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Welcome to the web site
of the Six Parishes of the Beckbury Group in the Deanery of Edgmond & Shifnal in
the diocese of Lichfield:
Badger - Beckbury - Ryton - Kemberton -
Sutton Maddock - Stockton.
These six parishes in Shropshire between Telford and Bridgnorth were
united in 1989, but within living memory each had its own rector or vicar. The
combined population of the six parishes is no more than 1300, with 350 in the
largest village of Beckbury, where the home of the rector is located.
Rectors and
Vicars
These old titles used to
distinguish the source of income for parish clergy; 'rectors' received 'tithes'
(10%) of the produce of the parish farm land; 'vicars' received a smaller
amount. The names are now retained simply as an indication of local historical
tradition. Here the title 'rector' living in 'the rectory' has continued.
Services
The newsletters on this web site provide details of
services across the six parishes.
As there are no other chapels or churches in the villages, we welcome those of
other denominations to worship and work with us, and to receive communion with
us. Church
Buildings
The churches are
generally open in the day for visitors to look around as well as for
parishioners to spend a quiet moment in prayer and reflection. You will find
brief guides at each of the churches as well as here on this web site.
The Christian
Faith
All churches have signs
and symbols of Christianity; ours are no exception. The font is the starting
point, and in our six churches they are near the entrance door to symbolise that
baptism (often called christening) is the ceremony which expresses the beginning
of the relationship with Jesus Christ. In the baptism service we say,
"God,
we thank you for the gift of water to cleanse us and revive us". The lectern
and pulpit symbolise teaching and learning based on the bible, and remind us of
the invitation to be disciples of Jesus, growing and developing in our faith and
service. One of the Church's prayers begins,
"Almighty God, we thank you for
the gift of your holy word. May it be a lantern to our feet, a light to our
paths and a strength to our lives....." The organ is regularly used in our
Sunday services. Sung hymns are a vital part of Christian worship. St Paul
wrote,
"speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns and sacred
songs; sing to the Lord with praise in your hearts". The communion table /
altar are for the strange Christian food of bread and wine which Jesus made into
symbols of his body and blood on Good Friday, and also as food for a fellowship
meal with him. In one church prayer we say,
"we thank you for nourishing us
with these heavenly gifts: may our communion strengthen us in faith, build us up
in hope, and make us grow in love".
Weddings
Occasionally people ask about being married in one of our
pretty churches in its lovely countryside or village setting. The legal
regulations state that church members and residents who live in the parishes are
eligible to be married at their local parish church. Other people still have a
legal qualifying connection with a church which allows them to marry there
if they used to live in the parish;
if they were baptised at the church;
if a parent lives in the parish;
if a parent used to live in
the parish (for at least 6 months during the person's lifetime);
if their
parents or grandparents married at the church;
Registers
While some of our old parish registers (and all marriage
registers) are now at the county archives in Shrewsbury, we still have some
registers here dating back over a hundred years. Contact the rector by phone or
email if you wish to find about a particular baptism or burial register for one
of the six parishes.
We hope that you find on this web site the
information you want.
Contacts:
During the interregnum
please contact the following
for enquiries about weddings, funerals and
baptisms:
Badger:
Sue Pearce
Email: pearcesh@gmail.com
Beckbury:
David & Beryl Tooth Tel: 01952 750324
Email: davidtooth.salop@gmail.com Kemberton:
Teresa
Moss
Email: teresa@gzillion.com Ryton:
Caroline
Dady
Email: carolinedady@hotmail.co.uk Stockton:
Gavin Hamilton Tel: 0789 604 4181
Email: gavin_hamilton@outlook.com
Sutton Maddock:
John Webb Tel: 07770 754545
Email: webb.john@me.com
The six parishes of the Beckbury Group lie
south of Shifnal and the conurbation of Telford between the A442
(Telford/Bridgnorth road) and the A464 (Shifnal/Wolverhampton road). The
parishes are situated in the lovely Shropshire countryside, but within easy
reach of all the main towns of the area. Click here
to see all the villages on small scale map. This will be shown in a separate
window. You will be able to see more detailed maps on the individual parish
pages.
