News & Events - Weekly Notices

---

Weekday Masses - Looking Ahead

Earlier this year we introduced an experimental pattern of weekday Masses, including the celebration of Mass at midday on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Although relatively few comments have been received, the attendance recorded in our service registers suggests a modest but encouraging increase in the number of worshippers over the past six months. On that basis, I intend to recommend to the PCC that these arrangements now become our permanent weekday pattern. Assuming that is agreed, our noticeboard on the Kettering Road will be updated to reflect the revised service times and other changes that have taken place over recent months.

Alongside the revised timetable, we have also gently refreshed the weekday liturgy itself. When Mass is celebrated at midday we now begin by praying the Angelus together before the statue of the Madonna and Child in the North Transept before moving into the Lady Chapel for the Eucharist. New service booklets have also been produced. The previous ones had served us faithfully for many years, but were beginning to look rather tired. Some had become well-thumbed; others were held together more by hope than by staples – and even the staples had begun to rust! The new booklets include a brief welcome and preparation before Mass, prayers of thanksgiving after Holy Communion, and a prayer before we leave the Lady Chapel and return to the demands of everyday life. My hope is that these small developments will help deepen our prayer and remind us that the grace we receive at the altar accompanies us into the whole of our daily living.

Fr Nicholas

---

October

October is always a wonderfully full month in the life of St Matthew’s, with Harvest, Confirmation, the continuing rhythm of our devotional life, and the approach of All Saints’ and All Souls’. There is much for which to give thanks, and much in which to share. I hope that you will find time to join us for as much as you can.

---

Junior Church

Junior Church takes place every Sunday during term time, except on All Age Mass weeks. All Age Mass dates can be found on the All Age Mass page.

---

St Matthew's Ladies Group

St Matthew's Ladies Group meetings are on Monday afternoons from 2.00pm till 4.00pm in the Parish Centre, on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. For more information on meetings coming up, visit our St Matthew's Ladies Group page.

---

House Group

Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 2.00pm

A small alteration to the date discussed when we last met: our next House Group gathering will be on Wednesday 21 October at 2.00pm at the Vicarage.

These gatherings are deliberately informal: an opportunity to meet together, talk, listen and reflect on our faith in good company. New faces are always welcome, so please do come along if you have not joined us before.

---

The clocks go back!

Sunday 25 October 2026

A seasonal reminder – British Summer Time ends on Sunday 25 October. The clocks go BACK one hour at 2.00am. In practical terms, that means you get an extra hour in bed. Please remember to make the adjustment before you go to bed on Saturday evening, however, or you may suffer the particular indignity of arriving at church an hour early!

---

Half Term and All Saints’ Day

Sunday 25 October 2026

Please note that the school half term falls in the week commencing Sunday 25 October. The choir will therefore have a Sunday off and will return on Sunday 1 November for our celebration of All Saints’ Day. The morning Mass will be for all ages, and in the evening we shall have Solemn Choral Evensong at 5.30pm.

All Saints’ is one of those great occasions when the Church reminds us that the Christian life is lived within a much larger company than the people we see around us. We belong to the communion of saints: those who have gone before us, those who worship alongside us, and those who will come after us. I hope you will make a particular point of joining us for this beautiful feast.

---

Fireworks on the Green

Saturday 31 October 2026 at 6:30pm

I am delighted to report that our now-established firework display will take place on Saturday 31 October on the green behind the church, starting at 6.30pm. Following the fireworks display a supper of hot dogs and soup will be served. Tickets for the event are £10, available from Tom or Anita (during office hours). Please note there will be no parking in the car park or directly outside the perimeter of the church grounds on The Drive.

Since its inception, this has proved a popular event organised by the Friends of St Matthew’s Music, bringing people together for an enjoyable evening and helping to support the musical life of our parish.

The date has been chosen deliberately to avoid a clash with the much larger display on the Racecourse, so there should be no shortage of sparkling lights in the skies over Northampton! Please encourage friends and neighbours to join us and purchase a ticket.

---

The Laying on of Hands

We intend to develop an opportunity for the laying on of hands after Communion on the second Sunday of each month. At present, this ministry takes place in the Lady Chapel. My intention is to invite members of our worshipping community to share with the clergy in this ministry in the Lady Chapel.

This is something in which we can all share. After the individual has spoken privately with the priest, duly prepared members of the laity may place a hand gently upon the person’s shoulder and join silently with the priest in prayer. It is a simple but powerful expression of the fact that Christian prayer is not something we undertake only on our own: we carry one another before God. Of course, anything shared with the priest remains confidential. I shall say more about how this will work in due course, but I hope that it will become a valued part of our common life and prayer.

