Minister and Church Council

Minister: Revd Dr Beth Cope

Beth moved to Northstowe in 2018, bringing a love of new build communities - noise, dust and all! - and passion for community-building, coffee, and asking Big Questions. She has a background as a computational mineral physicist, gaining her PhD at the University of Cambridge using Quantum Physics to probe deeply into how material structures function. She sees science and faith as perfect partners in the quest to understand the world around us.

Beth is deeply committed to working together with Christians from other backgrounds, as well as those exploring their spirituality for the first time. She trained as an Anglican Pioneer Priest with the Cambridge Theological Federation, with placements in both local Anglican and Baptist churches, while also being involved in lay leadership in the nearby New Town of Cambourne (where the church is a partnership of the Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed and Anglican Churches, with strong links with the Quakers and Roman Catholics).

Assistant Pioneer Minister: Revd Stephen Dove

Hello, I'm Stephen! I live with my growing collection of house plants in phase 2 of Northstowe, having joined the adventure here in June 2022.I'm a big fan of music, coffee and colourful clothing and you might spot me out for a run around Northstowe. I love glitter, gardening and gin, not necessarily at the same time but it has been known!

I'm an ordained Anglican Pioneer Priest with a degree in Interior Design so I love exploring the creative nature of God and bringing a creativity to our faith exploration. Prior to ordination I was a lay pioneer minister, setting up a new church in an area of new housing in Ely and bringing a pioneer's enthusiasm to other churches in the team.

Church Council

Pathfinder Church Council exists to take a strategic leadership role within the church working collaboratively with the minister, to effect the smooth running of the church and delivery of the mission of God within the community of Northstowe.

Pathfinder Church Mission (as stated in our BMO): “to enable the further development of a worshipping community so that it might become a sustainable and viable church with responsibility for mission in the area of Northstowe, establishing an organic Christian community for the people who live there, making disciples of Jesus, and serving the local community”

Pathfinder Church Values: praying exploring and sharing

You can read about the Role Descriptions of Council members here...

Will Addison (Warden) - warden @ northstowe.church

I’ve really enjoyed being part of Pathfinder Church. I am excited by the chance for us to work together to build a community of Christians in Northstowe and the surrounding villages. I’d like to get to know you all better and I look forward to finding new ways for us to support each other in growing our connection with God and the impact that has on our lives. I’d also like to do my bit to help with the practical functioning of our new church.

Becky Eccleston (Treasurer) - treasurer @ northstowe.church

Hello! My name is Becky. I’m a Mum, teacher, wife and sailor; I love the outdoors and coffee. My favourite place in the world is by the sea, preferably with a good book. When we can’t get to the sea, we enjoy sailing locally instead. I stepped down from teaching adults when we moved here last year and I now run my own business from home.
I’m standing for council as I want to use my skills and experience to serve God and his people, and because I enjoy solving problems and making things happen. I also know about the quality of cake around here!

Hannah Mellows (Council Member)

Hello, my name is Hannah Mellows. I am a mother of three, living in Northstowe. We as a family have loved being part of Pathfinder Church Northstowe and I've enjoyed being involved in the development of the church. Being on church council means that I can prayerfully be involved in the growth of the church and support those in leadership, which in turn will help the community of Northstowe.

Cameron Witheridge Pearce (Council Member)

Hello, I'm Cameron, I live in Northstowe and love being part of the Pathfinder community. I hope that I can use my skills and experiences to help the Church, but also want to serve God in this new community.

Rachel Addison (Deanery Link)

I'm Rachel, a mum of two, part time music teacher, foster carer and big fan of Pathfinder church, Northstowe. A large part of our time at the church has been online, but even so we have felt so welcomed by the family and love the ethos of praying and exploring together. We are really looking forward to journeying with everyone as the church continues to grow and evolve and I'm happy to serve in whatever way helps the community

Michelle Kemp (Safeguarding Officer) safeguarding @ northstowe.church

If you have any questions or concerns about safeguarding, please get in touch with Michelle on safeguarding@northstowe.church

Jump to the bottom of the page for more Safeguarding Details

Annual Reports

(PDF downloads)

After the AGM in May 2023...

We sent out an email filled with loads of practical details about how regular members can get more involved in praying, exploring, and sharing. Click on the image below..
OR READ THE EMAIL HERE...

Ecumenical Partners

Pathfinder Church Northstowe is growing up organically among those finding and exploring faith here in Northstowe. It comes out of fifteen years of local churches praying and dreaming together under the Churches Together banner, supported by the Churches Together in Cambridgesire.

Ecumenical Vision Statement for Northstowe

Already in Northstowe, God has called together people from across Christian traditions and those new to faith, who are putting down roots in Northstowe and developing into an ecumenical worshipping community. This community has adopted the Churches Together Basis for Unity as its model for joint working.

