News & Events - Parish News

August Pastoral Letter from the Vicar

Posted on Saturday 1 August 2026 at 7:00am

Fr Nicholas

Dear Friends,

There is something rather different about August.

The pace changes. Schools are closed. Parliament disappears into recess. Traffic mysteriously becomes lighter – until one reaches the M5 somewhere near Bristol, when it appears everyone in Britain has had exactly the same idea. Parish diaries, usually full to overflowing, suddenly acquire the occasional blank page. Even the gardens, usually demanding constant attention by this stage of the summer, seem to have admitted temporary defeat in the face of this year's prolonged dry spell. It is a month that reminds us that rest is not an indulgence but a gift.

In the creation story God himself rests on the seventh day – not because he was tired, but because he delighted in what he had made. If God himself builds rest into the rhythm of creation, perhaps we should not feel too guilty about sitting in the garden with a cup of tea, listening to the birds, or occasionally finishing an entire newspaper or jigsaw before lunch.

This year, many of us have also enjoyed the drama and heartbreak of the World Cup. England’s journey to the semi-finals captured the imagination of the country once again. Like so many tournaments before it, there were moments of exhilaration, moments of nail-biting tension and, ultimately, the disappointment of defeat at the final hurdle. We have become rather practised at saying, “Maybe next time!” Yet there was much to admire: commitment, teamwork, resilience and the determination to keep going even when the odds were against them.

Sport has an extraordinary ability to unite complete strangers. For ninety minutes – or sometimes rather longer – we discover ourselves cheering, hoping and occasionally hiding behind the sofa in unison. It reminds us that we are made for community, that shared joys and shared disappointments are part of being human.

The same is true of the Church, although I am pleased to report that the outcome of the Parish Mass is generally rather more predictable than a penalty shoot-out.

While we may have been following football, the wider world has continued to remind us how fragile peace remains. Wars continue, humanitarian crises fill our television screens, and many families face anxieties that are hidden from public view: illness, bereavement, financial pressures or uncertainty about the future. Such realities cannot simply be switched off because it is summer.

Yet neither can the hope that lies at the heart of the Christian faith.

The Church has always understood that true peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is the presence of Christ. It is perfectly possible to be surrounded by noise and uncertainty, yet possess a quiet confidence that God has not abandoned his world. Equally, one can be sitting on the most beautiful beach imaginable and still carry an anxious heart. The peace Christ gives begins within us and gradually transforms the way we see everything else.

Perhaps that is one reason why Jesus so often withdrew to quiet places to pray. He knew that life could not be lived at full speed all the time. Silence, prayer and rest are not interruptions to the Christian life; they are part of it.

Here at St Matthew’s, August is traditionally a slightly gentler month. Choral Evensong takes a summer pause while the choir enjoys a well-earned break, weekday worship continues faithfully, and we gather as always around the altar week by week. Some of us will be travelling; others will be welcoming visitors; many will simply enjoy familiar routines at a rather slower pace. Whatever your plans, I hope you will find moments to recognise God’s presence in ordinary things: a conversation with a friend, an evening walk, the laughter of children, the beauty of creation, or simply the gift of having nowhere urgent to be.

During August I shall also be taking a short period of annual leave. I am deeply grateful to Fr Nicholas Gandy for covering the Sunday and weekday Masses, and to the many members of our parish family whose quiet faithfulness ensures that the life of St Matthew's continues day by day. Churches, rather like gardens, flourish because many different people lovingly tend them.

As we move through August we also look towards the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which this year falls on a Sunday. Mary’s life reminds us that the Christian journey is always one of trust. She did not know where God’s call would lead, but she entrusted herself to him completely. In the end, her faithfulness was crowned with glory – not only as her own reward, but as a promise of what God intends for all who belong to Christ.

That is a hopeful thought with which to enjoy the closing weeks of summer.

Whether your August is filled with holidays, grandchildren, gardening, decorating, catching up with neglected jobs – or simply shielding from, or wondering where on earth the sunshine has gone – I pray that you may know something of God’s peace, his refreshment and his joy.

Your sincere friend and parish priest,

Fr Nicholas

2026 Ride+Stride

Coming soon…

Posted on Monday 27 July 2026 at 3:17pm

2026 Ride + Stride

In fact, on Saturday 12 September! It’s the day when churches and chapels around the county are throwing their doors open to visitors. It would be great for members of our congregation to take advantage of the day – and do it on behalf of St Matthew’s so you can raise some cash for the church at the same time, as well as, very importantly, for the places of worship that desperately need maintenance, more than their congregations can cover.