---

All Saints’ Day

Sunday 1 November 2026 at 10:15am

On Sunday 1 November, we celebrate the great feast of All Saints’ Day, giving thanks for all those whose lives have borne witness to the holiness and love of God. Some are remembered by name throughout the Church; many others have lived lives of quiet faithfulness known only to those around them and to God. Together, they remind us that holiness is not reserved for a remarkable few, but is the calling of every Christian.

Our Parish Mass at 10.15am will be an All Age celebration, and Solemn Choral Evensong at 5.30pm will bring the day to a fitting close. All Saints’ Day is a Red Letter Day in the Church’s calendar, and I hope that as many as possible will make a special effort to join us in worship. Those who are communicants will, of course, want to make their communion.

The morning Mass will have a particular joy this year as we welcome Casey Batchelor into the family of Christ through Holy Baptism. Casey has worshipped with us regularly for some time and, together with her partner Henry Rivett, has become part of our parish community. We rejoice with her on this important step in faith and pray that she may continue to grow in her relationship with Christ. Casey hopes that her children, Maeva-Rose and Abbie-Rae, may themselves be baptised at Easter. Please keep them all in your prayers.

---

All Souls’ Day: Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

Monday 2 November 2026 at 7:30pm

On Monday 2 November at 7.30pm, we shall keep the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed with a Solemn Requiem Mass. Those whose loved ones have had a funeral at St Matthew’s during the past year have been invited, but this service is for the whole parish community and for anyone who wishes to remember before God those whom they love and see no longer.

The Requiem will be sung to the much-loved setting by Gabriel Fauré, whose music offers a particularly beautiful expression of Christian hope in the face of death. Afterwards, refreshments will be served in the church, with an opportunity to raise a glass in loving memory of our departed family members and friends.

If you would like someone to be remembered by name during the Commemoration, please ensure that their first name and surname only are printed as clearly as possible on the list provided. We ask that names be submitted on the understanding that you, or a member of the family, will be present at the Requiem to hear them read. There is something deeply moving about hearing the names of those we love entrusted to the prayer of the Church and commended to the mercy of God.

---

Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 8 November 2026 at 10:15am

Remembrance Sunday remains an important landmark in our worshipping year. During the Parish Mass at 10.15am, we shall keep our customary Act of Remembrance, recalling particularly those from our own parish who gave their lives in war. Their names and ages will be read aloud, with the act timed to conclude in readiness for the National Silence at 11.00am.

This annual act of remembrance has a significance that reaches well beyond the conflicts of the past. As we look around our troubled world, we are painfully aware that war continues to bring suffering, bereavement and destruction to countless communities. We remember with gratitude the courage and sacrifice of those who served, while refusing to regard violence as inevitable or peace as an impossible dream.

Our prayer must always be for peace founded upon justice, for respect for the dignity of every human life, and for the wisdom to resolve differences without recourse to arms. We pray for those who continue to suffer through war, for all who work to bring relief and reconciliation, and that wiser counsel may prevail among those entrusted with the responsibility of leadership.

Appropriately, the ministry of healing will be offered in the Lady Chapel following the distribution of Holy Communion. We bring before the Lord not only our personal needs, but also the wounds of our communities and our world, trusting in his power to heal and restore.

---

Healing Mass

Monday 9 November 2006 at 7.00pm

Please note that our monthly Healing Mass will take place on Monday 9 November at 7.00pm in the Lady Chapel, having been displaced from its usual date by the observance of All Souls’ Day. The service provides an opportunity to bring before Christ those in need of healing in body, mind or spirit, whether ourselves or those for whom we carry a particular concern. There will also be an opportunity for quiet prayer before our Lord in his sacramental presence. All are welcome to join us in this ministry of prayer, trusting that God's loving presence meets us in our weakness and sustains us along the way. 

---

Armistice Day

Wednesday 11 November 2026

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the Armistice that brought the fighting on the Western Front to an end in 1918. The Great War was described as the war to end all wars; sadly, subsequent history has shown how far that hope remains unrealised. Armistice Day gives us another opportunity, in the midst of the working week, to reflect upon conflicts past and present, to give thanks for those who have served and sacrificed, and to remember all who continue to bear the physical and emotional wounds of war.

