Find out all about us
Pathfinder Church Northstowe, Little Explorers, and the Compline Community are all part of the Northstowe Church Network an ecumenical Christian charity serving the growing town of Northstowe and nearby villages. We are a a local ecumenical partnership of the Church of England, Baptist Union, and United Reformed Church with close links to other Christian traditions, committed to praying, exploring, and sharing in this new community. As an ecumenical network of missional and worshipping communities, we are responsible both for Christian mission and ministry in Northstowe and for developing a community centre that welcomes everyone, regardless of background, beliefs, or identity.Click on the buttons below, or scroll down, to find out more...
Revd Dr Beth Cope
Pioneer Minister for Northstowe
Beth has lived in Northstowe since 2018, working with others to grow what is now the Northstowe Church Network. She loves new-build communities — noise, dust and all — and has a particular passion for helping people find connection, ask big questions, and discover faith at their own pace.
Before training for ministry, Beth was a computational mineral physicist and completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge, while raising her family in the nearby new town of Cambourne. She trained as an Anglican Pioneer Priest through the Cambridge Theological Federation, with experience across Anglican and Baptist churches. She is now commissioned to lead Anglican, Baptist, and United Reformed Church services as part of our ecumenical partnership.
Alongside her local ministry, Beth serves as the Bishop’s Adviser for New Housing in the Diocese of Ely, is a Director of the Ely Diocesan Board of Finance, and a member of Bishop’s Council. Nationally, she is the Anglican Practitioner Representative on Churches Together in England’s New Housing Group and contributes to the National New Housing Hub, helping connect the learning from Northstowe with wider church and civic strategy for new communities across England.
Beth is trained in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and is currently studying for the MA in Theology, Ministry & Mission (Pioneer Track) with CMS (Common Awards, Durham University), with interests in Theologies in Global Perspectives and Anthropology, especially exploring how faith communities help families put down roots in new housing areas.
She chairs both the NCN Trustees and the Northstowe Youth Hive, and loves working with local residents, schools, community groups, and people exploring faith for the first time.
hello@northstowe.church
Trustees
The Trustees are responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Northstowe Church Network. They work closely with Beth to support our missional, pastoral, and community-focused work across Northstowe. Beth chairs the Trustees as part of her role as Incumbent Pioneer Minister.
Will Addison
Warden - warden @ northstowe.church
"Hello I'm Will. I live in Over with my wife and two sons. I really enjoy being part of the Northstowe Church Network. I love the way the Network provides safe and open spaces for us to ask questions about faith. I am so pleased to be part of building a community of Christians in Northstowe and the surrounding villages. I’m keen to explore new ways for us to support each other in growing our connection with God."
Becky Eccleston
Treasurer - treasurer @ northstowe.church
"Hello! My name is Becky. I’m a Mum, teacher, wife and sailor; I love the outdoors and coffee. My favourite place in the world is by the sea, preferably with a good book. When we can’t get to the sea, we enjoy sailing locally instead. I stepped down from teaching adults when we moved here and I now run my own business from home.I’ve been delighted to use my gifts and experience to serve our church family, help solve problems, and make things happen — and I’m also very aware of the excellent cake around here!"
As Treasurer, Becky oversees the charity’s finances. She is also our Eco Champion and helped us achieve recognition as a Silver EcoChurch
Hannah Mellows
"Hello, my name is Hannah Mellows. I am a mother of four, living in Northstowe. We as a family have loved being part of Pathfinder Church Northstowe and I've enjoyed being involved in the development of the church. Being on church council means that I can prayerfully be involved in the growth of the church and support those in leadership, which in turn will help the community of Northstowe."
Hannah is also one of our church–school links, helping to strengthen our partnership with The Pathfinder CofE Primary School, and she serves on the Little Explorers team, supporting families with babies and young children.
Michelle Kemp
Trustee and Safeguarding officer - safeguarding @ northstowe.church
Hi I'm Michelle. I live in Northstowe and have a real passion for our community. I love kayaking and can often be found paddling down the Ouse in Over. I also love reading and crafts.