The county Historic Churches Trust is a body of voluntary organisations that raise money for the restoration and maintenance of historic churches and chapels, supported by the national Churches Trust. In 2012 St Matthew’s received a grant of £10,000 for our own major repair works.

Ride+Stride is an annual fun event run by the Trust, and it’s been taking place each year on the second Saturday in September across most of the country since it began in Suffolk in 1981. Last year, with your help, we at St Matthew’s raised £285, half of which came back to St Matthew’s – funds raised are divided equally between the Trust and the individually sponsored church.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to walk every step – it’s ok to drive (or go by bus, especially handy if you have a bus pass!) and just enjoy walking around the churches.

If you don’t have the time for visiting then you can still take part by sponsoring those in our congregation who hopefully will, or those who sit and record the visitors who come to us!

So there are three ways you can join in:

❖ You can visit as many or as few as you like of the Northampton / Northamptonshire churches taking part – team up with your friends and enjoy a fun and sociable few hours and see interesting places of worship that may not normally be open except for services. I will have a list of those churches and chapels taking part and will give you a sheet which you get signed at each one you visit.

❖ You can man St Matthew’s (we’ll be open between 10.00am and 2.00pm) to welcome and record others visiting our church – it’s a nice easy sit-down job for an hour or so (always with someone else).

❖ You can sponsor us with money – please do! Note that we donate ‘en masse’ for the riders/striders/recorders – all help equally.

Like to help?

Register your interest in visiting, manning or donating with me, either in person after Sunday Mass, or via the Parish Office letterbox in an envelope with a note giving your clearly readable name, address and phone number / email address, and addressed to Dorrie Parker, Ride+Stride (and if donating, please include it as cash or a cheque payable to NHCT, as it will save me chasing you later – it makes life SO much easier…!). Please indicate if you would like to Gift Aid your donation.

Thank you in anticipation!
Dorrie Parker

July Pastoral Letter from the Vicar

Saints, Seasons, and Stoppage Time

Posted on Wednesday 1 July 2026 at 7:00am

Fr Nicholas

July is one of those curious months that seems to exist in two worlds at once. The summer holidays beckon, school terms draw to a close, gardens burst into life (and weeds likewise with remarkable enthusiasm), and many of us begin to think about holidays, lighter evenings, and perhaps the possibility of a little rest.

And, lest anyone should accuse the parish magazine of being entirely detached from contemporary life, I should also acknowledge that a significant proportion of the globe will be spending July with one eye on the FIFA World Cup. Nations will rejoice, despair, celebrate unexpected victories, lament questionable refereeing decisions, and confidently explain afterwards exactly how the manager should have done it differently. It is one of the few occasions when entire countries appear to acquire expert tactical knowledge overnight. Yet even amid the excitement of competition, the tournament reminds us of something important: people of every nation, language, and culture share a common humanity. Christians, of course, would add that we are all members of one human family, created in the image of God.

Yet the world itself rarely seems to take a holiday. As I write, we continue to witness conflict, uncertainty, political upheaval, economic pressures, and growing concern about the care of our planet. The news can sometimes leave us feeling weary and burdened. It is perhaps no coincidence that one of the great themes of our All Age Mass this month is Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Those words are not addressed merely to first-century disciples but to twenty- first-century Christians trying to navigate an increasingly complicated world.

The Church, too, keeps its own calendar, and July is rich in saints whose lives continue to speak to our own circumstances. On 3 July we celebrate St Thomas the Apostle. Poor Thomas is forever remembered as ‘Doubting Thomas’, which seems rather unfair. After all, the other disciples had already seen the risen Christ before Thomas was asked to believe. Perhaps he is the patron saint of all who have questions, uncertainties, and moments when faith feels difficult. Thomas reminds us that honest questions are not the enemy of faith. Indeed, they may sometimes be the doorway to a deeper faith.

A few days later comes St Benedict, often called the Father of Western Monasticism and Patron of Europe. Benedict understood that holiness is usually found not in dramatic gestures but in the faithful keeping of daily routines: prayer, work, study, hospitality, and community life. In a culture that often values noise and novelty, Benedict gently reminds us that God is frequently found in the ordinary.

Then comes St Swithun, whose name inevitably raises the annual question: “Will it rain for forty days?” Northampton weather-forecasting has not, to my knowledge, yet been entrusted entirely to medieval saints, but his feast does prompt us to think seriously about our stewardship of creation. Climate change is no longer a distant possibility but a present reality. Christians believe that the earth is God’s gift to us, and that caring for it is not a political fashion but a spiritual responsibility.

