Newsletter - 16/10
Rector’s Weekly Newsletter: Friday 16 October 2026
Dear Friends,
After a year or so in the planning, this weekend we can finally enjoy the Penshurst Music Festival! Please do come along, bring friends and family, and join us for one or more of the concerts. There is a varied programme to enjoy, so do have a look at the festival poster for full details.
Many thanks to D’Arcy Trinkwon, our Musical Director, and Rob Rees for his energy and organisational drive. Diana Thompson has also been a tremendous driving force and coordinator, and we are grateful for the continuing commitment and support of the Friends of Penshurst Church. My thanks, too, to all the musicians taking part, from professional performers to those sharing their talents simply for the love of music and the pleasure of bringing it to others. An honourable mention, too, for everyone hosting and catering for the events. Your contribution is much appreciated! I am particularly looking forward to hearing the young performers from the newly formed music group at Penshurst School at the children’s concert. I must also confess to being disproportionately excited about Saturday’s 3pm concert, featuring Peter and the Wolf and other animal-themed pieces. I hope you will join us for what promises to be a joyful celebration of music and community.
And talking of children, we give thanks for Clemmie, whose baptism took place last Sunday, and pray for her and her family as they begin this new chapter in her life of faith.
This Sunday, there will be a 10.00am service of Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst. Later, at 4.00pm, Forest Church gathers in the Rectory Garden for a season-themed service. Our last gathering attracted more than 60 people. During this time we managed to consume five whole packets of marshmallows! Whatever brought you along last time- the worship, the outdoors, the marshmallows, the opportunity to get a school admission form signed by me, or simply the chance to spend time together – you will be very welcome again.
Looking ahead: All Souls and All Saints Memorial Service
On Sunday 1 November at 6.00pm, we will once again hold our annual memorial service for All Souls and All Saints. This quiet, reflective service offers an opportunity to give thanks for the lives of those we have loved and who are now held in the heavenly realm, while also acknowledging our own grief and the continuing place that love and loss have in our lives. Whether your bereavement is recent or dates back many years, you will be warmly welcome. There is space simply to remember, to give thanks, to grieve, and to find comfort in the company of others. Please do come along in person. If you are unable to attend but would like a loved one to be remembered during the service, please email me at rector@highwealdchurches.org.uk with their name. You are also welcome to include anything in particular you would like me to pray for, whether for yourself, your family or others who are grieving.
I hope to see many of you at the festival and around our churches over the coming days. There is much to celebrate in the gifts we share, the faith that sustains us, and the community we continue to build together.
With every good wish,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 18 October
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Forest Church in Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 25 October
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 1 November
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - All Saints Service
1800 - All Souls Service at St John the Baptist, 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 - 09/10
Rector’s Newsletter: 9th October 2026
Dear Friends,
Having led four Harvest services so far this week, with a fifth to come on Sunday, I can confirm that I am definitely feeling much seasonal thankfulness! It was a real joy to welcome the children from our local schools into church on Tuesday and Thursday. They brought us a wonderful variety of prayers, poems and artwork, together with some beautiful singing and musical contributions. I discovered this week the joyful sound of claves! These pairs of short wooden sticks were played beautifully by our Year 5 and 6 pupils.
Generous donations of groceries from our Harvest services have been taken to local food banks, where they will help support people in need. Any further donations collected at Sunday’s service in Fordcombe will also go to a local food project. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.
Looking ahead, we have two services of Holy Communion this Sunday: 8.00am in Penshurst and 10.00am in Fordcombe. At 12 noon, we will also celebrate a baptism at Penshurst, as we welcome young Clemmie into our church family. Please keep Clemmie and her family in your prayers as they begin this special part of their journey together.
And finally, our Music Festival is nearly here! Please do buy tickets for the concerts and come along to enjoy the wonderful music on offer. Details and a flyer, including a QR code for tickets, should be attached to this newsletter.
As we come to the end of another season of Harvest celebrations, may we continue to care for the world entrusted to us and share our gifts widely.
A prayer for this week:
Generous God, thank you for the gifts of creation
and for all who bring food to our tables.
Help us to share what we have, care for your world,
and show compassion to those in need.
May we use our gifts, both practical and musical,
to bring joy to others and glory to you.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell. Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming services
Sunday 11 October
0800 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 - Holy Communion and Harvest Festival at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 18 October
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Forest Church in Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 25 October
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 03/10
Rector’s Weekly Newsletter: 2nd October 2026
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday we enjoyed the visit of Bishop Simon, who came to officially bless and rededicate the bells in St John the Baptist, Penshurst. This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the work and generosity of so many. There was, however, one slightly unexpected member of the congregation. My Labrador, Dibley, made an unplanned and speedy appearance. Her attempts to steal the celebratory cakes were foiled just in time!
After four services on Sunday, I was particularly looking forward to my day off on Monday. An early morning call from OFSTED meant that I needed to clear my diary for three days and head to Penshurst Primary School, where I am Chair of Governors. Until the inspection has been moderated, all formal feedback from the inspection team remains confidential. What I can say is that, over the course of their two-day visit, the inspectors gained a thoughtful and insightful picture of our lovely school. It was a privilege to be reminded once again of the extraordinary commitment of the staff, governors, children and families who make our local schools such special places.