Our midday Mass will be celebrated at the Memorial Chapel altar, providing a fitting setting for prayer and reflection. As we remember those who have died, we also pray for those who serve today and for all who strive to build a world in which disagreements may be resolved through dialogue, justice and reconciliation rather than violence.

---

Parish Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham

Saturday 14 November 2026 at 9:30am

Our monthly Mass of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham, followed by the meeting of our parish Cell, takes place on Saturday 14 November at 9.30am in the Lady Chapel.

The service is open to everyone, and we are always keen to welcome new enquirers who would like to learn more about the Society of Our Lady of Walsingham and its work of encouraging devotion to Our Lady, deepening faith in the Incarnation, and promoting pilgrimage to the Shrine in Norfolk.

Walsingham has a special place in the devotional life of many Anglican Catholics. Through prayer, the sacraments and pilgrimage, we seek to grow in holiness and to draw closer to Christ, whose coming among us Mary received with such faith and humility. If you have ever wondered what membership of the Society involves, or would simply like to discover more about our parish Cell and its pilgrimages, please do join us.

---

Monthly Requiem

Wednesday 18 November 2026

Prayer for the faithful departed has been a valued part of St Matthew’s tradition throughout the history of our parish. At our midday Mass on Wednesday 18 November, we shall offer our monthly Requiem, commending those who have died to the love and mercy of God. Those who have loved ones they would like remembered are especially encouraged to join us. Our prayer is not that we should forget those who have died, but that, in Christ, our love for them may be held within the greater hope of the resurrection.

---

The Feast of Christ the King

Sunday 22 November 2026

On Sunday 22 November, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the final Sunday of the liturgical year. Our celebrant and preacher will be the Bishop of Richborough, the Right Reverend Luke Irvine-Capel, who is also an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Peterborough. This will be Bishop Luke’s first liturgical visit to St Matthew’s, and I very much hope that we shall gather in good numbers to welcome him and celebrate this great feast together.

Christ’s kingship is unlike the power and authority exercised by the rulers of this world. It is revealed most fully in the self-giving love of the Cross, and calls us to place our lives, our ambitions and our allegiances under his gracious rule. As the Church brings the liturgical year to its close, we are invited to renew our commitment to Christ as Lord of our lives and of his Church.

The celebrations will continue with Solemn Choral Evensong at 5.30pm. Do make every effort to join us for this important occasion in our parish calendar.

---

A New Member of the PCC

I am delighted to report that Tom Cave has recently been elected to serve as a member of our Parochial Church Council. I am grateful to him for offering himself for this important work on behalf of the parish.

Tom has been worshipping faithfully at St Matthew’s for some time, sometimes accompanied by his children, and it is good to see members of our community taking a share in the responsibility of guiding the life and mission of the Church. The work of the PCC is not always visible, but it plays an important part in caring for our buildings, sustaining our worship and music, and helping us to look towards the future.

Please join me in giving Tom a warm welcome in his new role, and in praying for him and all who serve on the PCC. I hope, too, that his example may encourage others to consider how they might offer their own gifts and experience in the service of our parish in the coming months.

---

Advent Sunday

29 November 2026

Sunday 29 November is Advent Sunday, the beginning of the Christian year and the start of the new liturgical year, Year B, in which the Gospel according to Mark will have particular prominence in our Sunday worship.

Advent is much more than the run-up to Christmas. It is an ancient season of watchfulness, expectation and preparation, inviting us to look afresh at the coming of Christ. We remember his coming among us in humility at Bethlehem; we attend to his presence among us now, in word, sacrament and neighbour; and we look forward to his coming in glory, when God's purposes for creation will be brought to fulfilment. 

Throughout Advent, the voices of the prophets remind us that hope can endure even in the darkest times. John the Baptist calls us to prepare the way of the Lord, while Mary shows us what it means to receive God's promise with faith and trust. The season therefore asks more of us than preparing for the festivities of Christmas. It invites us to make room for Christ in our hearts and lives, to examine what needs to change, and to look towards God's future with renewed hope.

As the days grow shorter and the darkness deepens, the Church holds before us the promise of the light that no darkness can overcome. I hope that we shall use this season well, allowing its prayer and worship to prepare us not merely to celebrate Christmas, but to welcome Christ anew. 

---

The Advent Procession

29 November 2026 at 4.00pm

One of the most evocative services of the season takes place on Advent Sunday, 29 November, at 4.00pm. Our Advent Procession is a distinctive way of entering into the spirit of this ancient season, combining the movement of a liturgical procession with Scripture, music and the beauty of worship by candlelight.

