St Martin of Tours Statue in France

Photo by: Linda Gundry

 

St Martin of Tours Statue

Welcome to our church pages... 

The Church of St Martin of Tours, Martinstown is one three churches that make up the Parish of The Winterbournes and which includes St Michael’s, Winterbourne Steepleton and St Mary’s, Winterbourne Abbas. These three churches and the parish church of St Thomas á Becket, Compton Valenceare ministered to by a Team Vicar, an Associate Priest and a Licensed Lay Minister (LLM), and form part of the Dorchester and The Winterbournes Team Ministry, consisting of 9 churches (the 3 Dorchester Town churches, West Stafford and Winterborne Monkton).

Though the four churches of The Winterbournes have their own identity they have in common an inclusive, friendly and hospitable welcome, extended to all.

St Martin’s is a busy, active church that involves itself fully in the life of the community. Each year the members of the parish work hard in raising money for various charities, both at home and abroad and actively support local community events. These are firm foundations for a church that can continue to grow – a church that reaches out to its community, caring for and supporting people and living out their faith practically as well as spiritually.

We welcome enquirers for weddings and baptisms – it is a privilege to share in the joy of these special occasions in people’s lives. In the case of weddings there will of course be legal requirements and in the case of baptisms (also known as Christenings) we are always delighted to welcome new members into the Church of God. Please ring the Team Vicar on 01305 889992 for further information.

A warm welcome awaits you to all our services – please see the ‘Life of the Church’ page for more information - CLICK HERE.
 

TEAM RECTOR
Rev’d Keith Magee - 07766 645136

TEAM VICAR
There is currently a vacancy for this position!

ASSOCIATE PRIEST
Rev’d Jo Lacy-Smith - 01305 889476


LICENSED LAY MINISTER
Allen Knott - 01305 267217


The Parish of the Winterbournes
There is a single Parochial Church Council for Martinstown, Steepleton and Abbas but each parish church retains its own local church committee.


CHURCHWARDENS
Dick Corbett-Winder (889410),
Ellie Sturrock (07980 089470),
Joy Parsons (889611)

PCC Hon. Secretary:
Alison Crawford (889377)

PCC Hon. Treasurer:
Bruce Robertson

The Parish of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Compton Valence

Churchwarden & Treasurer:
Jeremy Russell - 01308 482227

Churchwarden & Secretary:
Peter Steel - 01308 482782

Dorchester and The Winterbournes Team Website:
DorchesterAnglican.org.uk

Any of the above can be approached in the first instance for Baptism, Marriage, Home Communion or just a visit and they would welcome being told when anybody has been bereaved or is ill. They have answerphones for you to leave a message.


If you want us to remember anything or anyone in the public prayer of the Church, we would be glad to do this as long as permission of the person involved is assured.


To find out more, visit our website.
CLICK HERE

Interregnum

We are now in a period sometimes referred to as an Interregnum. It’s the time between a vicar leaving a parish and the licensing of the new Vicar. For all sorts of reasons this period can sometimes take quite a few months.  Revd. Jean Saddington is no longer our vicar but is continuing her ministry as a Chaplain at Dorset County Hospital.  She has secured a new home in our Valley so we shall see her from time to time either walking Mabel, her dog, or at the various local activities or groups.

During this period our Ministry Staff and Churchwardens will liaise with our Rector, Keith, to ensure that we have adequate cover for services and that pastoral care continues. Do feel free to contact any of us should you feel the need.

On a practical level service times and venues will continue but with some slight changes in the nature of some services.

There will be no Changes to the usual services at Winterbourne Abbas, Compton Valence or Winterbourne Steepleton. The only change at Martinstown will be that there will not be a Eucharist on the third Sunday of each month. This will replaced by a service of Matins.

What should we do as we wait for a new Vicar?

First I urge you all to pray for all those charged with the selection process and also for whoever is chosen to lead us. I think too we need to remind ourselves that we are all called to serve God and His Church. We shall discover just how much Revd. Jean did for us as we take on the responsibility of ‘keeping things going.’ So let us pray for each other, support each other, encourage each other and, perhaps most importantly, offer forgiveness when mistakes are made or things omitted.

Let us resolve to do all we can to ensure that our Churches remain alive, vibrant and active.

Allen Knott