The Benefice of St. Bartholomew
Welcome to the website for the Benefice of St Bartholomew
- Details
- Written by Tony Gowers
The Benefice of St Bartholomew covers almost 30 square miles in the south west corner of Wiltshire. The Benefice is located in the Diocese of Salisbury and includes the following Church of England parishes: Donhead St Mary with Charlton, Donhead St Andrew, East Knoyle, Semley and Sedgehill.
Most of the Benefice lies within the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with its exceptional landscapes and superb scenery.
This website will tell you about our six Churches: St. John the Baptist Church in Charlton, St. Andrew's Church in Donhead St. Andrew, St Mary's Church in Donhead St. Mary, St. Mary's Church in East Knoyle, St. Catherine's Church in Sedgehill and St Leonard's Church in Semley.
The site also describes:
- The services and events which have been arranged for the whole Benefice.
- The activities organised for children and younger people in the Benefice.
You can also find us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/benofbart/
If you have an item that you would like to be included on this website or have suggestions on how we can improve the site, please click here.
*** IMPORTANT - CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ***
In accordance with the guidance issued by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on 17th March 2020, all public worship on Sundays and weekdays in churches in our Benefice have been suspended until further notice.
Following the announcement by the Prime Minister on 23rd March 2020 of sweeping restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, all our churches will close with immediate effect in line with the Government’s instructions. There will also be no Church weddings or baptisms. Funerals at the graveside or in crematoriums can still take place, but only in line with the Prime Minister’s Statement. Further details can be found here.
In spite of the closure of our churches, we continue to run a full programme of acts of worship over the Internet. Full details can be found below, in the right-hand margin of this page, and on the Benefice Calendar here.
All other events in the Benefice (other than those conducted over the Internet) have been cancelled until further notice.
Latest News And Forthcoming Services & Events
Benefice News - 23rd May 2020
- Details
- Written by Tony Gowers
Church News
A copy of this week’s Church News can be found here. In addition to news, the document gives full details of all of our services during weekdays, as well as those this coming Sunday and the following Sunday. Do join in with everything that appeals to you.
Sunday 24th May 2020
Amongst the services planned for Sunday 24th May 2020, we are having a Family Service at 9.30 am, and Sung Eucharist at 10.30 am. The service sheet for the Family Service can be downloaded and/or printed here, There are other options as well, and so we hope that you are able to enjoy one or more of the varied acts of worship that have been planned.
Thursday 21st May 2020 - Ascension Day
On Thursday 21st May, we celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, and this Festival marks the beginning of the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ season as we await the celebration of the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.......
Sunday 31st May 2020 - Pentecost
On Sunday 31st May, we will have a Benefice Eucharist celebrating Pentecost at 10:00 am. This will be followed by Brunch or lunch at a Benefice Pentecost Zoom Party. Balloons and party hats optional for Eucharist and Party.
Zoom
The Zoom instructions to join all our services (except those where we join with the Nadder Valley team for Evening Prayer) are as follows:
Either click on this link, and then use the password shown:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86820719578
Password: 867689
Or log on using the Zoom app, and use this ID and password:
Meeting ID: 868 2071 9578
Password: 867689
You can also participate in services by dialling in by telephone to one of these phone numbers: 0203 481 5237 or 0203 481 5240.
For Evening Prayer where we join with the Nadder Valley Team, the Zoom details are as follows:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84966332040
Meeting ID: 849 6633 2040
Password: 039012
Click here for more guidance on how to join a Zoom meeting.
Prayers
The Church of England has produced a book of prayers to be used whilst church buildings are closed. The book can be downloaded and/or printed here.
From the Associate Priest - 20th May 2020
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- Written by The Rev'd June Lane
As I write this I am conscious that tomorrow is the day we celebrate The Ascension of Christ. The day that the disciples saw Jesus for the very last time on this earth, the day they truly and finally had to accept that they faced the world without his physical presence, his care, his leadership. They felt as if God Himself had left the world.
Today, in real time, many people are asking the question “Where is God in all this?” Our world as we know it has been turned, if not actually upside down, at least somewhat off its axis. Lockdown has meant such a change in our daily pattern, such a curtailment of our liberties, such a disruption of normal life that we truly wonder just what it means and when, or indeed if, life will return to ‘normal’. Some are certainly asking if this pandemic is a punishment or warning sent by God to test or to teach us a lesson, whilst many more are questioning how a Loving God could let this happen if he truly exists.
All of these are valid questions, very much like the disciples on that day roughly 2,000 years ago, we are crying out for some proof that God has not deserted us, that He is a loving God who really cares what happens to us.
Apart from the very real fear of contracting the virus itself the main concern and frustration we all feel is that curtailment of our liberties. ‘Stay at Home’ meant we could not leave our own front doors, or gateway. “Stay Alert” means that more can go beyond that barrier but only under certain circumstances and with many precautions in place. Our lives truly are very different from what they were less than three short months ago, and more and more we realise they may never be quite the same again. We value that independence, that freedom to go our own way, to govern our own lives and bitterly resent that loss. God is like any loving parent, right from the beginning He gave humankind the freedom to choose their path. He did not impose His will and make it impossible to deny or disobey Him. The result is that we have often made a complete mess of things but, the mess is of our own making, the result of our own mismanagement. But, like any loving parent, He is always there to give comfort, to help pick up the pieces and to encourage us to continue. He does not cause disasters, He is there to help us overcome them. If we will just let Him we shall find Him right there in the midst of the difficulties and the frustrations, the sorrow and the loss. Just give Him a chance and let Him in. What have you got to lose?
June Lane
From the Ordinand - Video - God's Sabbath
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- Written by Toby Carson
In response to thinking about this time of lockdown and where we might find God's hope and peace in the confusions that we are experiencing, i have put together this short video homily about the Sabbath, with bible texts read by children from St. John's Church, Charlton. I hope that it offers some comfort.
Toby Carson