Newsletter - 23/01
Dear Benefice Friends,
This has been a relatively quiet but varied week for me. The mud from wellies and paw prints has presented nearly as much of a challenge as the plethora of local road closures; a reminder of winter making itself firmly known!
Last Saturday, I taught the first half of the Diocesan Hearing God’s Word course, which was a real joy. It was heartening to spend time with others reflecting deeply on how God speaks through Scripture and prayer, and to witness such openness, generosity, and engagement.
On Sunday we shared a truly lovely Christingle service in Penshurst. It was a delight to be reminded, through the simple and powerful symbolism of the Christingle, of Christ as the light of the world; light shining in the darkness, and a light we are called to carry into our daily lives.
During the week I led collective worship in two of our local schools and also had a busy few days fulfilling my responsibilities as a school governor. As ever, it is a real privilege to be present in our schools, to spend time with children and staff, and to support their life and work in these different ways.
In our worship this week, the Church remembers the Conversion of St Paul. Paul’s dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus reminds us that God can turn hearts and lives around in ways we could never plan or predict. His story is one of grace, transformation, and wholehearted obedience; themes that continue to speak powerfully into our own discipleship and into the life of the Church today.
Looking ahead, this Saturday I shall be attending an online safeguarding conference run jointly by the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester. Then on Tuesday I will be at St Paul’s Cathedral for an all-day training event as part of my role on the chaplaincy team there. Please do keep these commitments, and all whom they serve, in your prayers.
Thank you, as always, for your prayers, encouragement, and faithfulness. It is a blessing to journey together, and my prayer is that we may continue to walk side by side, open to God’s transforming work in our lives and in our community.
With every blessing,
Lisa
A Prayer for the Week Ahead
Lord Jesus Christ,
you met Paul on the road and changed his heart and mind,
turning zeal into love and blindness into true sight.
As Paul prayed for the Church in Ephesus,
so we pray that you would strengthen us in our inner being by your Spirit,
that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith,
and that we, being rooted and grounded in love,
may know the breadth and length and height and depth of that love
which surpasses all knowledge.
Give us changed hearts and renewed minds.
Teach us the humility and freedom of submitting ourselves to you,
trusting not in our own understanding
but in your wisdom, mercy, and grace.
To you be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
now and for ever.
Amen.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Life Events
Ø Learning and growing
Services:
Sunday 25 January
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sunday 1 February
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sunday 8 February
08:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s
Sunday 15 February
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
16:00 – Forest Church at Penshurst
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Mailing
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter - 16/01
Dear Benefice Friends,
This coming week marks the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This is a special time when Christians across all traditions come together in prayer, reflection, and fellowship. I invite you to take part in this ecumenical journey, praying that the love of Christ may draw us closer to one another and to God’s purpose for the world. The Week of Prayer is led by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) and Christian Aid. You can find useful resources for prayer and action at: https://cte.org.uk/wpcu2026/
This past week has been filled with meetings both within the parish and across the diocese as we plan for the mission and ministry of the year ahead. I have worn each of my work hats as Rector, Area Dean, School Governor, and Charitable Trustee and even managed to enjoy the Area Deans’ (belated) Christmas lunch! December is always too busy for such gatherings.
On Saturday, I’ll be leading a diocesan course, Hearing God’s Word, which is part of a spring programme running over several Saturday mornings. We already have 19 participants signed up. This course, and its follow-up sessions, will equip lay people to lead small group Bible studies and give talks in church services under supervision. It’s so encouraging to see people growing in confidence and understanding of Scripture.
Earlier today (Friday 16th), we said a fond farewell to Chloe Phillips, a lifelong local resident. On 29th January, we’ll gather at St Luke’s to celebrate the life of Chris Robertson. Thank you to Fiona Haskett for leading this service. Please note that Ken Simmons’ funeral, originally scheduled for this coming Wednesday, has been postponed due to family illness. Brodie Hall’s funeral is scheduled for 3rd February at St Mary’s. More details will follow once they become available. We pray for Chris, Ken and Brodie’s families as they navigate this sad time.
This Sunday, as well as our 10:00 a.m. Communion Services at St John the Baptist and St Luke’s, we’ll be holding a Forest Church Christingle service at St John the Baptist Church at 4:00 p.m. Although particularly suited for children, everyone is warmly welcome. I hope to see many of you there.
A Prayer for Christian Unity
Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed that we might all be one,
send your Spirit to draw us together in love and truth.
May we seek to understand rather than to divide,
to serve rather than to be served,
and to bear witness together to your saving love.
Unite your Church in hope and faith,
that the world may believe and your glory be revealed.
Amen.
With every blessing,
Lisa
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Life Events
Ø Learning and growing
Services:
Sunday 18 January
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
16:00 – Forest Church Christingle Service at St John’s, Penshurst
Sunday 25 January
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Mailing
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter - 10/01
Dear Benefice Friends,
A very happy New Year to you all. As we step into 2026, my prayer is that you may know God’s peace, strength, and gentle guidance in the days ahead. May this new year be marked by hope renewed, faith deepened, and love shared generously with those around us.
The Advent and Christmas seasons were incredibly busy. There were over twenty-five services and events in church during December, and I was able to attend seventeen of them. I must offer heartfelt thanks to our visiting ministers who so generously led worship during Christmas week: Sally Musson, Revd Stephen Mitchell, Revd Fiona Haskett, and Revd Penny Stephens. I am also incredibly grateful to the staff of our primary and nursery schools, who brought together some beautiful musical and drama performances during the final weeks of the Autumn Term. The shared ministry of many enabled us to offer a rich and prayerful round of services across the benefice. It was a joy to welcome more than 1,000 people through our church doors in the 24 hours surrounding Christmas Day, a powerful sign of the continuing place our churches hold in the life of our communities. Thank you also to the readers, musicians, vergers, sidespeople, and many other volunteers who gave such time and effort to facilitate our community’s experience of church.
