MSN Deanery News, October 2026 | St Vigor's & St John's

THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM YOUR DEANERY TEAM

October 2026

Welcome to our bumper October mailing.

The new Deanery Coffee and Cake daytime Alpha Course, with creche facilities begins this week, Weds 23rd September. Please continue inviting guests into the beginning of October, particularly anyone feeling pressured by life for any reason, or who may be wondering what’s happening in our world where many are trying to convince us that ‘black is white’ and ‘good is evil’. If that sounds to you like everyone, please share the opportunity for them to join Alpha where they can talk honestly about life, faith and meaning and perhaps find a way to renew hope, reconnecting with the Godly truths on which our world is built. Your invitation may be the best gift they ever receive.

Lots of good news has been coming in from around the Deanery about recent events and activity. Please read on to be encouraged, inspired and informed about how churches are connecting with community beyond the church walls, and making changes that will enable greater missional engagement. These include:

The long-awaited new floor and open space in Paulton
A plethora of summer activity in Timsbury Benefice
A newly resurfaced car park in Peasedown
New school links in Midsomer Norton
College Chaplain latest

Generosity at Harvest with Foodbank contributions will be much appreciated.

Finally, a reminder to members of Midsomer Norton Deanery Synod that the next meeting will take place at St John’s Chilcompton on 8th October. This meeting takes place during the voting period (21st September – 13th October) for election of members to the General Synod. Please make sure you exercise your vote with the utmost care and intention.

Please send content for future editions of this eNews by 20th of the month.

Daytime Deanery Alpha Course - suitable for all, with creche facilities, making the course accessible to parents and carers of young children

There is still time to invite guests to the ‘Coffee and Cake’ daytime Alpha Course running weekly on Wednesdays 10.30 – 12.15 at St John’s Church, Peasedown St John until December. Anyone interested in joining the course, even after the first week, should be encouraged to get in touch with leaders: rachel.howlett@stjsgroup.church or matthew.street@stjsgroup.church

Good news stories.. Transformation in Paulton

Long-awaited works to remove the pews an instal an oak floor in Paulton at Holy Trinity are complete. heralding a new season of ministry and church life in the village. The before, during and after pictures below tell the story. Original floorboards have been cleverly repurposed to provide café style tables adding character and utility in the light, bright, transformed multi-purpose space. Hats off to Adam and his team for all that’s been accomplished. ..And it’s amazing to realise that only 48 hours elapsed between the ‘work in progress’ and ‘completed’ pictures below!

Good news stories.. Timsbury Benefice

St Peter’s Church, Englishcombe, hosted a very successful Cream Tea Afternoon on the August Bank Holiday weekend, providing delicious refreshments free of charge for villagers and visitors alike. The team worked hard to ensure a very warm welcome, plentiful cups of tea and wonderful scones for the many folk who came along – quite a challenge in a church without running water and with only very basic facilities. Our Cornish Vicar, Revd Martin Blewett supervised the order in which the jam and cream were applied!

Over the summer holidays the little team from St Peter’s Camerton enjoyed three very happy Fun Afternoons in the Park on The Daglands Estate. Lots of children, parents and grandparents came and enjoyed the refreshments, craft, games, junk modelling, chatting and trying to avoid the heat of the sun, as shade was in short supply (though the gazebo was enormously helpful). Bible story books were well received, as was a visit from Burt the puppet (who always brings Martin Blewett with him) and Dan’s Ice Cream Van on the final afternoon! We are looking forward to following up our engagement with the families with a Community Action Day and a two day holiday club during half term.

