St. Ives Parish Church

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

2011-12-26T11:52:00.002Z

Dear Friends,

We all love to talk. Even babies talk in thier own way.

What would we do without the telephone or email? Without television and newspapers people can chat at us about anything and everything. Politicians can shout thier ideas to crowds of people, and friends can whisper thier secrets. All this is the magic of words.

When we talk about Jesus we call him the Word of God. Whenever we use words we express ourselves. Jesus expresses God as a human being and has always expressed himself and been there as long as God has - for ever.

God said 'Let there be light' and there was light. He said 'let there be stars and plants and animals, fish and birds'. He also said 'let there be people in our likeness to look after the earth'.

Then at Christmas the Word of God actually took shape in human form. His name was Jesus, which means 'the one who saves us'.

I hope that you all have a very HAPPY & HOLY CHRISTMAS and a BLESSED NEW YEAR

Every Blessing,
Fr Andrew

FRIENDSHIP'S

2011-10-15T13:33:00.002+01:00

Dear Friends,
It seems ages now since I last had the opportunity to write a new blog. The summer has been very hectic, but successful in terms of the church's mission and outreach.

Now that the September Festival is over it gives me time to reflect. I have been thinking particularly about the hope of friendship. This year I have had the opportunity to renew old friendship's and make new ones. What a wonderful thing this is.

In the world today I wonder about the capacity for making and keeping friendships, and even to see oneself as a friend. To live life as your own worst enemy is destructive indeed! It is a concern evident in the writings of the Ancients. For Plato it is friendship that directs our minds towards love of Divinity. Aristotle says, 'without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods'. Cicero doubts whether anything is better aside from wisdom, and can a man be wise without friends? Could Paul have written without Timothy and Titus, or Augustine without Alypius? But to sustian friendship requires virtue. 'It is virtue itself which sustains friendship; without virtue can friendships by any possibility exist, and it lights up a good light for the future', continues Cicero.

St Augustine, speaking of his friends wrote, 'Expressions of friendship brought us together like bundled kindling, making one out of many'.

Augustine believed that there is nothing so social by nature as a human being and that our need for society was the outworking, the intention of the creator.
That is surely why the breakdown in our own society is so tragic and destructive, and why we must be among those who help find a renewing way. In our society we see people bundled together like kindling making destructive fire. But it can be otherwise, but not without attending to God and to one another.

As I have made many new friends this year in St Ives we must celebrate keeping them and use these to continue to spread the Hope that the Christian message gives us.

No doubt as Novemebr approaches more new friends will be made as we remodel probably the oldest event that includes the whole community here in St Ives - 'Fair Mo' This year in the church, church grounds and Parish rooms. Saturday 26th November
10am - 4pm. If you are in town come along. Check the website listed elsewhere on the church web page.

Every Blessing,
Fr Andrew

Mission Possible!

2011-07-16T14:42:00.003+01:00

Dear Friends,

Despite the gloom that has come from General Synod in the last few days with the prediction that within twenty years the Church of England will be no more because of ageing congregations and a lack of younger people interested in the church, I wish to say I do not see it here in St Ives. I admit that we do not have a huge number of young people in the congregation but I can say that the congregation at St Ives parish church has almost doubled in the last eighteen months. And why do people always go on about the fact that with no young people the church will die. That is rubbish because I have seen in my own ministry that often it is when people get to a certain age they sometimes come back to the church or even join the church for the first time. It is as if priorities change as we older. And just because people are older it certainly does not mean that they cannot be mission orientated.

It has been a great joy to welcome Fr Diego to our parish in the last few weeks and already he is making an impact with people out and about. It is also good to see how he has fitted in with the ministry team which is constantly changing.

Caz begins her training for ministry in September at St Mellitus College, London. This college is also part of the North Thames Ministerial Training Course. I do believe that she is ready for her next journey to ordination. I look forward to working with her as her incumbent on the course. Angela Cooper will shortly begin her final year on the SWMTC and is at present looking for a title parish. Angela will be a great asset to any parish as a priest.

Andrew Hicks our Reader at St Ia will be with us on a more permanant basis as from August and summer programmes for young people on holiday are being planned.

Next weekend will see the influx of families from all over the country to St Ives for thier holidays and we hope the weather will be good to them. We also hope that they will have the opportunity to visit the church where a new childrens area has been created and where also there is an exhibition running looking at St Ives past and present.

The film I talked mentioned making about the church has now been completed. It just now needs the approval of the PCC as to how best to use it in terms of mission and outreach.

