Benefice Notices

• Appointment of Rector to the Benefice of Prestwood, Great Kingshill and Great Hampden

  Following interviews held on Monday, 16th March 2026, we are pleased to announce that the Bishop of Buckingham, the Right Rev’d Dave Bull, has offered Rev’d Michelle Fotherby the position of Rector of the Benefice. Michelle has accepted the offer. Michelle currently serves as Assistant Curate at St Mary's Amersham with All Saints', Coleshill. At present, we are unable to say when Michelle will be moving to the Benefice. However, we will keep you updated as plans develop and details are finalised.

   

  Michelle writes the following message to us all:

   

  ‘I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as your new Rector, and I’m really looking forward to all that lies ahead as we begin this new chapter together. When I came for the interview, I was struck by the warmth of your welcome and the strong sense of community among you. It was clear to me that there is a great deal of love and faith here, and I feel very privileged to be joining you. I’m also so encouraged by all that you have continued to sustain during the vacancy.

  As we begin Holy Week and walk again the path that Jesus took, I want you to know that I will be holding you in my prayers, even before I arrive, as we remember all that He has done for us. 

  My two teenage boys and I are really looking forward to getting to know you, to worshipping together with you, and to sharing in the life of the church as we seek to follow God and share His love in this place.’

   

  Please keep Michelle, George and Henry in your prayers as they prepare to move to our churches.

• Upcoming Service Support | HTP

  Following Nigel’s retirement on Sunday 19th April, we will becoming a single clergy Benefice. There has been some discussion on how we manage this for the next few months. In order to support Kayleigh, and allow her the time needed for ongoing study as she finishes her training, we have agreed the following:

   

  • The Wednesday service will be suspended as this often coincides with school assemblies and other commitments and therefore was likely to be regularly cancelled. 
  • Morning Prayer will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday only. 
  • More visiting preachers/priests will be joining us as the recommendation from Kayleigh’s tutors and supervisor is to preach only twice a month. 

   

  We hope that this will be sustainable as we navigate the next few months, however please check the calendar on our website, Facebook or the Weekly Herald for an up to date schedule.

   

• Lent Appeal 2026 - Update

  We are currently at 94% of our target of £3,500. This years Lent Appeal will close on 12th April. Thank you to all of you who have donated so far. 

   

  This Lent, we aim to raise awareness and support two focused, achievable targets at a local and international level.

  • Local: Bucks Mind which delivers mental health services in Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire to tackle stigma, barriers and isolation so that everyone can access mental health support when they need it.
  • International: Siyabulela Pre-school, South Africa, a small pre-school in a township west of Cape Town. It serves children from the local Township, as well as the Informal Settlement.

  More information on both charities can be found in our Lent Appeal booklet.

   

  All funds raised will be split equally between the two projects we are supporting. Any amount raised above and beyond this target will simply allow our two supported projects to go further.

  You can donate by either:

  1. Scanning the QR code.
  2. Donating online at htprestwood.org.uk/lentappeal2026
  3. A cheque made payable to HTP and marked "Lent Appeal 2026" on the reverse. Please hand to a member of the clergy, one of the church wardens, the Church Treasurer or the Church Office.

• Annual Meeting | 26th April 2026 | HTP

  Our APCM will be held this year on Sunday 26th April at 11am. We have vacancies for PCC members, Deanery Synod representatives, and Church Wardens. Could you support the life of the church in one of these important roles?

  For details, please speak to current church wardens Robert Hart & Barbara Paterson, or email the PCC Secretary on pcc@htprestwood.org.uk

• Future Dates for the Diary | HTP

  Following the success of last years big clean, we have agreed to make this an annual event. Please put these dates in your diary; more information to follow:
  - Churchyard Clean Up: Saturday 25thApril
  - Church Clean: Saturday 30th May

• Farewell to the Reverend Nigel Spoor

  As you are aware, Nigel is retiring from our Benefice. His last service in both churches will be on Sunday 19th April.