Many thanks this week to Edmund Byrne for organising work on the ceiling at St Mary’s Church. This has been an important piece of care for the building and should have resolved the issue of falling plaster inside the church. More information about forthcoming church tower works will be shared when it becomes available.
Some administrative news: Tabby, our administrator, has now returned from maternity leave and is working in tandem with Tracy for the next few weeks. I am not entirely sure who is doing what, but I know they have it all organised. What I can guarantee is that your January admin queries will be answered by a capable young professional woman whose first name begins with the letter T.
Please note the following upcoming funerals, and do hold the bereaved in your prayers: • Chloe Phillips – this Friday, 16th January at Kent and Sussex Crematorium, 10.45am • Ken Simmons – 21st January, 2.00pm, at Kent and Sussex Crematorium • Chris Robertson – 29th January at St Luke’s Church, 1:30pm
We continue to entrust Chloe, Ken, and Chris to God’s eternal care, and we pray especially for their families and friends as they grieve.
This Sunday, the lectionary draws us to the Baptism of Christ. As Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan, we are reminded of our own baptism: that we are named, claimed, and beloved by God. Let us pray.
Eternal Father, at the baptism of Jesus you revealed him as your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Grant that we, who are born again by water and the Spirit, may be faithful to our calling as your children, and bear witness to your love in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Revd Lisa Cornell Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Life Events
Ø Learning and growing
Services:
Sunday 11 January
08:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sunday 19 January
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
16:00 – Forest Church Christingle Service at St John’s, Penshurst
Sunday 26 Janaury
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Mailing
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -12 - 20
It’s beginning to look a lot like…
This will be my final mailing of 2025. My next newsletter will go to print on 9th January, so may I begin by offering you the blessings of the three Church seasons that will be celebrated before I write again. May the remainder of Advent help you to prepare your hearts and homes for the joy of the Incarnation. May the wonder of the Christ Child at Christmas fill you afresh with joy; and may Epiphany offer a fresh invitation for all people the great, the good and the humble to be transformed by the infant Christ.
People often comment that this must be the busiest time of the year for me. Rather than being extra busy, church ministry in December is more visible. There is certainly more music and a strong sense of celebration. I have had laryngitis for over three months, and while my speaking voice has returned to something like normal, my singing voice remains broken. I am really sad not to be able to sing carols as I normally would — the notes just aren’t there! This week I have attended some beautiful school productions and services. The children have sung with such gusto that I have felt a little envious! I hope I may be able to croak a bass part in some of the services to come.
There are many events scheduled in the days ahead and whilst some ministry is visible; this is only possible because of a massive team effort. Thank you to everyone who sets up and sets down services, decorates the churches, and ensures that all is well in both fabric and worship. Thank you to our musicians, choirs, readers, and intercessors; our team of Church Wardens, vergers, sidespeople, catering volunteers, cleaners, gardeners and do-ers of jobs, many of which appear to happen by magic. Thank you for making church happen and to all of you who support us across the year with your time, talents, and treasure. Being one minister with four churches I either need the ability to clone myself or accept the help of visiting ministers. I am grateful to Sally, Stephen, Penny, and Fiona for leading services across the benefice at different points over the Christmas and New Year period.
During the period between this newsletter and the next, we will be welcoming Tabby Haysom back from maternity leave. In 2025 Tracy Craig has expertly held the benefice administrator role. She is travelling to Jamaica over the Christmas period, and we wish her safe travels and a wonderful time with loved ones. Thank you, Tracy, for all you have done in 2025 to hold our administrative systems together. It’s a complex role and one you have carried out with great efficiency and with good grace. We are incredibly grateful to you. You are a great blessing to us.
Whatever the next few weeks may bring, I hope there is joy for everyone at some point. I pray that you will take time to remember the true meaning of the Christmas season. As we celebrate the Incarnation and wonder at the events in Bethlehem two millennia ago, may our faith be deepened.
One carol that captures something of the awe of Christmas for me is In the Bleak Midwinter. This Christina Rossetti poem, set to the music of Holst, is my preferred setting. The final verse captures for me what lies at the heart of priestly ministry every day of the year:
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
As 2025 draws to a close, I thank God for his calling on my life in this corner of Kent. I pray that in 2026 we may all in our own way, offer God our hearts and lives for his service and the greater good.
With every blessing,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and the Chiddingstone Churches
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Life Events
Services:
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion.
Sunday 4th January
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Matins TBC. Please check church website.
Sunday 11th January
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -12 - 13
Advent Greetings from Penshurst Rectory!
Thank you to everyone involved in last week’s Penshurst Christmas Fair. It was the village at its absolute best, full of warmth, generosity, and community spirit. We are also grateful for the magnificent Christmas programme delivered by the Penshurst Choral Society and our musical director, D’Arcy Trinkwon, last Saturday evening.
There are two services tomorrow, an 0800 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst and a 1000 Holy Communion at St Peter’s Fordcombe.
This week brings many school events to our village churches. In St Mary’s Chiddingstone, the nursery nativity takes place on Monday afternoon, and the Key Stage 2 Carol Service on Wednesday evening. In Fordcombe, the school Christmas play is in school on Tuesday afternoon, followed by the End of Term Service at St Peter’s on Friday morning. In Penshurst, there is a Key Stage 1 nativity on Wednesday afternoon and a Key Stage 2 Carol Service on Thursday morning. I suspect tea-towel and tinsel sales are enjoying a seasonal rise! Precise timings are on the school websites. There are also traditional Carol Services next Sunday, the 21st, at 6:00pm in both St Luke’s and St John the Baptist churches.
