St Peter's Yaxley

…reaching out in love and faith

Yaxley in Lockdown

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As I write this, it will be 12 weeks since the church in Yaxley (and across the country and the world in some places) left the building. 

Many if not all of us will have had to come to terms with some very different circumstances in which to operate in both our family, school and work settings and within the community.  St. Peter’s, Yaxley were able to move very quickly on to the internet for our services and while it is not the same, we are worshipping together through weekly services on our YouTube Channel.  We also have children’s work videos on here and a virtual Messy Church – please do come and have a look and see what is on there.  We are also really aware that some people do not have access to social media for many reasons and we are sending out a weekly service sheet to these people to ensure that they still feel part of our church community.  If you would like to receive this, then please do give me a ring and I will happily add you to the list.

It has been wonderful to see how our community of Yaxley has come together in so many different ways to support each other through the Yaxley and Farcet Coronavirus support network, to seeing neighbours caring for each other, to the good humour that people have had at some of the weird circumstances we have found ourselves living within.  Thank you to all those who have continued to work during this time in many different places in our community and beyond to keep us safe and ensure that we have the things that we need. I would also like to say thank you for everyone that has contributed to making this community what it is including the lovely posters and bears that I have seen as I have walked around the village – what a great place to be in a difficult time.

Thank you also to the many people who have continued to keep our Foodbank stocked up over these last few weeks.  You will not be surprised to know that demand is increasing, and we expect this to continue.  We know that some of the usual places to donate are not operational at the moment so feel free to leave any donations on the Vicarage doorstep and we promise not to eat it and to get it to Foodbank asap!

You, like us, might be asking some really big questions about what is going on in our world at this time.  We know that people are seeking and asking questions and if we can help at all, then please do get in touch or have a look at some of the things on our YouTube Channel.  What I do believe very much is, that in the middle of this awful virus, good is happening and God is at work in our world.  Do join in our services on YouTube as we think about some of these big questions together. 

Jesus said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” John 14:1

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” John 20: 19

With every blessing in this coming month.

Rev Sarah Hare

01733 248690 / 07498 230858

yaxleyvicar@gmail.com

Hello & Thank You

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I am writing this just a few days after I was licensed as Priest-in-Charge (Vicar) of St Peter’s Church, Yaxley by The Bishop of Ely.  It was an incredibly special service and friends and family came from all over the country.  There was also an unexpected surprise, as people from The Wenlock Team of Parishes which were my previous parishes in Shropshire came to support me for this service.  The community of St. Peter’s Church worked incredibly hard to ensure everything ran smoothly and I would like to thank them.  Along with friends and family and so many people from St. Peter’s Church community, were also many different representatives from Yaxley.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for being there and part of such a special evening.  It is going to take me a good while to get to know people, names and places, but do say hello if you see me out and about and I will eventually get there!  Thank you for coming to support me.

Simon and I are really excited to be in Yaxley and part of the St. Peter’s community.  People have been so helpful as we try to find our way around the village and this side of the country.  I was ordained 6 years ago and have been in Shropshire for these 6 years and before this, I was a nurse working mainly in cancer care for 13 years.

Thank you for your welcome to the village and I am looking forward to getting to know people here.

With every blessing,

Rev Sarah (Vicar)

01733 248690 / 07498 230858

vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Yaxley Foodbank

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Firstly, we would like to thank all those local people who so generously support the food bank. Without your regular donations, we wouldn’t be able to continue to help vulnerable families in our community.

This year, we have been busier than ever, having already given out over 2 metric tonnes of food from our base at St. Peters Church. This has meant that with the busy summer holiday period fast approaching our stocks of food items are significantly lower than usual for the time of year. During the school summer holidays, when school meals are not available, we provide weekly food parcels to a number of families struggling to make ends meet. This means we give out a large amount of food during this period.

We would like to make an appeal to the folk of Yaxley and the surrounding villages. Would you consider placing a few items in one of the collecting baskets around the locality?

We are particularly short of the following items:
Tinned meat and fish
Tinned vegetables
Tinned potatoes
Tinned fruit
Long life milk
Long life custard
Tinned rice pudding

Our baskets are in the following locations:
Yaxley Co-op
Yaxley Lakeside Surgery
William de Yaxley School
Fourfields School
Yaxley Infants School
Farcet Primary School
Austin Hall
St Peters Church
St Mary Magdalene Church Stilton

Thanking you all again for your continuing support.
St. Peter’s Church

For all enquiries, please call or email Laura 

Try something new in 2019

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Happy New Year!

It’s that time of year where we are thinking about our new year resolutions; maybe giving up smoking, drinking, chocolate or shopping. These things all focus on giving up something but we can also focus on becoming part of something and in turn helping others.

St. Peter’s Church in partnership with Deafblind Enablement run a monthly informal group, named Impaired Senses, for anyone with sensory loss, which we would like to invite you to. There’s two ways to take part and join in the fun:

If you, or anyone you know is finding it harder to see or hear and would like to join a friendly group for games, raffle, fellowship and refreshments, then please come along and meet us.
Alternatively, you could become a volunteer and join the team from St. Peter’s who provide this community group for the village and surrounding area.

The group takes place, as follows:
Where: St B’s Hall, Main Street, Yaxley, PE7 3LZ
When: 3rd Saturday of the month, 2-4pm
Cost: Nothing but a smile

Our next meeting is Saturday 19th January 2019.

We would love to meet more people and with enough volunteers we are able to assist in transport needs, just let us know your requirements. We even have a summer trip to the seaside for fish and chips! For more information on the group please contact Debbie on 01733 686969 or email debbie@deafblindenablement.co.uk

In addition to this group, we work in partnership with Cambs Deaf Church to provide a Signed Service on the 4th Sunday of the month. We are blessed to have two people attend who sign, and can offer both BSL and SSE. Our next Signed Service is Sunday 27th January 2019, at 11am.

May the year ahead hold many blessings for you.
God Bless

Are you being called to lead and grow our ministry?

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The Bishop of Ely seeks to make an appointment for the post of Vicar to serve in the parish of Yaxley, Cambridgeshire.

Yaxley is a single church parish, with an all-age congregation, in one of the largest villages in the country. With a population of over 10,000, close to the A1 and next to Peterborough, it retains a village community feel, with all the schools, amenities and activities one would hope for.

We are seeking a vicar who is ready for the challenge of developing a fresh approach to our vision.

In particular, we would like our new vicar to:

  • Be energetic and youthful-minded
  • Be Spirit-filled
  • Interact imaginatively and creatively with children
  • Engage in modern worship
  • Have a pastoral heart
  • Have strength of character
  • Engage with people on a personal level
  • Have leadership and organisational skills
  • Be willing and keen to take on new initiatives
  • Have a good sense of humour

What can we offer?

  • A loving and welcoming church family
  • Spiritual and prayerful support
  • An active and supportive PCC led by two experienced churchwardens
  • A proactive and passionate parish communications officer
  • Three retired clergy, a pastoral authorised lay minister (ALM) and occasional preachers
  • Two Youth ALMs in training
  • Volunteer baptism and wedding administrators
  • A host of skilled volunteers involved in all aspects of church life
  • A beautiful heated Grade 1 listed building that we are continuing to adapt to meet the needs of a modern, growing, worshipping community

To enquire, please contact the Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech, Hugh McCurdy:
e. archdeacon.handw@elydiocese.org
t. 01353 652709 or 01353 658404

Click here to download a copy of our Parish Profile.