Feast of the Holy Cross
Our 7pm Monday eucharist will include a celebration of the traditional Feast of the Holy Cross. The Vicar will preside and preach
The cross on which our Lord was crucified has become the universal symbol for Christianity, replacing the fish symbol of the early church, though the latter has been revived in recent times. After the end of the persecution era, early in the fourth century, pilgrims began to travel to Jerusalem to visit and pray at the places associated with the life of Jesus. Helena, the mother of the emperor, was a Christian and, whilst overseeing excavations in the city, is said to have uncovered a cross, which many believed to be the Cross of Christ. A basilica was built on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and dedicated on this day in the year 335.
– Exciting Holiness
Feast of St Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist
Our 7pm Monday eucharist falls on the Feast of St Matthew the Evangelist. All are welcome; the Rev’d Dr Jonathan Soyars will preside
Matthew appears in the list of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to the gospel written under his name, was a tax collector. Mark and Luke called the tax collector Levi, and it has been assumed that they are one and the same. This occupation was despised by his fellow Jews as a betrayal to the occupying Roman force but Christ showed that judging by outward appearance was not what he was about. He ate with Matthew and with his friends, scandalising those around him. Matthew affirmed that his life would now change because of following Jesus, and that he would make amends for any former wrongdoing. This was enough for Jesus, for he had drawn someone back to God. He was forgiven, therefore he was acceptable, therefore he was received.
– Exciting Holiness
Feast of St Michael & All Angels
Our Tuesday 10.30am eucharist celebrates the Feast of St Michael and All Angels (the feast from which Michaelmas Term derives its name). The Revd Devin McLachlan, vicar, will preside and preach.
Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the three named biblical angels, depicted as the belovèd messengers of God. Michael, which means 'who is like God?', is described as protector of Israel and leader of the armies of God and is perhaps best known as the slayer of the dragon in the Revelation to John. He is thus regarded as the protector of Christians from the devil, particularly those at the hour of death. A basilica near Rome was dedicated in the fifth century in honour of Michael on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day, and 29 September is now kept in honour of Michael and all Angels throughout the western Church.
— Exciting Holiness
Sunday 10am: Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
Join us for a Festal Eucharist on Sunday 18 October at our 10am service. Incense and a sermon from the vicar will be part of this festive Sung Eucharist on one of the ‘red letter days’ of the church year.
Luke was a dear friend of the apostle Paul, and is mentioned by him three times in his Letters. Paul describes him as 'the belovèd physician' and, in his second Letter to Timothy, as his only companion in prison. He is believed to be the author of two books of the New Testament, firstly the gospel which stands in his name and also the Acts of the Apostles. Luke's narrative of the life of Christ has a pictorial quality and shows the sequential pattern from the nativity through to the death and resurrection. The developed sense of theology that comes over in Paul's writings is virtually unknown in those of Luke but, as a Gentile, Luke makes clear that the good news of salvation is for all, regardless of sex, social position or nationality. Traditionally, Luke wrote his gospel in Greece and died in Boeotia at the age of eighty-four.
— Exciting Holiness
Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Our Tuesday 10.30am eucharist celebrates the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Revd Nell Whiscombe, Chaplain of St Catharine’s College, will preside and preach.
Taizé
Song, silence, and serenity — a candlelit Taizé service in the oldest church in Cambridgeshire.
Mission Giving Charity Fayre
Held in the Church garden after the service, this will be an opportunity for anyone to learn more about the various charities we are supporting at St Bene't's.
Wisdom, with Prof David Ford
You're invited to a thoughtful conversation on Wisdom as a Christian Virtue, with Professor David F. Ford, OBE, Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus in the University of Cambridge.
This event will take place at St Bene't's Church, on Benet Street across from Jack's Gelato and the Eagle Pub. This is the third in a year-long series on Christian Virtue, hosted by Little St Mary’s and St Bene’t’s churches.
Coffee will be served from 10.30am, with the talk at 10.45am. There is a 9am Eucharist at St Bene't's, to which all are welcome.
This is a ticketed event; please register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/christian-virtues-wisdom-tickets-1987378386252
Virtual Wilderness
An online-only St Bene’t’s conversation about pilgrimage, prayer, and the nurturing of spiritual wilderness, as we explore with God the landscape of our souls. Saturday 13 June at 9.45am, over Zoom. Register now at virtual_wilderness.eventbrite.co.uk
Corpus Christi procession
Feast of Corpus Christi
At 7pm, The Very Revd Abigail Thompson, Dean of Sheffield Cathedral, will preach at a special Corpus Christi service at St Bene’t’s followed by a procession to Little St Mary’s (with brass band and rose petals and the reserved sacrament) for Solemn Benediction. There will be incense at this evening service.
