2024 Annual Church Meeting - Rector’s Report
2024 Rector’s Report and summary of work by The Joint Council
It is now three years since the parish formed into The High Weald Benefice. It is two years since the Joint Council formed between Penshurst and The Chiddingstone Churches, with Fordcombe joining this governing body in January 2023. This annual report is the first reflecting on a whole year with one governance structure in place; all parishes are now represented by the Joint Council. There were five full meetings of the Joint Council, and other meetings where wardens and clergy discussed operational matters. There were also eight meetings between June and October, which formed a liturgy and music review process.
Our meetings covered many topics:
Administration:
Tracy Craig started working for us in March as a temporary administrator. A heaven-sent employee, she helped us to transform our new administrative systems. Tracy is just about to qualify as a Solicitor, and we wish her well in her future career at Clark Kiernan in Tonbridge.
Tabitha Haysom has joined us as our new administrator. She has very much hit the ground running, bringing many skills and talents from her previous role in PR in London. Welcome Tabby, you are making such a difference to us all.
Money:
The management of finances: scrutiny of accounts, agreements to spend on larger sums and applying for grants. There have been many cost savings on insurance, fuel and central purchasing of resources. More rationalisation will occur as the needs of each parish setting, and the Joint benefice as a whole, become clearer. Further details in the various financial reports.
Buildings and Fabric:
Our buildings are between 200 and 900 years old with many rules in place as to how we can maintain and use each space. Church roof repairs bit into our budgets, as has electrical work, work on heating systems, organs, clocks and upgrading the audio systems in St Mary’s and St Luke’s. Church yard maintenance costs are kept low by the work of volunteers but also need professional input for mowing, tree work and specialist tasks. We are mindful of our church’s duty to move our carbon footprint to net zero, and a working party will need to be developed to sharpen our strategy in this area. In Fordcombe, the quest for running water continues and a faculty has been submitted to plan for mains water to be connected to the church as the first stage in the provision of kitchen and lavatory facilities. Due to faculty rules, this is going to be a long process. A more detailed fabric report is available.
Bells:
A lot of work is being undertaken to plan and fundraise for refurbishment of the bells in St John the Baptist, Penshurst. Charles Fuller-Rowell and Janice Byrne are putting in many hours of planning work to launch this much-needed project.
Safeguarding:
This is a standing agenda item in all meetings. We have over the last year appointed new safeguarding personnel and encouraged many more people to undergo safeguarding training. We follow closely national and diocesan safeguarding guidelines. In a year when the national church has reported on past failings this aspect of our care for each other must be a top priority.
Communications:
The bringing together of four churches and three parishes has brought with it a certain amount of logistical challenge. A priority for us this year has been to develop a benefice house style for communications and to launch the new website. You may notice the new High Weald Churches logo on all of our publications and on our website. Huge thank you to Rev’d Lindsay for building and managing the website. Also grateful thanks to the office team and some eagle-eyed members who have worked hard to clean up databases of names to make us GDPR compliant. Our newsletter goes to several hundred people each week, please let us know if you would like to receive this. The hard copy village magazines have a long lead time and sometimes details need updating after publication but our weekly newsletter and website will always have the most up-to-date information for you.
Mission and Worship:
All decisions about services and the systems supporting them are scrutinised and signed off by the Joint Council. We are trying to build more resilient systems with longer-term planning, so that readings, hymns, and relevant rotas are available further in advance. At the moment these rotas run in a bi-monthly cycle and are shared via wardens, choir leaders and the office. Grateful thanks to Karen Franklin, who manages much of the logistics to ensure that services are fully staffed, and to the wardens who prepare the churches for holy worship.
Music and Liturgy Review:
During the summer months of 2023, eight open meetings took place to gather ideas about music and liturgy across the joint benefice to help the Joint Council review our service provision.
The music review highlighted many areas of agreement and the desire to continue our choral transition with quality live music at services. The plans for a children’s choir were delayed by my illness last Autumn. But the good news is that I have two volunteers ready to launch this initiative in the new school year; once we have carried out the requisite safeguarding checks, risk assessments etc. Robert is an excellent pianist and Deborah is a semi-professional singer, both are excited about working with our children and are ready to help encourage secular and church music amongst local young people. This will be reviewed following Deborah’s wedding in mid-May.