If you have any questions or concerns about safeguarding, please get in touch with Michelle on safeguarding@northstowe.church
Leadership Teams
Leadership involves establishing a clear vision; sharing that vision with others so that they will take action; providing the information, knowledge and methods to realise that vision, while balancing the differing interests of all members and stakeholders.
Leadership is shared widely across the Northstowe Church Network, because we believe the Holy Spirit is at work in all of God’s people. Each of our worshipping communities is developing its own leadership team, under the oversight of the Trustees, as we grow into our identity as an ecumenical network of missional and worshipping communities - "communities of hope"
Little Explorers is led by Revd Beth, Hannah, and Rachel, with Becky and Kaitlin supporting the team. Together they create a warm, playful space for babies, toddlers, and their grown-ups, using songs, stories, and simple prayer to help families explore faith in gentle, age-appropriate ways. We’re also inviting new helpers from within the group — do chat to us if you’d like to get involved.
Faith Land Bid Committee
The Faith Land Bid Committee was formed by the Trustees to lead our bid for the first parcel of Faith & Community Land in Phase 1 of Northstowe. Plans include facilities for the whole town to use, alongside a new Chapel by the Lake and spaces suitable for long term anchor tenant hire, in a rare and inclusive design approach shaped by the community, for the community, in the heart of the community.
Rooted in seven years of neighbourhood-level listening and collaboration, the proposal aims to create an inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and genuinely community-shaped space serving residents of all backgrounds — including those with no religious beliefs.
Committee Members:
- Revd Beth Cope (Incumbent Pioneer Minister)
- Tristan Pithers
- Becky Eccleston (Treasurer)
- Ben Grey
- Tom Mellows
With warm thanks to Rachel Addison for her contribution before stepping down to take in lead in other parts of our work
The committee works closely with church members, community partners, and a range of professional advisers appointed through our formal processes. A representative from our main anchor tenants is currently completing Safer Recruitment checks before taking up a place on the committee, strengthening our shared commitment to an approach that reflects the diversity and aspirations of the town.
Updates can be found at : www.northstowe.church/centre
We welcome conversations with those interested in long‑term or regular hire of these spaces.
Other key roles
We’re Looking for a New Minutes Secretary
(with huge thanks to Emma!)
secretary @ northstowe.church
As the Northstowe Church Network continues to grow, our Trustees rely on good communication, clear records, and well-kept minutes. For the past season, Emma Clubley has served us generously as Minutes Secretary. We’re so grateful for everything she has contributed, and wish her well as she steps back.
About the role
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Attend Trustee meetings (usually evening meetings, 4–6 times per year) as well as Church Member Meetings
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Take accurate minutes and circulate them afterwards.
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Help keep track of agreed actions.
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Support the Chair and Minister with simple administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings or preparing agendas, as well as preparing the Annual Report
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Confidentiality is essential.
"As a young person living in a new town and worshipping in a fresh expression of church, I want to learn more and so help others from my generation join in. I love seeing different traditions work together each bringing their own strengths. I value respectful discussions, seeing Christians from different denominations learn from each other and understand their own position better in the process. Inclusion matters: everyone should be welcome, included, and encouraged to develop their faith and themselves as people. I want to be part of a church that looks after creation so it will support future generations."
Tristan chairs the Faith Land Bid Committee, helping guide its work and coordinate the development of our community-focused bid. He also serves as the United Reformed Church link, supporting our ecumenical partnership and ensuring strong communication with the URC.
Coming soon...
In celebration of our new ecumenical partnerships, we are looking to elect a more Link representatives to ensure we stay well connected with the Church of England, Baptists, and the United Reformed Church. Talk to Revd Beth if you think God might be prompting you to explore this more...Students and young people
Ministry Students from the Cambridge Theological Federation training through Durham Univserity Common Awards
We hugely value strengthening our connections with the wider church, across the denominations, by welcoming students on placement. Students join us from a range of courses and bring different gifts, experiences, and levels of involvement. These placements are part of accredited academic study and often include reflective work based on real interactions in ministry.