This coming weekend is thankfully planned to be much quieter, with just one service: our Harvest Festival at 10.00am at Penshurst. Harvest is one of those occasions when we are reminded that, however much we plan and work, we remain dependent upon gifts that are ultimately beyond our control: sunshine and rain, fertile soil, the changing seasons and the work of those who grow our food. It is a time to give thanks for God’s provision, but also to remember that not everyone shares equally in the abundance around us.
You are very welcome to bring gifts of non-perishable food to the service, which will be donated to a local food bank. In doing so, we turn our thanksgiving into something practical: receiving with gratitude and giving generously, so that others may have enough. I hope to see you there as we celebrate the goodness of God’s creation and give thanks for all that sustains us.
If you are a fan of harvest, there are three more harvest-themed services in church during the week ahead. Penshurst School holds its Harvest service at St John the Baptist on Tuesday at 9.15am, with Fordcombe School gathering at the same time at St Peter’s on Thursday. Fordcombe Church will hold its Harvest Holy Communion service next Sunday at 10.00am.
Ofsted’s visit led to our PCC meeting being rescheduled. We shall meet at 4pm on Thursday 8th October.
With every blessing,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming services
Sunday 4 October
1000 - Harvest Festival and Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 11 October
0800 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 - Holy Communion and Harvest Festival at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 18 October
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Forest Church in Penshurst Rectory Garden
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 - 25/09
Rector’s Newsletter
25th September 2026
Dear Friends,
This week I have been thinking about what it means for the Church to care for people. I attended two training courses, one on trauma and the Church, and another on caring for older people. Although they were quite different subjects, both reminded me of something important: sometimes the most valuable thing we can offer another person is simply our presence.
The trauma course explored the way the Church can sit alongside people who have experienced difficult or painful things. We do not always need to have answers or try to make things better. Sometimes we are called simply to listen, to make space, and to be present with someone in the way that Christ is present with us.
The second course reminded me of something equally important. As people grow older, circumstances can change and independence can become more difficult, but nobody becomes less valuable. The Church has an important role in ensuring that people remain seen, valued, included and connected to their community.
Both courses encouraged me to think again about the importance of simply noticing people: making time for someone, listening to their story, and helping them to know that they are not alone. That seems particularly important in our villages. Every person has a story, and every story matters.
It was lovely to see that sense of community at Forest Church last Sunday, when we welcomed thirty-five children and twenty-eight adults. This was our busiest Forest Church for quite a while. It was wonderful to see so many families together, exploring faith and creation and enjoying one another’s company. A record five bags of marshmallows were toasted!
We have another busy weekend ahead. There is a churchyard working party at Poundsbridge at 10.00am on Saturday, as we clear back for the winter months. Strimmers, hedge trimmers and brush cutters are particularly welcome! We will also be preparing the chapel ready for Sunday evening’s service.
On Sunday there are four services.
At 10.00am at St John the Baptist, we have Holy Communion, followed at 12 noon by a baptism. These are always joyful occasions as we welcome a new member into the family of the Church.
At 4.00pm, also at Penshurst, we will gather for the rededication of the bells, led by Simon, Bishop of Tonbridge. There will be plenty of bell ringing before and afterwards, so do come along and be part of this special occasion in the life of St John’s. I gather there may also be cake!
Finally, at 6.00pm at Poundsbridge we have our pet service. We will celebrate the lives of our pets, past and present. Our animals become such an important part of our families, and this will be a gentle opportunity to give thanks for them and remember those we have loved and lost. Dogs are most welcome to attend, provided their owners hold their leads!
It promises to be a busy and joyful weekend, with plenty of opportunities to worship, celebrate, work together and simply be alongside one another.
With my prayers,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming services
Sunday 27 September
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Bells blessing at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1800 - Pet service at All Souls Chapel, Poundsbridge
Sunday 4 October
1000 - Harvest Festival and Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 11 October
08:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion and Harvest Festival at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
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 - 18/09
A letter from the Rector
Friday 18 September 2026
Dear Friends,
This week marks five years since I was licensed as Rector here. This feels like quite a milestone. Whilst the wider world feels quite different from five years ago, the villages feel, for me, like a very settled home. Thank you.
As I journey through my life as a parish priest, I am seeing how so much of the life of a church is about receiving God’s gifts with gratitude, using them generously, and finding ways to share them with others. With that in mind, I would like to draw your attention to some upcoming events in our churches.
Sunday 27 September at 4pm
Bishop Simon will lead a special service in Penshurst to rededicate our newly restored bells.
The bells are a gift handed down to us by generations who worshipped here for centuries before us. We have cared for them, renewed them, and now we hear them ringing again; a gift for us today and for those who come after us. The Bishop’s blessing will mark the completion of the restoration project.
Also, on Sunday 27 September at 6pm, there will be a service of blessing and thanksgiving for our pets. Dogs may bring their owners on leads! Other animals are most welcome at Poundsbridge Chapel for this 30-minute service. Water will be available for pets, but please bring your own bowl.
There will be four Harvest celebrations in the parish next month. You are invited to bring non-perishable foods and grocery items to these services, which will be donated to local foodbanks.
St John the Baptist, Penshurst:
Sunday 4 October, 10am — Harvest Festival and Holy Communion
Tuesday 6 October, 9.15am — School Harvest Festival Service
St Peter’s, Fordcombe:
Thursday 8 October, 9.15am — School Harvest Festival Service
Sunday 11 October, 10am — Harvest Festival and Holy Communion
On 16 and 17 October, we will be hosting our Music Festival.
