From the Vicar
Firstly, a big ‘thank you’ for the warm welcome my family and I have received on moving to Trumpington. We are looking forward to getting to know more people as we settle in, and I am excited to see how my ministry here will unfold. October is a time to take stock and give thanks for all we have, as the old harvest hymn says, ‘When all is safely gathered in’. Our harvest festival service will be 4 October and all are welcome to join us in a celebration of both the natural world and all those who work in food production, as well as remembering and supporting those who suffer from food insecurity.
How best to use our resources is not limited to food, at St Mary & St Michael’s we are considering how we might better use our building and the adaptations that might be necessary to achieve our ambitions; our Launch Event on 10 October will give everyone in Trumpington an opportunity to see those plans and contribute to them. I encourage you to come to the church, even if you have never been before, so that you can be part of that conversation.
In November we change gear and it is the period of the church’s year given over to remembrance. The most obvious beginning to this is Halloween, where the spookiness of death and the myths and traditions surrounding the unknown of the afterlife are becoming an increasingly popular ‘celebration’. This is all just a prelude however: 1 November is the day we celebrate All Saints Day, remembering many who have led godly lives which serve as an example to others of duty and service.
The next day is given over to remembering all who have died, many of whom may well have been ‘saints’ in their own small and personal way. And then we have Remembrance Sunday, this year on 8 November, when we are reminded of the human cost of war and those for whom duty and service came at a great price. Remembering those we have lost can often be a painful experience, but it is also an important part of the grieving process and a way to honour their memory.
Faith communities are places where we can support each other so we don’t have to do this alone. The 8 November Remembrance Service, which begins in church and then moves on to the war memorial on the High Street, is a time when we come together for a mix of both thanksgiving and regret. See the service times below. Remembering, and sharing those memories, can be an opportunity to free ourselves from some of the pain of the past and move forward into a more hopeful future.
I pray that this is your experience of remembrance this year. God bless, Barnabas
Services at St Mary & St Michael in October & November
Our 10am Sunday services are in-person and Zoomed; other services are in-person only. You can find the Zoom link here: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/2697/
| Date | Service |
|---|---|
| Sunday 4 October, Trinity 18 – Harvest Thanksgiving | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am All Age Communion, followed by a Bring & Share Lunch in church, all welcome |
| Sunday 11 October, Trinity 19 | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion with Junior Church |
| Sunday 18 October, Trinity 20 | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Experience & Explore 6.30pm BCP Evening Prayer |
| Sunday 25 October, Last after Trinity | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion with Junior Church |
| Sunday 1 November, All Saints Day | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am All Age Communion |
| Sunday 8 November, Remembrance Day | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Service of Remembrance, followed by 10.55am Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. Coffee served in church afterwards. |
| Sunday 15 November, 2 before Advent | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Experience & Explore 6.30pm BCP Evening Prayer |
| Sunday 22 November, Last before Advent, Christ the King | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion with Junior Church |
| Sunday 29 November, Advent 1 | 8.30am BCP Holy Communion 10am Holy Communion |
From the Parish Registers
| Service | Date | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Burial | 03/07/2026 | Anthony Hazlerigg Proctor Beauchamp |
| Wedding | 07/08/2026 | William Reiner Bonsmann & Katy Louise Rowland |
| Wedding | 29/08/2026 | Jonathan Edward Pebody & Zoe Clare Kenworthy |
A guide to our services
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| 8.30am BCP Holy Communion | From the Book of Common Prayer: a quiet, traditional communion service. |
| 10am Holy Communion | A service using liturgy from Common Worship with hymns and music, and with Junior Church on 2nd and 4th Sundays during school term-time. |
| 10am All Age Communion | A more contemporary communion service specifically for all ages. There is no Junior Church on this Sunday as the children stay for the service. |
| 10am Third Sunday Experience and Explore | An informal service without communion; it includes a talk, a time for personal reflection, activities for all ages and refreshments. |
| 6.30pm BCP Evening Prayer | Normally takes place on third Sundays. |