The various activities
can be found mainly in the monthly newsletters..
The group churches now produce 3 newsletters on a regular
basis.
No. 1 covers Beckbury, Badger and Ryton
No. 2 covers Sutton
Maddock and Stockton
No. 3 covers Kemberton. You may download the
following newsletters as PDFs to read them at your leisure. Click here to
download the April 24 Newsletter No. 1(554 Kb)
Click here to download the April 24 Newsletter
No. 2(1.9 Mb)
Click
here to download the April 24 Newsletter No. 3(217Kb)
Click here to download the latest version of the
April24 Services
Please note that the Communion Service at Ryton Church on 21st April is cancelled. Click here to download
the March 24 Newsletter No. 1(496 Kb)
Click here to download the March 24 Newsletter
No. 2(1.1 Mb)
Click
here to download the March 24 Newsletter No. 3(190Kb)
Click here to download the February 24 Newsletter
No. 1(606 Kb)
Click here to download
the February 24 Newsletter No. 3(266Kb)
Click here to download the
January 24 Newsletter No. 1(506 Kb)
Click here to download the January 24 Newsletter
No. 2(188 Kb)
Click here
to download the January 24 Newsletter No. 3(1.2Mb)
Click here to
download the December 23 Newsletter No. 1(580 Kb)
Click here to download the December 23 Newsletter
No. 2(1.7 Mb)
Click here to download the November 23 Newsletter
No. 1(580 Kb)
Click here
to download the November 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.2 Mb)
Click here to download the November 23 Newsletter
No. 3(1.2Mb)
Click here to download the October 23 Newsletter
No. 1(740 Kb)
Click here
to download the October 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.25 Mb)
Click here to download the October 23 Newsletter
No. 3(49 Kb)
Click here to download the September 23
Newsletter No. 1(575 Kb)
Click
here to download the September 23 Newsletter No. 3(236 Kb)
Click here to download the August 23 Newsletter
No. 1(355 Kb)
Click here
to download the August 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.16 Mb)
Click here to download the Augussept3 Newsletter
No. 3(231 Kb)
Click here to download the July 23 Newsletter No.
1(470 Kb)
Click here to
download the July 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.33 Mb)
Click here to download the July 23 Newsletter No.
3(250 Kb)
Click here to download the June 23 Newsletter No.
1(2.24 Mb)
Click here to
download the June 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.42 Mb)
Click here to download the May 23 Newsletter No.
1(310 Kb)
Click here to
download the May 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.36 Mb)
Click here to download the May 23 Newsletter No.
3(120 Kb)
Click here to download the April Newsletter No.
1(395 Kb)
Click here to
download the April 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.3 Mb)
Click here to download the March 23 Newsletter
No. 3(396 Kb>
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Click here to download the March 23 Newsletter
No. 1(120 Kb)
Click here
to download the March 23 Newsletter No. 2 (1.3 Mb)
Click here to download the March 23 Newsletter
No. 3(396 Kb)
Click here to
download history request
Click here to download the February 23 Newsletter
No. 1(520 Kb)
Click here
to download the February 23 Newsletter No. 2(1.09 Mb)
Click here to download the February 23 Newsletter
No. 3(335 Kb)
Click here to download the December 22 /January 23
Newsletter No. 1(265 Kb)
Click
here to download the December 22 /January 23 Newsletter No. 2(2.1Mb)
Click here to download
the December 22 /January 23 Newsletter No. 3(265Kb)
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| | A list of forthcoming events at each of the churches can now
be found in the monthly newsletter (see above).
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Beckbury Group Ministry Privacy
Policy
Click here to see our Privacy Policy
which is a pdf document. More detailed maps of each parish can be found on the
individual parish pages.
The Services at our various churches can be
found in the monthly newsletter (see above). We welcome Christians from all
denominations to share communion with us.
If you wish to comment on the design
of the site then please contact the webmaster: Wilf Beeson - Email: beckbury@wbeeson.co.uk
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