News & Features

Dear Friends at All Saints - Mattishall, 

Thank you so much for your kind gift of £287.00 to strengthen your persecuted church family around the world who are risking it all to follow Jesus. Thanks to your prayers and support, our brothers and sisters know they are not alone and can stand strong in their faith.
When 15-year-old Godwin* tragically lost his father in an attack on their village by Islamist militants, he couldn’t stop crying, and he struggled to eat. For him and his family, the pain was unbearable.
That began to change when Godwin and his siblings attended a trauma care centre run by Open Doors local partners.
“I am thankful to God because of how He is making me strong,” he says. “I was taught forgiveness and I’ve been able to forgive those who killed my dad – that is why I am thankful, because I have received healing.”

May the Lord fill you with His Spirit and surround you with His love.

Your sister in Christ,

Henrietta Blyth
CEO, Open Doors UK and Ireland

 They are on their way across the Atlantic. See Position | S/V Shekina - Walk on water

To see the details of the adverts, please click on the links below:

https://pathways.churchofengland.org/en/jobs/rector-mattishall-amp-tudd-valley/2305 (sic)

https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/vacancy/rector-mattishall-tudd-valley-benefice/

Good news! We have just learnt that we have been awarded the expected £10k grant from the Net Zero Carbon fund in the diocese to go towards the cost of the new heaters to be installed in ASM. That means we now have the entire cost covered. God is good.

Sue and I are meeting with Charli Finch from Heissen (the manufacturers of the heaters) and Roger Atterwill (of Wensum Valley Electrical, who are our usual electricians and who will be doing the installation) Thursday of next week to check all the details and then hopefully we will be able to say roughly when the project will start.

As ASM will need to be closed for 2-3 weeks for the scaffolding while the installation is done, our friends as Mattishall Methodist Church have kindly agreed to let us use their building for that time (whenever that is) and we have told them we will pay properly for that hire.

More info next week.

Dear All,

The Authorised Pastoral Assistant (APA) scheme was launched in 2023 as part of the diocesan ‘Transformation’ series, under the pastoral banner.

The idea is for those who wish to attend, to be authorised as APAs, but it is perfectly OK for people to just come along and find out more.  The benefits of being authorised as an APA are:

• You are covered by DBS checks and will need to have passed, the 2 first Safeguarding courses (Basic and Foundation), plus the Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse course.
• The Ministry Team will be there to support you.
• There is a clarity to the pastoral role.
• Someone may contact the office or the Ministry Team and we would ask the APA to visit, so there is an authority extended to the APA. We would need to consider providing ID to the APA or placing fotos and names of the APA’s on the website so their ID can be ratified.  This does not stop people dropping in to visit others unofficially, but when done officially, it has to be an APA.

Training must be completed, safeguarding courses completed and DBS checks done before authorisation takes place.  Prior to training starting, there is a process of references being taken up or PCC approval given, depending on our knowledge of the applicant.

The 6 sessions are entitled:

1. What is pastoral care?
2. Listening and responding.
3. Visiting people at home followed by a home visit and they will be asked to reflect on that visit.
4. Supporting older people.
5. The bereavement journey.
6. Caring for the carers.

Each session starts with prayer, workbooks worked through, activities undertaken, either individually, in pairs or as a group, finishing by closing worship.  There is homework!

The training consists of 6 x 2 hour sessions plus one home visit.  The material is all prepared and the course will be delivered by Rev Sue Hemsley Halls and myself.

The dates for your diaries are:  12th May, 19th May, 2nd June, 9th June, 16th June and 23rd June.  These are all Mondays.  The time is 10am to 12 am on each of those days and the course will be held either at ASM or the Church Rooms, dependent on numbers.

Do let me know if you are interested in the course and if you have any questions, do ask.  It’s a wonderful way to serve the communities where we are called to serve.

More details about the role can be seen at Authorised Pastoral Assistant (APA) - Diocese of Norwich.

With every blessing.

Jackie Crisp

Lay Minister in the Mattishall and Tudd Valley Benefice

07860 795625