Instructed Eucharist
Feast of Corpus Christi .
At 12.30pm there will be an Instructed Eucharist, teaching about and praying on the core elements of our daily eucharist.
APCM & Meeting of Parishioners
Residents of the parish and members on the Electoral Roll meet to elect two churchwardens, 4 members of the PCC, and representatives to Deanery Synod, as well as to review the annual finances and receive the annual reports,
Beating the Bounds
After the 12.30 eucharist, we will ‘Beat the Bounds’ - a traditional Rogationtide procession around the boundaries of our parish.
Quiz night
Join us for this fun annual evening. The Kennedy-Jolly family will be our quiz-leaders.
Register as a team/pair/individual by emailing us [info@stbenetschurch.org]
Please bring your own refreshments. Donations can be made on the evening for one of the charities we support.
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Christian Virtues: Charity
Join us for a conversation on Faith as a Christian Virtue, with The Rev’d Dr Stephen Plant, Dean of Trinity Hall. The second in a year-long series on Christian Virtue, hosted by Little St Mary’s and St Bene’t’s churches.
This event will take place in the parish hall at Little St Mary's, on Trumpington St near Peterhouse College. Register (for free) at https://virtues-charity.eventbrite.co.uk/
Coffee from 10.30am, with the event beginning at 10.45am. There is a 10am Mass, to which all are welcome.
The Rev’d Dr Stephen Plant lectures on theology and on ethics in the Faculty of Divinity, is a member of the Faculty Board and the Degree Committee, and Chair of Examiners for the Bth. He has written and edited several books including Bonhoeffer (Bloomsbury, 2004), The SPCK Introduction to Simone Weil (SPCK 2007), Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Letters to London (with Toni Burrowes-Cromwell, SPCK, 2013), and Taking Stock of Bonhoeffer (Ashgate, 2014). He is currently compiling a book on theology and international development for the Ashgate Press. His research interests include modern Protestant theology, political theology and international development. From 2007-13, he edited the influential journal Theology for SPCK/SAGE.
The Vocation and Duty of the Teacher
This sermon in commemoration of John Mere will be given in St Bene't's Church at 11.45 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. A Sixteenth Century Esquire Bedell and also Registrary who was a member of King's and of Corpus Christi Colleges, Mere left property in the Parish of St Bene't's, partly to endow a sermon in his memory to be given by the Vice-Chancellor or a nominee. Certain University Officers and Parish Representatives receive token payments for attending, flowers are placed on Mere's gravestone and payments are also made to the inhabitants of the Almshouses of St Anthony and St Eligius. There are subjects specified for the sermon, including the reading of scripture with respect to the obedience due to those in authority and the proper behaviour of those in authority towards those they govern, in the relief of poverty and in their proper instruction. The need to prepare for death but not to fear it other than Scripture allows, also features.
This year the preacher will be The Very Reverend Professor David Fergusson, OBE, FRSE, FBA, Fellow-Commoner of Magdalene College, Regius Professor of Divinity and Dean of HM Chapel Royal in Scotland. Educated first at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, David Fergusson then undertook doctoral work at Oxford, writing a thesis on Realism and Idealism in Christian Interpretation with Special Reference to Bultmann. A Minister of the Church of Scotland, he held a lectureship in systematic theology at Edinburgh before a chair in the same at Aberdeen and then the Divinity Chair and the Principalship of New College at Edinburgh. He also served as Vice-Principal of the University. Since 2019 the Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and of the Order of the Thistle, he took up the Regius Professorship of Divinity in Cambridge in 2021. Professor Fergusson has published extensively, his titles including Reformed Humanism: Essays on Christian Doctrine, Philosophy and Church, Faith and Its Critics: A Conversation, Church, State and Civil Society, Community, Liberalism and Christian Ethics and The Cosmos and the Creator: Introduction to the Theology of Creation.
All are welcome. Matriculated members of the University community should please wear their gowns (black gowns, hoods not required). By custom Corpus Christi College kindly offer refreshment afterwards.
Nones, Dones, and the Future of Faith
A conversation with Rev'd Canon Stephanie Spellers on her newest book, Church Tomorrow, & what the "Spiritual but not Religious" teach us
Episcopal priest, author and prophetic leader Canon Stephanie Spellers joins for an lively conversation about her latest book,Church Tomorrow?: What the ‘Nones’ and ‘Dones’ Teach Us About the Future of Faith. In it, she helps us to wrestle with the decline of traditional religion, the firsthand wisdom of nonreligious Millennials and Gen Zs, and our call to become the church of tomorrow.All are welcome.