I remain open to suggestions about widening adult singing but will need someone else develop this initiative. I cover other aspects of music in the ‘thank you’ at the end of this document.
The liturgical review has now entered its second year. Each liturgy produced builds upon the feedback given to us in the previous months. The website contains details explaining our liturgies and has a link for you to provide comments. We are also happy to receive constructive feedback by email so that any comments are recorded and attributable. I plan to hold a meeting after Pentecost to review the seasonal liturgy used from Advent to Pentecost. And I will hold a further review of the Ordinary Time liturgy later in the summer. The outcomes of these meetings will be fed back to the Joint Council and used to help perfect the final version of the liturgies.
Outreach to Older People:
Our 4th Sunday teas and evening prayer services in Fordcombe are attended by people from all three parishes. For some Fordcombe residents, for whom the church is inaccessible due to the lack of water and a loo, this is there only contact with church each month. In the summer months the evening prayers at Poundsbridge are well received and popular with congregations with two and four legs alike.
In Penshurst and Fordcombe there are craft and knit and natter groups run by members of the church, which are bringing vital fellowship to many. The Pie and Pint Group and Village lunches in Fordcombe are not run by the church, but are attended by many who are part of the wider church family. Thank you to those of you involved quietly in these activities
I would like to extend similar activity into the Chiddingstones, or work with your existing activities. I would be very grateful for some people to help integrate the church’s outreach into the Chiddingstone villages and beyond. This needs to be a priority in the months to come.
Also, a very important part of my priestly ministry is home visiting. Parish priests are often accused of not visiting their flock, however most pastoral visits are carried out confidentially. I have several households that I visit and take communion to on a regular basis, and others where I visit on request. It has been my great privilege to visit the bedsides of several of our parishes in their last hours and days and offer final prayers and blessings and anoint them for their final journey. Thank you for trusting me at these tremendously sad times. It is a great privilege to serve you in this way.
Younger families and children:
Our children’s work is thriving. On my busy weeks, I lead worship with over 400 children and adults in our schools…the patterns is I lead worship every Thursday in Penshurst school; alternate Tuesdays in Fordcombe School and at least twice per short term in Chiddingstone. Rev’d Lindsay also leads a regular worship slot in Chiddingstone school. I have also been invited to work with the children the nursery school at Chiddingstone Castle on several occasions. I am a governor in each of our local schools. Now that I am being appointed as Area Dean I am stepping back from my roles as Chair of Governors in Penshurst and as the local RAF Cadet Padre.
Forest Church goes from strength to strength, meeting up to 10 times a year. We are generally outside from February to October; and indoors for Christingle, The Nativity and during January. Children from all three local schools and other educational settings join us. Usually about fifty people attend each event with those on local farms the most popular. Although popular with children these events are open to all people. The only caveat being that some services take place on uneven ground and may not be suitable for those whose mobility restricts them.
Services:
Our service patterns include all varieties of worship found in the Church of England: from small 8am communions, large celebratory services on high days and holidays and a Sunday pattern of Eucharistic services interspersed with Matins, informal morning prayers and specific celebratory services for Mothering Sunday, Rogation, Harvest and Remembrance. The 5pm service in Fordcombe Village Hall goes from strength to strength and is particularly popular with our older people. Our evening service offer has broadened to include services at Poundsbridge Chapel and formal Evensongs which rotate through the Joint Benefice.
Since mid-December the main 1000am service has rotated through the benefice churches. This temporary adjustment is likely to continue for a few more months. The Joint Council have ensured that the numbers of services planned are distributed fairly between parishes. Whichever parish does not have a 1000 service is provided with either an 0800 or teatime service on the same day (and sometimes both) to ensure we are still worshipping together in all parts of the parish. Although this document is to report on 2023 activities when this pattern impacted the end of the year; as I write this report in April the pattern has continued.
Thank you for your forbearance and willingness to travel. Many people have commented on how much they have enjoyed being in each other’s company and churches.