As with all Durham University Common Awards programmes — including Revd Beth’s own MA research — any conversations or encounters used for theological reflection are always anonymised. Names and identifying details of individuals, families, churches, or communities are never included. If you have any questions about how placements work or how reflections are handled, please speak to Revd Beth.
We have recently had trainee ministers from Ridley, Westcott, and Westminster colleges.
Duke of Edinburgh volunteers
We’ve loved welcoming young people completing their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards. Recent placements have focused on hospitality, as well as helping to set up and pack down for our Sunday Afternoon Gatherings — including organising children’s resources and supporting the smooth running of our intergenerational worship.
Worship Gang
The Worship Gang is made up of 8 Yr 5/6 students at The Pathfinder CofE Primary School. Supported by Revd Beth and Rachel Addison (wearing their pink lanyards), the students proudly wear blue lanyards as they meet on Thursday lunchtimes to review recent Collective Worships, discuss how they could be Even Better, and prepare to plan and lead upcoming events. They also get involved in dreaming about ways to help those of all religious and non religious beliefs find space to reflect, and put those reflections in action, for the good of the whole community, not just themselves. They have taken responsibility for the development of Rooted Stations, as well as leading Collective Worship for the whole school most weeks.
What is the Northstowe Church Network?
Those of us gathering in the various new communities that make up the Northstowe Church Network come from all Christian traditions as well as those new to Christianity: together we are pilgrims on a journey, asking questions and exploring the connections we find between everyday life and our spirituality and faith. At the heart of all this is a recognition that we are seeking to follow “The Pathfinder”, Jesus Christ. Our vision is to be people who are praying, exploring and sharing: we’d love you to join our partnership!The Northstowe Church Network is:
- a network of missional and worshiping communities: you might find your primary home in Pathfinder Church, or Little Explorers, or the Compline Community… or be part of developing something new!
- a local ecumenical partnership of the Church of England, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and the United Reformed Church. We are working closely with the other Christian traditions involved in Churches Together in Cambridgeshire, including the Quakers and Methodists.
- the charity that provides the umbrella for our shared mission and ministry in the growing new town of Northstowe.
Praying, exploring, and sharing: our vision
Stretch Wide The Tent: our shared aims
In late 2023, the local church community expressed their aims for the next five years as follows:Therefore, we commit to sharing – partnering with those who live, work, study, or are called to love Northstowe, creating safe spaces where questions can be asked, confidence developed, and Spirit-breathed plans turned into action. We dare to explore new expressions of church as well as pioneering future inherited modes of church. These individual missional and worshipping communities will develop contextually and organically. Locally led, they will be part of a visible and sustainable network, not just sharing ecumenical governance but periodically coming together in prayer, worship, and to do things that could not be done alone. Across the network, we long to be known for our peaceful, prayerful presence, having the confidence to hold the ministry of hospitality and loving service alongside acts of Christian worship.
Through the ‘tent pegs’ of prayer and exploration of the still-unfolding story of God’s encounter with his people, we will be rooted, deep into the soil, which is slowly, person by person, house by house, school by school, and phase by phase becoming Northstowe.
Our ecumenical story: multiple Christian denominations working in partnership
The word “denomination” refers to which branch of the Christian family tree you are part of – what traditions most shape you. Denominations working together in partnership is known as “ecumenism”. Here, the partner denominations involved in our formal legal paperwork are the Church of England, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and the United Reformed Church. In addition, we have close links with other churches involved in Churches Together in Cambridge.We celebrate that all the denominations involved in the Northstowe Church Network bring different gifts and strengths. We won’t agree on everything. Often, even people within the same denomination don’t agree on everything! But working together gives us opportunities to learn from each other, and gives glory to God.