Later in the month we celebrate St Mary Magdalene, the first witness to the resurrection and often described as the ‘Apostle to the Apostles’. She stands at the empty tomb carrying grief, confusion, and loss, only to hear her name spoken by the risen Lord. Many people today carry hidden wounds of one kind or another. Mary Magdalene reminds us that Christ still calls people by name and still brings healing, hope, and new beginnings.

The Feast of St James the Apostle follows on 25 July. James was a fisherman before he became a disciple. In an age when many communities connected with agriculture and fishing face uncertainty and challenge, his feast invites us to pray for all whose livelihoods depend upon the land and sea. James also learned, sometimes painfully, that discipleship is not about seeking the places of honour but about learning the way of service.

Finally, towards the end of the month, we celebrate Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Few families in the Gospels feel quite so recognisable. Martha is busy organising, Mary is listening at the Lord’s feet, Lazarus quietly occupies the middle ground, and before long someone is having a robust discussion about priorities. It all feels wonderfully familiar. Yet theirs was a home marked by friendship, hospitality, learning, faith, and love. Their story reminds us that Christ is often encountered not only in church but around dining tables, in conversations, in acts of welcome, and in the ordinary business of family life.

All of these themes find their place in the life of St Matthew's this month. Our Summer Fête, the All Age Mass, the Healing Mass, the ministry of anointing, the Walsingham Cell, and our regular worship all seek, in different ways, to help us encounter Christ in community.

As schools break up and many begin their summer travels, I encourage you to make time for rest, for family, for friendship, and for prayer. God himself rested on the seventh day, and experience suggests that most vicars eventually discover they are not more indispensable than the Almighty.

May this summer be for you a season of refreshment. May Christ strengthen your faith when it is tested, deepen your hope when the world feels uncertain, and fill your heart with the peace that only he can give.

Your sincere friend and parish priest,

Fr Nicholas

The 1895 Walker Organ in St Matthew’s

by Tom Moore, Director of Music

Posted on Sunday 19 April 2026 at 8:40pm

The 1895 Walker Organ in St Matthew’s

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the rebuilding of the grand Walker Organ in St Matthew’s.

It is well documented that the instrument, considered a masterpiece of Walker’s work and of international significance due to its largely original specification and unaltered pipework, was by the early 2000s starting to become unreliable and difficult to maintain due to age and component parts simply having worn out. The organ needed a major rebuild, and the Vicar and PCC at the time saw fit to invest some £360,000 into its complete renovation. The organ underwent major ‘surgery’ in 2005/2006 and was ultimately restored, rebuilt and rededicated at the Dedication Festival in September 2006.

To mark this 20 year milestone, we are planning a number of events and recitals this year to showcase the organ, and to give those who have an interest in the instrument an education in how the instrument works, how the pipes make sound, and to show you around the instrument into parts of the organ that you never see from your seats in the nave. It is a fascinat- ing instrument and can very easily be taken for granted each time we come for services where the organ is in use. We expect to be able to turn it on, for the organist to sit at it, and for music to come out; but its unbelievably complicated systems mean that it is a pure wonder that such a thing ever makes the beautiful sounds we hear and appreciate each week.

The celebration of this organ which St Matthew’s and its people should feel so rightly proud of will initially take on the form of a series of recitals by organists who have a connection to St Matthew’s, which will take place on certain Sunday evenings after Choral Evensongs. Later in the year, we are planning a ‘meet the organ’ event and, at St Matthew-tide, a silent movie will be presented where the organ will be used to accompany a film on a big screen. Keep an eye out for dates being released soon.

A reminder that we need your consent

Live-streaming, GDPR and Your Consent

Posted on Monday 16 September 2024 at 11:30am

Online live-streaming of services

Some of St Matthew's services (most Sunday mornings and some special services) are live-streamed or recorded for those who cannot attend church in person. Under GDPR, the church must gain the consent of anyone whose image may be captured, as this constitutes collection of "personal data". This includes clergy, readers/intercessors, musicians and congregation.

Whilst every attempt is made not to capture the faces of members of the congregation, this may occasionally happen if people turn around or move around the church during the service. The exception is communion, when the congregation is not filmed. The side aisles and back of the nave are so far as possible film-free areas not covered by the camera. Anyone whose personal data is collected must give their consent. Consent forms are available in church and online . The full policy can be read on our parish website or on the noticeboards in church.

Please read Our Privacy Policy - Filming & Photography and if you are happy to, give your consent by downloading, printing, signing, and handing in the form to a church representative or the Parish Office on your next visit. The consent form can be found at the bottom of the page.

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