Our numbers attending church, in line with the rest of the church of England are down; but have held up well despite the adjustments to service patterns. Most Sundays 40-60 people gather at 1000 to worship with the combined choirs giving the services an upbeat feel. The evening services typically attract 10-20 worshippers with the 0800s having a loyal congregation of around a dozen in Penshurst and a smaller number in the Chiddingstones. However, our engagement in the community is ever growing and our numbers attending over the Christmas and Easter periods very encouraging indeed. The logistics of having over a thousand people through the church doors is an astonishing feat perfected in some case through decades of tradition.
Occasional Offices:
A big part of our parish life is our provision of occasional offices. To that end, there were 30 weddings across the benefice: 18 in St Mary’s,11 in St John the Baptist, and 1 in St Luke’s. There were 20 baptisms with 11 in St John the Baptist, 7 in St Mary’s and 2 in Fordcombe. There were 23 Funerals in 2023 across all of the parishes. It is our great honour to look after families at these sad times and we hold all the bereaved in prayer through our memorial books and intercessory prayer.
The Joint Council sets the local fees for these services and collects statutory fees on behalf of the Diocesan Board of Finance. The Joint Council has overseen the work undertaken in our back office functions to improve the administrative systems supporting these events. Thank you to all of you who help us with front of house and verging duties for these events.
Prayer:
All we do as a benefice family must be rooted in prayer. I would like to offer particular thanks to those of you who pray for the life and work of the parish. Whether this is the form of intercessions, as part of the more formal prayer group or in a private capacity; to be upheld in prayer especially when times are challenging, is of benefit for all of us.
I would like to broaden the numbers who pray the intercessions in our services. I will be running training in the next few months. This will be refresher training for those who currently pray and a chance for experienced intercessors to share their expertise with those just starting out.
Thank you that you have the faith to pray and an expectation that God will provide solutions. Your prayers and kindness point others to the love and power of Jesus.
Study:
It was a pleasure to run our Lent Course in 2023. There is a house group that meets in Penshurst through the year on a Wednesday evening. I would very much like to grow other home and bible study groups and I would be happy to provide support and training for this.
Thank you:
We glorify God all the more when we work with all our different gifts to be a united family working in love. So on behalf of the Joint Council we offer thanks to:
Our Church Wardens: elected locally, but appointed as The Bishop’s Officers. It is their job to support clergy and they hold legal responsibilities to ensure that the church fabric and governance complies with Canon Law. One warden per parish represents their nominating parishes on the Joint Council.
A special thank you to Brent Muir, who is stepping down having served out a full term as warden, and sometime beyond. He has given seven years of time and energy to the role; often working unseen in his labours. This is my official thank you to you, Brent. I hope that you will be able to enjoy church more from the pews, rather than having to worry that there are jobs to do each Sunday. Also stepping down from his role as Joint Council member representative for buildings and fabric is Bob Golds. Thank you, Bob for your expertise and sage advice over the years.
Our remaining wardens Angela Ventin in Fordcombe, Paul Allen in Chiddingstone and Karen Franklin in Penshurst are an invaluable source of support working hard to keep our churches afloat. Other wardens will be elected at the vestry meetings.
Joint Council members: not mentioned so far, but who remain in post. Matthew Stevens as operations manager; Karen Franklin supporting the development and management of Mission and Worship. Angela Ventin also attends Deanery Synod on behalf of the benefice. Later in the year there will be a new diocesan synod forming and Iay representation on this body from within our church family would help ensure that the voices of smaller rural parishes are heard in the decision-making body of the Diocese. Rev’d Lindsay Llewellyn MacDuff represents our diocese on General Synod, the national decision-making body of the Church.
Finance: huge appreciation also for John Menard, Stephen Medhurst, Paul Reeves, and Barry Lewis who offer us much expertise in matters financial. Thank you to Barry for many long hours setting up our management accounting system using Quick Books. It has made our financial lives so much easier.
Further thanks to Charles Fuller-Rowell for working to claim around seven thousand pounds worth of VAT back for the benefice and to Barry Lewis who worked tirelessly to reclaim five years of Gift Aid not collected in The Chiddingstones. Some £12,000 has been received.
The vacancy for Benefice Treasurer needs to urgently be filled.
Our safeguarding officers: Linda Naidu and Wendy Ellis work to ensure our children and vulnerable adults remain well cared for. Thank you to Dennis Ward and Sarah Wickens for their time serving as Parish safeguarding officers. They both stepped down towards the end of the year, with Sarah continuing in post until Wendy took over in January. A Chiddingstone safeguarding lead is still needed.
