Coronavirus - Government changes as of 19th July 2021
Please see here for an article written and shared by Andy for what the Government Coronavirus restriction changes which come into effect today will mean for our services from Sunday 25th July onwards.
Mary Sumner Day, 9th August
145 years since Mothers’ Union was founded and It is 100 years since it's founder's, (Mary Summer) death.
Rochester Diocese Mothers' Union are holding an Evensong Service at Rochester Cathedral on Monday 9 August 2021 at 5.30 pm.
If you would like to attend please can you let Karen Forster Pearce know as she is collating the figures so the President, Julia Jamieson, can inform the cathedral.
More details are available here as a printable leaflet.
Welcome
Welcome from the church of St Mary the Virgin Riverhead in the parish of Riverhead with Dunton Green. 
As of 1 December 2019, we are part of the West Sevenoaks Team Ministry, working alongside St.Luke's, Sevenoaks and St.Mary's, Kippington.
As a worshipping Christian Community here in the Sevenoaks area, we seek to be a worshipping witnessing people, walking with Jesus and faithful in our life of prayer and service. We seek to serve the needs of our community here in Riverhead and Dunton Green.
Meelis Suld
On Sunday 20th June we were joined by Meelis Suld at our morning service. Meelis belongs to the Harju-Risti Parish in Estonia, a parish which St Mary the Virgin has had a connection with for a number of years. Meelis told us a bit about how the parish in Estonia is coping following the effects of the Pandemic over the past year and we were able to pray for them. Meelis is based in London to train as an ordinand. He is currently Assistant to the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain as well as the Outreach coordinator for the Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain. Meelis has been training to become Assistant Pastor of St Anne’s Lutheran Church in London and hopes that his ordination will take place in September this year. It was great to hear some of Meelis’ journey to ordination and to learn from him. Please hold Meelis in your prayers over the coming weeks as he prepares to be ordained.
A walk around each of our respective Parishes
Invitation to any from the three churches for a walk around each of our respective parishes
We felt it would be a good idea to have an opportunity to walk around our parish boundaries to enable as many in our congregations to have an enjoyable stroll, enjoy fellowship with each other and to get to know each other's parishes better.
The guide will be each of the Team Vicar's and we will start at each church (so please park there, if needed). The exact details of each route are not yet finalised.
Each evening will begin at 7pm.
- St Luke's - Wednesday 30th of June
- St Mary the Virgin - Monday 19th of July
- St Mary - Wednesday 1st of September
If you are interested in seeing a map of the boundaries themselves see here (this is for St Mary's) - Just turn up!
Can You Help?
We are rather short of people to undertake roles within our church community at present. In particular we really need sides people. This is an important role in welcoming people and to help with the smooth running of the services. If you think you can serve the church in this way then please do chat with Andy. It is not an onerous role and the more people who volunteer the easier it becomes!
Thank you.
Andy
Ride and Stride - Save the Date!
This fantastic event will take place again this year on Saturday 11th September 2021.
Participants plan their own routes with the assistance of a printed list of churches and chapels open. There are usually some 700 of these places of worship open, scattered right across this big county, and wherever you go you’ll be assured of a warm welcome. Go individually, as a couple, with friends and family, with a cycling club, with your work colleagues, with school friends, with choirs, with a sports team – whoever you wish.
50% of all sponsorship money raised can go to the church or chapel of your choice, with the other 50% going to the Friends of Kent Churches, who distribute it by grant aid to help the most needy churches in the county.
Our New Curate
This September we look forward to Steve and his wife Emma joining the Team as Steve is ordained Deacon and serves his Curacy in the Team. As we prepare for Steve to join us, let us be praying for him. You may wish to use the following prayer.
A prayer for Steve, our Curate coming to join us in September:
Grant your grace, O God our Father, to all those in this diocese who will be ordained Deacon this September. We pray for our new Curate Steve, and his wife Emma. Through his curacy with us make him what you would have him to be, so that by your blessing on the formation of his priestly ministry here, he may be made a blessing. May your guidance be upon all those in our Team who will help in Steve’s training, and may he know from all of us the gift of our friendship and prayers, as we prepare to welcome him, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COMBINED IN-CHURCH and ZOOM SERVICES
Since Easter Day our 9:30am Sunday services take place both in the building and are also livestreamed on Zoom.
The words for the services are here. Please do download this and join in with us either in the building or via Zoom.
The week's individual song/hymn words and readings will be sent out alongside the Weekly Newsletters and are also listed separately in the Services section.