Church News September 2026
Church News September 2026
The arrival of the Rev Emma Barr – a welcome on September 13th
We are delighted to announce the arrival of Emma Barr, who, from September the 1st will be leading the 6 churches – Great and Little Tey, Chappel and Wakes Colne, Aldham and MarksTey. She will be concentrating her help on Great and Little Tey and Chappel and Wakes Colne, but helping out at the other two churches whenever she can.
We will be welcoming Emma to her first service at St Barnabas on September 13th at 10am. Everyone will be most welcome. You will have a chance to meet Emma after the service over a cup of coffee, cake and hopefully a glass of something cheerful!
Emma’s contact details will be on the website, September 1st. As a general rule, we should all Delia, the church administrator, in the first place, about any non-pastoral matter. Delia’s details are also on the website.
A full-time priest in charge
There is still no news concerning the search for a full time Rector. We hope, however that Emma will become, formally, our associate priest, later in the autumn.
Music for a Summer afternoon in Little Tey Church
September 6th at 3pm – the perfect way to spend a summers afternoon! An entertaining interlude of music – this year a soprano, Giulia Cipriani singing for us and a fantastic home made tea. Tickets £10.
Harvest Thanksgiving
Sunday 20st and the 27th September
A wonderful opportunity to remember just how lucky we are to live in a fruitful and beautiful part of the countryside. Great Tey was, for many centuries, reliant on its place in the countryside, for its very existence. We can remember and be thankful for that too.
Familiar harvest hymns to sing, the church will be decorated with a harvest theme.
Harvest Supper
Saturday 26th September
Always good fun! As ever, a delicious candle lit supper, in a traditional Essex Barn. Do join us at 7pm. Tickets £15. See elsewhere in this newsletter.
Pop Up Teas
Thank you very much to everyone who made them such a success. The churchyard was full for each of the three afternoons during which the outdoor tearoom was open and we had lots of people who came each week in spite of the weather! We must have got something right! We couldn’t have done it without lots of help, more than 25 people all told. A big thank you to them. An especial thank you to Simon and Nicki who once again lent us their tents. We raised about £1,700 for church funds, a great result.
See you next year!
Edward Bear Club – thanks to Elizabeth Dance
We are very grateful to Elizabeth who has been involved in offering mothers and toddlers a fun time in church every month during term time, for 12 years. For many of those, she has been running it single handed. However, with her children growing up, it is time for new challenges. We wish her lots of luck and happiness wherever those take her.
ADVANCED WARNING OF CHURCH CLOSURE DURING OCTOBER
As many of you will know, we have been having trouble with shedding paint from walls and ceiling in the church. After a number of years seeking a solution to the problem, we are now able to proceed with the redecoration. We are going to have it done in 2 phases. This autumn the chancel will be repainted and next year, to coincide with work on the organ, we will be redecorating under the tower. Unfortunately, it will mean that we have to close the church during October.