Music connects us across generations and across differences. It can draw us towards God, connect us with one another and express things for which words are sometimes not enough. The programme is diverse, so please check the flyers and posters for details.
So, I hope that you may feel invited afresh into the life of the church. Whether you have been part of our churches for many years, have joined us more recently, or have not found your way through our doors for a while, I hope you will feel welcome at these special occasions. Please bring your friends.
Please come and hear the bells ring again; enjoy the music; and enjoy our hospitality. Perhaps, in doing so, we can discover together what God might be inviting us to receive, to celebrate and to pass on to those who come after us.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming services
Sunday 20 September
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Forest Church at Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 27 September
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1600 - Bells blessing at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1800 - Pet service at All Souls Chapel, Poundsbridge
Sunday 4 October
1000 - Harvest Festival and Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 04/09
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory. 4th September 2026
I have been locked out of my emails for six days this week, so if you are expecting a reply to an email sent since Saturday, please send it again. My apologies!
In a slight miswording of the film title, I can summarise this week as four funerals and two weddings. I hope the tasks were executed rather better than Rowan Atkinson managed in the Richard Curtis original!
The weddings: I would like to send prayers and good wishes to Mark and Sarah, and Lucy and Rhys, whose weddings took place last weekend. It was a joy and a privilege to share in these celebrations as they began their married lives together.
And the funerals: On Tuesday we said goodbye to Dr Helen McGrath, a former GP who died recently in an Edenbridge care home. Her large family travelled from far and wide to celebrate her life at Penshurst Church and afterwards at The Leicester Arms.
On Wednesday, St Peter’s Church was full to bursting as we celebrated the life of Beryl Fenner. Later that day, Beryl’s closest family were able to say their private goodbyes in a second service at the crematorium. A lively gathering at the village hall saw the celebrations continue through the afternoon.
Then, on Friday, the family of Jacquie McGrath gathered at St Peter’s to lay her ashes to rest beside her beloved grandson, Kieran.
It is always an honour to be alongside families at such significant moments in their lives, particularly as they grieve the loss of someone they love. Please keep the McGrath, Fenner and Maddocks families in your prayers.
This Sunday there is one service, Holy Communion at 10.00am at St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
On Sunday afternoon I begin a ten-day period of leave, during which I will also be away from the Rectory for five days. I am grateful to the Rev’d Fiona Haskett, who will be covering the services in Penshurst and Fordcombe next Sunday.
Looking Ahead
On Sunday 27th September at 4.00pm, Bishop Simon will lead a service celebrating the conclusion of our bells project at St John the Baptist church. This service will be an opportunity not only to dedicate the bells for their renewed ministry, but also to give thanks for the generations who have rung them before us and to look forward to the generations who will hear them in the years to come.
There will also be a Service of Thanksgiving for our Pets at 6.00pm on Sunday 27th September at Poundsbridge Chapel. All are very welcome to bring their pets, photographs of those we have loved or who have loved us or simply come and give thanks for the animals who have shared our lives. Dogs are, as usual, invited to keep their well-behaved owners on a lead!
And finally, please book your tickets for our forthcoming Music Festival on 16th and 17th October. It promises to be a wonderful celebration of music and the musical life of our churches.
There will be no newsletter from me next week. I will next write on Friday 18th September. During my leave, please direct any urgent queries to Tabby via office@highwealdchurches.org.uk or to the church wardens.
With every blessing for the next fortnight,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming services
Sunday 6 September
1000 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 28/08
Rector’s Weekly Newsletter 28th August 2026
This is the last bank holiday weekend before Christmas; and, with heavy hearts, we have had to cancel our Duck Race for 2026. There are three reasons: Firstly, the river flow is simply not sufficient to sustain 1,000 ducks moving downstream without a great deal of human assistance. Secondly, the very dry weather has uprooted a number of trees, and parts of the riverbank are potentially unstable. Most importantly, there is a substantial fire risk from the barbecue and the various pieces of electrical and motorised equipment that are needed to run the event. It is a great disappointment, particularly after all the work that has already gone into planning the day, but safety has to come first. We look forward to welcoming you all back for the 2027 race, which I am sure will be an absolute “quacker” of a day!
There will be a Churchyard working party this Saturday at Poundsbridge between 1000 and 12 noon. We would particularly welcome those who can strim or brush cut with us. We are starting to neaten the central areas of the churchyard to allow better winter access to the graves. I am also keen to cut back the brambles and overgrowth on the road side of the chapel. Anyone who can bring a wheelbarrow would be an invaluable help as we reposition the compost heap, so it intrudes less on the north-eastern edge of the site and is tucked away behind the chapel. Any help with or without power tools would be gratefully received.
This weekend we send our love and very best wishes to Lucy and Rhys, who are getting married in Penshurst on Sunday afternoon. I shall also be leading a service for Mark and Sarah in Edenbridge on Saturday.
Next week, there are four funeral services in my diary, as we say farewell to members of our wider community.
On Tuesday at 2pm, I shall be holding a funeral service for Helen McGrath, a resident of Edenbridge, at Penshurst Church.
On Wednesday, we shall lay Beryl Fenner to rest. Her funeral service will take place at St Peter’s Fordcombe at 1pm, followed by a private cremation committal. The family warmly invite you to join them for the church service and for refreshments afterwards in Fordcombe Village Hall.
