St James The Great Colchester

11/06/2026

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11/06/2026

With regards to Faith and Current Affairs, The Reverend Dr. Jamie Franklin is worth listening to in this recent podcast.

Irreverend 264! (video) by Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs on Patreon. Join Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs's community for exclusive content and updates.

11/06/2026

Friends of St James the Great Church, East Hill, Colchester, do join us today (11th June) at midday for Sung Mass celebrating the Feast of Saint Barnabas at Saint James the Great Church, East Hill, Colchester. 🕊️

Saint Barnabas – the great “Son of Encouragement” – is one of the most inspiring figures in the early Church. Originally named Joseph, this generous Cypriot Levite sold a field he owned and laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet to support the growing Christian community (Acts 4:36-37). The apostles gave him the name Barnabas, meaning “Son of Encouragement” or “Son of Consolation,” because that’s exactly who he was: a man full of faith, the Holy Spirit, and the power to lift others up.

The “Son of Encouragement” was a key figure in the early Church. He sold his land to support the community and helped introduce Paul to the apostles.
Together they undertook the first major missionary journey, preaching in Cyprus and Asia Minor. 📖
In Lystra, they performed a notable healing miracle that drew crowds. Barnabas also encouraged John Mark when others hesitated, helping shape his future work. 🌿

Today, in our own historic town of Colchester – Britain’s oldest recorded Roman town – we still need encouragers like Barnabas. In a world that can feel divided and discouraging, we are called to be people who build up, who believe in others, who share the hope of Christ with generosity and courage.

Come along to Sung Mass at midday. All are welcome, including those joining us for the first time.
There will be refreshments afterwards. 🙏

Saint James the Great Church
East Hill, Colchester
Thursday at midday
Botticelli: Madonna Child Enthroned: Uffizi Gallery Florence
From left to right: Catherine of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, Barnabas, John the Baptist, Ignatius of Antioch and Michael

04/06/2026

This evening 4th June at 7pm at St James the Great East Hill, Colchester, we are still keeping the traditional Feast of Corpus Christi exactly ten days after the Feast of Pentecost.

Our celebration begins at 7:00pm with the Holy Eucharist, moving directly into the traditional Liturgy of Exposition, Adoration, and Benediction.
As St Justin Martyr wrote in the second century,

"We do not receive these as common bread and drink... but as the flesh and blood of Jesus, who became flesh for our salvation."

We will also be reflecting on Jules Breton’s magnificent painting, The Sacrament in the Fields, which shows the Lord passing through the ordinary paths of our lives.

Whether you are looking for a quiet space to reflect, a moment of deep prayer, or simply to rest in the Lord's presence, you are welcome here.

Refreshments will be served following the service, and all are most welcome.

30/05/2026

Dear Friends,
This evening, I sit with a heart full of gratitude to God and to you.
Last Sunday, the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of members of our parish family.
Together they offered £5,000 — freely, joyfully, and sacrificially — as a thank offering to God.

As Saint Paul reminds us, “God loves a cheerful giver.” We give thanks to Him, and we give sincere thanks to every one of you who responded so generously.

These images show something of the beauty of the place the Lord has given us — the light through the windows, the quiet devotion of the statues, the care woven into every vestment and carving. All of this is sustained, week by week, not by grand gestures alone, but by the steady, faithful love of ordinary Christian hearts.

We are especially mindful of those who carry much behind the scenes — Lucy Mason and Jean Hecker in particular.

May the same Holy Spirit who descended at Pentecost continue to kindle in us generous hearts, faithful service, and a deeper love for Christ and His Church.
Yours in the Cross of Christ,
Fr James McCluskey SSC
Parish Priest
St James the Great & St Paul’s Church, East Hill, Colchester.

30/05/2026

⛪ Divine Renovation: Transforming Hospitality into Ministry — Food Hygiene and Safety Training 🥖

Today (30th May), from 1:00 PM in the Pilgrim Centre, a dedicated team from our church family is gathering to undertake essential Food Hygiene and Safety training for catering. 💻 Whilst it involves laptops, slides, and assessments, this work is deeply missional and rooted in our calling to serve the parish. ✨

👑 A Theological & Missional Calling
In the Anglo-Catholic tradition, the hospitality we offer after Holy Mass—whether celebrating Holy Baptisms 💧, Confirmations 🙌, the Patronal Festival 🌟, or the beautiful Festivals of Our Lady, including the Solemnity of the Assumption 🌹—is an extension of the Altar. We recall the words of Hebrews 13:2: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels unawares." 🕊️

