Newsletter -11 - 28
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory
Our benefice was blessed with a Quiet Afternoon on Tuesday. Thank you to Rev’d Penny Stephens and Barbara Lloyd for organising this event. The dozen or so participants reported great enjoyment. Meanwhile, I continue to live in enforced quiet with a lingering episode of laryngitis. A camera examination this week has ruled out any sinister causes, and I have some new treatments to try to restore my voice to sounding less like a Dalek! If you could hold this matter in prayer, I would be grateful.
I spent most of Wednesday at a Diocesan domestic abuse conference and part of Thursday in a safeguarding training. The speakers offered wise advice on how we can support those experiencing or recovering from domestic abuse in its many forms. So much suffering goes on behind closed doors - violent, financial, and emotional abuse, and many types of coercive and controlling behaviour. This is an issue that cuts across all social boundaries and, statistically, is likely to be part of the lived reality of some within our own community. If you need support, here are two sources of help:
Website: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
Telephone helpline: 0808 2000247
Among the matters discussed was how our personal biases can affect our ability to notice or support those in abusive situations. Whilst women are disproportionately affected, the lack of recognition and support for male victims was identified as one of several factors behind the recent rise in self-harm among men. In response, I will be sharing safeguarding literature in our church buildings, offering sources of support and advice for all.
Should you wish to undertake training in Safeguarding, Domestic Abuse, or the allied topic of Modern-Day Slavery, the Church of England offers several helpful courses through its online portal: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/
You do not need to be a church office holder to complete these courses, though when you register you will be asked where you worship. If you are an office holder — such as a PCC member, sidesperson, or someone regularly undertaking work on behalf of the church — some courses are compulsory and others recommended. All can be accessed through the portal. If you have any safeguarding questions, please contact Wendy Ellis, our safeguarding lead, at safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk.
Your parish magazines for December should soon be reaching you. You will see that our benefice diary is full of services, concerts, and assorted school events. There are at least twenty-six events in the benefice diary just in the churches alone, with many other community activities that will keep us all busy. As arrangements come together I wish everyone a very successful Advent season.
Unusually, Advent begins in November this year, and this Sunday two services are taking place in Penshurst. The 10:00 Sung Holy Communion service is followed at 16:00 by a Forest Church ADVENTure. I have moved Forest Church indoors and we are offering a child-friendly service with games, crafts, and activities suitable for all ages. Why not come along? There will be refreshments, and any adult (or older child) helpers for crafts or refreshments would be very welcome.
Next week I shall be leading two funerals, and I ask for your prayers for their loved ones as they mourn. On Monday afternoon at 2pm, I shall lead a service for Dr Timothy Marrs at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Edenbridge. On Wednesday at 1pm, the funeral of Margaret Leppard will be held at Kent and Sussex Crematorium. A family-only interment of her ashes will take place on Saturday at Poundsbridge. Margaret was much loved in the Penshurst and wider local community. We hold her husband David, her children, and grandchildren in our prayers. Many friends and family are travelling from across the globe, so we wish them safe journeys into and out of the UK next week.
With every good wish for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell, Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
We hope to see you at the Forest Church ADVENTure on 30th November at 4-5pm at St John the Baptist.
Christmas Cards Now Available
Our new Christmas cards are on sale! Each pack contains 5 cards with envelopes for £5. All proceeds will go to the Friends of St John’s.
If you’d like to purchase a pack, please contact Matthew Stevens at matthewshakeystevens@gmail.com or Stephen Hazell-Smith at loftskand@hotmail.com.
A preview of the design is attached.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 30th November - Advent 1
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 – Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory Garden.
Sunday 07th December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday 14th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Holy Communion.
1000 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 21st December
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Nine Lessons and Carols
1800 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday 24th December
2200 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion for Christmas Night
1600 St Peters, Fordcombe: Carol Service
1730 St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Carols by Candlelight
2330: St Mary’s, Chiddingstone: Midnight Mass
Thursday 25th December
1030 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: All Age Service for Christmas Day
1030 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: All Age Holy Communon
09:00 St Peters, Fordcombe: Holly Communion
Sunday 28th December
0800 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Life Events:
Ø We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Ø Learning and growing:
Don’t forget the new National Safeguarding Standards. There is a link to the new leaflet on our website, and you’ll see posters going up in our churches soon. And following the appointment of our new benefice Safeguarding Officer, Wendy Ellis, we now have a contact email established – please direct any safeguarding queries or issues to safeguarding@highwealdchurches.org.uk
Ø Mailing:
If you know anyone who would like to be added to our weekly mailing, do let us know (and similarly let us know if you’d like to come off, though we’d be sad to see you go). If you’d like to contribute to the work of the benefice, you can go to our parish giving page via the www.parishgiving.org.uk website (we’d be very grateful). Alternatively, you can always find it on our benefice website: https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/news)