Thank you to the many visitors who have written to the parsih office and sent emails in appreciation for the church being open and for the warm welcome from stewards. This all makes mission possible. Our intention is not to smother people but gently encourage all who visit that God is with us throughout our lives even though we often take him for granted. I hope that a visit to the parish church helps everyone to refocus on that important fact.

Mission is possible and we are now planning to take on the training given us by our new associate priest - the Reverend Elizabeth, a former primary school teacher, to go into schools telling simple bible stories based around a scheme called 'Open the Book'

Mission is possible and is happening all the time as I was recently reminded in a card sent me from Australia from a couple whose baby I baptised who are now interested in knowing more about the christian faith.

Mission impossible!!!! -certainly not. Mission Possible!!!! With God on our side we cannot fail!!

God Bless,
Fr Andrew

His witnesses

2011-05-28T16:28:00.002+01:00

Dear Friends,

So much seems to have happened since the great solemnity of Easter. What a wonderful celebration we had at the parish church. It was so good to see the church full of people and families of all ages. The singing and the liturgy of Easter day filled the church and each of us with hope and joy. ALLELUIA HE IS RISEN!

I write this blog just before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The ascension of Jesus is the climax of his victory over sin and death. Like Easter it is a day of joy and hope. Jesus wants us to share in his victory. It's important to realise that he has not left us, but is still with us, helping us in our struggles. In the Gospel of Matthew 28: 16-20 at the ascension Jesus commissions the apsotles to preach the Gospel to all nations, and promises to remain with them always.

Each of us is commissioned to use our gifts and talents to 'grow the kingdom of God'.
The ministry team and those who work with our church children have spent a very useful training morning today with Shelly Porter our Diocesan Childrens advisor exploring new ways of engaging children and families into the life of the church. We have already begun this outreach and Caz and Andrew had a very good Easter Messy church with local children and families with us on holiday. We have now booked another session booked caled 'open the book training' This is new ways of engaging children in assemblies with bible stories. I am told this method is proving a huge success countrywide.

Two weeks ago the Reverend Elizabeth Foot was licenced as our Associate priest and her gentle and very pastoral approach to ministry is welcomed. It rather compliments my rather robust - in your face approach!! We are what we are!!

Bishop Tim has now agreed that Caz Thompson should begin her training for priesthood.
She is at present looking at which courses will benefit her.

I had my first trip up the church tower last week with churchwarden Bob. I wanted to see the workings of the clock and was fascinated. I think I could now put the clock right if its chimming and time was out. It is amazing how many people use the clock to keep thier own time in St Ives. It's dreadful when the clock is not working as I found out on one ocassion last year. It seems the community hold the vicar personally responsible!.

The vicarage garden opens to the public this coming bank holiday weekend. It will be open each Sunday from 12noon to 4pm throughout the summer. This wonderful secret garden is looking great. However a £2 fee will get you in and all funds raised will be donated to raise money for a Malawian orphanage that I have been personally involved with.

By the time I post another blog we will have our new deacon - Fr Diego. He will be ordained in Truro cathedral on 1st July with four others.

As we approach ascension day we remind ourselves that Jesus is still with us and is relying on us his followers to make sure that the Gospel is preached and lived. We are his witnesses. As Mother Teresa once said 'I don't pray for success; I pray that I may be a faithful witness'

Every Blessing,
Fr Andrew

Jesus v Death - Jesus 1, Death 0

2011-04-08T07:01:00.002+01:00

Dear Friends,
As we approach the most significant time of the christian year we reinact in our churches the journey that took Jesus to the cross. St Ives Parish Church, like many, will do this each evening in Holy week through various liturgies which will include drama, prayer and music. If you are in town this Holy week and Easter please join us for all our advertised services. You can find all the services elsewhere on the website.

Ofcourse we all know how it ends - Jesus 1, Death 0. But as they say there is 'no gain without pain'. Just to turn up for worship on Palm Sunday and not return again until Easter Day means that people miss out on the events which help us truly understand what Jesus suffered for us. In my twenty five years of priestly ministry I even now do not cease to be moved as I take part in Holy Week. But what a fantastic moment it is on Easter Day when we gather to proclaim HE IS RISEN - ALLELUIA!

Easter is ofcourse about new life and what an abundance we have all around us in the mild gentle Cornish climate. The daffodils have been amazing this year. I make mention of these because thay are my favourite flowers. The children of the church delighted in giving daffodils out on Mothering Sunday and they adorned the church as we kept that mid Lent feast.