  You are all invited to a social evening at Holy Trinity, Prestwood on Friday 17th April from 7.00 to 9.00 pm, so we can say goodbye to Nigel and Irene.

  Nigel has requested that we do not have a collection, but we shall have a card for you all to sign.

  There will be a sign-up sheet nearer the time, to help us with catering.

• News and Notices

  Here you can find the news and notices for what is currently going on in our churches. For up to date information on our current vacancy for Rector of Prestwood and Great Hampden, please visit our designated page: Vacancy Updates. 

• Volunteers Needed

  We are in need of some volunteers to help at three of our weekly clubs. The more volunteers we have - the less often you are likely to need to do it. 

  This includes:

  Sparks Club | Mondays, 11.45am - 12.45pm | Prestwood Infant School 

  Light Club | Thursdays, 12.15pm - 1.15pm | Prestwood Junior School

  Toy Library | Thursdays, 9.30am - 1pm | The Annexe

  If you would like to help with any of these then please speak to Frances. 

• Support our work with Acts 435

  We work in the community with Acts 435. Acts 435 is a giving website that allows people to give money directly to others, and 100% of what is donated via Acts 435 goes directly to those in need. When so many people need so much help giving to charities and good causes can sometimes feel overwhelming and hard. Acts 435 puts people who want to help in touch with people who are in need, through a network of churches and local charities. Acts 435 enables virtual, online giving for specific needs.

  If you would like to be notified by email when a local Acts 435 is made by us, please let one of the clergy know.

• Eco Church Bronze Award for Holy Trinity

  After a thorough audit and the submission of our paperwork to the A Rocha Eco Church Awards Scheme Holy Trinity, Prestwood has been awarded the Bronze Eco Church Award. This scheme is our church's primary means of addressing the climate crisis through the PCC's Climate Strategy. We are now working on achieving the next-level Silver Award.

  Help us respond faithfully to the climate and nature crises! Join us in reaching the Silver Award!

  • Community and Global Engagement—Transforming local and global communities and ecosystems
  • Buildings—Finding energy efficient and innovative ways to manage our places of worship
  • Land—Nurturing spaces for people and nature
  • Lifestyle—Living joyfully and sustainably as followers of Christ
  • Worship and Teaching—Embedding creation care in worship, prayer and learning

• Join our Kiva Team

  

  More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 in San Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. They do this by crowdfunding loans and unlocking capital for the underserved, improving the quality and cost of financial services, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world. Through Kiva's work, students can pay for tuition, women can start businesses, farmers are able to invest in equipment and families can afford needed emergency care.

  We have had a team on Kiva for about ten years. In that time we have:

  • Loaned over $20,000.00
  • Made 875 different loans

  Currently there are 15 team members. You can be one of them! By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, you can be part of the solution and make a real difference in someone’s life. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans.

  Follow the link on the website or scan the QR code and you too can Join our team today!

• HTP in the News

  Great to see the work of Holy Trinity, Prestwood featured on the BBC News website, alongside our village schools and council services. Our amazing Family Suport Worker, Fran McLean spearheads our fantastic team of volunteers who do so much work in the community, just some of which is referenced here.

  Cost of living: The hidden poverty in England's least deprived area - BBC News 

• Your invitation to Light a Candle and Make a Prayer Request in Church

  Did you know you can light a candle and make a prayer request in Holy Trinity, Prestwood? The church is open all day for everyone. You are invited to walk in and up to the altar area, light your candle and write your prayer--or just sit and spend time with God.

• Planning an event? We can provide the venue.

  If you are arranging an event and are interested in using the Church Hall, Church, Cottage or Marquee then please get in touch! You can contact Lesley at marketing@htprestwood.org.uk for more information. 

• Sponsor the Flowers and Music

  Many people would like to sponsor the church flowers or music on a particular Sunday in memory of a loved one. If you would like to sponsor flowers or music then please speak to the Rector, a church warden or contact Amy in the office to make the arrangements. Suggested sponsorship is £30 for flowers or music for £50, but other donations are also welcome.