- to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and
- to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world
to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
How we reached this point: the Ecumenical Vision Statement for Northstowe
From the early days of Northstowe, God has been calling together people from across Christian traditions and those new to faith, who have been putting down roots in Northstowe and developing into a network of ecumenical worshipping communities. The initial worshiping community, known as Pathfinder Church Northstowe, was formed under Anglican governance and funding, with strong ecumenical support. In a celebration of receptive ecumenism, and building on the joint working already in place, Pathfinder Church Northstowe sought the support of the denominations involved in Churches Together in Cambridgeshire. The following Shared Commitment has been agreed by the Council of Pathfinder Church Northstowe, the Diocese of Ely (Church of England), the Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church, the Eastern Baptist Association (BUGB), the Cambridgeshire Area Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and the East Anglia Methodist District.Shared Commitment:
Together, we have committed to share in prayer for Northstowe, and provide practical support in setting up the right structures for the next stages:- We commit ourselves to sharing together in the ministry of Christ to the world, and within this context to explore together the meaning and possibilities of unity for worship, evangelism, mission and service.
- We commit ourselves to assessing the resources of church and community in terms of people, money and buildings, and to deploying them in the best way in relation to the aspirations and needs of local people
- We commit ourselves to maintaining and developing relationships with our parent bodies and with Churches Together in Cambridgeshire (previously Cambridgeshire Ecumenical Council).
Catholic Friendship
We enjoy warm and growing links with local Catholics, supported by St Laurence’s in Cambridge. Catholics living in Northstowe are invited to join the Compline Community for evening prayer twice a month. While not a formal partnership, this relationship is helping us deepen friendship and understanding across traditions as our town grows.Across the Network, we aim to make communion accessible for people from a wide range of backgrounds, while honouring the practices of each tradition. This guidance reflects our shared commitment to inclusive worship in a mixed-denominational setting.
We come from many different Christians traditions - and plenty of us were completely new to faith when they joined us. So sharing in communion is both beautiful... and a little messy as we seek to honour each other well! Our minister is an Anglican priests, but, as part of our ecumenical partnership, can lead communion services following the patterns and practices of the Church of England, United Reformed Church and Baptist Union.
We ask that all those taking part do so in line with their own position and heritage. For those new to all this, we encourage you to talk this over with us, and we love to offer blessings to everyone!
As we deepen our ecumenical identity, we're all learning more about the range of practices and traditions in our partnership - and why they are important. For example:
- In URC churches, the table is open to all who wish to share in the meal [Read a helpful PDF here]
- In many Baptist churches, communion is shared by members of the church who have made a public declaration of faith.
- The standard practice of the Church of England is that the bread and wine are shared between those who have been baptised and confirmed (made an adult profession of faith) or (for children) prepared to communion - but all those already in the habit of receiving communion in another denomination are also welcome
- In some of our traditions, children receive communing from a young age, or not until after Confirmation - either such position will of course be honoured. We encourage families with children to talk about the communion practices that are important to them, and to honour these within our services: we are happy to be part of those conversations.
Across the Network, there are always opportunities for communions at key Festivals - both out in the open air (as pictured as a special Wild Church) and in the various places where we meet. Each worshipping community is finding it's own pattern of sharing at the Lord's Table.
- Pathfinder Church celebrate communion normally once a month all together (intergenerationally) in a main Sunday Gathering. When we celebrate communion, it shapes our entire Sunday Gathering, with the Great Thanksgiving and Sharing of Bread and Wine happening within the "offering and responding" part of the service.
- The Compline Community share in Communion Meals loosely once every half term - and invite others from across the Network to join them
- Little Explorers have a beautiful non-eucharistic liturgy where they re-tell the story of the last supper with bread sticks at least once every half term in their regular Thursday morning session. We are exploring how and when to develop this more sacramentally, and are sure to involve Little Explorers in network-wide communion events.