The initial worshiping community, known as Pathfinder Church Northstowe, was formed under Anglican governance and funding, with strong ecumenical support. It had a vision of:

“developing a worshipping community so that it might become a sustainable and viable church with responsibly for mission in the area of Northstowe, establishing an organic Christian community for the people who live there, making disciples of Jesus and serving the local community.”
From the initial Northstowe Bishop’s Mission Order 1/11/2019

Now, in response to what God is doing, and the size of the opportunity in Northstowe, there is a desire to enlarge this ecumenical vision to become a network of worshipping and missional communities, organically developing as Christian community for the people who live there, making disciples of Jesus and serving the local community.

In a celebration of receptive ecumenism, and building on the joint working already in place, Pathfinder Church Northstowe have sought the support of the denominations involved in Churches Together in Cambridgeshire. The following Shared Commitment has been agreed by the Council of Pathfinder Church Northstowe, the Diocese of Ely (Church of England), the Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church, the Cambridgeshire Area Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and the Eastern Baptist Association.

Shared Commitment:

Together, we have committed to share in prayer for Northstowe, and provide practical support in setting up the right structures for the next stages:

We commit ourselves to sharing together in the ministry of Christ to the world, and within this context to explore together the meaning and possibilities of unity for worship, evangelism, mission and service.

We commit ourselves to assessing the resources of church and community in terms of people, money and buildings, and to deploying them in the best way in relation to the aspirations and needs of local people

We commit ourselves to maintaining and developing relationships with our parent bodies and with Churches Together in Cambridgeshire (previously Cambridgeshire Ecumenical Council).

This Vision Statement with Shared Commitment has been agreed by the Council of Pathfinder Church Northstowe, the Diocese of Ely (Church of England), the Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church, the Cambridgeshire Area Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and the Eastern Baptist Association.

Our basis for unity with our partner churches follows the example of Churches Together England*. Such groups unite in pilgrimage those Churches which, acknowledging God’s revelation in Christ, confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in obedience to God’s will and in the power of the Holy Spirit commit themselves:

to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and
to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world

to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* including the welcome of Quaker involvement because of their manifold shared faith evenwhile acknowledging that they do not have a creedal basis.

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

A taste of the ecumenical vision for Northstowe

Northstowe as a Growing Faith Learning Hub

Growing Faith is the movement that exists to change the culture of the Church of England so that everyone instinctively puts children, young people and families at the heart of all the mission and ministry of the Church. It comes from the vision set by the House of Bishops and endorsed by General Synod in 2019. It involves churches, schools and households working together to help children, young people and families have life in all its fullness.

The Growing Faith Foundation seeks to benefit children and young people, helping them create the world they want to live in, specifically through the lens of the Christian faith. In the short term, this will mean focusing on 0-16 year olds but in the medium to long term it will include 17-21 year olds.

The Growing Faith Foundation has chosen us to be one of 12 Learning Hubs across the country to further its impact in these areas. Together, we aim to become strong developmental communities of practice from which other school and church leaders (both regionally and nationally) can learn.

"In partnership with Northstowe’s young people, families, and schools, we are exploring a possible Outdoor Eco Worship and Learning Environment embodying “the roots to grow, the path to follow, the wings to fly”, through a “service-first” approach. Four years of collaborations seeded ecumenical prayers, Little Explorers (“time for you, your baby, and God”), schools work, transitions work, a youth charity, sustainability projects, and fresh expression of church with half under 16. All without a physical home. Through discipling emerging leaders, we plan to develop these, creating unique spaces where rooted faith contextually blesses our new town: praying, exploring, and sharing."

Ministry Students

We hugely value strengthen our connections with the wider church, across the denominations, by having students on placements. The students are often doing different courses, and have different levels of involvement. Our students undertake these placements as part of a course of academic study involving interaction with people. Conversations and encounters from the student’s placement learning may be used as the basis for theological reflections, which may or may not be written, spoken and / or assessed as part of a Durham University Common Awards programme. Conversations and encounters, when used in such ways, will be anonymised; the names and identifying features of individuals, families, churches and communities will not be included.

Do speak to Beth if you have any questions

Most recently, we celebrate having had trainee ministers from Ridley, Westcott, and Westminster colleges.

Worship Gang

The Worship Gang is made up of 8 Yr 5/6 students at Pathfinder Primary. Supported by Revds Beth and Stephen (wearing their pink lanyards), the students proudly wear blue lanyards as they meet on Thursday lunchtimes to review recent Collective Worships, discuss how they could be Even Better, and prepare to plan and lead upcoming events. They also get involved in dreaming about ways to help those of all religious and non religious beliefs find space to reflect, and put those reflections in action, for the good of the whole community, not just themselves.

Links with the 5 folds family of churches

While Pathfinder Church is firmly rooted in the new town of Northstowe, we also celebrate our connections to the more established villages around us.

Phase 1 of Northstowe lies within the Church of England parish of St Michael and All Saints Longstanton. This means that All Saints Longstanton is our parish church. This is the ancient building where we normally conduct weddings. We baptise both in Northstowe and in the parish church of Longstanton. We also partner with the local church community there for special occasions such as Remembrance or "midnight" Communion at Christmas

The surrounding villages form a team known as 5 folds. This includes
* Longstanton
* Willingham
* Swavesey
* Over

Revd Beth and Pathfinder Church Council work closely with the 5folds team, which includes:

Revd Simon Gill is the Team Rector
Revd Lucy Cleland is Team Vicar
Canon Jan Payne is Licensed Lay Minister.

