is a monthly free lunch for seniors.

• A choice of nourishing seasonal soups
• A variety of delicious bread
• A selection of cheeses
• Fresh fruit or fruit salad
• Tea or Coffee
• Good company and a chance for a chat!
• Lifts available

The first Thursday of each month from 12 pm – 2 p.m. in the Parish Room.

We would love to welcome you!  

Our Christian faith celebrates the stages of human life and discipleship, that by the power of the Holy Spirit given through the Church, we may grow in the image and likeness of God. 

Baptism

In the waters of Baptism, we are freed from the sin which infects the world, die to the self with Christ, and are reborn to the eternal life of the Resurrection. We baptise babies, children and adults according to the historic Book of Common Prayer rite during the Sunday Mass at 10.30 a.m. Contact the Rector to prepare for baptism. 

Confirmation

With due preparation using the Book of Common Prayer catechism, adults and young people who have been baptised receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, celebrated by our Bishop, Paul Thomas of Oswestry. This is the normal route for beginning to receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Holy Communion. 

Weddings

Marriage is a gift of God in creation which signifies the union of Christ with his Church (Ephesians 5: 32). The Sacrament of Matrimony binds man and woman as one flesh, until death. 

We can help with flower arrangements, Church decoration and the choice of music and readings for a Church of England wedding. All services are from the tradition Book of Common Prayer. 

Funerals

At the end of life Christians wish to commend their loved ones to God, to remember them together and to give thanks for their life.

A funeral at St. Margaret’s can be arranged in the Church, lasting usually about 40-45 minutes, followed by an interment elsewhere or a Cremation. St. Margaret’s Churchyard is not open for new graves, but we have a section for the interment of cremated remains. 

For practising Christians, a Requiem Mass can be offered and is strongly encouraged. 

Alternatively, the Rector is happy to officiate at a Cremation at one of our local Crematoria - Slough, Breakspear (Hillingdon) or Chiltern (Amersham). He can help you plan the content of the Funeral, together with family members. 

Remembering the Departed

The Church has a Book of Remembrance which records the deaths of our loved ones. Those recorded therein are prayed for by name annually at their year's mind during the Sunday Mass. 

On or near 2nd November each year, All Souls Day, a Requiem Mass is celebrated for all the faithful departed.

For more help on these Sacraments and services please contact the Rector.

The Hidden Path

Bible study group
Every Wednesday 11:30-12:30

St, Margaret’s Church was built in 1861 on an acre of ground formerly part of ‘Warren Field’. It was part of a massive church-building effort – from 1840 to 1876, 145 new churches were built in the Diocese of Oxford. The building was completed in just ten months in the neo-Gothic style, and at a below budget cost of just £2,645 (less than half the average cost).

The Church was consecrated on March 12th 1862 b the Bishop of Oxford, Samuel Wilberforce, son of the anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce MP. The Bishop himself had contributed towards the cost of the building.

The Church has some fine late 19th century and early 20th century stained glass windows. But the most interesting one is the East window, depicting the Virgin Mary in a striking blue, holding the infant Jesus. This was designed by the famous architect, designer and craftsman Martin Travers, in a neo-Baroque style. Travers was commissioned by the Rector, the Revd. Cecil Dunkerley in 1931. Below the East window is the striking fully-carved reredos with the central crucifix and its unusual lettering, with the text from John chapter 12 verse 32.

The side-chapel houses an impressive War Memorial erected in 1950 and is dedicated to the soldier saint, St. Martin of Tours.  A Parish Room and kitchen facilities were added to the Church in 1994, where many of our activities take place. 

The Friends of St. Margaret's raise funds to help maintain our Church building. For more information about the Friends of St. Margaret's, please contact John Lane.

Photo by Holly Ward 

The Parish Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Iver Heath

A Guide to our Churchyard Regulations Relating to Plots for the Interment of Ashes and associated Memorials

St. Margaret’s Iver Heath Parochial Church Council 2022

A Downloadable copy is available here

St. Margaret’s Churchyard is no longer open for new graves, but we can offer limited space for the interment of cremated remains. This space is available to residents of Iver Heath and their families, regardless of their church affiliations.