As we move forward in looking at new and exciting ways of communicating the Gospel I have been making a film - not a feature film I might add! It is a small film with the St Ives TV company. We have been making it around the town looking at the importance of the parish church of St Ives. It concludes with a christian message. That was the real point of doing it!

As I read the daily messages which form the basis of our evening intercessions in church, I am thankful that the church can be open. So many messages are left by people who are not regular worshippers but who never the less want to offer prayer for loved ones and the world.

Our ministry team continues to flourish and Caz and Andrew our Readers are now playing a full part in the Sunday Liturgy. The pulpit is no longer the vicar's domain! I am so pleased that they are using thier gifts and styles of preaching aswell as me. After all who wants to hear the vicar droneing on every Sunday!

The Reverend Elizabeth Foot is to be part of the team based at St Johns in the Fields shortly. She will be Associate priest for the time being and eventually I shall hand St Johns over to her care.

Diego Galanzino is also preparing to join us in the next couple of months. He will leave St Stephens House theological college in Oxford and will be ordained Deacon in July. He will be our curate. I am looking forward to him being another colleague and shareing his particular gifts in the parish.

May I wish you all a very prayerful Holy Week and a wonderful Easter.

Best Wishes,
Fr Andrew

NEW YEAR AND NEW CHALLENGES

2011-02-09T18:07:00.007Z

Dear Friends,
After the Christmas festivities and the feast of Candlemass I feel it is time to be in touch again. Candlemass officially brings to an end Christmas and we now look towards Lent and Easter. For us all at St Ives parish church it means getting ready again to welcome all our seasonal visitors who come for the beauty and relaxation our town has to offer and the peace and tranquility of our church building which has hundreds of years of spirituality soaked into its ancient walls.
This year it is our aim to build on the good practice we began last year and expand on that important ministry of welcome. But also it is our aim this year to give a little more. The church is not just a museum but a living and working place where we believe we can meet God in Word and Sacrament. It is my aim to try and work with others this coming season to try and show this to our visitors and perhaps send them away from the church with the a message of Christ's love for all.

We pride ourselves on being a church which is inclusive and welcomes everyones journey. Having recently returned from Sri Lanka and having sampled the Budhist faith I am further convinced that this is such a strength of the Church of England.

We hope that our visitors this year will again support the many concerts, exhibitions and other events scheduled at the church. These will shortly be on the website. Please try and come to our 'music in May' weekend of classical music. It is a must!

Other news reveals that we shall be welcoming Diego Galanzino as our new curate at the end of June when Bishop Tim will make him a Deacon in our cathedral church in Truro. Diego will be coming from college in Oxford where he is training at present and doing a degree in Theology.

Feast Day was a great occasion again this year and the weather cleared up for our procession to St Ia's well and for the Mayor to throw the famous silver ball. Long may we continue to keep this unique tradition.

Best wishes,
Fr Andrew

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM ST IVES

2010-12-16T12:26:00.002Z

Dear Friends,

Like most places in the world at this time many people are preparing for the festive season. I wonder how many are actually aware of what the true meaning of this significant time in the Christian calander is all about.

The town is looking very festive with trees and twinkling lights and the Christmas tree can now breath outside of the Guildhall now that the scaffolding has been removed from the building.

The church has it's large star on the top of the tower which has become a great tradition, and when lit can be seen from all around the bay. Let us hope that the star will lead people to the stable and to worship inside the parish church this coming Christmas. As always a warm welcome is extended to everyone at any of our Christmas services which can be found on the website. If you are in St Ives please find time to light a candle at the crib and offer a prayer or sit in quiet reflection.

The vicarage garden is still being cared for by Suzy who finds all kinds of people to help her create an all year round space that can be appreciated by the many visitors to the house. As I write she and Andrew who works for the St Ives Parks and Grounds team are assembling an arboretum.

The new year plans for the continued outreach at the parish church are already starting to fall into place. The ministerial team and I are keen to make 2011 a year for encouraging more young people to our ancient building. I thank Caz, Andrew Linda and Angela for starting to formulate ideas to implement these things. We certainly hope to start a 'messy church' by Easter next year.

All this aswell as a new curate, depending on the final decision of Bishop Tim, and the many other concert and art programmes being discussed looks to be another busy and exciting year at St Ives Parish Church.

Finally, back to Christmas. God will fill each of us with his peace this Christmas if there is room for him in our lives. Christmas is to make space and time for the God of our faith, who shares in our world, a world he created for us. Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those who are God's friends.