More details on how to contact the 5 folds churches...

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

At Pathfinder Church we take seriously the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. This page gives information and advice on what to do if you suspect abuse, and is particularly helpful if you are in a position of responsibility within the church.

You can download the Church of England’s policy document: Promoting a Safer Church (pdf)

What to do if…

You have concerns about possible abuse (including allegations):

• In an emergency, call emergency services 999.

• Otherwise, consult the person to whom you are responsible.

• Decide together whether to seek advice or to make an immediate referral to police or care services (see contact details below).

• Always contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser.

• Keep a record of what happened, your concerns and your actions.

• Tell your parish priest.

• Only tell others who need to know.

• Do not alert the alleged perpetrator.

A child, young person or adult wishes to disclose they have been abused:

• Listen. Keep listening. Do not question or investigate.

• Do not promise confidentiality; tell them we may need to share this.

• Assure them they are not to blame.

• Tell them what you are going to do and that they will be told what happens.

• Make careful notes of what is said, record dates, times, events and when you are told.

• Report it to the person to whom you are responsible and your priest or safeguarding representation.

• Only tell those who need to know.

Things to remember:

• Treat everyone with respect, setting a positive example for others.

• Respect personal space and privacy.

• Ensure any actions cannot be misrepresented by someone else.

• Challenge unacceptable behaviour.

• Do not put anyone, including yourself, in a vulnerable or compromising situation.

• Do not have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with others.

• You must not keep allegations or suspected abuse secret.

Further resources:

Ely Diocese Safeguarding webpages: www.elydiocese.org/safeguarding

Contact details

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: Rebecca Boswell; rebecca.boswell@elydiocese.org; 01353 652731

Diocesan Safeguarding Officer: Sarah King; sarah.king@elydiocese.org; 01353 652735

Your minister: Revd Dr Beth Cope; pioneer.minister@northstowe.church; 01954 261 181

Church Safeguarding Officer: Michelle Kemp: safeguarding@northstowe.church

Local Council Protection Office:

For children: Tel 0345 045 5203
For adults: Tel 0345 045 5202

Police:

Dial 101
Dial 999 in an emergency

Helplines:

ChildLine (support and advice for children): www.childline.org.uk Tel: 0800 1111
NSPCC (for adults worries about a child): www.nspcc.org.uk Tel: 0808 800 5000
Stop it Now / Lucy Faithfull Foundation (for an adult worried about their own behaviour or another’s behaviour towards children): www.stopitnow.org.uk Tel: 0808 1000 900

Safeguarding Training

We at Pathfinder Church Northstowe are committed to promoting a safer culture in our church and all our activities. This means we promote the welfare of children, young people and adults, work to prevent abuse from occurring, seek to protect those that are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused. Sadly we know abuse is not rare and we want everyone at church to feel safe and know what to do if they did have concerns. This means everyone on the church council or leading a group has had training on safeguarding.

We encourage everyone regularly involved with Pathfinder Church to consider taking the short, online, Basic Awareness training module provided by the Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal (cofeportal.org). If you do, please send a copy of your certificate, afterwards, to our volunteer email address.

If you would like to get more involved in helping run events, please email volunteer @ northstowe.church [without the spaces!]

All those involved in leadership are Safely Recruited, with appropriate levels of references and DBS checks, as well as additional safeguarding training.

Sadly, we recognise that churches haven't always got this right. If that has been your experience, you might find Safe Spaces a helpful organziation to speak to.

Safeguarding Sunday

In September, we mark Safeguarding Sunday as a day to give thanks for all those working for the good of all of us,a day to hold in our hearts all those who have been hurt or harmed by our actions or inaction, a day to look to the future and commit to do our part to make and keep this a safer place.

We prayed:

Dear God,
Help us to be a church that:
Loves, welcomes, protects.
Listens, learns, serves.
Repents, restores, transforms.
Values, cares, believes.
God of Justice and compassion, hear our prayer.
Help us, heal us, guide us, we pray.
In Jesus name.
Amen.

Read Beth's Blog to Safeguarding Sunday - Together

Photo Consent Form

At our events, we love to take photographs as a record of the day, and which may be used for publicity including but not limited to church displays/posters/leaflets/social media/streaming in accordance with our Photography Policy, as reproduced on our form or available to download [Photography Policy]

If you want to opt out even of informal roaming group photography, you can use our form. Please also let the Session Lead know.

We only take individual photography with your consent . Our form can be used to update that too:

bit.ly/PCNPhotos

Forms, Downloads and Policies

Forms

You can download our Gift Aid form here. But we really prefer to handle this online! Visit our Giving page to find out more about tax efficient giving.

Please print, complete, and return c/o Church House, 6 Woodpecker Close, Northstowe, CB24 1AW

Downloads of Policies (PDF)

Want to support our work? We are registered with the Parish Giving Scheme and as such a regular Direct Debit can be set up online.. [continue reading]