As we approach Christmas, the pace and emotion of the season can feel overwhelming, especially for those who are bereaved. Gwen Dennard has kindly placed a Memorial Tree in St John the Baptist Church. Please feel free to add the names of those you would like to be remembered; all names placed on the tree will be included in our prayers next Sunday morning. The tree will remain in situ until Epiphany. While most of our Advent and Christmas services will be joyful and celebratory, next Sunday’s 10:00am Eucharist at St John the Baptist, will be our Blue Christmas Service, offering a quieter space to contemplate the season. In place of the normal sermon and intercessions, there will be an opportunity to light candles and to pray for those we miss, as well as for situations that weigh heavily on our hearts at this time of year. I hope this will provide a contemplative and hopeful space.
For those wishing to attend, the funeral for Chloe Phillips will take place at the Kent and Sussex Crematorium on Friday 16th January at 10:45am. We hold Caroline, Tim, and their family and friends in our prayers.
As Tunbridge Wells emerges from its temporary drought, and with the influx of shoppers to the new branch of Primark, we pray for ourselves and our wider community, that amidst the busyness, there may be time to experience God’s perfect peace and his light in the darkness. A prayer for the third Sunday in Advent:
God of joy and gentle light,
as we draw near to the celebration of Christ’s birth,
renew in us the hope that does not fade
and the peace that the world cannot give.
Strengthen those who wait in longing,
comfort the broken-hearted,
and make our hearts ready to welcome your Son.
May your Spirit fill us with courage, compassion,
and the quiet joy of your coming kingdom.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 14th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion.
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -12 - 06
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory
What a busy week it has been! Two funerals, several school visits, a variety of trustee and school governor meetings and administrative tasks, and, this afternoon, a two-hour duty as a Christmas Elf at the Penshurst Christmas Market. I certainly have a varied ministry.
At the heart of being a priest is the call to shepherd the flock through every season of life. This can mean being alongside families during their difficult times. I am sad to share with you the death of Chloe Phillips, a long-time resident of Wellers Town. Chloe became very unwell about five weeks ago and died peacefully on Thursday morning. I shall miss her very much. We shared a love of dogs, a strong faith, and a wacky sense of humour. Chloe mainly worshipped in the Chiddingstone churches, but her family was well known in Penshurst. Please hold her children, Tim and Caroline, her grandchildren, and her wider circle of family and friends in your prayers. Funeral details will follow in due course.
Next week, my diary is relatively quiet. I shall be taking a few days off to rest before the madness of the final week of the school term and the lead-up to Christmas. Please be aware that my response time to emails may be slower than usual. Normal service will be resumed on Thursday the 11th.
This Sunday marks the Second Sunday in Advent. The collect for this day is one of my favourite reflections on scripture. I hope it inspires you in the week ahead:
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
We hope to see you at the upcoming events.
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 07th December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday 14th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion.
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -11 - 28
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory
Our benefice was blessed with a Quiet Afternoon on Tuesday. Thank you to Rev’d Penny Stephens and Barbara Lloyd for organising this event. The dozen or so participants reported great enjoyment. Meanwhile, I continue to live in enforced quiet with a lingering episode of laryngitis. A camera examination this week has ruled out any sinister causes, and I have some new treatments to try to restore my voice to sounding less like a Dalek! If you could hold this matter in prayer, I would be grateful.
I spent most of Wednesday at a Diocesan domestic abuse conference and part of Thursday in a safeguarding training. The speakers offered wise advice on how we can support those experiencing or recovering from domestic abuse in its many forms. So much suffering goes on behind closed doors - violent, financial, and emotional abuse, and many types of coercive and controlling behaviour. This is an issue that cuts across all social boundaries and, statistically, is likely to be part of the lived reality of some within our own community. If you need support, here are two sources of help:
Website: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
Telephone helpline: 0808 2000247
Among the matters discussed was how our personal biases can affect our ability to notice or support those in abusive situations. Whilst women are disproportionately affected, the lack of recognition and support for male victims was identified as one of several factors behind the recent rise in self-harm among men. In response, I will be sharing safeguarding literature in our church buildings, offering sources of support and advice for all.
Should you wish to undertake training in Safeguarding, Domestic Abuse, or the allied topic of Modern-Day Slavery, the Church of England offers several helpful courses through its online portal: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/
You do not need to be a church office holder to complete these courses, though when you register you will be asked where you worship. If you are an office holder — such as a PCC member, sidesperson, or someone regularly undertaking work on behalf of the church — some courses are compulsory and others recommended. All can be accessed through the portal. If you have any safeguarding questions, please contact Wendy Ellis, our safeguarding lead, at safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk.
Your parish magazines for December should soon be reaching you. You will see that our benefice diary is full of services, concerts, and assorted school events. There are at least twenty-six events in the benefice diary just in the churches alone, with many other community activities that will keep us all busy. As arrangements come together I wish everyone a very successful Advent season.
Unusually, Advent begins in November this year, and this Sunday two services are taking place in Penshurst. The 10:00 Sung Holy Communion service is followed at 16:00 by a Forest Church ADVENTure. I have moved Forest Church indoors and we are offering a child-friendly service with games, crafts, and activities suitable for all ages. Why not come along? There will be refreshments, and any adult (or older child) helpers for crafts or refreshments would be very welcome.
