St Mary the Virgin, Fen Ditton

Getting here

St. Mary the Virgin, Fen Ditton is a village church near the banks of the River Cam just outside Cambridge in the diocese of Ely. It is joined with the neighbouring village parishes of St Peter's, Horningsea and All Saints', Teversham. The Priest-in-charge of the 3 parishes is the Rev'd Alun Ford.

The parish of St Mary the Virgin Fen Ditton covers not only the village itself, but also a significant portion of the adjacent outskirts of the City of Cambridge, including Fison Road, Thorpe Way, Jack Warren Green, Howard Road, Dudley Road, Ditton Walk and associated streets (see map on the "Find Us" tab).

Our church has a strong connection with the river, as a landmark for walkers on the tow path and Fen Ditton meadows and for rowers on the Cam. Our weather vane and riverside scene depicted in the West Window celebrate the Cam's rowing heritage.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of getting married or having a thanksgiving or baptism for your child at our beautiful church, please contact us on the church email address via the "Contact us" tab.

If you are interested in baptism etc, check out this very useful website which will give you answers to lots of questions you may have: https://churchofenglandchristenings.org/ 

For wedding inquiries, if you do not live in the parishes of Fen Ditton or Holy Cross then before you contact us please check first whether you are qualified to marry in our church by seeing whether any of the "qualifying connections" listed on this website applies to one of you: http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/youre-welcome/more-churches-to-choose-from.aspx   You can check which parish you live in by searching under your address in the search box on the top righthand corner of this page.

All are welcome to join our services, whether you live in the parish, are visiting the area or just passing by as you walk along the river. Details of our services are listed on the "Services and Events" tab. Our regular Sunday service is a Parish Eucharist - sung Communion with Common Worship - at 10.30am. The service on the 3rd Sunday in the month is generally an All Age Family Service, without Communion, which young families particularly enjoy. Services on the last Sunday in the month rotate around the three joined parishes; please check this site for details.  All services are followed by refreshments.

We have two mid-week groups, a Bible reading group that generally meets on alternate Thursdays in church, and a Prayer group that generally meets on alternate Wednesdays at the home of one of our team. See posters at the church for details, including contact details to check when the sessions are running.

We have a children's area at the back of the church with comfortable seating stocked with books, toys, paper for drawing etc, and there is lots of space in church for pushchairs and buggies. Level wheelchair/pushchair access to the church is via the gate beyond the main (stepped) churchyard entrance on Church St and there is then only a low step/sill down into the church itself. Communion can be brought to you in your pew or wheelchair if you are unable to walk to the altar.

Our Sunday Club, designed mainly for primary school aged children, generally meets in the Church Hall (located just around the corner from the church) on the 1st Sunday every month (except August) from 10-11.30am, joining the end of the morning service. It is run by DBS-checked volunteers from the church and aims to give children a broad experience of the Christian faith. You can contact the club leaders via the church email address.

The church is normally open to visitors before and after services on Sundays, on Saturday mornings during church cleaning, and on the last Tuesday morning of each month (village coffee morning), and we hold various "open church" events during the year, especially during the summer. If you wish to access the church at other times, contact details for our keyholders may be found on the notice in the church porch.

The three parishes - Fen Ditton, Horningsea and Teversham - publish a magazine, "New Life", with church and other community news. If you would like to subscribe (for just £4 for the 10 issues each year!), please contact us on the church email address, below. The Editor welcomes the submission of articles to be published in New Life - please send them to the church email address by the 15th of each month.

If you are interested in taking an active part in church life, whether as a member of the choir, bellringing team , flower arranger, reader, server, Sunday Club assistant or otherwise, please contact us.

Fen Ditton Church Community Hall is shortly having a makeover and so is temporarily not available for new one-off events. Longstanding regular bookings, such as the Sunday Club, Gardening Club and Baby and Toddler group, are carrying on as usual. More information will be circulated as the situation progresses. In the meanwhile, the group working on the refurbishment plans would welcome suggestions and, in particular, offers of practical help. Please use the Hall email to send your ideas: [email protected] and watch this space for further developments!

And lastly, you can help us raise funds at no cost to yourself while you do your internet shopping by joining our "easyfundraising" group: see http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/stmarythevirginfenditton

We look forward to seeing you at St Mary the Virgin, Fen Ditton! 

Church Street
Fen Ditton
Cambridge
CB5 8ST

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