On Friday afternoon, we shall lay the ashes of Jacquie Maddocks to rest in St Peter’s Churchyard.
A prayer for this week:
Loving God, you search us and you know us.
Be with us in all that this week will bring: in our celebrations and our sorrows,
in our joy and in our grief,
in the moments when we feel strong
and in those when we feel weary.
May we rely on you in strength and rest in you in weakness,
trusting that you walk beside us now and in all our days.
Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming Services
Sunday 30 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 6 September
08:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 13 September
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 21/08
Rector’s Newsletter: 21st August 2026
Being August, parish life is quiet, although Penshurst is certainly busy with visitors and tourists. So many people comment in the church visitors’ book about the beauty of the village and the church environs. The golden colour of the surrounding fields is beautiful, but after such a long, hot and exceptionally dry spell, I suspect many of us have welcomed the sound of rain with something approaching joy.
I do wonder, though, whether it will be enough to stop the autumnal leaf drop that has already begun in earnest. There is something slightly surreal about watching leaves being swept up in August, when we are still supposed to be enjoying the height of summer. I don’t think I have ever known such an early use of a leaf blower!
This Sunday there are two services: Holy Communion at 10.00am in Penshurst and Evening Prayer at 6.00pm at Poundsbridge. Do come along to one or both.
At the morning service, we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the Romans and Matthew’s Gospel. We will be thinking about the different gifts and abilities we each have to offer one another, and how these can enrich the life of our community.
At the evening service, I will be focusing on the changing seasons, using Psalm 126 and Ecclesiastes 3 as our focus. Both passages speak in different ways about the rhythms of life: sowing and reaping, weeping and laughing, planting and harvesting, and the changing seasons that are part of God’s good creation.
I hope to see you at one or both of these services.
With every blessing for the week ahead.
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell.
Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming Services
Sunday 23 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
18:00 - Evening Prayer Service, All Souls, Poundsbridge
Sunday 30 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 14/08
Rector’s Newsletter: 14th August 2026
It has been a rather quiet week, although the heatwave has certainly had an impact on our ability to work and, perhaps even more importantly, to sleep! I hope you are coping with the heat and finding ways to keep cool.
Last weekend we had two particularly joyous weddings in Penshurst. I did feel a little sorry for the grooms, both of whom had ordered their three-piece tweed suits many months ago, presumably without anticipating quite these temperatures! We pray for Callum and Laura, and Rian and Anna, as they begin married life together.
This weekend the worldwide Church marks the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on 15th August. It is one of the great festivals of the Christian year, particularly in Catholic and Orthodox traditions. The Assumption celebrates Mary being taken into heaven and points us towards the hope of resurrection and the promise of life with God.
Here in Penshurst and Fordcombe, we will be celebrating the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. This week’s readings are challenging. They invite us to think about the questions and assumptions we bring to God in prayer, and the breadth of God’s mercy. They remind us that God’s purposes are wider than our own understanding. The God whom we meet in Jesus is always capable of surprising us.
As we look at the parched local landscape, let us pray for our farmers, who are working through the effects of the heat and the continuing lack of rain, and for all those who are struggling with water shortages. I don’t think I have ever taken rain for granted quite as much as I realise I do now. We are so accustomed to its regular presence that it is easy to forget just how precious water is.
I hope that, despite the heat, you have a peaceful weekend, and perhaps that we might all find ourselves giving thanks for the next shower of rain, whenever it comes!
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell. Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming Services
Sunday 16 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 23 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
18:00 - Evening Prayer Service, All Souls, Poundsbridge
Sunday 30 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, 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 - 07/08
A weekly update from the Rector
Thank you for the many kind messages of support and encouragement I have received during my first week as Rector of our new benefice. It is a significant moment for our churches, and I am very grateful for your prayers, kindness and goodwill as we begin this new chapter together.
We find ourselves in the midst of many of life’s important moments. Congratulations to Laura and Callum, who were married on Friday, and to Rian and Anna, who will tie the knot on Saturday afternoon. We wish both couples every happiness as they begin their married lives together.
Over the past few weeks, we have also welcomed Rhys into the family of the Church through baptism at St Peter’s, Fordcombe. It was a wonderful occasion, with the church packed with family and friends. Ted and Toto have also celebrated their baptisms and their welcome into the Church family at St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
Alongside these joyful occasions, we are called as a church to be alongside families in grief and sorrow. We give thanks to God for the life of Beryl Fenner, who died last week. Beryl was much loved and lived most of her life in Penshurst and Fordcombe. We hold Gordon, their children and the wider family in our prayers as they mourn her death and remember her life. There will be a service to celebrate Beryl’s life at St Peter’s, Fordcombe, on Wednesday 2nd September at 1pm. There will be a private cremation service earlier in the day.
The Gospel reading this Sunday reminds us of the disciples caught in a storm on the lake. In the darkness and uncertainty, Jesus comes towards them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Something in that picture is reassuring for us, too. We may not know exactly what lies ahead, but we do know that Christ is with us. When the waters are rough, and we are afraid, he reaches out his hand and invites us to trust him.
A Prayer for this week
Lord Jesus Christ, you came to your disciples in the storm.
Bless our families and communities, those celebrating new beginnings and those mourning the loss of loved ones.
May we know your presence beside us, in every season of our lives, and may our churches be places where all can discover your welcome, your love and your peace. In your holy name we pray.
Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell. Rector of Penshurst and Fordcombe
Upcoming Services
Sunday 9 August
08:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 16 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 23 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
18:00 - Evening Prayer Service, All Souls, Poundsbridge
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 - 24/07
Rector's Newsletter. 24 July 2026.
Another week of glorious sunshine is behind us and, it seems, ahead of us. With the school holidays now well underway, our villages are busy welcoming visitors, while the roads are noticeably quieter during the morning and evening rush hours.
The harvest is well and truly underway, and I would like to express my sincere thanks to our local farmers and farmworkers for all they do in what have been challenging conditions. Their dedication ensures that the fruits of the land are gathered safely and reminds us of God's faithful provision.
This Sunday at 6.00 pm we will celebrate Lammastide in the chapel. Traditionally observed on 1st August, Lammas marks the offering of the first loaf baked from the new wheat harvest as a sign of thanksgiving to God. Although much of this year's harvest has already been gathered, it is still a fitting opportunity to give thanks for God's generosity and for all who work the land. As always, dogs are very welcome in the chapel, provided, of course, that their owners are well behaved!
On Sunday morning there will be celebrations of Holy Communion at 10.00 am in both St Mary's, Chiddingstone, and St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
During our Sunday morning services, we will also announce the outcome of the recent pastoral reorganisation consultation. This will be followed by an email setting out the practical implications for our parishes, including information about how we will manage your personal data as the new arrangements take effect.
A prayer for our benefice of Churches
Heavenly Father,
teach us to pray with trust and perseverance.
As we ask, help us to seek your will;
as we knock, open before us the doors you would have us enter.
We thank you for the abundance of this harvest season,
for those who labour to feed our communities,
and for the blessings we so often take for granted.
Guide our churches through the changes that lie ahead,
grant us wisdom, patience and unity.
May we always know your generous love and, by the power of your Holy Spirit, grow ever more faithful in following your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
With every blessing
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 26 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer to celebrate Lammastide, All Souls, Poundsbridge
Sunday 2 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 9 August
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 Mary’s, Chiddingston
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 - 17/07
Rector's Newsletter 17th July 2026
Today marks the end of the summer term at Chiddingstone School. The term ends on Monday at Penshurst School and on Tuesday at Fordcombe. We pray especially for those children leaving primary school as they begin the adventure of secondary education.
This year's Year 6 pupils were in Reception when the pandemic struck. Since they first walked through the school gates, our country has seen four Prime Ministers, and by the time they begin secondary school there will be a fifth. It has been an extraordinary few years for them, and for all of us. They lost many months of normal classroom learning, yet what is remarkable is how, under the expert guidance and care of their teachers and school staff, they have flourished. They leave primary school having achieved well in their SATs and, more importantly, well prepared for the next stage of their education. They deserve to be proud of all they have accomplished.
As another school year draws to a close, I would like to thank the staff, governors, volunteers, and families of all three of our church schools for the care, dedication, and encouragement they give to our children throughout the year. Your commitment makes an enormous difference to the lives of young people in our communities.
The changing of governments also reminds us of our Christian duty to pray for those entrusted with public office. We pray for Sir Keir Starmer as he leaves Downing Street, and for Andy Burnham as he prepares to take on the responsibilities of Prime Minister. As the Book of Common Prayer bids us pray, may all who bear responsibility for the governance of our nation so serve that we may be "godly and quietly governed."
Last Sunday all four of our parish churches held services, and it was good to gather in worship across our communities. This Sunday we return to our more usual pattern, with Holy Communion at 10.00 am at both St Mary's, Chiddingstone, and St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
Whatever the week ahead may hold, I pray that you will know the love, peace, and hope that only God can bring.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 19 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 26 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer to celebrate Lammastide, All Souls, Poundsbridge
Sunday 2 August
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
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 - 10/07
Rector's newsletter for 10th July 2026
I have just watched Arthur Fery's final game in this year's Wimbledon. What a magnificent young player and such an example for our young people to follow.
Unusually, this Sunday all four of our parish churches will be in use. There is a Holy Communion at 8.00 am at St John the Baptist, Penshurst and at 10.00 am at both St Peter’s, Fordcombe and St Mary’s, Chiddingstone. Later in the day we’ll also celebrate two baptisms, Ted at St John the Baptist and Sullivan at St Luke’s. We give thanks for the gift of new life in Christ and pray for all who visit our churches this weekend to know the love of God afresh.
We continue to pray for all who are ill, grieving or going through difficult times. We especially think of the family of Kathleen O’Brien, whose funeral took place on Tuesday, and Jacquie Maddocks, whose life will be celebrated this coming Wednesday at 1215 at the Kent and Sussex Crematorium.
It’s also been quite a week for sport. As the weekend unfolds, I pray for the England Football squad’s success in the Quarter Final on Saturday evening. I do not know enough about the teams to make any informed comment about our prospects. Nonetheless I pray for good sportsmanship and skill to be shown and a just outcome for both teams. I do know who I hope will win!