Advent is a season of movement and expectation, and the procession reflects this as we move around the church, pausing at different stations to recall the events and people through whom God prepared his people for the coming of the Saviour. The story unfolds through the promises of God, the witness of the prophets and the events that lead us towards the birth of Christ.

There is something particularly fitting about making this journey through our own church building. We are reminded that the story of salvation is not simply something that happened long ago, but a story into which we ourselves are invited. Like God's people in every age, we wait, we hope, and we learn to recognise the signs of his presence among us. The candlelight, music and unfolding sequence of readings create an atmosphere that is both beautiful and prayerful. It is a service to be experienced rather than hurried through, offering an opportunity to set aside the busyness of the season and attend more closely to the mystery we are preparing to celebrate.

The procession will be followed by refreshments in the Parish Centre. Do come and join us, and consider inviting someone who might appreciate an introduction to the riches of our Advent worship.

---

Make Advent Count – The Real Advent Calendar

As Advent approaches, we are delighted to be offering The Real Advent Calendar to the children of St Matthew’s.

More than simply a chocolate treat, this is a lovely way for parents, grandparents and godparents to share the wonder of the Christmas story with their children, one day at a time, as Christmas draws nearer.

Behind each of its 25 windows is a piece of Fairtrade chocolate, a colourful illustration and a line from the Christmas story. The calendar also includes a beautifully illustrated, 24-page Christmas story and activity book, with a page for each day of Advent, bringing the story to life through words, activities and fun challenges. 

There is plenty to enjoy, including a £300 children’s prize competition, but the calendar also encourages children to think about the spirit of giving and how they can make a difference to others.

There is a good story behind the chocolate, too! The calendar is made with Fairtrade chocolate, helping producers receive a fair price for their work and an additional financial bonus. Proceeds also support charitable work, including the provision of care and support for mothers and newborn babies in African villages through the Funzi and Bodo Trust.

The calendar is palm-oil-free, with recyclable packaging, and is designed and produced in the UK.

At St Matthew’s, we are particularly pleased to offer a calendar which helps families rediscover the heart of Christmas. In a season that can so easily become dominated by shopping, presents and preparations, it gives us an opportunity to pause, share a story, and remember the child born in Bethlehem. Because Christmas is not complete without Christ, and Advent is all the richer when we make room for him.

Advent Activities for Children

Alongside The Real Advent Calendar, we shall also be offering a beautifully illustrated Children’s Advent Activity Sheet, published by Redemptorist Publications.

Printed on a generous double-sided A3 sheet, it is designed to help children prepare for Christmas in an enjoyable and engaging way. One side features an Advent calendar to follow day by day, while the other is filled with puzzles, games and activities for children and the whole family to enjoy together. It is a simple but lovely way to bring a little more Advent into family life, helping children to count down to Christmas while discovering something of the season’s meaning and joy.

---

The Bell-Chime Project

Some members of the congregation will be aware that the mechanism which enables the chime of twelve bells to be rung is now approaching the end of its serviceable life. The chime is part of the distinctive character of St Matthew’s, and it is important that we make responsible provision for its restoration.

The bell foundry of John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough has been commissioned to examine the system and prepare a report with proposals for the necessary work. These proposals have now been considered by the PCC, which has agreed in principle that the project should proceed. I am pleased to report that St Matthew’s Trust has agreed to fund the project, following a request from the PCC. This is a substantial undertaking, with the anticipated overall cost exceeding £20,000 including VAT. Jonathan Stuart has also kindly agreed to explore the possibility of grant funding that might help to offset the cost. The work remains subject to the necessary Faculty approval, but, assuming this is granted, it is hoped that work can begin in the new year. We shall provide further information as the arrangements develop. In the meantime, I am grateful to the Trust for its generous support and to Jonathan for undertaking to investigate possible sources of additional funding.

Preserving and updating the fabric and fittings of St Matthew’s requires careful planning and considerable resources. This project is another example of the work needed to safeguard the church we have inherited, so that it may continue to serve the worshipping community. The bells will continue to serve their purpose of calling the wider neighbourhood for generations to come.

---

Information Quick Links

Join our Mailing List

To receive our email newsletter regarding the latest news and upcoming events at St Matthew's, kindly provide us with your name and email address below. By opting in and subscribing, you'll stay informed about our community, special services, insightful articles, and other valuable content.

Subscribe

Connect with us

Please show your support by following and subscribing to our church and choir social media channels, where you can find inspiring content, updates on our events and services, live streamed services, and uplifting messages.