Next week I shall be leading two funerals, and I ask for your prayers for their loved ones as they mourn. On Monday afternoon at 2pm, I shall lead a service for Dr Timothy Marrs at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Edenbridge. On Wednesday at 1pm, the funeral of Margaret Leppard will be held at Kent and Sussex Crematorium. A family-only interment of her ashes will take place on Saturday at Poundsbridge. Margaret was much loved in the Penshurst and wider local community. We hold her husband David, her children, and grandchildren in our prayers. Many friends and family are travelling from across the globe, so we wish them safe journeys into and out of the UK next week.
With every good wish for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell, Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
We hope to see you at the Forest Church ADVENTure on 30th November at 4-5pm at St John the Baptist.
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 30th November - Advent 1
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden.
Sunday 07th December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday 14th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion.
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -11 - 22
Greetings from a chilly Penshurst!
After such a warm year my gloves and hats have been redeployed this week. The first frosts and mellow sunrises are so beautiful, but a slight shock to the system!
This Sunday we celebrate Christ the King, the final Sunday of the Church year. It reminds us that Jesus’ kingship is one of compassion and steady guidance, not power or pomp. For our rural communities, this feast is a gentle encouragement: as the seasons turn and winter approaches, Christ’s reign brings hope, peace, and a sense of order amid change. His kingdom grows wherever love and neighbourliness are shared. This final feast of the church year also leads us into Advent, helping us look toward the promise of Christ’s coming with renewed trust and confidence.
Services tomorrow are at 1000. My thanks to Fr Stephen Mitchell for leading at St Luke’s. I shall be at St John the Baptist as usual.
A Prayer for the Changing Season
Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our God,
as the seasons turn and the daylight shifts,
we look to you as the eternal Light that no darkness can overcome.
In this time of change, steady our hearts.
Let the shortening days remind us that your presence shines
even when shadows grow long,
and let the coming light stir hope within our parish community.
Bless us with renewed faith,
that we may see your hand in the rhythms of creation
and trust your guidance through every season of our lives.
May your radiant love warm the cold places of our world,
and may your truth, bright and steadfast, lead us ever closer to you.
Reign in our hearts, O Christ our King,
now and forever.
Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
We hope to see you at the Piano Gala on the 18th December
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 23rd November - Christ The King
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Tuesday 25th November - Quiet Morning
1330 St Luke’s, Parish Room, Chiddingstone: Quiet Afternoon.
To reserve a place email barbaramlloyd@gmail.com or just come on the day.
Sunday 30th November - Advent 1
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden.
Sunday 07th December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday 14th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion.
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -11 - 14
Greetings from The Rector:
At the end of an awful day, weather-wise, I am grateful to be safely home for the evening. The week began with a series of Remembrance services. Thank you to all who attended and especially to those who held key roles in setting up and leading the services. On Tuesday, the school children at Fordcombe were impeccably behaved through the village green service and especially the two-minute silence observed in the village. Their poppy decorations were a beautiful addition to the scene. Our four churches will keep a red array for most of November to mark The Kingdom Season. The colour will change to purple after we have marked the end of the church year and the festival of Christ the King on Sunday November 23rd.
I have decided to delay meeting with Forest Church this weekend. The weather this Sunday looks dubious at best, and I still have little voice. Laryngitis is now in its seventh week. However, in two weeks’ time…
You are invited to a St John the Baptist Church for a Forest Church ADVENTure at 4pm on 30th November.
At this informal event there will be a short all age service and lots of activities for people to enjoy including games and crafts. I will send out more details next week. Offers of help with leading activities and providing refreshments would be much appreciated.
This Sunday the Church of England marks Safeguarding Sunday. I close with some prayers, which I hope will speak to everyone’s hearts. Source: towards-a-safer-church-some-liturgical-resources-2018
God of hope,
we come before you in our brokenness and need of healing.
Through your mercy and grace,
we seek your forgiveness for what we have done or failed to do.
Give us the courage to learn from past events,
and through your Spirit give us the hope
to look forward to life with you and through you,
so that we may overcome the darkness and suffering surrounding us
and proclaim your love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Gracious God, pour upon all people your life-giving Spirit.
Guide us with your peaceable wisdom,
that our communities may be places of safety and joy
as we delight in your gift of life,
and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 16th November – 2nd Sunday before Advent
1000 -St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday 23rd November - Christ The King
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Tuesday 25th November - Quiet Morning
1330 St Luke’s, Parish Room, Chiddingstone: Quiet Morning.
To reserve a place email barbaramlloyd@gmail.com or just come on the day.
Sunday 30th November - Advent 1
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -11 - 08
Rector’s weekly update: It has been unusually quiet in the parish this week. Although the fireworks at the Leicester Arms on Wednesday offered brief and dramatic contrast. The film set in Penshurst has been scaled down but will come back to life again on Monday. Across the parishes are interminable sets of roadworks. I think the collective noun for such projects could be a frustration of traffic lights. They seem to spring up from nowhere, along with what feel like random road closures.
Over the next few days, we mark Remembrance across the nation. Each of our four local churches has its part to play. Beautiful altar frontals in St Luke’s and St Mary’s crafted locally to commemorate those fallen, are once again on display. In St John the Baptist, the floral tributes have been boosted by hundreds of knitted and crocheted poppies. These form a cascade between the Sidney Chapel and pulpit. The local knit and natter group has crafted these over many months, and I am delighted with the result. St Peter’s will host a short act of worship and offer refreshments at the war memorial on Tuesday 11th after the community event on the Green starting at 1045am.
Sunday’s services begin with an 0800 Holy Communion in Penshurst (not Fordcombe as has been printed on some notices). The Remembrance Service at St Mary’s will be led by Rev’d Canon David Kitley and I shall lead proceedings at St John the Baptist. We ask the congregation to be seated for 1045am, ready for the services to begin at 1050.