St Luke and St Andrew’s, Priston takes part in global prayer initiative. Curate Lindsay writes:

During September, the 24/7 prayer movement invited churches to join in Global Prayer week, which ran from 6th to 13th. One of our church members suggested that we might host our own prayer event to coincide with this world wide phenomenon. People from across the Timsbury Benefice were invited to sign up to come and pray for an hour in the church during the week. We didn’t fill every hour of our (12/7) prayer undertaking for the week, but we knew that some were praying at home and those who were able to come in person reported rich times spent in quietness with God. The middle of the week saw the first outing in Priston of our regular Worship and Prayer Hours which moves around the Benefice a term at a time. The worship hour was well supported and all enjoyed a blessed time of fellowship with the Lord and with one another.

And finally Rev Martin Blewett writes: St. Mary’s Church Timsbury, currently celebrating 200 years of our current building, were wowed at the weekend by a fabulous flower festival “Celebrations” staged by members of Farmborough Floral art Club, who themselves are celebrating 60 years since their formation. It was lovely to see so many people visiting our church on Saturday and on Sunday the addition of Cream Teas resulted in the church being packed to capacity, almost standing room only. The atmosphere was lovely and people enjoyed seeing our church festooned with beautiful flowers. A wonderful way for people to spend time reflecting on God’s presence in church and the natural world.

Good news stories.. Resurfaced car park at Peasedown

A fantastic team effort helped transform the much used car park at St John’s. In the fifteen years since it last received attention, the car park had a tendency to become a sea of mud in wet weather presenting unacceptable hazard and inconvenience to its users both on Sundays and by the many community groups, public gatherings, plus the popular Learning Tree Pre-School, during the week.

The layout below shows how to park efficiently and shows how up to 34 vehicles can now be accommodated if all cars are parked at right angles to each fence

Good news stories.. New school connections in Midsomer Norton

Launchpad is an outreach programme for clergy, with lay assistance, to explore ways of engaging children and young people within the church, especially where there has been little or no engagement previously. Frs. Guy and Philip at St John’s Midsomer Norton were invited to be in the first cohort of parishes to try the Launchpad approach and as there is no formula, each parish is free to consider what may be offered and more importantly, sustained for continuity.

Philip and Guy decided that they would focus on Year 6 children in St John’s primary school in Midsomer Norton. The year group has two classes, and each class is invited into the church for 1-11⁄2 hours, four to five times a year.

The children are accompanied by their teacher and a teaching assistant. Whilst in church the children take part in conversations and activities encouraging them to become familiar and comfortable with the church, leading them to appreciate that St John’s is THEIR parish church and no matter what happens or where they go in their lives, they will always know that they are welcome and they can find a place of peace. There is always plenty of cake to be enjoyed.

Together with this, clergy have been visiting the school one day a week for Collective Worship. A group from the school, the “Ethos” group, have begun to come into church on the first Sunday in the month for a Family Eucharist where the group regularly assist in the Sanctuary and enthusiastically write and say the Intercessions.

St John’s is glad to welcome any children into church and is delighted that Launchpad has provided an opening “into which we can pour our love and prayers.”

College Chaplain’s update

Jane van Haaps writes:

Bath College started back in September and, as Chaplain at the Somer Valley campus, I had a stall at the Fresher’s Fair (see photos). I spoke to around 100 people and gave out 70 packs of sweets with my Business card containing contact details and a Bible verse: “Be Strong and Courageous, for the Lord will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9. I was able to meet new students as well as reconnect with some from last year, and staff. I explained that as a Chaplain, I’m interested in exploring the Bigger Questions in Life: ‘Where do we find hope in a difficult world’; ‘What is the meaning of Life?’; ‘What happens when you die?’; ‘Why is there suffering?’. Some people engaged in conversation and others were just happy to take the sweets. I had a short questionnaire for people to fill in and leave contact details.

Foodbank.. Harvest collection

Extra collections for BKSV Foodbank taken in our churches during and around the Harvest season are greatly appreciated as the operation gears up and gathers stores for the very busy winter season ahead. All food donations are greatly appreciated, and a current list of priority items is included below.

If individuals would prefer to make a financial, rather than a physical food donation, clicking on the poster below links to BKSV’s giving page, and all gifts would be similarly valued and appreciated.