The congregation at St Mary's Church would like to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas. All are welcome at our Christmas services. The Crib service is at 4.00pm on Christmas Eve and...

Join the congregation on Christmas Eve at 4pm as we recreate the Christmas story and build our nativity scene. Children can make a Christmas lantern to celebrate the birth of Jesus - Light of the...

The rain had stopped, for the moment at least, but it remained a dark night; no stars or moonlight reached through the cloud. As she drove carefully along the country lanes, her headlights picked...

Christmas Coffee Morning Saturday 9th December 10.00- 12 noon Festive Fayre, mulled wine and coffee with homemade cakes Win with our mega Christmas Tombola and Guess the name of our 'lovely'...

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel.  The opening words of the morning canticle, the Benedictus.  It is a regular feature of Morning Prayer but have you ever wondered where it came from or why?...

Celebrate Christmas at St Mary’s Coddenham CAROL SERVICE with the Benefice Choir Sunday 17th December at 4pm Followed by festive refreshments. CHRISTMAS EVE  at 4pm Crib Service for all the family...

And so, as darkness falls, and with it yet more rain, the old year draws to a close.  This Sunday, the first in Advent, is the beginning of the church’s year; only 25 days until Christmas.  Now is a...

Christmas gets earlier each year - a common complaint.  Barely has summer finished and the Christmas adverts start appearing.  Shop early, they say; well there’s early and early. It always brings a...

The sun shines, my study is bathed in light and, for a moment at least, this is a place of peace.  Peace, for many, is a rare pleasure as the world is becoming increasingly fractious once more....

And so to Thetford Forest for a day out.  Monday promised to be the best day of the week, and so it proved.  Time with old friends, a walk in the forest and a good lunch. Climbing out of our car...

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning; blue sky, bright sun and a gentle breeze.  From my study window I can see nothing to point to the chaos of two days ago. My Friday began quite normally, until I...

Concert at St Mary's Church Saturday 28th October at 7.00pm A great chance to hear some of our local musicians - Ian Burton (Trombone) and Ian Galbraith (Organ) alongside Anna Phillips playing the...

St Mary's October Coffee Morning - Preserves Day Saturday 14th October 10.00am - 12 noon. Freshly brewed coffee and homemade cakes. Delicious preserves - Jams, Marmalades and Chutney for sale....

We have been enjoying some distinctly unseasonable weather and with it there have indeed been some gloriously golden evenings. I suspect that the colour of the sky has something to do with the...

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storm begin which is just as well because, as I begin this reflection we are treated to a short, sharp thunder storm. It’s Harvest Festival Season; the...

The Wind blows where it chooses, you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. Jn 3:8 ‘I suppose your letter this...

Last week I reflected on Jesus’ reaction to the demand for a sign of his authority. (Matthew 16).  Why should we believe you?’  To the establishment of his day, Jesus was an outsider with no...

And God said to Noah Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth (Gen 9:11).  God’s promise notwithstanding, this last weekend it rained, heavily. Standing under an awning at the...

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)...

As recent visitors to the Rectory have noticed, I have taken up model building. As any modeller will testify, there is something satisfying about recreating worlds in miniature.  I have spent many...

The only thing necessary for evil to flourish, is for good men to do nothing. Elijah is locked in a struggle with Queen Jezebel; God’s word or the beliefs and values that Jezebel promotes.  It is a...

The August Coffee Morning takes place on Saturday 12th August from 10.00am -12 noon. Sitting in the sun, in the beautiful Church grounds, catch up with old friends and make some new ones! Freshly...

If only our possessions could talk. The Mexican rests, Mary prays and Francis holds out his hands to welcome.  Summer rains gently fall.  Lunch over and little chance of an afternoon walk, the...

It’s good to be home.  Holidays are great; it is good to get away, but eventually the novelty wears off and home calls. Home is where the heart is; but where is the heart? Two months ago, a number...

In the peace and quiet of an early morning coffee break, I’m staring out of the window when one word catches my eye; ‘OUTSIDE’. It is a statement of the obvious, the word is embossed on my car’s...

Do you remember ‘Trivial Pursuit’; that once popular board game now, I suspect, condemned to attics and other dark and dusty corners across the land? For a season or so there was, if not quite fame...

July's Coffee Morning will take place on Saturday 8th July 10.00am -12 noon. There will be a selection of greetings cards, wrapping paper and bows available to purchase. Freshly brewed coffee and...

Regular readers will know I have been taking a break.  While Mary and I were away, we left the Rectory in the hands of some of our neighbours (From the Rectory 18th June).  I know that they took...

To see Rev. Philip's message for this week click on the link below.   The Notice Sheet for 17th June can be found here 230618 From the Rectory - Resting

How solid is your faith?  I don’t mean how committed and able to withstand setbacks.  Instead, I ask how 3-dimensional, physical or concrete? Thursday is Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ) or, to...

My time in the gym was over for the day and bits of me ached in ways they hadn’t for some time.  The new routine was more challenging than I had expected.  Nothing for it, time to sit down and enjoy...

Teach us good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest[1] ….  The bunting is packed away, tourists and well-wishers go home, uniforms dry out; life goes on.  There is work to do and I’m sure that on...

The Coronation celebrations continue at St Mary's on Saturday 13th May with a Coronation Coffee Morning from 10 - 12 noon. Come and enjoy cakes from around the Kingdom - North, East, South and West...

Do not let your hearts be troubled  (Jn 14:1).  In this world you will have trouble, …. I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33). Troubled hearts we seem to have a plenty.  Every news bulletin I...

There will be a commemorative service of celebration for the coronation of King Charles III at St Mary's, Coddenham at 9.30am on Sunday 7th May. All welcome.

On holiday in Florence many years ago, we were accosted by street traders selling fake fashion bags and accessories.  Counterfeiting is a form of theft, robbing legitimate businesses, unwitting...

Jesus came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognising him It was the first day of the week and two pilgrims were returning home to Emmaus.  They had been to Jerusalem to...

Easter Day, the Day of Resurrection, a day of celebration. The rising sun may have hidden behind hazy cloud, but I, and many others, greeted the dawn outside with shouts of praise; Alleluia, He is...

At last, the sun is shining, and more is expected over the next few days.  I am writing this on Palm Sunday and this afternoon Mary and I walked the fields near the Rectory. Everywhere, sodden...

All are welcome to join our Easter services. Palm Sunday - 2nd April - meet at St Mary's at 10.00am to walk to Hemingstone accompanied by a donkey! Maundy Thursday  - 6th April - Holy Communion at...

This week, although Holy Week is almost upon us, I remain on the beach.  The tide has receded, the water’s edge is quite a walk, the sand beneath my feet feels firm.  Yet already the surface is...

What are you doing here Elijah? asked God (1 Kings19: 9).  Did it sound like a dumb question? Elijah had just won a spectacular battle with the Priests of Baal (1 Kings 18), yet barely had the dust...

Last Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a blue sky promising a good day.  In the garden, snowdrops and daffodils herald Spring. However, I quickly discovered that the air was not as Spring-like as...