Message from Tracy (Benefice Administrator)
Thank you all for your prayers for my mum and grandmother last week. I’m happy to share that both are healthy and doing well and I have heard from them both. I continue to keep Jamaica, along with my extended family and friends there, in my prayers.
The Rectors end this week’s mailing with this prayer from The Church of England funeral liturgy:
A prayer of commemoration for the fallen.
Father of all, remember your holy promise,
and look with love on all your people, living and departed.
On this day we especially ask that you would hold forever
all who have suffered during war, those who returned scarred by warfare,
those who waited anxiously at home,
and those who returned wounded, and disillusioned;
those who mourned, and those communities that were diminished and suffered loss.
Remember too those who acted with kindly compassion,
those who bravely risked their own lives for their comrades,
and those who in the aftermath of war, worked tirelessly for a more peaceful world.
And as you remember them, remember us, O Lord;
grant us peace in our time and a longing for the day when people of every language, race, and nation will be brought into the unity of Christ’s kingdom.
This we ask in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
I wish you a blessed week ahead.
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 9th November Remembrance Sunday
0800: St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1045 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Remembrance Sunday Service
1050 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Remembrance Sunday Service.
Tuesday 11th November
St Mary’s, Chiddingstone School and Community Remembrance Events. Time TBC (please check school and parish website for details)
1045 - Fordcombe Village Green and Community Remembrance Events. Followed by Short service at St Peter’s War Memorial with refreshments in Church.
Sunday 16th November – 2nd Sunday before Advent
1000 -St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 23rd November - Christ The King
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Tuesday 25th November - Quiet Morning
1330 St Lukes, Parish Room, Chiddingstone: Quiet Morning.
To reserve a place email barbaramlloyd@gmail.com or just come on the day.
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -11 - 01
Dear Friends,
Greetings on All Hallows’ Eve. I am at my desk at 5 p.m., and it is already dark outside! I am not a fan of long nights and short days, but I have bought a new head torch and a light-up collar for Dibley in anticipation of a season of evening walkies in the dark.
With Universal Studios encamped locally, I have had some wonderful pastoral conversations with the film crew and security staff based at Penshurst Place this week. There are many Winnebagos on site, and cars with blacked-out windows glide through the gates throughout the day. I am in blissful ignorance about what is being filmed and who stars, but I look forward to seeing the finished film in due course.
Last Sunday at St John the Baptist Church, we welcomed the choir from Yalding Church, who sang Evensong with the Penshurst and Fordcombe choir. The music was truly beautiful, and the service uplifting. I hope this will be the first of many collaborations between my former and current parishes.
This Sunday: We mark All Saints’ Day at the 10:00 a.m. Communion and All Souls’ Day with a service of Evening Prayer at 6:00 p.m. in Penshurst. The All Souls’ service will be a quiet, reflective opportunity to remember those we have loved who have died. We will read out the names of loved ones and light candles in their memory. Everyone is most welcome.
Sad News: It is with sadness that I share the news that long-term Penshurst resident Margaret Leppard died last Friday. Her funeral is expected to take place in early December. I am awaiting confirmation from her husband, David, and will share details once plans are confirmed.
Please hold David, his children, and grandchildren in your prayers.
Prayers for the Caribbean: News of Hurricane Melissa’s destructive power in the Caribbean this week has affected some in our parish. At the time of writing, Tracy, our administrator, has been waiting several days for news from her mother and grandmother in Jamaica, who live in Trelawny and Clarendon respectively. Both towns currently have no water, electricity, or mobile signal.
Please pray for the safety of Valerie and Alice, and for Tracy as she waits anxiously for news.
Remembrance Services: Next Sunday, 9th November there will be an 0800 service of Holy Communion in Penshurst. Later, we will mark Remembrance Sunday at St Mary’s and St John the Baptist Churches. Please be seated by 10:45 a.m. for a service timed so that the names of the Fallen are read before the national two-minute silence. On Tuesday 11th November, also at 10:45 a.m., there will be a Community Act of Remembrance on the Village Green in Fordcombe. After reading the names of the Fallen, we shall observe the two-minute silence, then move to the war memorial at St Peter’s to lay wreaths and say further prayers. Refreshments will be available afterwards in church.
I hope to share details of Chiddingstone School’s Remembrance events next week, once they return from their half-term break.
With my prayers and best wishes for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector, Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
We hope to see you at the upcoming events.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 2nd November: All Saints and All Souls
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for All Saints Day
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Evening Prayer for All Souls’ Day. A service to commemorate those who have died.
Sunday 9th November Remembrance Sunday
0800: St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1045 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Remembrance Sunday Service
1050 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Remembrance Sunday Service.
Tuesday 11 November
St Mary’s, Chiddingstone School and Community Remembrance Events. Time TBC (please check school and parish website for details)
1045 - Fordcombe Village Green and Community Remembrance Events. Followed by Short service at St Peter’s War Memorial with refreshments in Church.
Sunday 16 November – 2nd Sunday before Advent
1000 -St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 23 November - Christ The King
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Tuesday 25 November - Quiet Morning
1330 St Lukes, Parish Room, Chiddingstone: Quiet Morning.
To reserve a place email barbaramlloyd@gmail.com or just come on the day.
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -10 - 25
Greetings from The Rector
I write this week’s mailing from St John the Baptist church at Friday’s choir practice. I should be warbling my way through the soprano parts of each piece, but sadly, laryngitis has scuppered any plans I may have had! Should you wish to hear the choir, you are most welcome to join us for Holy Communion at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday and BCP Evensong at 6:00 p.m. There is also a service of Sung Holy Communion at St Luke’s at 1000.
