The Ouse Valley Benefice
Bexwell + Crimplesham + Denver + Hilgay
Ryston + Southery + Ten Mile Bank
Welcome to the Ouse Valley Benefice
Welcome to the Ouse Valley Benefice - a group of Churches in West Norfolk that are part of the Diocese of Ely. The Benefice comprises seven rural villages and their churches in or close to the Norfolk fens: Bexwell, Crimplesham, Denver, Hilgay, Ryston, Southery, and Ten Mile Bank. The Benefice came into existence in January 2022 succeeding several earlier groupings to make more coherent geographical sense.
Meet Our Vicar
The Revd Nigel Moat has recently joined us after being inducted by Bishop Dagmar, Bishop of Huntingdon, in July. He joins us from the West Norfolk Priory Group where he served as Curate. Nigel and his wife Heidi have grown to love West Norfolk and are really excited to serve here in the Ouse Valley Benefice.
Prior to being ordained, Nigel worked in the electronics and software industry, but followed his calling to ordination - he trained initially in the Diocese of Lincoln, and then in the Diocese of Ely following his marriage to Heidi.
Advent
Advent, meaning ‘the coming’, is an opportunity to reflect on the incredible mystery of Jesus’ first arrival on earth and to anticipate his second coming. The four candles we light during Advent reminds us of the light that Jesus brings into the world. There are different traditions as to the meaning for each candle, but one sees them as symbolising Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Candle 1 - Hope: In the face of uncertainty, war, suffering and despair, we are called to be a people of hope. How can we live that in practice? Do you have a friend who needs to know the lasting hope that Jesus offers?
Candle 2 - Peace: The Prince of Peace, born in humility, invites us to experience his peace which surpasses all understanding. Who do you know who needs to know God’s peace this year?
Candle 3 - Joy: Remember the angel’s message to the shepherds… ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people’ (Luke 2:10). Let’s not keep this good news to ourselves!
Candle 4 - Love: God's love was revealed in the most extraordinary way through the birth of Jesus Christ. Lord, help us extend that love to others, especially to those in need.
Please do invite your family and friends to come and join us at any of the Advent and Christmas services planned for the coming weeks - all our services are listed on the back cover of this newsletter. Let’s all welcome any visitors, just as Jesus would.
I pray your Christmas will be full of hope, peace, joy and God's love.
Revd Nigel Moat
This Week in the Ouse Valley Benefice
Bexwell Soup Evenings - Thursday 30th November
The Bexwell Soup evenings are back for the winter. The next one is on Thursday 30th November at 6.30pm. There is no charge but donations are welcome.
Details of the December Soup evening will be announced once they have been confirmed.
Denver Christmas Fair - Saturday 2nd December
The annual Denver Christmas Fair will take place in Denver Village Hall on Saturday 2nd December from 11am to 3pm.
Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the festivities.
Blues Night - raising funds for St Mark's Church - Sat 2nd December
A member of the local community has organised a blues night in Ten Mile Bank Village Hall on Saturday December 2nd.
Doors open at 7.30pm.
This is to raise funds for St Mark's Church. Tickets can be purchased from mcremmington@gmail.com (07943 062246).
Mailing List
We are setting up a new email mailing list for the Ouse Valley Benefice which will be used for the monthly newsletter and other regular updates. Please let Revd Nigel know if you would like to be added to the list. You can be assured that your email address will not be shared with anyone else. Once signed up, you will be able to unsubscribe at any time. You can also join the mailing list by completing the form at is.gd/ovbmailinglist (or speak to Revd Nigel)
News and Events
For all our latest news and events, please see our News and Events page which is regularly updated.
You can also catch up on all the latest information in our monthly newsletter. Click the button below to see the latest edition.
Baptisms, Wedding and Funerals.
If you would like to arrange a baptism, wedding or funeral in any of our churches, please see out Life Events pages. There you will find more information about how these can be arranged. For baptisms we would like to point you in the direction of our baptism coordinator who will guide you through the process. For weddings, your first point of call would be our Vicar, the Revd Nigel Moat. Funerals would normally be arranged via your chosen funeral director - but equally, you can contact Revd Nigel directly if you would like more information.
360 Church Tours
All Saint's Church, Hilgay
St Mary's Church, Crimplesham
St Mary's Church, Bexwell
St Mary's Church, Fordham
Deepening Your Relationship with Jesus
You will find some links below to various resources that you might use to deepen your relationship with Jesus. If you would like to suggest some other resources please let us know!
A free bible app that is available online and on your smart phone.
The daily prayer app from the Church of England.
A free daily devotional with Bible teachings.
Pray consistently for the people and causes you care about.
Online Service
Some of our services from Bexwell can be found online. Everyone is more than welcome to join us. Please see the calendar for the online services - the zoom link and Meeting ID's can be found in the calendar entries for each. If you have any problems accessing the zoom service please drop as a line by contacting is using this online form.
Daily Prayer from the Church of England
You can catch up with the Church of England daily prayer here.