Christmas and New Year Blessings,
Fr Andrew

Where do we go from here!

2010-10-28T14:32:00.004+01:00

Dear Friends,

The last two months have passed by with so many great things happening. Everything has been a huge success. I must thank all those who have helped in any way to contribute to our 600th celebrations. We shall bring it all to a conclusion next month with a celebration lunch by way of showing our gratitude.

Everyone will have noticed that the season of summer has faded into autumn. The vicarage garden is now showing signs of having given it's all through the summer and wants to sleep until next year. But it has done well this year and won an award in the Cornwall in Bloom competition.

But where do we go from here. I have to say we have already been having conversations about using the church to its full capacity again next year. Already the beginnings of a summer music programme is being put together and I have a few ideas of my own that I shall be shareing with the Church Council in the next few weeks.

We hope that the vision of transforming the parish rooms into a 'state of the art' building for church and community use will soon move forward. Please pray that the planners will be as excited about the potential as we are!!

The church ministry team has grown in the last few weeks. Three new readers are assisting me in worship and some pastoral duties. Welcome Caz Thompson, Linda Dodswell and Dr Andrew Hicks. We hope that we will also be lucky enough to have a stipediary curate next year.

The greatest lesson learnt during the last few months is that despite all the various voices out there after our attention the Parish Church has been up there with them. We have, I hope, shown those who live, work and holiday around us that 'Our God Reigns' and without Him there is no real purpose to life. We need to make sure that we maintain our witness in the parish in the future, and that will, without doubt, have to be in ways in which those who have no knowledge of the Church understand. Watch this space!!

Every Blessing
Fr Andrew

600th Celebrations about to begin

2010-08-21T11:20:00.014+01:00

Dear Friends,
I write as the final preparations are put in place to begin our 600th celebrations. This will be marked by the visit of Archbishop George Carey and his wife Eileen on Sunday 29th August. It will be a great occasion to welocme the former Archbishop of Canterbury as our celebrant and preacher at a special 11am Festal Eucharist. The setting for the Mass and all the music sounds magnificent.

Lord Carey was born in the East End of London in 1935, the son of a hospital porter who went on to be the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 until 2002. We look forward to him speaking about his life after a luncheon which will follow the service at the Treloyhan Manor Hotel. I am sure that the hundred people who have booked will not be dissapointed.
This will be the first visit of Lord and Lady Carey to St Ives, and we are planning to give them a huge welcome. They are to be our guests at a concert by the Cologne Chamber Philharmonic on the Saturday evening in the parish church. This then will start off our celebrations in a special way.
Also on the evening of Sunday 29th August we have a special Festival Choral Evensong at 6.30pm where the music planned for that service is set to be spectacular. The service will be sung by our church choir and 'Laudate' chamber choir. Music includes Evening canticles by Brewer in D and 'O Thou the Central Orb' by Charles Wood. All the music will be Directed by our own church music staff Neil Shepherd and Peter Luing.
For other events planned from 11th to the 19th September check the website.

We look forward to having our Diocesan Bishop with us on the 19th September. Neither Bishop Tim or me are sure what to expect as we board the boat the 'Dolly Pentreath' at 2.30pm that day from the pier head to set sail for Zennor to reinact the journey which would have brought the granite to St Ives to build the parish church. But no doubt all listeners to BBC radio Cornwall will hear first hand how we got on as Donna Birrell will be joining us to record the event for her Sunday morning programme.

I am pleased to report that the vicarage garden has won an award of £250 from the Cornwall in Bloom competetion. The money will be spent on improving the garden. Thank you Suzy for all your help!

I hope that if you are in St Ives in September you will visit us and join in the celebrations, the celebration flower festival and displays by local artists. Or join us for TV vicar and radio presenter Canon Roger Royle's Diocesan Song's of Praise or even watch the Vicar and Bishop brave the atlantic on a 'voyage of discovery'!!

Every Blessing,
Fr Andrew

Building Bridges

2010-07-15T17:56:00.005+01:00

We are now in the middle of July and over half way through the year. Next week the summer holidays begin and St Ives will be full of families looking for a beach holiday and people in Fore Street will be walking shoulder to shoulder.

It is so good to have the parish church in the centre of it all. Our church building stands here as a symbol of Christ's presence amidst it all, as it has done for 600 years.

It is also hugely humbling to watch hundreds of visitors to our church, many lighting candles and entering messages for prayer in our visitors books, most of whom have no regular association with a christian church, but who deep down realise that there is someone greater who is ultimately watching over us.