When we break bread together and offer refreshment during these times of corporate joy and devotion, we extend Christ's tangible welcome to our community. For that to be true, it must be safe, excellent, and trustworthy. Meeting standard regulations is not a bureaucratic chore; it is an expression of our pastoral duty of care to every soul who steps through our doors. ❤️

💰 Serving the Parish More Effectively
There is a profound practical benefit to building up our internal ministry team. 📉 Relying on external caterers carries a heavy cost, often between £10 and £12 per head. By certifying our own members, we ensure that the financial resources of this church are kept directly in the service of our wider mission and parish work. 📋

🤝 With Thanks
We extend our gratitude to Desiree Campbell in organising and shaping this day. 💐 A special thank you also to Fr Jeff. 🎓 Having already successfully completed the qualification, Fr Jeff is present this afternoon to act as a mentor, offering his guidance and supporting the group as they navigate the more complex technical regulations together. Fr Jeff is an adept baker re: cakes, pastries, and desserts. We are undertaking this corporately, learning as a unified team. 👥

Please keep our training candidates in your prayers this afternoon as they equip themselves for this vital ministry of welcome. 🙏



The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes (La multiplication des pains)
James Tissot

23/05/2026

https://stjamesthegreat.wordpress.com/weekly-update/

Weekly Church notices 17th May 7th Sunday of EastertideDownload

23/05/2026

Whether you are a regular worshipper or looking for a place to experience the presence of God tomorrow, come and pray with us. 🙏✨

This Sunday, the 24th of May, we warmly invite you to step into the living stream of faith and tradition at St James the Great, Church East Hill, Colchester, as we celebrate the glorious Feast of Pentecost. 🕊️⛪

The image shared with this post is the magnificent 12th-century Pentecost vault from the Palatine Chapel in Palermo, Sicily. Originally built as a private royal chapel for the Norman kings, it stands today as a world-famous masterpiece where Byzantine mosaic masters, Norman rulers, and Islamic craftsmen laboured under royal patronage to create absolute artistic harmony.

It captures the exact, explosive moment the Holy Spirit descends as a majestic white dove, sending distinct rays of divine fire outward to illuminate the Apostles. 🕊️🔥

Navigating the complexities of our world in May 2026, one might ask: What does this ancient, glittering mosaic have to do with us?

Whether you are navigating life as a committed Christian pilgrim, someone holding onto an estranged or wounded faith, or a soul quietly searching with an enquiring heart—the grace of Pentecost is not a historical relic frozen in gold. 🧭🚶‍♂️

The very same power and presence of God the Holy Spirit that we first receive at our Baptism, and which is sealed within us at Confirmation, is sustained through a constant, ongoing anointing in the Sacraments, poured out afresh whenever we gather in prayer and worship. 🍷🟡 The most critical truth is that the Spirit does not force entry. To experience this divine power in our own lives, one simply needs to open their heart and say with absolute humility: "Come, Holy Spirit." Tomorrow morning, we step into that exact same living stream of grace right here in Colchester. 🌊

Our Sunday Liturgies:

8:00 a.m. Low Mass | A quiet, early morning encounter with the Lord in the stillness of the Spirit. 🤫🙏

10:00 a.m. Sung Parish Mass | Our main celebration where the beauty of holiness is raised in communal song and worship, followed by drinks. 🗣️🎶

Philip Prior: Our Director of Music and Organist has prepared a beautiful scheme of music to elevate our Anglo-Catholic liturgy for this great Solemnity.

We will sing the moving Mass Setting: Broken for You (M Rizza), alongside the ancient, soaring Easter Plainsong Alleluia.
Our Responsorial Psalm will be Psalm 104 set to the resonant melody of Dom Gregory Murray, and as the Easter season concludes, we will offer our devotion to Our Lady with the joyful strains of the Regina Coeli.

The liturgy concludes triumphantly with Christopher Tambling’s stirring organ voluntary, "Send Forth Your Spirit, O Lord". 🎵🎹

Please join us tomorrow. Whether you are a lifelong parishioner or a visitor seeking a sacred space, you are welcome here. ❤️

Veni, Creator Spiritus! 🔥🕊️

https://stjamesthegreat.wordpress.com/ 🌐

21/05/2026

Do join us on Tues 2nd June 2026 at 1pm for the next of this year’s Summer Lunchtime Concerts, when we look forward to welcoming Samuel Bristow (Assistant Director of Music, Chelmsford Cathedral) to play a concert of organ music on our excellent pipe organ. Refreshments available from 1215, retiring collection!