barnabas Leeke, our Team Support Minister, Priscilla Slusar, and our Team Administrator, Becca Herrick, will continue to meet weekly to support one another and enable collaboration across the team.
Claire Robertson will become Acting Team Rector, convening weekly “Core” meetings, Team Council, and Team Chapter. Clare Coates will take a lead in supporting pioneering ministry and fresh expressions across the team, facilitating collaboration and resource sharing, and encouraging new initiatives, where helpful. Priscilla Slusar will become the Training Incumbent for Barnabas Leeke, who will continue to minister principally in Comberton, Coton, and Toft.
The vacant parishes of Comberton and Toft will be led by the local ministry teams and churchwardens.
Our Rural Dean, Hugh McCurdy, is on hand to support the whole team through the vacancy. With the vacant parishes and the wider team, he will soon begin the process to appoint a new Team Rector.
Do pray for the whole benefice as we adjust to this new season.
WCCYM Christmas Holly & Jolly
Why not sign up here for our Holly & Jolly? WCCYM’s Christmas Party with a formal twist and some great surprises. Friday 8th December. 6pm to 9pm. Comberton Baptist Church. £5 per person.
Other WCCYM News:
On Monday 13th November, Adam, Nick and Susie cycled over 50 miles to every WCCYM Partner Church to raise funds for WCCYM’s Outreach and Discipleship work. Through your kind donations, over £1500 (including gift aid) was raised towards the work of WCCYM and over £600 to go towards Adam’s gap year with Youth For Christ, which allows him to be a part of the WCCYM team for the year. Thank you the for the support you have given with this fundraiser.
If you would still like to give towards the WCCYM team’s efforts, please click here.
The Church in Toft – 20th Anniversary
This December, the Church in Toft are celebrating 20 years of being an LEP. What’s an LEP? A Local Ecumenical Partnership is a formal partnership between different Christian denominations in one place. In Toft the Methodist Chapel and St Andrew’s (the Church of England parish church) have been formally working together for 20 years, working and worshipping together across the village.
The Lordsbridge Team Monthly Newsletter
The Lordsbridge Team Monthly Newsletter aims to keep us connected to one other – spotlighting some of the wonderful things happening in the parishes, being honest about some of the challenges (like building repairs), and sharing news and events that have team-wide appeal. For village focussed events, please do check out your local church mailings.
To get in touch with the Lordsbridge Team and for links to our Facebook and Instagram pages, please see the Contact Us page.