Until 31 December 2024 the three parishes, with their four churches, make up a benefice. From 1 January 2025 the parishes will be one parish (with All Saints' Church becoming a parish church). This will affect some legalities and administration but will not affect worship. The following was published in the December 2024 & January 2025 edition of Windsor Church News
Parish of Central Windsor is born!
Nearly 25 years after the idea was first conceived, the new Parish of Central Windsor comes into being on 1st January 2025. This new legal parish brings together as one the previous three parishes of New Windsor, Holy Trinity and St Stephen & St Agnes which now cease to exist. Our four churches each have Parish Church status but none has precedence and all are of equal importance. Our vision remains to work together to show God’s love in our town of Windsor. We are now able to do this more efficiently and with a renewed sense of collaboration and mutual generosity.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked tirelessly to achieve this end, and to encourage everyone to embrace with enthusiasm this new way of working together. I have always been challenged and inspired in my ministry by the words of Jesus in chapter 17 of John’s Gospel. This is our opportunity to live out this divine desire for unity, here in this place in this time.
Jesus looked up to heaven and said,
20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
We worship together as the new Parish of Central Windsor on Sunday 5th January. Our 10am Sung Eucharist is at St Stephen & St Agnes’ Church when we will celebrate Epiphany Sunday. We hope as many people as possible will be able to join us as we mark both this important date in the Church year and the birth of our new parish.
Revd Canon Sally Lodge
Rector of the Parish of Central Windsor