St MARY’S CODDENHAM: ANNUAL REPORT – 2024

The Report was presented at the Annual Church Parish Meeting.

CHURCHWARDENS’ REPORT

Our Rector, Rev’d Philip Payne, retired in August and is greatly missed. The parish then started a period of ‘vacancy’. As part of the recruitment process for a new incumbent the PCC contributed a Parish Profile and also commented on aspects of the Benefice Profile. Meetings were held with the Rural Dean and Archdeacon to discuss the way forward. We are very grateful to all those who are leading our services in the absence of an incumbent, especially Rev’d Helen Norris, Rev’d Adrian Watkins, Rev’d Bill Rootes and Judy Hailes. Our service rota has changed, with a Holy Communion every other month rather than monthly. Church attendance at the major festivals has been encouraging, with a particularly high turnout for our Christrmas services. The coffee mornings which are an important part of our involvement with the village community have also been well supported – our thanks to Sue Groom and the team for running these so successfully. The church continues its lead role in the Babies and Toddlers group (special thanks to Rev’d Helen and Debbie McDonnell). A Parochial Visitation – essentially an audit of our documents, procedures and belongings – was carried out in May.

In January Roy Tricker’s talk on the history of St. Mary’s was very well attended, informative and entertaining. This was the first of the monthly events we held in 2024 as part of our fund-raising campaign and as an enhanced contribution to parish life in Coddenham. These included concerts by the Raedwald Ensemble (brass sextet) and by the Suffolk Constabulary Choir as well as the sell-out Co-op Band’s concert in December. The Coddenham History Society mounted an interesting display and we agreed to place a cabinet near the west end of the church containing their collection of archaeological finds. We have welcomed visiting groups of bellringers on several occasions.

We would like to thank the many individuals who have continued to support the parish both spiritually and materially – a special mention for the cleaners, flower arrangers and providers of refreshments as well as those who serve on the PCC, as sidespersons and as lesson readers.

Margaret Baker and Ian Galbraith

The full report can be found here