Contact Details
St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 5HWTel. 01507 525 600
Horncastle
Welcome to St Mary's Church
As a town church, we take seriously our responsibility to provide spiritual worship to our community. We hold weekly Wednesday (CW) and Thursday (BCP) morning Communion services. On Sunday we hold a 10.00 a.m. Communion service, which attracts a congregation of between 70-105 people. House groups meet weekly and a men's group have recently met to explore their faith and some of them can be found in the local hostelries discussing not just the weather but issues around faith! On the fifth Sunday in the month a South Wolds Group Communion service is held which is a great opportunity for the Group to come together in worship.
On a monthly basis we have an early Communion Service, Wholeness and Healing Service and Rejoice Service.
The size of our congregations vary from 60-110 people at our Sunday Eucharistic in St Mary's Church Horncastle, and between 5 and 30 people at our two other Sunday village Group Eucharistic Services. We also provide a variety of Services of the Word for families and our special festival services of Harvest and Carols are particularly well attended.
St Mary's ecumenical links are with the Methodist Church for Palm Sunday and Remembrance Day. On a Saturday night our church is used by the local Roman Catholic community for Mass.
The town of Horncastle is a country market town of great charm. It was originally the Roman town of Banovallum and remains of the Roman wall can be seen within the local library. Situated on the banks of the Rivers Waring and Bain, the town contains many attractive buildings and is noted for its many antique shops. Horncastle is the central town that people from the villages of the South Wolds come for their shopping, education and amenities. It offers good shopping facilities; has a twice weekly market; a farmers' market once a month and every year hosts large Christmas and summer fairs.
It has a full range of healthcare amenities, doctors, vets, opticians, and physiotherapists with easy access to the hospitals in Louth, Lincoln and Boston. It has a good range of schools with a large community primary school a secondary modern and grammar school and a residential/day school for children with special needs. Colleges of further education can be found in Boston and Lincoln, but there is a very good adult educational college in the town. There are a wide range of clubs available; a choral society, theatre group, brass band, dance school, uniformed groups, U3A, YFC, art clubs, as well as a full range of sporting facilities; swimming, tennis, gym, cricket, football, rugby, bowls and so on. Horncastle is a good place to live and many people who come here never want to leave.
We are known for our friendly hospitality. We see this as part of our ministry to our community. When visitors or new people arrive our Churchwardens and sidespeople ensure they are greeted and invited to join us for tea and coffee after the service. We are a very sociable Church and like nothing better than an opportunity to celebrate an occasion.
We open on a Thursday and Saturday morning (market days) for coffee in St Catherine's Room. Every Wednesday morning a group of us host Coffee Plus, an activity group for people with learning difficulties. We have a great team of Church Stewards who are knowledgeable about our church history. This ensures our church is open every day (11am until 3pm subject to steward availability) during the spring, summer and autumn months. We have between 1300 and 1600 visitors a year. Our visitor's book speaks for itself in terms of how great people think St Mary's Church is both as a building and a place of sanctuary and peace.
Our regular worship, which includes both young and old, is enhanced by our exceptionally talented musicians who play the piano and organ for our services. We are blessed indeed by a professional musician whose contribution to our church music is well known locally. We have a dedicated choir whose contribution to our communion services is appreciated and warmly received.
St Mary's has recently undergone extensive renovations and is now in an excellent state of repair.
The Friends of St Mary's are a strong and successful association that has worked tirelessly with the people and businesses of Horncastle to help keep the building in good order. We are keen to continue to develop the Church to be used as a community building as well as an inspirational worship space. The fund raising events of concerts by national and international acts are educational, uplifting and great fun.
Regular Services:
Sunday
8 00 am Holy Communion (BCP) on 1st Sunday of the month
10 00 am Holy Communion every week except 3rd Sunday when a Family Service is held
6 00 pm Rejoice (3rd Sunday alternating between St Mary's and Queen Street Methodist Church)
Wednesday
9 30 am Holy Communion or Celtic Eucharist (alternate weeks)
Thursday
10 00 am Holy Communion (BCP)
Churchwardens details can be found in the 'Who section'.
Church Opening Times
During the summer, we are open from 11 am until 3pm, providing our volunteer stewards are available and subject to our usual services, weddings and funerals. From November to Easter, the church is only open to visitors for services.
Coffee/tea and biscuits are usually available on Thursdays from 10.30 until 11.15 am and Saturdays from 10 am until 12 noon.
Who's Who?
Our clergy serve all of the South Wolds Partnership. Our resident clergy are:
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Rev Charles Patrick |
Rev Cilla Smith |
Rev Sam Parsons Curate |
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Churchwardens |
Michael Hieatt 01507 525071 |
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Administrator |
Debbie Knight 01507 525600 southwoldsgroup@btinternet.com |
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Verger |
Sue Grau |
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If you need to get in touch with any of the below, please contact the Parish Office initially, via the Administrator or Verger. | |
Town Church Committee | |
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Secretary |
Janet Ceillam |
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Treasurer |
Neil Carter |
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Governance Team Leader |
Malcolm Baxter |
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Buildings |
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Mission |
Judith Simons |
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Ministry |
Rev Cilla Smith |
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Planned Giving Secretary |
Lynn Urbanowicz |
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Electoral Roll |
Pam Crisp-Beard |
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Bellringers |
Don Hare |
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Bookstall |
Clare Crick |
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Church Cleaning |
Carole Marshall |
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Flower Arranging |
Barbara Scholey |
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Magazine |
Jo Woodhouse |
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Mothers' Union |
Veta Jay |
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Pastoral Visits |
Sue Baxter |
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- House Groups
- Sunday Review
- Alpha Course
- Home Communions
- Nursing Home Ministry
- Lay Ministry Training
- Mothers' Union
- Coffee Plus
- Pastoral Teas
- Friend of St Mary's concerts & coffee mornings
- Christmas Tree Festivals
- Gospel Choir
- 100 Club
- Rejoice
- Men's Ministry