Lastly, I would like to offer thanks to D,’Arcy Trinkwon for his wonderful recital last Friday. The programme covered 400 years of composers' work and showed the huge versatility of the organ. Themes covered by the music spoke into the highs and lows of the human experience and was very moving. All who attended were mesmerized by the music and the video feed showing us the full body workout undertaken by the organist at work. You may want to pencil in D'Arcy's next recital in October as part of the Penshurst Musical Festival on 16 and 17 October.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Sunday 12 July
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 19 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 26 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer to celebrate Lammastide, All Souls, Poundsbridge
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 - 03/07
Rector's Weekly Mailing, 3rd July 2026
Dear Parishioners,
I am writing this on Friday afternoon, looking forward to D'Arcy Trinkwon's organ recital at Penshurst this evening. I hope many of you will enjoy what promises to be a wonderful occasion. The concert starts at 1930 and there are still a few tickets available at the door.
On Sunday, our Epistle reading is from Romans 7. Here St Paul describes how he wanted to do what was right yet found himself stumbling. It is an experience that most of us recognise. We all carry burdens, wrestle with weaknesses, and sometimes fall short. The good news is that we are never asked to carry those burdens alone. Paul's cry, "Who will rescue me?" is answered in Jesus Christ. Our faith does not promise an easy road, but it does promise a faithful companion who walks beside us, lifts us when we fall, and gives us the grace to begin again.
That truth is reflected in the rhythm of parish life, where we share one another's joys and sorrows. This week we said goodbye to Leslie Gore of Sevenoaks, mother of Tim, who worships at Penshurst church. We give thanks for Leslie's life and hold Tim, Amanda and all their family in our prayers. We pray for their safe travel to Australia next week, where they will be meeting their new granddaughter born within 48 hours of Leslie’s death. She is the first child of Celia and Jack, who were married in Chiddingstone in December 2024.
Congratulations to Yasmin and Oliver, who were married recently at St Mary’s, and to Shan and Ben, who will be married there this Saturday. We pray that God will bless their marriages with love, joy, and faithfulness in the years to come.
This Sunday, at Penshurst, we look forward to baptising Tiggy. It is rather wonderful that, having recently taken her very first footsteps on Wednesday, that she now takes the first steps on another journey, the journey of faith. Those first, uncertain steps are a lovely picture of the Christian life. We all stumble from time to time, but God never gives up on us. He encourages us, steadies us, and calls us onwards with love and grace. On Sunday, there will be services of Holy Communion at St Mary's, Chiddingstone, and St John the Baptist, Penshurst, both beginning at 10.00 am. Tiggy's baptism follows at 12.15 pm.
At 4.00 pm, Forest Church will gather in The Penshurst Rectory garden. Please note this change from the advertised location. Our theme is "Faith and Footie", as we explore what supporting our national team, and perhaps playing sport ourselves, can teach us about perseverance, hope, teamwork, disappointment, and joy in the Christian life. My own footballing days are long behind me, but there was a time...!
Whatever this week brings, may we remember that we do not walk alone. Christ meets us in our struggles, rejoices in our celebrations, and walks beside us every step of the way.
With every blessing,
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstone Churches
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 5 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
16:00 - Forest Church in Penshurst Rectory Garden
Sunday 12 July
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 19 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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 - 26/06
RECTOR'S NEWSLETTER
26th June 2026. Rev’d Lisa Cornell writes:
In Britain, the weather is always news. In June 1976, when a heatwave brought temperatures above 90°F for fifteen consecutive days, The Sun newspaper ran the now-famous front-page headline, "Phew! What a Scorcher!" This week has certainly lived up to that description. It seems that every conversation has begun with a comment about the weather. I have found that my own work rate has been rather slower than usual, and I imagine many across our villages have felt the same.
In recent years, with the rising cost of energy, many urban churches have opened their doors as warm spaces during the winter months. This week, our churches have instead been able to offer cool, peaceful places of refuge from the heat. As our climate continues to change, perhaps this may become a new missional opportunity for rural churches: to provide a place of welcome, refreshment, and rest during periods of extreme summer temperatures. Time will tell.
This Sunday there will be 1000 am celebrations of Holy Communion at both St John the Baptist, Penshurst, and St Mary's, Chiddingstone. There will be no other services that day.
I look forward to seeing many of you next Friday as D'Arcy Trinkwon brings us an organ recital at St John the Baptist Church. Tickets are £15 on the door or can be purchased in advance from bookitbee.com. The concert starts at 7.30 pm, and refreshments will be served beforehand. It promises to be a real treat. If you would like a preview of D'Arcy's repertoire, please visit darcytrinkwon.com.
This week also marks the patronal festivals in two of our benefice churches: St John the Baptist, whose feast day was celebrated on 24 June, and St Peter, whose feast falls on 29 June. John prepared the way for Christ with courage and humility, while Peter, despite his many failings, became the steadfast rock upon which Christ built his Church. Together they remind us that God calls very different people into his service, and that faithfulness matters more than perfection.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the witness of your servants,
St John the Baptist and St Peter.
Give us John's courage to speak the truth with humility,
and Peter's faith to follow Christ with steadfast hearts.
May our churches be places of welcome, peace, and hope,
where all who enter find refreshment for body, mind, and spirit.
As we serve our communities in every season,
help us to prepare the way for your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 28 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 5 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Forest Church - details TBC
Sunday 12 July
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Sunday 28th of June - Chiddingstone Village Fete
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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 - 19/06
Rector’s newsletter 19th June 2026:
This week I had the privilege of spending two days at Carroty Wood with the Year 5 and 6 pupils from Fordcombe School on their residential visit. As the oldest children in the school, they enjoyed a wide range of activities including canoeing, abseiling, archery, karting and mountain biking. More importantly, the residential provided opportunities for the children to learn more about themselves, develop independence, build resilience and grow in confidence away from their family homes. My sincere thanks go to Mr Miles, the senior teacher, and to all the colleagues who worked so hard to organise and lead this excellent experience.
