For any enquiries relating to the Church please contact
Churchwarden Mrs Sue Elsworth 01278 786790or the Parish Administrator Mrs Sara Puddy 07515 478769 ehwhmchurch@outlook.com
Situated in the heart of East Huntspill, Somerset, All Saints is one of three Anglican churches in the Benefice of The Huntspill and Mark, in the Deanery of Axbridge and the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Reverend Christine Judson is Rector of The Huntspills and Mark and can be contacted 01278 781147 or c.judson@btinternet.com
All Saints Church is open daily between 11am and 3pm for visitors, for those wishing to find a place of peace and calm for personal reflection. Whether you live locally or are visiting, you are welcome to any of the Services or events at All Saints Church. Please see our website for details – www.esthuntspillchurch.org.uk
The Church building was designed by G P Manners of Bath, and built in 1839. It is Romanesque in style and is a simple hall Church with a strong east west axis. It includes a Nave and small Chancel, with a Vestry on the north of the Chancel and a south porch with tower over. The church is built of dressed lias, with Bath stone dressings, coped verges, welsh slate roofs with stone ridges and cruciform finials.
The interior is plastered with box pews and the bell-chamber was added over the south porch in the 1960’s.
During recent years extensive renovations have been carried out:-
- 2014 – Major roof repairs and internal redecoration
- 2015 – Re-ordering the west end of Church, new flooring, servery area, bringing water into Church
- 2016 – New heating
- 2017 – New Notice Board erected.
- 2018 – 2019 – Restoration work to the Stained-glass windows and surrounds plus new window guards.
- 2019 – New audio system
- 2020 – Churchyard path replaced
- 2021 – New Lighting
All Saints Community Group provide community support through busy weekly coffee mornings, monthly cake sale, as well as a variety of events including the much talked about St George’s meal, Music and Dance nights and of course the glorious Summer and Christmas Fayres, not forgetting our annual Classic Car Show held on the Playing Field in New Road. To find out more visit our website www.easthuntspillchurch.org.uk or email allsaintscommunitygroup@outlook.com to receive our flyers.
East Huntspill Church Hall is conveniently just across Church Lane from the Church.If you require any further information please contact Churchwarden Mrs Sue Elsworth 01278 786790
Parish Administrator Mrs Sara Puddy ehwhmchurch@outlook.com 07515478769
From Revd. Christine Judson
My name is Revd. Christine Judson, though ‘Rev Chris’ is a little easier, and ‘Chris’ is just fine. I’ve been a vicar for ten years, all of it in Portishead (just south of Bristol) and I really do like being a vicar. Before this I was a secondary school teacher of science (particularly physics) and maths. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching, especially when I could bring together different aspects like making (and eating) Baked Alaska to show the insulating properties of air(!). I became a vicar because I felt that God was calling me to do that, and so did other people – this was tested quite rigorously before I was accepted for training. In many ways it feels as though being a vicar makes sense of who I am, what I’ve done and experienced so far and who I am becoming. That said, I believe that being a vicar is more about depending on God than on myself.
I was born in the month of February, in a little village near Leicester, many years ago. My favourite colour is blue and my favourite animal is the penguin. I don’t currently have any pets, but I have had all sorts in the past – including a goat called Muttley. My favourite type of cake is Devil’s Food cake (a rich, moist chocolate cake, with coffee fudge icing), though I do try to eat a healthy and varied diet, without too much cake. Although I do not have any children of my own, I am richly blessed in my God-daughter, who is like a daughter to me. I enjoy travelling, and through school trips and holidays I have been to the following countries: England (though I guess that doesn’t count), Wales, Scotland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Tenerife, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.
As a vicar I generally get up out of bed at about 7am. My life can vary a lot. I like the security of a routine, but I also need to be flexible – so if I have been working extremely late the night before, I sometimes have a lie-in to recover. I don’t have a uniform as such, but there are some things that identify my role – especially the clerical collar (white band at the front of my neck, informally referred to as a dog-collar). When I am leading a service I often wear special robes and it is always an honour to do this.
One of the joys of being a vicar is marrying people. Meeting couples, supporting them as they approach their wedding day, conducting their marriage service and being there for them in the future is a real delight. I am very much looking forward to doing that for couples in Mark, East Huntspill & West Huntspill Churches, whether or not they usually attend church. The church is there for all!
I’m not sure what my favourite Bible story is. I think it changes over time, though I am very fond of the parable that Jesus told of the lost sheep, where the shepherd leaves the 99 to search for the 1. As with so many of the parables, it seems to make no sense, so we have to dig deep to mine its depths. I like both the New Testament and the Old Testament – together they form a magnificent library of books with so much to explore that I will always be learning. Just like many others, I have been doing a lot of home-learning recently – via webinars as well as from books and the internet.
At the moment I still live in Portishead, but I am looking forward to moving into The Rectory, a house near the Church of St Peter & All Hallows in West Huntspill. The delay in my moving has been caused by a sensible and compassionate change in tenancy law brought about by our Prime Minister, Mr Boris Johnson, and his government to protect people from becoming homeless during the pandemic. We have had to make a lot of adjustments over the past year, haven’t we? I’m not scared of the virus, but I am wary of it – I’d rather not get it and really do not want to be responsible for spreading it.
I’d like to thank the children and staff of our primary schools for their questions. I hope my answers have helped you to start to get to know me. I am really looking forward to getting to know the people of The Huntspills & Mark – do feel free to contact me. I know there will be a lot for me to learn about, including the various school ‘House Points’ systems. Please be patient with me!
With God’s blessings,
Rev Chris