I am delighted that a dozen or so musicians from St Peter and St Paul’s in Yalding, under the directorship of Daniel Sharman, will be joining us on Sunday evening. With D’Arcy Trinkwon playing the organ and Daniel conducting, the 6:00 p.m Evensong will be a true musical treat! The practice begins at 4pm.
Penshurst has this week been slowly morphing into a Hollywood film set! Universal Studios and Netflix are taking over Penshurst Place for three weeks. Film crews have been setting up what feels like a small village in the house, grounds, and nearby fields for a week now. The field to the north of the grounds has become a crew car park, and my Labrador, Dibley, has thoroughly enjoyed acting as a canine waste disposal unit during afternoon walkies, helping herself to several dropped snacks!
Penshurst Place also featured on an E4 programme on Thursday night. It’s a delightful hour of television which I commend to you to stream on catch-up. The programme portrays life on the estate through several seasons, with some stunning aerial photography. The appearance of many local people makes for a warm and engaging programme.
In less grand but equally beautiful surroundings, on Saturday morning between 10:00 and noon we will hold the final working party of 2025 at Poundsbridge. We’ll be putting the chapel to bed for winter and tidying the grounds once more. Many have commented on how much better the churchyard is looking, and I am grateful to all who have taken part. Particular thanks go to Maddie Jenner for organising these events.
We will resume our monthly working parties after Easter. There are three open and two closed churchyards in the benefice, and their upkeep is far more economical thanks to the efforts of our volunteers. Thank you to all who have contributed your time and energy across all five sites during 2025.
Our local schools have been on half-term holiday this week. I hope that our children, young people, and their families have enjoyed some time away from their term-time routines, and that staff will return rested and ready for the long run-up to Christmas. Chiddingstone School has another week off, so this would be a lovely time to enjoy the church and village without the usual weekday traffic.
On Sunday, 2nd November, we will mark All Saints and All Souls Day. At St John the Baptist , Penshurst. The morning Communion at 10:00 a.m. will celebrate the lives of the Saints and will have an upbeat feel. The service celebrating All Souls Day at 6:00 p.m. will be more reflective. This quiet service of Evening Prayer invites us to remember before God those who have died. We may remember our loved ones by name and through the lighting of candles.
In some churches, this is called The Service for the Faithful Departed or The Annual Memorial Service. I hope it will provide space and comfort for all who mourn. If you would like the name of a loved one read out, cards will be available as you enter the church. The names will be gathered, read aloud, and placed on the altar during the service. If you cannot attend but would like a loved one’s name included, please email or drop me a note, and I will ensure their name is read out in your absence.
This is a service to which all members of our benefice churches are warmly invited.
Until next week,
May God bless you all,
Lisa.
We hope to see you at the upcoming events.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday October 26th, The Last After Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: A celebration of Bible Sunday. Choral Evensong. Featuring the combined choirs of Penshurst and Yalding Churches.
Sunday 2nd November: All Saints and All Souls
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for All Saints Day
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Evening Prayer for All Souls’ Day. A service to commemorate those who have died.
Sunday 9th November Remembrance Sunday
0800: St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1045 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Remembrance Sunday Service
1050 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Remembrance Sunday Service.
Tuesday 11 November
St Mary’s, Chiddingstone School and Community Remembrance Events. Time TBC (please check school and parish website for details)
1045 - Fordcombe Village Green and Community Remembrance Events. Followed by Short service at St Peter’s War Memorial with refreshments in Church.
Sunday 16 November – 2nd Sunday before Advent
1000 -St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -10 - 18
A short message from the Rector this week:
We have enjoyed three harvest services this week. Thank you to all who attended and donated good to local foodbanks and money for local charities. The children's contributions to the school harvest services were beautiful.
There are services of Holy Communion at St Luke's celebrating the patronal festival and St John the Baptist marking Trinity 18.
Forest church is scheduled for this Sunday at 4pm. If the forecast storms come to fruition this may be moved from Penshurst Rectory garden to the church. We will make a final decision tomorrow morning and keep you posted via whatsapp groups and physical signs.
For those connected to school and college life, I wish you a restful half term week (or fortnight!)
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
We hope to see you at the upcoming events.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday October 19th, The 18th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
TBC St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: A service for St Luke’s patronal festival. - TBC. Please check the Benefice website.
1600 Penshurst Rectory Garden: Forest Church
Sunday October 26th, The Last After Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: A celebration of Bible Sunday. Choral Evensong. Featuring the combined choirs of Penshurst and Yalding Churches.
Sunday 2nd November: All Saints and All Souls
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for All Saints Day
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Evening Prayer for All Souls’ Day. A service to commemorate those who have died.
Sunday 9th November Remembrance Sunday
0800: St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1045 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Remembrance Sunday Service
1045 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Remembrance Sunday Service
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -10 -11
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory
After eight days in Dorset, I am back and working in the benefice. Our time away was blessed by pleasant weather and beautiful Autumn scenes. I have rested well and feel refreshed. Thank you to Rev’d Fiona Haskett who presided and preached at St John the Baptist last week and to Rev’d Ray Shergill who juggled a multi themed service at St Mary’s. Services in Chiddingstone now move to St Luke’s for the winter season.
During my time away, a new Archbishop of Canterbury was appointed. I congratulate Rt Rev’d Dame Sarah Mullally on her appointment. In my past life as a teacher, the then Mrs Mulally was a parent of a pupil in my care. Her daughter has gone on to be a well-regarded scientist. Bp Sarah’s priestly ministry has emerged from a vocation in nursing. I believe that Bp Sarah will bring much to the role nationally and globally. In her own words: “In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger: shared history, held in tension, shaped by prayer, and lit from within by the glory of Christ. That is what gives me hope. In our fractured and hurting world, that partnership in the Gospel could not be more vital.” I hope you will join me in praying for the Bp Sarah as she transitions to her new role.
