St Neots Parish Church

It always seems to me that the time that a parish spends in vacancy, the months that elapse between the departure of one vicar and the arrival of a new one, is a bit like waiting for the arrival of a new baby. I’m sure that you know what I mean. There is that sense of anticipation, and perhaps excitement, mingled with a certain nervousness because you know that whatever the outcome, life isn’t going to be quite the same as it used to be. There are the obvious uncertainties of course: what is the new arrival going to be like? Will he or she be a model child, or will they be one of those little horrors who are always throwing their toys out of the pram? Will we really like him? Will he really like us? Those of us who are parents or grandparents know that, while we love them dearly and deeply, babies are hard work. They arrive knowing absolutely nothing, they are totally dependant on us for everything at first, and they’re very likely to make a nasty mess on the floor at any moment. I must say that I feel a bit like a baby in that situation at the moment. Like a baby, I’m rapidly taking in information, getting to grips with new names, new faces and new ways of doing familiar things. As far as St Neots is concerned, I know a bit of course, but I need to be spoon-fed a lot of information, and fortunately I’m getting it courtesy of Margaret and Roger and Velda amongst others. Babies begin a steep learning curve the moment they’re born, and that is also true, I can tell you, of new vicars! Well, we can push this analogy too far of course, but I think that in anticipating the arrival of a new priest there is often an apprehensiveness very akin to what we feel when we await a new arrival in the family, knowing that there is the likelihood of change, knowing that some allowances may have to be made but knowing too I hope, that there will be a lot of mutual love and care as we begin to bond together and form the relationships of love in Christ that will sustain and nurture us as we continue our journey together as God’s Church, God’s people in this place.

Fr Paul was interviewed on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire this morning, where he talked about coming to St Neots and gave details of the upcoming Ascensiontide Arts & Music Festival.

Listen to his interview here - just press play:

The church was full of song this afternoon with our second children’s music workshop, in preparation for next week’s Schools’ Co

The church was packed last night for Paul’s licensing service. The Bishop of Ely led the service, assisted by the Archdeacon, the Rural Dean and a host of others.

The Bishop of Ely will have much pleasure in licensing the Reverend Dr Paul Andrews as Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of St Mary, St Neots on 22nd April 2008, 7.30pm, at St Mary the Virgin, St Neots

There’s always a very strange and in a sense slightly surreal aspect to the time between the announcement of the appointment of a new parish priest, and its fulfilment in the service of institution that takes place a few months later. How appropriate then, that the announcement of my appointment should take place in the Church’s season of Advent with its emphasis on watching and waiting for something momentous to happen! That of course is for the not-so-distant future. In the meantime I’m delighted to be able to have this opportunity to say a little bit about myself, and what has brought me to this point in life and ministry.

It was announced today that the Revd Dr Paul Andrews will be the next priest-in-charge of St Neots.

Fr Paul is currently a team vicar in the Ouzel Valley Team Ministry in Leighton Buzzard, Beds.

Last Thursday a number of candidates were interviewed for the position of priest-in-charge of St Neots. Following interviews, one name has been proposed to the Bishop for the position. The candidate,

Yesterday we held a singing workshop for children from local schools.

The event was the brainchild of our organist and choirmaster Lloyd Barnett who taught the children two choral pieces: Benjamin Britten’s

Last Sunday after Evensong we said farewell to Father Roger, who has retired after 12 busy years in St Neots. He and his family are moving to Wells-next-the-Sea.