Meanwhile, at Penshurst School, the Year 6 pupils enjoyed their residential visit last week and have been marking the conclusion of their primary school journey. On Wednesday they attended a celebration service at Rochester Cathedral, giving thanks for their time at primary school and looking ahead to the next stage of their education.
In our parishes, you should have received notification last week of our proposed pastoral reorganisation. Details are available on the church doors and on the church website. Last week the Chiddingstone PCC met to discuss the process. Following the 10.00am service this Sunday, I will be hosting a meeting for the Penshurst and Fordcombe PCCs in church. This will provide an opportunity to ask questions about the scheme. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment as we consider the future life and mission of our churches together.
This Sunday there are three services across the Benefice. Holy Communion will be celebrated at 10.00am at both St Mary's, Chiddingstone, and St John the Baptist, Penshurst. Then at 6.00pm there will be a service of Evening Prayer at Poundsbridge Chapel. The service will celebrate Midsummer and, on Father's Day, provide an opportunity to give thanks and pray for the men who have raised, supported and influenced us throughout our lives.
Many people combine the Evening Prayer service with an early evening walk in the beautiful countryside around Poundsbridge. If you are planning to do so, your four-legged friends are most welcome to join us.
A prayer for this week: Creator God, we thank you for the beauty of this Midsummer season. We pray for our families and for all those who have nurtured, guided and encouraged us throughout our lives. On this Father's Day, we remember with gratitude the men who have influenced us for good, and we ask your blessing upon them. Guide our churches as we consider the future and the changes before us. Grant us wisdom, patience and grace, that in all things we may seek your will and serve your kingdom faithfully. Amen.
With every blessing
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
Sunday 21 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst (followed by a PCC meeting in church, directly after the service)
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer (celebrating Midsummer’s Day) at All Souls’, Poundsbridge
Sunday 28 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 5 July
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Forest Church - details TBC
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Saturday 20 June at 2pm, St John the Baptist - Penshurst Choral Society Summer Concert - An Afternoon At The Opera
Sunday 28th of June - Chiddingstone Village Fete
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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)
Announcement from the Diocese of Rochester
To our benefice friends,
Following notification from the diocese, please find details of the proposed pastoral scheme for the reorganisation of the benefice here:
The suggested restructuring of Penshurst and Fordcombe, and Chiddingstone and Chiddingstone Causeway into two distinct benefices is detailed in the above document, which is now open to response from parishioners from now until Monday 13 July. Please note that any comments made will be in the public domain.
The above notice will also be displayed in churches from this morning, and there will be announcements made in services from Sunday; please direct any questions in the first instance to the office and if you know of any members of the parish who do not have access to email (or aren't subscribed to the newsletter) please do notify your churchwarden and they will be able to provide physical copies.
In addition, a Penshurst and Fordcombe PCC meeting will take place on Sunday 21 June at St John's, immediately following the 10am service, which will discuss this notice and subsequent next steps.
Many thanks,
Tabitha Haysom, Administrator to the High Weald Churches
Upcoming services:
Sunday 14 June
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 21 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst (followed by a PCC meeting in church, directly after the service)
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer (celebrating Midsummer’s Day) at All Souls’, Poundsbridge
Sunday 28 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Patronal Evensong at St John the Baptist
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Sunday 14 June, Chiddingstone Gardens Open (2pm-6pm) - Tickets available from the village shops, or at the garden gate, funds raised will go to support the Chiddingstone churches
Saturday 20 June at 2pm, St John the Baptist - Penshurst Choral Society Summer Concert - An Afternoon At The Opera
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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 - 05/06
Rector’s weekly newsletter 5th June 2026
This Thursday the Church celebrated The Feast of Corpus Christi, allowing us to reflect once again on the mystery of God's presence with us in the Eucharist. The feast reminds us that Christian faith is not simply a set of ideas but an encounter with Christ, who continues to nourish and sustain his people through word and sacrament.
Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday, and during our collective worship in school this week we explored the meaning of the Trinity. The children were invited to describe both their friends and God using three short phrases. It proved a simple but effective way of recognising both what we can know about someone and the limits of our descriptions. Any attempt to explain God entirely through human categories ultimately falls short. While theologians rightly warn against the heresy of Modalism, there is still value in reflecting on the different ways we experience God's activity in the world.
This week, at least, many of us may have been especially aware of God the Creator. After a prolonged dry spell, bursts of almost biblical rainfall have refreshed gardens, fields and reservoirs alike. Local farmers, gardeners and wildlife have all benefited from the much-needed water. The changing weather serves as a reminder both of our dependence upon creation and of the God who sustains it.
With Trinity Sunday behind us, we now enter the long green season of the Church year known as Ordinary Time, which stretches for almost six months until Advent. "Ordinary" does not mean unimportant or routine. The word comes from the numbering, or ordering, of the Sundays. During this season the Church's focus shifts from the great festivals and mysteries of Christ's life to the ongoing task of Christian discipleship. We are invited to consider what it means to follow Christ faithfully in the ordinary rhythms of daily life: in our homes, workplaces, schools and communities.