Locally, we congratulate Francesca and Jesse on their baptism last Sunday; and Andrew and Robyn who married on Friday 10th October.
This Sunday there will be Holy Communion services at 0800 at St John the Baptist; 1000 at St Luke’s and a Harvest Holy Communion will be celebrated at St Peter’s at 1000. You are welcome to bring goods to donate to local food banks or cash for Mary’s Meals. There are two further school harvest services next week. Fordcombe School will celebrate at 0915 at St Peter’s on Tuesday 14th, and Penshurst School’s harvest will be at St John the Baptist on Thursday 16th at 0915. Refreshments will be served after all of these services. For those of you who need me to countersign school applications, I will be available at all of the Penshurst of Fordcombe services if you would like to bring your paperwork.
Finally, you may be aware that 9 - 15 October is Baby Loss Awareness week. This week is a time for prayer, remembrance, and raising awareness about the impact of pregnancy and baby loss. The week concludes with the #WaveOfLight, where people around the world light candles at 7 p.m. to remember babies who died too soon.
The local charity, Abigail’s footsteps, is partnering with Rochester Cathedral this coming Wednesday, offering a place of reflection and prayer for those who have experienced the trauma and sorrow of losing a baby. The Cathedral will be open between 18:30 - 19:45. The cathedral spire will also be lit pink and blue for the Wave of Light. If this issue is important to you, you may wish to join me at Rochester next week. Penshurst church is open every day from 0830 until dusk and there is a votive candle stand which you are most welcome to use.
The national church has published this prayer:
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday October 12th, The 17th Sunday after Trinity
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst Holy Communion
1000 St Peter’s,Fordcombe: Holy Communion and Harvest Celebration
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Sunday October 19th, The 18th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
TBC St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: A service for St Luke’s patronal festival. - TBC. Please check the Benefice website.
1600 Penshurst Rectory Garden: Forest Church
Sunday October 26th, The Last After Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: A celebration of Bible Sunday. Choral Evensong. Featuring the combined choirs of Penshurst and Yalding Churches.
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -10 - 04
The Rector is currently on leave and will return on Wednesday, 8th October. We wish her a truly restful and refreshing break, and we look forward to welcoming her back with renewed energy.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday October 6th, The 16th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Harvest Celebration with Baptism
Sunday October 12th, The 17th Sunday after Trinity
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst Holy Communion
1000 St Peter’s,Fordcombe: Holy Communion and Harvest Celebration
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Sunday October 19th, The 18th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
TBC St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: A service for St Luke’s patronal festival. - TBC. Please check the Benefice website.
1600 Penshurst Rectory Garden: Forest Church
Sunday October 26th, The Last After Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: A celebration of Bible Sunday. Choral Evensong. Featuring the combined choirs of Penshurst and Yalding Churches.
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -October
Rector’s Letter – October 2025
Dear Parishioners
As autumn deepens, the landscape around our villages is a little earlier than usual, rich with colour. I find myself drawn to reflect with gratitude on the blessings of this time of year and this area of The High Weald in particular.
Harvest is, of course, a time to give thanks, but also a time to reflect on where our food comes from — the hard work of farmers, the challenges of supply chains, and the inequalities that mean not everyone shares in Creation’s bounty.
As mentioned last month, our harvest thanksgiving services are at St John the Baptist, Penshurst on 28th September, St Mary’s Chiddingstone on 6th October and St Peter’s Fordcombe on 13th October. Our school service dates are now known. They are at Chiddingstone on Weds 8th October; Fordcombe on Tuesday 14th October and Penshurst on Thursday 16th October. I hope that with six choices of service there will be a time for everyone interested to attend church as they can, thank God for his generosity and pray for those who are in need. At each of these services there will be an opportunity to donate either food for local foodbanks or make financial donations to a chosen charity. Please check the weekly newsletters and website for further details of these.
My sense is that the nation and the world are in a state of unrest. In our beautiful corner of Kent, we are mercifully a long way from the worst effects. Perhaps because of that, it is even more important that we arm ourselves with facts more than rhetoric; give generously to charities supporting those worst affected and pray for God’s peace to change the hearts of those in power.
Food poverty is severe in several parts of the world. The causes are complex. Systemic hunger is not something that can be fixed by just providing more food, although short term aid is essential in a crisis. We need also to solve long-term hunger because of the lifelong consequences especially for children. To quote the World Food Programme: “Malnourished children are up to 12 times more likely to die than a healthy child. Malnutrition slows economic growth, perpetuates poverty, impacts children's education and adult’s workforce skills, with dire consequences for countries' human capital and future development. As part of a vicious cycle, hunger can also fuel conflict as well as vice-versa. People forced from their land may be vying with others for scarce resources, especially in areas where poverty and inequality are already present.”[1]
Feeling the effects of poverty and conflict, a sense of injustice and not feeling heard is being acted out in all sorts of political activity at present. At the gentle end there is healthy debate and peaceful protest; in political systems the voting in and out of governors and leaders. And there are a range of active protest movements that act outside of the law. Past example has shown how such mistrust of mainline political systems can be used by terrorist organisations as part of recruitment and influence; or terrorism’s threats be misused by governments to close down legitimate protest. Each year we look back at Remembrance particularly at 20th and 21st century conflicts. I urge people this year to mark the Remembrance season prayerfully- remembering the freedoms others sacrificed for us. I shall write more about this in next month's newsletter. George Santayana, wrote in 1910: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".[2] This quote is similar to Mark Twain who said in 1874: “History never repeats itself, but the Kaleidoscopic combinations of the pictured present often seem to be constructed out of the broken fragments of antique legends.”[i][3]
Let us pray in October to be:
v Thankful for the harvest, and for those who grow, prepare and distribute food
v Thankful for the beautiful surroundings of our village homes
v Mindful of those who struggle with food insecurity, economic uncertainty, isolation and both the fear and reality of conflict.
v Willing to commit our own resources of time, treasure or talent to helping those near and far who need us.
