St Paul's to hold Rainbow Festival of Hope
In a show of support and positivity in these difficult times, St
Paul's church in the centre of Bedford will be hosting a display of
local installations under the banner, Rainbow Festival of Hope.
The rainbow has become known as a sign of hope, especially in recent
months, and through the exhibition St Paul's invites people to come into
its quiet and historical surroundings to reflect and enjoy some quiet
time.
The installations will be provided by local groups, designed to express
remembrance, hope, peace and gratitude. Visitors will be invited to
write or draw their reflections on postcards which will be included in a
memorial book and used in a service to mark the challenges everyone has
faced during recent months. The festival will include a Requiem Mass for
All Souls’ Day at 12.00 on Wednesday November 4th, when visitors light a
candle to remember the people and things they have lost or are grieving
for.
The festival opens on Friday October 30th and runs until Thursday
November 5th, open each day from12.00 to 2.00pm.
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Faculty notices
Faculty notices relating to our installation of full Wi-Fi in St Paul's
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Details of Church opening for worship
St Paul's is open for Sunday worship. A range of measures and
protocols are in place and must be observed to ensure everyone's
well-being.
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The church will be open at 09:45am for the
Eucharist which starts at 10.15am.
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The wearing of face-coverings is now
mandatory.
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Resourcing our members to take practical action
to improve conditions for families, both nationally and in the
communities in which they live. |
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A limit of 60 people can be seated in the main
body of the church. Seating has been arranged to accommodate a
mix of individuals, couples and families. |
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Social distancing rules apply. |
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The service will be a Said Eucharist. |
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We ask members of the congregation to enter
through the North door and exit through the West door, making
sure to use hand-sanitiser on arriving and leaving and before
receiving Communion. |
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Communion will be received standing at the front
of the Nave and will be given in one kind only. |
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After the service please leave via the
West-door, no refreshments will be provided until further
notice. |
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Worshippers' details will be taken and kept for
21 days to facilitate Track and Trace, if necessary. |
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Worshippers' are reminded to self-isolate if
there is a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the household. |
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St Paul's Church is awarded 'Major Parish Church' statusSt
Paul's church in the centre of Bedford is celebrating its award as a
Major Parish Church and being granted membership of the Major Churches
Network, in recognition of its importance to the town.
The Major Churches Network is a body set up by the Church of England
which comprises 350 of the largest and most significant churches across
England which are not cathedrals but fulfil many of the same functions
within their communities and includes some of the best loved places of
worship around the UK.
There are strict qualifying criteria to become a member such as being a
building of exceptional significance (often Grade I listed), being open
daily to visitors, to have a role which goes beyond a normal parish
church by fulfilling an important civic and cultural role and by making
an economic contribution to their local area.
St Paul's qualifies in all categories - it is the biggest religious
building in the St Albans Diocese after St Albans Cathedral, the civic
and county church of Bedfordshire, and it plays host to events and
concerts throughout the year. For the past year the new Bedford Visitor
Information Centre - which replaced the old Tourist Information when it
closed - has also been based inside the main body of the church.
Canon Fr Kevin Goss, Vicar of St Paul's said: "We are delighted to
have received this recognition and to have been officially designated a
member of the Major Churches Network. We welcome thousands of visitors
every year and would hope this affiliation will boost the church's
profile further, and in doing do attract more visitors into Bedford."
St Paul's is already a member of
Cathedrals Plus, a body that promotes
cathedrals, abbeys, shrines and major churches which already receive
large numbers of visitors. The church is well-known locally for hosting
the annual Christmas Tree Festival in conjunction with Bedford Hospitals
Charity, attracting around 5000 visitors over the five day event.
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More news and events can be found in our
Archived News and
Events page. |
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