The three parishes of our united benefice serve the Essex villages of Layer de la Haye, Birch, Layer Breton, and Layer Marney. We are part of the Church of England and our parishes are situated in attractive unspoiled countryside, just south of Colchester.
We welcome everyone who would like to join us for our services of worship, or our social events, regardless of the stage he or she has reached on their own spiritual journey. Meeting and worshipping together are essential parts of christian faith and life.
If you wish to make an enquiry about a baptism, or wedding, or would like to discuss a personal matter, our priest is the Revd Martin Clarke. (see contact details)
Thank you for visiting our website. Here we aim to provide a range of helpful and interesting information about our three parishes and their activities. Below are links to the main pages on the site, each with a brief explanation of content. If you need further information or would like to suggest additions to our pages, please contact the webmaster.
Rogation Walk - Sunday, 20th May: This year we will be walking from St John the Baptist, Layer de la Haye, via St Mary's at Layer Breton, to St Mary the Virgin, Layer Marney. The walk will conclude with a Communion Service followed by a buffet lunch. More details are on the Forthcoming Events page.
Ordination of the Revd Julia Russell Grant: Julia was made Deacon at the beginning of July last year. She is now to be ordained Priest by the Bishop of Colchester at St Michael's Church, Myland on Sunday 24th June.
Please remember Julia in your prayers as she prepares to take this major step and starts to exercise her ministry as a priest in our United Benefice.
Future Plans for our Benefice: Our Vicar, the Revd Martin Clarke, plans to retire in November this year. Following his retirement it is expected there will an interregnum of some months before the parishes of our benefice are united with the parishes of Tolleshunt Knights with Tiptree and Great Braxted. The parishes of Messing, Inworth with Copford and Easthorpe are also to be incorporated into the enlarged benefice, after the retirement of the Revd Dr Chris Garland. The Team Rector of the new grouping will be the Revd Anne-Marie Renshaw who is currently Priest-in-Charge of the parishes of Tolleshunt Knights with Tiptree and Great Braxted. In due course one stipendiary priest will be appointed as a Team Vicar in the place of the Revds Martin Clarke and Dr Chris Garland.
Our parishes are in the Witham Deanery. Information about the Deanery can be found on the Witham Deanery Website.
Witham Deanery is in the Diocese of Chelmsford. To learn more about our large Diocese which stretches from heavily populated East London to quiet rural Essex villages, visit the Chelmsford Diocesan Website.
Diocesan Bishop The Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell Bishop of Chelmsford. |
Area Bishop The Rt Revd Christopher Morgan Bishop of Colchester. |
Archdeacon The Ven Annette Cooper Archdeacon of Colchester |
Rural Dean The Revd Geoff Bayliss Rural Dean of Witham |
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Page updated: 17 MAY 2012