Register (for free) at https://churchtomorrow.eventbrite.co.uk
The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers is the author of several books and Canon in Residence at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City. She served nearly a decade as canon to Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, leading the denomination's work on evangelism, new ministries, racial reconciliation and social justice. Learn more about her work at www.stephaniespellers.com.
Easter Vigil
Our traditional Easter Vigil service, with the Lighting of the New Fire, and First Eucharist of Easter. A service of mystery, joy, music and scripture. There will be incense at this service
Good Friday
10am: Journey to the Cross, a service particularly suitable for children and families
11.30am: Ecumenical act of witness, in the Market Square
12noon: Preaching the Passion, followed by prayerful silence and then the Good Friday liturgy, ending at 3pm.
Journey to the Cross
10am: Journey to the Cross, an All-Age service particularly suitable for children and families
11.30am: Ecumenical act of witness, in the Market Square
12noon: Preaching the Passion, followed by prayerful silence and then the Good Friday liturgy, ending at 3pm.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Eucharist, with washing of feet and stripping of the altar, followed by Keeping Watch at the Altar of Repose, until Midnight.
Palm Sunday
Procession begins at Corpus Christi College, followed by the Passion Narrative and Sung Eucharist at St Bene't's.
Quiet Day
Join us for a Quiet Day on Saturday 14 March, at the oldest church in Cambridge. This is a ‘drop-in’ quiet day: Come when you can any time between 7am to 8pm, and stay as long as you need. The schedule is below.
World Day of Prayer
An ecumenical service of prayer, in celebration of World Day of Prayer. Hosted by women from the Central Cambridge Ecumenical Network, the Parish of the Ascension, Downing Place URC, St Bene’t’s, and others. The 2026 World Day of Prayer materials from Nigeria bring us a powerful invitation drawn from Matthew 11:28-30. At a time when people worldwide are carrying heavy burdens, our Nigerian sisters offer profound insights into finding rest in God.
Faith, with the Rev'd Dr Cally Hammond
We're so looking forward the the launch of our newest 'Resourcing Faith' series with Little St Mary's and St Bene't's Cambridge. Our first in this series on Christian Virtue is 10.45am on Saturday 28 Feb, a conversation with The Rev'd Dr Cally Hammond on Faith as a Christian Virtue — we meet this time at Little St Mary’s, on Trumpington Street next to Peterhouse College.
Tickets at faithvirtue.eventbrite.co.uk
Ash Wednesday (@ Corpus Christi College)
Ash Wednesday services at 8am & 12.30pm (spoken Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes), and a sung Eucharist at 6.30pm held at Corpus Christi College.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday services at 8am & 12.30pm (spoken Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes), and a sung Eucharist at 6.30pm held at Corpus Christi College.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday services at 8am & 12.30pm (spoken Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes), and a sung Eucharist at 6.30pm held at Corpus Christi College.
Candlemas
Our annual Candlemas service begins at the chapel of Corpus Christi College at 10am on Sunday 1 February, followed by a sung procession to St Bene’t’s, where the Candlemas Eucharist continues. The Rev’d Dr Rob Hawkins will preach, and the choir of Corpus Christi will sing the service music.
This year’s service also includes a baptism, for which we give especial thanks.
Chevin Sermon
On 25 January, the Mayor and Corporation of Cambridge will join us at the 10am service, during which the vicar (in his role as Mayor’s Chaplain) will preach the Chevin Sermon — traditionally given on the Sunday before Candlemas since 1589. Everyone is invited to attend and to meet the Mayor and members of City Council.
Interfaith Evening: Water
Interfaith Connection Cambridge comes to St Bene’t’s on Tuesday 20 January at 6pm, for an interfaith conversation about the many ways in which water flows through our different religious traditions, exploring together the spiritual significance of water.
Your RSVP will help us plan: https://shorturl.at/IfPBu
Taizé
Be sure to join us at 8pm on the First Sunday of the month, for a candlelit Taizé service of song, silence, and prayer.
This month’s Taizé service particularly celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany, the revelation of Christ.
Epiphany Sunday
A festal Eucharist for the Feast of the Epiphany (trans.), with incense, at 10am with familiar carols and hymns.
PS: ‘trans.’? Just church-speak for ‘Translated’, meaning the Festival has been translated (moved) from it’s normal date — 6 January — to the closest Sunday.