By Rev Stewart As the days begin to turn into Autumn (the leaves on the “Christmas light” trees outside St Mary’s are dropping incredibly early already!) it is a good time to reflect on how the summer has gone in our Parish. It is also time to get ready for some great new things in…
Author: parishofhighongar
A message for Pentecost
By Rev Stewart Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Libya, Cyrene – some of the names of the places where the people at Pentecost came from provide interesting tongue-twisters for anyone (un)lucky enough to have been put on the rota in our churches to read the Bible lesson last Sunday! But these places are a sign that…
Join Our Free Toddler Group at St Mary’s Church
By Katherine Garner Since 2000 the Parish of High Ongar has been running a very popular Harmony Bible Club in High Ongar Primary School. And now it’s time for the little ones to join in the fun! From September 2025 we will be hosting a new toddler group for all parents, grandparents, childminders, and carers…
Holy Week in the Parish of High Ongar
The schedule for Holy Week at St Mary’s, High Ongar and All Saints’, Norton Mandeville includes services from Palm Sunday (April 13) through Easter Sunday (April 20). Highlights include Reflective Morning Prayer, a Maundy Thursday meal, Good Friday Walk of Witness, and Easter Vigil featuring a bonfire and lighting of the Pascal Candle.
Last words are very important…
Rev Stewart’s Lent 2025 message reflects on Jesus’ last words on the Cross, highlighting themes of forgiveness, service, and God’s love. The message encourages deepening discipleship amid human shortcomings and affirms that Christ’s sacrifice grants redemption, freeing believers from the power of sin and death, ensuring hope beyond their last words.
So what is a Licensed Lay Minister?
By Rev Stewart Gibbs and Geoff Willis Many people are familiar with the idea of Vicar – they wear a “dog-collar”, lead church services, drink a lot of tea! But perhaps people are less familiar with the idea of Lay Minister. High Ongar Parish are blessed to have two wonderful Lay Ministers – Katherine Garner,…
A Message for Christmas
By Rev Stewart “Remember….therefore to comfort one another with these words” – 1 Thessalonians 4:18 We are fast reaching the end of the year. The clocks changed long ago, and the days are swiftly moving now through Advent and towards Christmas. Times seem to be changing fast. Of course they always do! However, this season…
Bon Voyage to our Shoeboxes
By Fiona Baxter Many thanks to all those who donated to this year’s Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal for families and elderly couples in Eastern Europe. This year boxes were collected throughout Ongar and surrounding areas over a number of weeks at the end of October and into early November. Individual gifts were combined into…
Senior Citizens: Don’t be lonely in Ongar!
The St James’ Church in Marden Ash invites all to tea, biscuits, and good company on Mondays at 2pm. Special events included.
Who built the new fence at St Mary’s High Ongar?
By Melinda Bundock Over the last few weeks a group of parishioners from St Mary’s have been replacing the old rotten gate and fencing. First, they had to cut back a lot of overhanging greenery to get to the old fence and clear the ground in readiness for new post holes to be dug and…
Parish of High Ongar 