St Nicholas' Church Ibstone

The Parish of Ibstone St Nicholas is part of the Benefice of the South Chilterns Team Ministry

Your church is always open for Private Prayer Please follow the social distancing guidance

Everyone is welcome in God's house!

services at St Nicholas' Church, Ibstone:

Sunday 25th April at 11:00 am Prayer and Praise Service - all welcome


The St Nicholas’ Church Annual Meeting is on 27 April 2021 at 7:30 pm all are welcome to attend the meeting:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/99506730727


Annual Team Council Meeting - Zoom 7:30 pm 18 May 2021

Our Rector, The Revd Mark Ackford and others are writing a blog where you can find links to the recorded services too:

South Chilterns Team Ministry

Here you can sign up for the blog to be sent to you directly if you wish. You can also find a link to the services being streamed by our Diocese:

Diocese of Oxford

Community Matters food bank

St Nicholas' Church is supporting our local food bank run from Holy Trinity Church in Lane End. Community Matters supports local families in need. Donations of the following items only are very welcome:

  • Children’s cereals and snack bars

  • Sugar-free fruit squash

  • Shower Gel for women and men

  • Shampoo/conditioner (adult and children)

  • Toothpaste (adult and children)

  • Washing tablets/liquid

  • Fabric conditioner

  • Toilet rolls

  • Kitchen rolls

  • Teabags and jars of Coffee

  • Cleaning and household products

The village collection point is in a plastic chest located outside Jenny and David Davis’ home at Blue Hills. Travelling into Ibstone from Stokenchurch, this is the second house on the left. Please add items to your shopping list to support families in our local area who are in need. Please give generously. THANK YOU.

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Our Church TODAY

We are a small, rural village church with strong links to our village and our Church of England Primary School Ibstone Church of England School. We are a haven for walkers who pass through in great numbers and visit the church. Although St Nicholas' Church is not geographically in the centre of the village, the church community is very much at the heart of Ibstone village life.

We have strong links to the other three Anglican churches in the South Chilterns Benefice at Stokenchurch, Lane End and Cadmore End. Our church is always open for private prayer.

We are a family church - which means we try to be a welcoming church for all people of all ages. We are an Anglican church - which means that all our church structures and services come from that great tradition that started in the 16th Century. Our church is run entirely by volunteers who do their best to maintain this ancient building and church community for the benefit of everyone.

Contacts

For information about baptism, weddings and funerals please contact the Parish Administrator who works across the four churches of our Benefice.

Team Rector:

Revd Mark Ackford - revdmackford@outlook.com

The Vicarage, Wycombe Road, Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, HP14 3RG Telephone: 01494 266891

Team Vicar:

Revd Philip Smith - philip@thevonsmiths.co.uk

The Vicarage, Lammas Way, Lane End, Buckinghamshire, HP14 3EX Telephone: 07879 456840

Team Parish Administrator:

Clare Bantick - 01494 854045 - parishoffice.sctc@gmail.com

Office hours - Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 am - 12 noon

Ibstone Churchwardens:

Toby Long (Church Warden) 07779 591968 or stnicholasibstone@gmail.com

Veronica Murray (Church Warden Emeritus) 01491 638268 or veronica.murray123@btinternet.com

Jenny Davis (Deputy Warden) 01491 638245 or davisjenny@btinternet.com

Safeguarding:

The care and protection of children, young people and adults involved in church activities is the responsibility of everyone who participates in the life of our church. If you are concerned please contact our Safeguarding Officer - Toby Long (details under Churchwarden) or the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser - details can be found on the Diocesan Safeguarding website

The Benefice and Parish of the South Chilterns sits within the Deanery of Wycombe, the Archdeaconry of Buckingham and in the Diocese of Oxford.

Monthly surgeries led by Revd Mark Ackford. A time when members of our parishes' village communities can speak to Revd Mark regarding Baptism, Marriage and any other pastoral issue. Appointments can be made via the Team Office.

History

There has been a parish church at Ibstone for over a thousand years – at least as long as the great yew tree at its north west corner. It is probable that there was a church here in Saxon times (c. 800 AD), although the present building is mainly Norman (c. 1200 AD).

The doorway is from the 12th century, as is the plain window in the west wall and the font, but the porch was built in the 19th century, as was the gallery. The chancel was built in the 13th century The carved oak pulpit, dating from 15th century may be one of the first pulpits in the country – prior to this, preachers stood on the chancel steps.

Standing in its peaceful and spacious churchyard, it is easy to see why our forefathers chose this spot. At the southern end of the Chiltern Hills, but still some 600 feet above sea level and set on a south west slope of pure chalk, it looks over the woods and valleys of Turville and Hambleden. In the corner of the churchyard by the gate is a stone coffin from the adjoining field.

More about the history of our church

Directions

From opposite Ibstone Church of England School, head down Ashfield Barn Lane. Don't take the sharp left turn downhill, but carry straight ahead. There is parking in front of the church for 3 - 4 cars.

Postcode: HP14 3YD

Public footpaths run through the churchyard.

From junction 5 of the M40, follow the signs to Ibstone. Drive through the village, passed the Common and Cricket Club. Proceed through the village, eventually passing Ibstone School. Turn onto Ashfield Barn Lane following the sign post on the main road.

Map