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)