Verging and Back of House: many of you come to our churches for occasional offices. I am very grateful for those of you who act as vergers for weddings and funerals, enabling the clergy to focus on the leading of services whilst they care for practicalities and welcome guests. A special mention for Maggie Atkins who helps me in Penshurst and Simon and Christine who carry out much work in St Mary’s. To all of you who work in any capacity as sidespeople, offering music and singing, bell-ringing, practical help, hospitality; and pastoral support, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Musicians: organists and choirs. Thank you for your part in our worship. I appreciate your dedication. The music we experience in services is the result of much planning and rehearsing. We are blessed by a range of excellent organists and dedicated choir members, however new participants are always welcome.
A special thank you to Robert Rees and The Friends of Penshurst Church for arranging the purchase of a new grand piano for the church, and for staging fundraising events including a spectacular music marathon. A series of recitals are planned for May - watch this space!
Bells ringing: happens after much practice and with much skill. Thank you to Janice, Stella and their teams for their dedication. The Ring for The King, linked to King Charles III coronation, boosted our ringer staff and our towers are blessed with many new and improving ringers.
Maintenance of buildings, fabric and church yards: so much happens that most people only notice when jobs are not done. Thank you to those who give their time and talent for free and to those local businesses who work for us at ‘mate’s rates’ to ensure we remain financially viable.
Refreshments after services: Thank you for all of these roles, for making tea just how I like it and for the very high standard of cake!
Flowers: Thank you to all who serve on our flower rotas. Please accept my apologies for me severe lily allergy which makes it impossible for me to be near St Mary’s during the Easter period and can complicate floral arrangements for weddings and funerals.
The cleaning: cleaning of the churches is carried out by Christine and Simon at St Mary’s and by volunteers in all settings. Thank you for this ministry, which is often hard work and takes place in cold buildings. A special mention in dispatches to those who clean at Fordcombe, where there is no running water available.
Magazines: many thanks to Robert Hunt of Chiddingstone, Maggie Atkins in Penshurst and Mike Gilbert in Fordcombe for your hard work compiling the church magazines and providing an important service, communicating with our congregation.
Trusts and Donors: Thank you to all of you who contribute so generously to support the mission, ministry, and fabric of our churches. We are not naming all the (over one hundred) individual families, who make regular gifts, but your support is specially valued.
For those of you who give regularly in the plate at collections, thank you. If we could encourage more people to give electronically or via a standing order or the Parish Giving scheme, we could claim more tax back and have a more stable income. Please talk to your local treasurer or warden for more information.
Thanks also to Mrs Gwen Dennard for, once again, donating books of bible stories for every member of the reception class at Penshurst School. Your generosity is much appreciated. If anyone would like to sponsor a similar scheme in Fordcombe or Chiddingstone we would be delighted to hear from you. It is a really good witness to welcome our new families to church, to give them a gift, a proper welcome, and an invitation to worship at their mother church.
Last but not least, thank you to the following organisations who have helped us with grants over the last year.
Bentall Trust
Bisset Trust
Charities Aid Foundation
Chiddingstone School
Chiddingstone Parish Council
Diocese of Rochester
Drake Oil Syndicate
Friends of Penshurst Church (now called Friends of High Weald Churches)
Friends of Kent Churches
The Fete committees of Penshurst, Fordcombe and Chiddingstones (2 events)
Perry Family Trust Stewardship
Stonewall Park Trust
VEC Acorn Trust Additional
May God bless all your generosity. We can only grow new disciples, build our funds and point others to God’s Kingdom if we work well together. We must turn our attention to some more systematic fundraising in the months ahead if we are to be sustained as a united benefice of churches.
Rev’d Lindsay: My biggest thank you is to Rev’d Lindsay Llewellyn-MacDuff our Associate Priest who is a most excellent wing-woman. I appreciate her priestly pastoral ministry, amazing intellect and knowledge of all matters theological. We are very blessed as a parish to have you on the team and I am very proud to call you my friend.
It is my great privilege to serve God here and I thank you all for joining me in our mission to grow God’s Kingdom in Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
May God bless us all.
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstone Churches