With every blessing and thanks for all you bring to our parish life
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
[1] https://www.wfp.org/ending-hunger?
[2] https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/those-who-cannot-remember-past-are-condemned-repeat-it-george-santayana-life-reason-1905#
[3] https://hotwhitesnow.wordpress.com/2024/04/18/history-doesnt-repeat-itself-but-it-often-rhymes/#:~:text=Indeed%2C%20in%20the%201874%20novel,of%20the%20broken%20fragments%20of
Newsletter -09 - 27
Greetings from Penshurst. Last weekend took an unexpected turn for me and I became unwell. Thank you to Rev’d Ian Aveson for leading the communion service in Penshurst.
I have rescheduled Forest Church for this Sunday at 4pm.
The Penshurst Bells refurbishment is nearer to completion. The bells themselves are now repaired and tuned but their return cannot be scheduled until their headstocks have been delivered to the foundry and fitted. Fingers crossed for their return very soon! Weddings seem so much quieter this year! Talking of which- we send congratulations to Michael and Christina who were married last Saturday and to Phoebe and Alex whose wedding is this weekend.
Thank you to all of you (20+) who took part in the garden working party at Chiddingstone Rectory last weekend. There is a working party at Poundsbridge Churchyard this Saturday between 1000 and Noon. Volunteer help is always very much appreciated.
This Sunday’s service in Penshurst will celebrate Harvest. Please bring goods to donate to the local foodbank or cash to donate to the charity Mary’s Meals. This charity works in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. The charity asks for a £19.15 donation to feed a child for a full year. The Mary’s Meals projects offer children a daily meal in school. Wider communities gain skills and support from the charity to establish sustainable feeding programmes and the prospects for children for future employment and well-being are improved by their attendance at school with enough energy to make meaningful progress. www.marysmeals.org.uk
At the Chiddingstone harvest service next week, funds will be raised for The Addington Fund. The charity aims to keep the countryside vibrant and sustainable by providing affordable housing for those in farm work or who have retired, supporting people in their agricultural careers and offering emergency and practical help to farming families in crisis. www.addingtonfund.org.uk
I shall be taking annual leave from Monday 29th September until Wednesday 8th October. I will have limited access to phone and e mails whilst away. Please direct any urgent queries to the office or your local church wardens. Please check the website for the most up to information about services.
With every blessing
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday September 28th,
1000 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst. To include the harvest festival.
1000 Holy Communion St Mary’s, Chiddingstone.
16:00 Forest Church - Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday October 6th, The 16th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Harvest Celebration with Baptism
Sunday October 12th, The 17th Sunday after Trinity
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst Holy Communion
1000 St Peter’s,Fordcombe: Holy Communion and Harvest Celebration
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Newsletter -09 - 20
Weekly Mailing 19th September
I hope this mailing reaches you happy and well. We seem to have had several seasons of weather this week, and I have found it difficult to plan anything outdoors.
This week we laid to rest Carole Allen and Sarah Noss. The funerals were very well attended, and I believe offered both of these remarkable women fitting tributes for lives well lived.
On Saturday 20th we celebrate with Michael and Christina as they marry in Penshurst Church. It has been a busy wedding season with each celebration unique to the couple. We pray for good weather and offer them our good wishes as they begin married life together. This is the eighteenth of twenty-one weddings this year. A busy season.
On Sunday 21st, there are two services in the Benefice. We celebrate Holy Communion in Penshurst at 1000. At 1600 Forest Church will take place in my Rectory Garden. An unusual cluster of birthdays means that several of my normal team of adult helpers have diary clashes this weekend. I am a little short of volunteers this time, so any adults who attend would be most welcome to assist me.
For those of you with children in Year Six, you may need me to countersign your applications for local church schools. I am of course willing to do so. I can be difficult to find mutually convenient diary slots to meet, but please note I am available at the end of any church service and there are two this Sunday!
Next Saturday (27th September) there is a working party at All Soul’s Chapel Poundsbridge between 10am and Noon. Anyone able to join us would be welcome to attend to help us settle the churchyard into Autumn. Please come and give what time and energy you can. Anyone with chain saws, hedge trimmers, brush cutters/ strimmers could be especially helpful as we clear back the edges of the site. Also, we have a lot of branches cut in the last few months that need to go through a chipper. Anyone with such a piece of kit would find themselves extremely popular! We are hoping also to clear the central path of moss and vegetation so that the tarmac beneath offers us a firmer footing for winter. During this year’s working parties, participants have ranged in age from 6 to 91, Everybody has a part to play. See you there!
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday September 21st,
1000 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
Sunday September 28th,
1000 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst. To include the harvest festival.
1000 Holy Communion St Mary’s, Chiddingstone.
Sunday October 6th, The 16th Sunday after Trinity
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Harvest Celebration with Baptism
Sunday October 12th, The 17th Sunday after Trinity
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst Holy Communion
1000 St Peter’s,Fordcombe: Holy Communion and Harvest Celebration
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
Contact thornburybenefice@outlook.com if you would like to be added to the weekly Newsletter mail out.