News
The vaccination programme is being carried out by the various parts of the NHS. This is a huge logistical endeavour and partners have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to plan and prepare for vaccinating thousands of residents as soon as the supplies of the vaccine become available.
Vaccinations will be available through:
Mass vaccination centres - The nearest regional centre to Central Bedfordshire (so far) is at Robertson House in Stevenage, the full address of which is:
Unit 6, Six Hills Way
Stevenage
SG1 2FQ
May you all be blessed by your jabs!
If you receive an invitation to attend this centre but you do not want to, or cannot, travel to Stevenage don’t worry you will be able to attend an appointment locally through your GP but this might take a little longer.
GPs - In Central Bedfordshire the GPs are grouped into networks (called Primary Care Networks) and each PCN will have a centre where they will vaccinate people. Some are already up and running, others will be starting to vaccinate in the coming weeks.
The latest information we have is provided below (please note this is subject to change):
The PCNs will also be responsible for vaccinating those people who, for medical reasons, are not able to leave their homes, such as care home residents.
Community vaccination centres - Like the Mass Vaccination Centres above, these are centres which are being set up to vaccinate around 500 people per day. These are unlikely to be available for a few weeks yet. Again, invites will come to residents to book an appointment online on a priority basis.
Wait to be invited for your vaccination
The vaccination at this stage is only for those invited. Residents should not contact their GP practice, hospital or other sites to request the vaccine. Residents will be contacted when it’s the right time to come forward.
The government has set out the order in which groups of people will be prioritised for vaccinations.
The top four priority groups are the current priority. If you do not fit into one of these groups, you will not be invited for a vaccination yet. Further detail about the priority groups is available on the Government website.
COVID-19 health advice
We have just received a letter from Bishop Alan, Bishop of St Albans which we'd love to share with you.
You can download a copy of his letter here.
Source: Revd Roni Goodman
Date: 29th October 2020

As part of our mission to reach out with God's message to as many people as possible, a blog has been launched which allows you to listen to a Service or Talk from St Michael's Shefford and St Mary's Meppershall in Bedfordshire, England. This Podcast is also available by phone - please share the number with a friend who doesn't have internet - T 01462 559112.
Click here, or on the image to visit the blog.
Source: Andrew Goodman
Date: 14th October 2020
Each year we are required to have a Parochial Church Meeting at which various reports are presented (mainly to do with Church finances and the state of the the church building), plus the election of people that we want to represent us.
You may be surprised to hear that the APCM is still going ahead this year, in spite of the COVID 19 restrictions.
It will be very different this year though - on a Thursday (8th October), and it will be a mixture of physical and Zoom online meeting.
We don't have times or nitty gritty details yet, but will publish them as soon as they're available. Until then, please try to keep 8th October clear in your diary.
For now, Patricia Goulding, our Churchwarden has asked me to publish various forms relevant to the meeting:
- Electoral Roll Application (If you are not on the Electoral Roll, you cannot vote on anything in the APCM).
- Nomination For Election To PCC (Put yourself, or someone else forward to represent you on the Church Council)
- Deanery Synod Nomination Form (Put yourself, or someone else forward to represent your Parish/Benefice at the Deanery Synod)
- Nomination For Election As Churchwarden (Put yourself, or someone else forward to support Patricia as Churchwarden)
Please think and pray about how you want your Church to go forward in these challenging times - can you add your talents and experience to our future, or do you know someone who could be nurtured to unlock as yet untapped skills or talents?
Source: Patricia Goulding - Churchwarden
Author: Stephen Lines - Webmaster
Published: 24th August 2020
Dear All
I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful weather this week, and not working too hard in your garden!
Our hymn of the day is Amazing Grace.
Notices:
You might like to know that St Michael’s Church is now open from 8.00am to 3.00pm on Fridays. If you are able to visit - then please do keep to the arrangements which are in place for everyone’s safety.
Please do sanitise your hands on entry - then take an “I Prayed Here” card to the place where you choose to pray and leave it there on the seat when you leave. (This tells other people not to sit where you just sat - and will help the cleaners when they come to clean!). There is also sanitising gel for you to use on leaving - through the west door at the rear of the Church.
We are looking forward to the Church being opened up for Life Events - Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals, and also for Public Worship. There has been some suggestion that this will be allowed after July 4th. However we will need time to look at Government and Church Guidance when it is published, and work out what we can manage whilst following the advice given and keeping everyone as safe as we can.
Hard as it has been not to be able to gather in the Church for worship and Holy Communion, I think it has been so hard too, not being able to gather in our Church, drinking tea and coffee, sharing news and joys, worries and woes. I am missing you terribly. For me that “fellowship” too, is a crucial part of being Church.
I think it will be a while yet before we are back to normal - whatever that means. In the meantime: Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help you.
Be safe, keep well, God bless you.
Have a good week
Roni
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