Welcome to St Andrew’s Barnt Green and St Michael’s Cofton Hackett
Welcome to our church website. For the church as for the rest of society, the last year has seen great upheaval with traditional patterns of worship and service disrupted and much of our worship moving online. From Easter there are limited services in Church and Zoom services continue each Sunday and Thursday. Please go to the weekly newsletter for times and log-in information.
We continue to provide creative resources to help children engage with faith. For details contact Caroline Mara our Children’s and Families Missioner on 07935 245244 or see the St Andrews and St Michaels Family Facebook Group.
As lock-down is eased, more services, events, and groups will become possible. Why not subscribe to the newsletter (bottom left of the home page) for a weekly update?
We trust that you have experienced God’s peace and protection through these difficult days and look forward to meeting you face to face before too long.
Latest Information
For recent sermons, newsletters and other helpful material, please go to
Church Life/Sermons and other resources
Activities for Children and Families
SUNDAY WORSHIP
After Easter there will be limited worship in our church buildings, gradually increasing as lockdown is eased. See the weekly newsletter for details.
Zoom services continue at least until 21st June, and all are welcome:
The 9.30am Sunday service is on Zoom and young and old alike are very welcome: meeting ID 295 293 9790 and password standrews.
There is also a Thursday service at 10.00am followed by coffee and chat: meeting ID 815 6897 6189 and password coffeebean.
It takes a bit of getting used to, but it is great to worship together, to see each other’s faces, and to meet with people both locally and from afar. So let’s make the most of it until normal service is resumed!
A Prayer For This Time
Loving God, we pray to you through Christ the Healer for those across the world who suffer from Covid-19.
We pray too for all who mourn the loss of someone who has died from the disease.
Give wisdom to policymakers, skill to healthcare professionals and researchers, comfort to everyone in distress, and a sense of hope for us all in these days of uncertainty and fear.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Please pray for Douglas Allenby who is Licensed as Reader in Birmingham Cathedral on Saturday 24th April at 10.30am.
The service will be live-streamed and available live on the cathedral website via www.biriminghamcathedral.com.
Alternatively, follow the following link:
The Order of Service will be available for download from the Birmingham Cathedral website.
Hope
If you’d like to be part of a weekly online Hope Group with 2 or 3 other people, to support each other and find hope in current circumstances, call Caroline on 07935 245244.
Safeguarding Policy for Children and Vulnerable Adults
Click here to download our latest policy document as a PDF file.
Farewell to our vicar of 26 years
The time has come to say a big Thank-you to our vicar who is retiring. All of us at St Andrew’s and St Michael’s would like to thank Rob and Philippa for the welcome, love, care, support, friendship and guidance over the last twenty six years.
When Rob came to be Vicar of Cofton Hackett and Barnt Green in July 1995 we are sure he would not have expected to be retiring from here nearly twenty six years later. So much has changed in that time and Rob and Philippa have been central to the life of the Parish and fully immersed in the life of the community. They have brought up their own family and grown the church family in so many ways.They have seen lots of exciting things happen in the church and in the community, growing to love the area, surrounded by countryside yet so close to a vibrant city.
Hope
‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ Romans 15 vs.13
They have overseen major restoration and reordering of both St Michael’s and St Andrew’s churches, refurbishment of the Parish centre, extensions at St Andrews School, and most recently the construction in Cofton Hackett of a new village hall, where Rob serves as a trustee.
During rob’s stewardship things have changed. While congregations of some of the traditional services have declined, there’s been growth in the more informal services, such as all-age worship, Messy Church, and the new Foundry congregation in Cofton Fields. There has also been a proliferation of small groups like Monday Fellowship, men’s breakfasts, book club, celebrating women, mid-week children’s groups and so much more. There is a welcome for all, young and old.
As a result their enthusiasm and commitment so many people have become involved. The church has been blessed with great curates, children’s workers, parish administrators, Readers, church wardens, and lots of other gifted and committed people who contribute in so many ways.
We are very sad to say goodbye to Rob and Philippa. On behalf of all those who have known them, through their love of the Parish and the community, we send our heartfelt good wishes as they move to their new home in Grantham in Rob’s home county of Lincolnshire. Our prayers are with them as they begin this new phase of their life.