All plots for the Interment of Ashes remain the property of the Church. Parishioners using the plots have no ownership rights.

This guide is a summary of the regulations adopted by the Parochial Church Council (P.C.C.) in 2022. The regulations are intended to comply with the law of the Church of England and to maintain and enhance the appearance of the Churchyard. We hope that the guidance contained in this leaflet is clear. The P.C.C. reserves the right to take action on the Church’s property to remove items which contravene these regulations. To avoid upset to grieving relatives, we strongly advise that these guidelines are followed. If you need guidance as to a proposal, the Rector will be happy to help you.

Applying for an Interment and a Memorial Tablet

The Rector has authority delegated by the Chancellor of Oxford Diocese to approve or reject proposed interments or memorials.

If your loved one lived in Iver Heath or had a long-standing connection he/she may be interred at St. Margaret’s.

After an interment, a marker is put on the plot with the deceased’s name, pending the laying of a memorial tablet. The Rector will approve applications for memorial tablets which follow the following rules:

No tablet may be laid which:

• Is made of marble or black or red granite
• Is made of polished stone
• Is made of painted or synthetic stone
• Incorporates an image or statue
• Is more than 12x12 inches (30.4x30.4 cm).
• Has an inscription which us not simple or reverent, or is not in accordance with the Church’s teaching

   

  If an application to lay a memorial tablet which falls outside these guidelines is refused, you have a right to appeal to the Chancellor of Oxford Diocese for a Faculty (planning permission). The Rector will explain how you can do this.

   

  No memorial tablet may be laid until the particulars of the material used, a drawing of the design, size, and exact wording of the inscription have been submitted to the Rector and approved by him in writing. (A good stone mason will be able to help you with this.)

   

  Maintaining the Burial Plot

  Relatives and parishioners are encouraged to visit the churchyard at any time and may leave arrangements of cut flowers in memory of loved ones. We ask that flowers are removed promptly when they begin to fade. The P.C.C. wishes to maintain the churchyard  as a place of natural beauty and a space for quiet reflection. We ask then that flowers are removed promptly when they begin to fade.

  The use of artificial flowers is not permitted (with the exception of Remembrance Day wreaths and  poppies; Christmas wreaths and silk flowers (which will be removed after one month.). Silk flowers should be removed when they suffer fading and deterioration from the elements.

   

  Plants and Decorations

  Under no circumstances should any plant, shrub etc. be planted in the vicinity of a plot. Kerbing, railings, chippings, chains, fencing lights and any other decorations are not permissible.

  We ask you to observe these regulations for the sake of all churchyard users.

• The PCC reserves the right to remove any non-permissible items from plots.

Summary – Memorial Tablets

Maximum size- 12”x12”x2” (depth)

Permitted                                       Not permitted

Slate, limestone,                            Marble

Sandstone

 Non-reflective stone                  Polished/Painted stone

 Seated flower holder                  Statues, images, vases, any other items

 Flat stone                                          Desk-top Tablets

 Flush to the ground                     Stones above ground

 For More Information-

Rector-   01753 653334  asmontgomerie@hotmail.co.uk

One of the ways you can contribute to the life and work of St Margaret’s is through financial support.

Giving by BACS

Our bank details for direct transfers and standing orders are

Business account name: St Margaret's Parochial Church Council, Iver Heath
Sort Code: 53-61-58
Account number: 12669482

If you do use direct transfer, please take care to provide sufficient information so that we can identify it on our bank statement.

Giving by Standing Order

Please use our bank details above to set up a standing order with your bank and if you are a tax payer, then you may wish to consider also Gift Aiding the sum. In this way St Margaret's can reclaim the tax that you have already paid, considerably increasing the value of your gift. Please download the Gift Aid Form and return it.

Online Giving

Email here for payment confirmations if required