Catholic Mass
The closest Catholic Church to Northstowe is St Laurence's, Milton Road, Cambridge, offering 4 Sunday Masses. See the St Laurence's website for more information and read this week's newsletter for the latest. Mass is also said at the Church Centre, Bar Hill, at 6pm on a Saturday, For details, see here.With the support of St Laurence's, we also encourage Catholics living in Northstowe to join the Compline Community for prayers on alternate Thursday evenings
The objects of the Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP), to be carried out for the public benefit in the geographic area of Northstowe in Cambridgeshire (hereinafter referred to as ‘the area of benefit’), are:
(3.1) To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the principles and practices of the Participating Denominations in the area of benefit. In furtherance of this object, but not otherwise, the LEP may engage in a range of activities, either on its own or with others, including (but not restricted to):
- the celebration of public worship in accordance with the doctrines, practices and traditions set out in the Partnership Agreement entered into by the Participating Denominations;
- the teaching of the Christian faith;
- mission and evangelism;
- pastoral work, including visiting the sick and the bereaved;
- the provision of facilities with a Christian ethos for the local community, including (but not restricted to) the elderly, the young and other groups with special needs.
- the support, within a Christian ethos, of charitable organisations in the UK and overseas.
(3.2) To further or benefit the residents in and around the area of benefit without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents. In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power: To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.
Our backstory
Other Partnerships: Growing Faith
The Growing Faith Foundation seeks to benefit children and young people, helping them create the world they want to live in, specifically through the lens of the Christian faith. In the short term, this will mean focusing on 0-16 year olds but in the medium to long term it will include 17-21 year olds.
The Growing Faith Foundation has chosen us to be one of 12 Learning Hubs across the country to further its impact in these areas. Together, we aim to become strong developmental communities of practice from which other school and church leaders (both regionally and nationally) can learn.
Our Growing Faith work continues to shape our identity as a church rooted in the life of the town. Through partnerships with The Pathfinder School, local families and the wider Growing Faith Foundation, we are exploring how prayer, worship and community can take shape outdoors and indoors — work that also informs the developing vision for the Chapel by the Lake and its surrounding landscape.
Other Partnerships: The Northstowe Youth Hive
Since the early days of Northstowe, those involved in Pathfinder Church and what is now the Northstowe Church Network have been committed to supporting Northstowe's Young People. Working with other community members, and in response to what we were hearing from the young people themselves, we set up and established the Northstowe Youth Hive. The Northstowe Church Network appoints a trustee for the Northstowe Youth Hive: the current representative is Revd Beth Cope, who is serving as Chair. But this project is much bigger than just church involvement, drawing trustees and members from across many religious and non-religious background. The Northstowe Youth Hive work in partnership with many other community groups and organizations, most closely with Romsey Mill.
The Northstowe Youth Hive aims to bring together Northstowe’s young people from different cultures, faiths, genders and backgrounds to
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have fun,
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develop,
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and make a difference
At the request of the young people, the Northstowe Youth Hive have partnered with the Northstowe Hub to open the Hub Cafe after school on Wednesdays, serving the milkshakes that they asked for, alongside the Romsey Mill led youth club for years 9-11. Several people from the church volunteer in this cafe slot, alongside others from many different religious and non religious beliefs. Fancy joining us? Get in touch...
Charitable Giving and Mission Partners
As the Northstowe Church Network, we know that there are places where we cannot personally give hands on support. So, in keeping with our Christian ethos, we commit to work with other organisations, locally, nationally, and internationally. We try to make a significant difference to a small number of causes (rather than spreading our support thinly) and make a commitment for several years when needed. Our aim is to develop a relationship of accountability and trust which we do by praying regularly for them, receiving updates on how our contributions are being spent and hosting speakers. In 2025, we are delighted to support the INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION (IJMUK), Cambridge Churches Homeless Project (CCHP and the Northstowe Youth Hive
Ethical and Sustainable Commitments
Litter Picks and Care of Creation
Since the earliest days of Northstowe, we have worked to help residents care for our new town. We planned and delivered Northstowe's 1st Sustainability Day back in 2019, which led to partnerships with local residents, and the emerging community groups. For many years, we coordinated a monthly litter pick, working closely with first Longstanton Parish Council, and subsequently the newly-formed Northstowe Town Council, as well as Sustainable Northstowe and Longstanton and Plastic Free Northstowe and Longstanton. Today, Northstowe is simply too big to litter pick on a monthly basis... and (wonderfully!) there isn't nearly as much litter as there used to be. So, instead, we are focusing on a few big events throughout year, often during national campaigns such as Great Big Green Week.Our Plastic Free Pledge
We found several ways that we could reduce our single use plastics - such as switching to use washable cups and plates at our community and church events wherever possible; swapping to use plastic-free teabags; and using clip frames and reusable poster stands instead of laminating in the vast majority of cases.
