St Michael’s Church is now closed until further notice.
This is to enable large scale restoration work to take place at the east end of the north aisle. It is anticipated that this work will last until early March. Access to the church will be for authorized personnel only. The scale of the work does not permit us to set aside a limited space in the church for private prayer and quiet.
Little Gidding Church open
However, please note that St John’s Church, Little Gidding is open seven days a week between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
Services in the Baptist Church
The Baptist Church has very kindly offered the use of their building during this period. Therefore on Sunday 16th January, there will be a service of Evensong in the chapel, taken by our churchwarden John De Val and starting at 4pm.
Enquiries
If you have any enquiries regarding the closure or services, please contact John De Val, telephone number: 01832 293417
In July 2019 I was fortunate to be able to attend the funeral of Dorothy Atkinson who had reached the great age of 100. Mrs Atkinson was one of the most joy-filled people I’ve ever met. She was still visiting the elderly, so she told me, well into her 90s.
Whenever I went to visit her in her latter years, her face would light up as she told me how lucky she felt, and what a wonderful life she had. It was impossible to come away from seeing her without feeling lighter, and feeling lucky myself to have known her.
Transported back to the 1980s
After the service I was given a carrier bag by Mrs Atkinson’s daughter just as they were heading off for the burial. In it was a photo album with bright red tulips on, and, in writing I recognised, a label saying ‘Friday Club’. Immediately I was transported back to the 1980s and the Friday Club that Great Gidding Baptist Church ran for the local children. I think pretty much all my school friends went – I suspect my parents, at least, enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet with me out of the house every Friday.
Younger Friday Club, older Friday Club
The younger Friday Club was run by two extraordinary ladies, Doris Tapps and Annie Davidson who had moved to Great Gidding from London during the Blitz. Miss Tapps and Miss Davidson (I never did pluck up courage to call them by their first names) were gentle, dedicated and patient in all their interactions with children. The older group was run by Ernie and Dorothy Atkinson from their home on Milking Slade Lane. Mr and Mrs A never seemed to mind as we rampaged through their house. We got to run amok in their garden. They always seemed to so calm, unflappable and at ease with the invasion of children after school every Friday.
The photo album feels like a great gift – a way of reliving those carefree days and to be reminded how grateful I feel to have known the patient and loving care of of Miss Tapps, Miss Davidson, and Mr and Mrs A.
Our Purpose – Love God Love People Serve the World
The Baptist Church is in fellowship with Grace Fellowship Little Stukeley; Grace Fellowship is part of the International Baptist Convention (I B C) and affiliated to Baptist Union of Great Britain
My Wife and I first came to Great Gidding some 30 years ago as a guest speaker for the day returning from time to time to worship or preach, then we moved to Great Stukely. That’s when Pastor Albert asked me to take care of the Church while he was away in Uganda. During this time we have seen many changes to the Church. When Albert was so ill Penny and I were regular visitors both to the hospital and the home, on their Return to Bristol they asked us to take on the church.
Work to do
There has been much work to do as we redecorate the manse and clear up the rubbish that has been gathered over the years and we are still working at getting the grounds and sheds dealt with, it will take time to do all we have in mind.
The first service we will take is to be held on Easter Sunday At 3pm. We welcome you all to come and join us for the service and share a cup of tea or coffee after the service.
Further details of regular meetings will be announced soon.
“If you see us working at the Manse please stop and introduce yourself to us. We are hoping to hold our first service Easter Sunday 3pm please come and join with us”
