Thurstable and Winstree Team Ministry

serving the parishes of Tiptree with Tolleshunt Knights and Great Braxted, Copford, Easthorpe, Messing, Inworth,
Layer de la Haye, Layer Breton with Birch, and Layer Marney

The 'Layer' Parishes: Layer de la Haye • Layer Breton with Birch • Layer Marney

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The Benefice of Thurstable and Winstree

The Benefice of Thurstable and Winstree came into being on 1st October 2013, when nine parishes of three former benefices were brought together in one new benefice.

Under the provisions of the Pastoral Scheme for the creation of this benefice, each of the parishes retained its distinct identity and each of the churches retained its status as a parish church.

With effect from 1st January 2024, the two parishes of 'Tolleshunt Knights with Tiptree' and 'Great Braxted' were merged to become the single parish of 'Tiptree with Tolleshunt Knights and Great Braxted'.

Members of the benefice's Ministry Team are licensed and authorised ministers, both clerical and lay, led by the Team Rector.

The Parishes and Churches of the Benefice

With effect from 1st January 2024, these became:

Tiptree with Tolleshunt Knights and Great Braxted - St Luke, Tiptree, and All Saints, Great Braxted
Copford - St Michael and All Angels
Easthorpe - St Mary the Virgin
Messing - All Saints
Inworth - All Saints
Layer de la Haye - St John the Baptist
Layer Breton with Birch - St Mary the Virgin
Layer Marney - St Mary the Virgin

Deanery Re-organisation

In January 2025 the benefice's parishes were consulted about future ministry and mission in the Witham Deanery. Following a consultation meeting, the Deanery Synod met and voted overwhelmingly in favour of forming a new Team Ministry made up of the 18 parishes in the middle of the deanery, including the parishes of the Thurstable and Winstree benefice.

The 18 parishes are being grouped into four clusters. The plan is that each cluster will have a full-time priest to lead it. The four groupings are as follows:

Cluster 1: Kelvedon, Feering, Copford and Easthorpe – led by The Revd Canon Simon Garwood, our Area Dean.
Cluster 2: Tiptree with Tolleshunt Knights and Great Braxted, Messing, Inworth, Layer Marney and Layer Breton with Birch – led by a Team Rector (to be appointed following Anne-Marie's move to Llandaff Diocese).
Cluster 3: Wickham Bishops with Little Braxted, Great Totham, Little Totham and Goldhanger.
Cluster 4: Layer de la Haye, Tollesbury, Salcott, Tolleshunt Major, and Tolleshunt D’Arcy - led by The Revd Jo Wood, Team Vicar. This grouping is currently referred to as The Waterside Parishes.

The churches of the Waterside Parishes are:

Layer de la Haye - St John the Baptist
Tollesbury - St Mary the Virgin
Salcott Virley - St Mary the Virgin
Tolleshunt Major - St Nicholas
Tolleshunt D'Arcy - St Nicholas