Ethical Coffee Commitment
Since 2022, we have been buying our coffee from Kickstart coffee. Not only is this ethically sourced Ugandan speciality coffee, roasted and packaged in Cambridge, UK but every penny of profits supporting children's health & education in Uganda. Read more: Our story & purpose – Kickstart coffeeSupporting Cambridge City Foodbank
Locally, the Northstowe Welcome Centre are also collecting extra sanitary items to give out alongside food parcels (which are delivered to the Northstowe Welcome Centre from the central the warehouse). Please drop off contributions at The Cabin
Don't forget, if this year you are in need of support, then Revd Beth can give you a foodbank voucher for three days of emergency food which can be picked up in Northstowe on Wednesdays or in other local places on other weekdays. Because anyone can find themselves in a crisis. It's ok to ask for help!
Get in touch: contact@northstowe.church or 01954 261 181 during office hours
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
The Northstowe Church Network takes seriously the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. This images below gives information and advice on what to do if you suspect abuse, and is particularly helpful if you are in a position of responsibility within the church.
The Northstowe Church Network continues the practice of Pathfinder Church, and has adopted the Church of England's policy document, which can be downloaded here: Promoting a Safer Church (pdf)
Click on the images to download a PDF versions of our current paperwork.
Safeguarding Training
We are are committed to promoting a safer culture in our church and all our activities. This means we promote the welfare of children, young people and adults, work to prevent abuse from occurring, seek to protect those that are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused. Sadly we know abuse is not rare and we want everyone at church to feel safe and know what to do if they did have concerns. This means everyone on the church council or leading a group has had training on safeguarding.We encourage everyone regularly involved with the Northstowe Church Network to consider taking the short, online, Basic Awareness training module provided by the Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal (cofeportal.org). If you do, please send a copy of your certificate, afterwards, to our volunteer email address.
If you would like to get more involved in helping run events, please email volunteer @ northstowe.church [without the spaces!]
All those involved in leadership are Safely Recruited, with appropriate levels of references and DBS checks, as well as additional safeguarding training.
Sadly, we recognise that churches haven't always got this right. If that has been your experience, you might find Safe Spaces a helpful organization to speak to.
Equalities Policy
The Northstowe Church Network (an ecumenical partnership of the United Reformed Church, Baptist Union, and Church of England) believes that all people are created in God’s image and are loved by God. In his ministry Jesus showed God’s love by his openness to all people, including those who were marginalised in his day.
This church affirms its commitment to show the same openness to all people in today’s world. It intends in spirit and in deed to promote equality of opportunity and diversity in all spheres of its activity and is committed to behaving as an equal opportunity organisation. It acknowledges that people are called to be diverse and lively, inclusive and flexible through the sharing of the gospel.
- We will nurture inclusive communities where all will be treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
- We will value the distinctive contribution of diverse cultures in our society generally, and in our worshipping community in particular.
- We are committed to social justice and will resolutely oppose discrimination within our church and in wider society.
Opportunities for Women
"This is a church in which there are no limits on the roles that women can play and where people are intentionally seeking to encourage women to use gifts that they may not have been encouraged to use in other settings. Gender stereotypes are avoided and would be critiqued if they emerged. Members and leaders are also attentive to the intersection of gender issues with discrimination against other groups, such as on grounds of sexual orientation and race." – The Level 5 description from Honest Church
We strive toward this vision and continue to work for greater inclusivity.