My title for this blog is 'building bridges' because here is just one example of how St Ives parish church can reach out and share in the lives of the largely unchurched. Thank you to all those who kindly come each day and act as church watchers and welcomers!

The St Ia 600 organising committee have been proactive in continuing this bridge building by engaging local artists to display their work around the church aswell as the St Ives camera club.
In a real sense and in all these ways we celebrate the wonderful gifts that God has given us and we want to continue to do this.

Not only do we build bridges with the community but we do so with other christian churches in the town. It's great that our monthly meeting of church leaders in St Ives is so open and full of new ideas on how we need to engage in mission in our town. As a result of this we have just started an ecumenical chaplaincy team at the local St Ives Technical college. We are known as 'The team' Each day at lunch time, in pairs and different denominations, we walk the corridors and playing fields talking with students. We have been asked by the principal and governors to just be there to offer pastoral support to any students who need to talk about anything. Here again we have been given a wonderful opportunity to 'build bridges' with the schools and ecumenically with each other.

As the year continues we shall reshape the minsterial team with three new Readers in Caz, Linda and Andrew who is relocating with his wife later this year. Thus we shall together continue to build bridges and build the Kingdom of God.

That's all for now. As always, if you are in St Ives please join us for worship and introduce yourself to me and church members.

Every Blessing,
Fr Andrew

IT'S ALL HAPPENING!

2010-06-03T07:55:00.005+01:00

Dear Readers,
The Easter season is now over and we are now approaching the Trinity season which sees us all through the summer months.

The main season began here in St Ives last weekend with the May Bank holiday. Now the town is buzzing day and night with visitors from all over the world. I am finding that if I am visiting in the parish I need to set off extra early to be able to get through the crowds. I am told it get's worse!!

The Parish Church is playing it's part in providing a place where visitors are welcomed and where they can find peace in the midst of so much activity. The church is always full of visitors who are delighted to soak up it's history and see what is going on at present.

The Music in May concerts last weekend were fabulous and given by the Sacconi Quartet with the guest appearance of Petroc Trelawney on Saturday evening. I was pleased to welcome BBC radio 3 to record Friday's concert and dedicated to Canon Andy Couch a former parish priest here.

Plans for the complete refurbishment of the Parish Rooms has been on display in the church, Library and we made a presentation to the Town Council a few days ago. This is a fabulous project that has full backing from Bishop Tim and the Diocese of Truro as we aim to improve the face of one of the towns oldest buildings introducing new facilities. Sustainability will play a significant role, and we are investigating alternative energy sources. The thermal performance of the building will be upgraded and energy saving measures included where practical. Carbon reduction will be a reality.

At the vicarage the garden is looking wonderful thanks to Susie and with some help from me cutting the grass and Jake - that's my dog! He loves digging, sadly I have not trained him to weed the flower beds yet! The vicarage garden is one of the hidden secret gems in the centre of St Ives which will be open to the public on the 12th/13th June.

If you are St Ives over the next few weeks we would like to welcome you to the Parish Church for our worship and extend an invitation to you to join us for all our activities. Please check the church website for the many concerts which can be booked on line or at the tourist information office in St Ives.

God Bless,
Fr Andrew

ALLELUIA CHRIST IS RISEN

2010-04-07T13:00:00.002+01:00

Dear Readers,
HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!!
For me it is the best time of the year and it seemed to be reflected in the magnificent Easter Day services we had at St Ia Parish Church. This year, a record congregation of three hundred and fifty of which two hundred and eighty were communicants. It was also great to see so many young people and a joy to invite them to take part in the Sunday Eucharist.

The Easter eggs were very popular. Having been a Chair of school governors for many years I sniggered to myself as I handed them out, thinking that I was always the one advocating 'healthy eating'!! Sorry parents!!

The Church is now open daily and we are having a huge amount of visitors. So much so that I and Helen Jenkin, daughter of a former vicar, are starting regular guided tours on Sunday afternoons shortly.

Please look at all the displays of St Ia, Past, Present and Future. Please fill in the questionnaire about the proposed redevelopment of the Parish Rooms and help us take our Vision of the future out into the community.

It was a great pleasure on Good Friday afternoon to welcome Simon King from Spring Watch/Autumn Watch fame to the parish church. He gave a wonderful talk on his journeys and was promoting his new book. The church was packed and people were standing outside to get a book signed by him.