Over the next fourteen weeks, the lectionary readings will help us in that task. We shall take an extended exploration of St Paul's Letter to the Romans, one of the most influential texts in the New Testament. To help us engage more fully with this remarkable letter, I shall be using the epistle reading as the first reading at our Sunday Communion services in Penshurst and Fordcombe throughout this period. Alongside Romans, the Gospel readings from Matthew will guide us through some of Jesus' most important teaching.
Last weekend it was a great joy to celebrate with Dom and Tilly as they were married at Penshurst. We wish them every blessing as they begin their married life together and pray that their home may be filled with love, faith and happiness in the years ahead.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the Penshurst Village Fete on Sunday 7th and wish every blessing upon this and the fundraising events in the gardens of Chiddingstone on 14th June. Let's hope the weather is kind!
With every blessing,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell.
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 7 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 14 June
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 21 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
18:00 - Evening Prayer (celebrating Midsummer’s Day) at All Souls’, Poundsbridge
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Saturday 20 June at 2pm, St John the Baptist - Penshurst Choral Society Summer Concert - An Afternoon At The Opera
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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 - 29/05
Rector’s Weekly Newsletter 29th May 2026. Rev’d Lisa Cornell writes:
What glorious weather we have enjoyed over the half-term break. I do hope you have been able to enjoy the best of it and have not been affected by local water outages. We pray for those in the local area whose supply has been disrupted.
Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me as I recover from oral surgery earlier this week. I thank God for modern painkillers and for a loving partner who has encouraged me to rest when needed. I am still a little sore but thankfully look rather less like a chipmunk than I did earlier in the week.
On Friday we laid the ashes of Joyce Evans and Ken Simmons to rest in family graves at Poundsbridge. Please continue to hold their families and friends in your prayers at this difficult time.
Congratulations to Dom and Tilly, who are being married in Penshurst on Saturday afternoon. We pray that they may know God’s blessing and joy as they begin married life together. We pray the weather holds for them too!
This Saturday, from 10am–12 noon at All Souls, Poundsbridge, there will be the monthly working party, continuing the work of taming the churchyard and preparing the chapel ready for our summer evening prayer services. Thank you in advance for your hard work, especially in the hot weather. There will be a service of evening prayer to celebrate Midsummer and Father’s Day at 6pm on Sunday June 21st.
After church on Sunday at Penshurst Churchyard, you are warmly invited to a working garden party to help tidy the vegetation and pathways. Drinks, and possibly cake, will be available!
Please bring your own tools to both working parties.
In our churches this Sunday, we celebrate Trinity Sunday, giving thanks for the mystery and wonder of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity reminds us that God is love shared in relationship, and that we are invited into that love and fellowship through Christ. There are 10am services of Holy Communion at St Mary’s Chiddingstone and St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
Let us pray:
Holy God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
draw us deeper into your love,
strengthen us in faith,
and help us to reflect your grace in our lives each day.
Amen.
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 31 May
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John’s, Penshurst
10:00 - Matins at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 7 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 14 June
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 Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Saturday 30 May - 10am at Poundsbridge Chapel - Working Party
Sunday 31 May - 11am (after service) at St John the Baptist - Working Party
Thursday 4 June, 7:30pm at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - Elise Hills and Ronojit Bhuyan - Virtuoso Piano Composers
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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 - 22/05
Dear Friends,
As we move towards the great feast of Pentecost this Sunday, we prepare once again to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon the Church, bringing courage to the fearful, hope to the weary, and new life to God’s people. In these days between Ascension and Pentecost, we are reminded that prayer is not waiting passively, but waiting expectantly for God to move among us.
On Wednesday we gathered to give thanks for the life of Joy Sturdey. It was a moving occasion, filled with love, gratitude, and treasured memories. Please continue to hold Mike, Caroline, and all the family in your prayers as they adjust to life without her.
Congratulations to Nick Weaver and Ann, who were married at Blackham on Friday 22nd May. We pray that God will bless them with joy, companionship, and love throughout their married life together.
As half term begins today, we pray especially for all school staff, pupils, and families. After a busy and demanding term, may this week bring rest, refreshment, laughter, and moments of peace. We give thanks for all who serve and support our schools so faithfully.
I will be taking a few days away from work during half term, as I am due to have oral surgery on Tuesday. The procedure is expected to take around two hours, and I anticipate needing a little time afterwards to recover.
I fully expect to be back at work on Friday in time for Tilly and Dom’s wedding rehearsal, and I am very much looking forward to celebrating their wedding with them on Saturday.
A Prayer for Pentecost
Come, Holy Spirit,
renew your Church with your life and power.
Where we are weary, bring refreshment.
Where we are anxious, bring peace.
Where we are divided, bring unity.
Where we are fearful, bring courage.
Fill our homes, our schools, and our community
with the light of Christ and the fire of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
With every blessing,
Rev'd Lisa
Upcoming Services:
Sunday 24 May
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John’s, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 31 May
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John’s, Penshurst
10:00 - Matins at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 7 June
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Events and fundraising:
Thursday 4 June, 7:30pm at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - Elise Hills and Ronojit Bhuyan - Virtuoso Piano Composers
Friday 3 July at St John the Baptist, Penshurst - D'Arcy Trinkwon - Organ concert
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)
Contact thornburybenefice@outlook.com if you would like to be added to the weekly Newsletter mail out.