Welcome to the LGBTQ+ Community
From our early days as pioneers in Northstowe, we have described ourselves as offering “an inclusive ecumenical welcome.” Our lead minister is an Anglican priest, who can offer Prayers of Love and Faith within regular services for those in same sex relationship– read more. In 2024, we ran the Living in Love and Faith course and provided opportunities for further learning and discussion.
Using the Honest Church spectrum, we currently identify as being at level 4:
"This is a church where there is at least some public support for LGBTQ+ people and probably a specific public welcome. Leaders are likely to be prepared to voice their affirmation and they may occasionally preach or write a blog or magazine article to explain their theological position. There may well be LGBTQ+ people in the congregation and in positions of leadership. Agencies and resources which offer LGBTQ+ people support and allyship may be linked to and promoted. There may also be members of the congregation or assistant leadership who are unsure or non-affirming. This church may specifically welcome them as part of the diverse family of faith. This means that an LGBTQ+ person or couple may occasionally meet opposition or comments that are uninformed, but the culture of the church as a whole is welcoming from a theological and personal standpoint. Illustrations and modelling may still tend towards heteronormativity but will be likely to be consciously minimised."
We encourage everyone involved in the Northstowe Church Network to take the #BeHonest Quiz and share their feedback as we continue to learn and grow together.
Inclusive Church
The Northstowe Church Network is a registered member of Inclusive Church, a national network of churches seeking to celebrate diversity and remove barriers to belonging. Inclusive Church exists to ensure that everyone — regardless of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodivergence, sexuality, or any other difference — can participate fully in the life of the church.
Joining Inclusive Church reflects our long-standing commitment to creating communities of prayer and hospitality where all people are welcomed, valued and encouraged to grow. It also connects us with resources, training, and a wider movement of churches who are learning how to make inclusion more than a statement — but a lived practice.
This sits alongside our work with the Honest Church campaign to communicate clearly about the welcome LGBTQ+ people and women can expect within our worshipping communities. Together, these commitments help us keep learning, keep listening, and keep shaping a church where every person can find space to belong and flourish.
Photo Consent Form
If you want to opt out even of informal roaming group photography, you can use our form. Please also let the Session Lead know.
We only take individual photography with your consent . Our form can be used to update that too:
bit.ly/PCNPhotos
Social Media Policy
- Truth - we should hold ourselves to high ideals of checking that what we post online is fair and factual.
- Kindness - we are all different and that makes the world an interesting place – and at times a challenging one. Think the best of people, whether they share our views or are speaking against them and aim to be constructive in the way we engage.
- Welcome - in the language we use and the way we interact. It’s easy for Christians to speak in another language using words that those outside the Church might not relate to.
- Inspiration - we are called to be witnesses of our faith and to use social media in a way that genuinely engages others.
- Togetherness - we are one Church and other members of this Church are our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is crucial we treat those around us in this way.
- Safeguarding - if you have any concerns about the wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults, please contact our minister, safeguarding officer, or the relevant diocesan safeguarding adviser.
- Agree to the Church’s and Archbishops’ social media guidelines.
Fundraising Regulator
The Northstowe Church Network is registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which means we are committed to the highest standards of honesty, transparency and good practice in all our fundraising. We follow the Fundraising Code of Practice and the Fundraising Promise, ensuring that our giving activities are legal, open, honest and respectful.
To find out more about how to support our work, visit our Giving Page.
Annual Reports
(PDF downloads)
PDF downloads)
Constitution
Church Policies (PDFS)
last update 25th Nov2025Want to support us "praying, exploring, and sharing"?
We are registered with the Parish Giving Scheme, or there are other ways to give your time, prayers, or financial support.. [continue reading]
Want to know more or stay in touch?
The Northstowe Church Network is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Safeguarding Officer. The Diocese of Ely’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our SO. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services."