The vicarage garden is known as the 'little oasis' in the centre of St Ives. It is a wonderful hidden garden amidst the little buildings and luxury apartments that look out onto the harbour. With the help of one or two people in the community we are hopeing to create a colourful space with hopefully a water fountain, for people to visit, paint and have cream teas on some days in the next few months. This will also help us raise some needed church funds.

Finally, for now, please check the church music site as our concert season and lunchtime concerts and organ recitals are coming up. You can buy tickets on line or at the Tourist Information Centre in St Ives.

Maybe I will meet you.

God Bless,

Fr Andrew Gough

ST IA 600: A Message from the Bishop of Truro

2010-03-29T17:51:00.002+01:00

I am delighted to add my congratulations to many others as St Ia Parish Church celebrates its 600th anniversary. I wish you well for all the many special events that will mark this great year. I am very glad that the former Archbishop of Canterbury is going to be with you for the weekend at the end of August and I am sure his contribution and presence will add to the occasion very much indeed.

6oo years is a long time and even then I guess there will be those who debate the exact understanding of the history. Whatever the past, it is very important to celebrate and to place St Ia where it belongs at the heart of St Ives. Your splendid banners flying from the tower are a powerful symbol of the way in which we have to keep finding new ways to proclaim the gospel. The banners clearly state the past, the present and the future. Look at the displays inside the church and you will see how the gospel has been proclaimed in the past and in the present, and ofcourse most excitingly, we go on finding new ways to communicate the Love of God into the future.

I hope and pray that one of the results of the year of celebrations is that the church community will build new bridges to go along side the many that already exist into the wider community of the town and that we might go on discovering God’s kingdom and growing the Church as we take the history of St Ia forward and begin on the next 600 years.

My congratulations to all involved in any way in all the special events. I look forward to being with Fr Andrew, your priest, and you all and to hearing how marking
this great year will bring fresh energy and excitement to the mission of the church and life of the town.

+Tim
The Rt.Revd Tim. Thornton

Holy Week and Easter

2010-03-26T18:28:00.002Z

Dear Friends,

This weekend begins the most important week of the year for us as christians. From Palm Sunday to Easter day we shall be walking with Jesus as we follow the dramatic drama that led to Good Friday and Easter. It will be a long week for us all, but the joy of Easter Day having completed it will be just wonderful. And there is no gain without pain!!. There was pain and suffering and death before resurrection.

We have a week packed of dramatic music from our church choir, and a magnificent Easter morning Mass planned. Come and join us if you can.

The Parish church will almost always be open from Easter day onwards. Displays celebrating our history, our present and our vision for the future is there for everyone to see. Our church stewards are there to offer our visitors a ministry of welcome and direct you to places of interest aswell as prayer.

We have accepted our Bishop's challenge to 'discover the kingdom and grow the Church'
What a vision that is and what an opportunity we have as christians at St Ia church to do that.

We are delighted to announce that aswell as special guests the former Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife joining us at the end of August. Roger Royle from Radio 2 and Sunday Half Hour fame will be joining us in September for the weekend.

Check out the rest of this website and see the many concerts, organ recitals and other events planned at the parish church. Bookings can be made on line or in St Ives when you get here.

Maybe I will see you

God's Blessing for a prayerful Holy Week and a GREAT EASTER!!

Fr Andrew

Welcome

2010-03-02T15:47:00.007Z

Hi Readers,

I am pleased to be able to personally keep you all up to date on all that is going on at St Ives Parish Church. So much seems to have happened since my appointment as Vicar just five months ago. But how great it all is!!

Check out our music site to see what is happening. Aswell as this we shall welcome to celebrate our 600 years since the laying of the Foundation stone His Grace, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey as our guest celebrant and preacher at the end of August. If your interested in joining us for the celebration lunch, where Lord Carey will talk on his life as Archbishop please let us know.

The ST IA 600 banners are now up on the church building and these are visible from all angles. St Ives, Past, Present and future. Notice how the hands of, supposed to be St Ia, are pointing to the future. The FUTURE is where ST IVES PARISH CHURCH LOOKS and there is much to look forward to in our witness of mission and ministry to our town, to our community and to all our visitors.

Come and visit us, join us for worship, or become a FRIEND OF ST IA.

Our Mission statement is 'CELEBRATING THE GOOD NEWS IN ST IVES' As chrsitians we never need and excuse to celebrate. We celebrate everytime we worship.

Our worship at St Ives Parish Church is Anglo Catholic with splendid choral music to lift us all into heavenly places. My word, don't we need that as we look around our world.

I will keep you in touch.

Blessings for now,

Fr Andrew