Newsletter - 01/05
Rector’s Weekly Newsletter 1st May 2026
We held our APCM last Sunday. Thank you to everyone who attended. Special thanks to the Ven. Nick Cornell, Archdeacon of Tonbridge, and to Barry Lewis for his clear and detailed financial report.
Tuesday was a sad day in Penshurst, as around three hundred people gathered for the funeral of Daniel Carter. We continue to hold his family and friends in our prayers at this difficult time. We pray for all who mourn.
As we move into May, we are reminded of the rich traditions of May Day here in Kent. This is a time that celebrates the arrival of spring and the renewal of community life. Across the county, villages mark the season with maypole dancing, the crowning of the May Queen, and gatherings on village greens; customs cherished for generations. Today, this same spirit of celebration can be seen in events such as the annual Craft and Country Craft Fayre at Penshurst Place. These traditions, old and new, invite us to pause and give thanks for the beauty of creation and the life of our rural communities. They may also involve some hearty snacks and purchases!
Here in this corner of Kent, we have much to be thankful for, including the blessing of religious freedom. Our faith proclaims that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves. This balance of conviction and compassion lies at the heart of the Christian witness. In our readings this week from the Acts of the Apostles, we remember St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose life and death speak of courage, faith, and forgiveness even in the face of persecution.
Recently, writing in The Church Times, Archbishop Sarah Mullally said: “An attack on Jewish people is an attack on us all. We must stand together against the virulence of antisemitism that brings only violence, fear, and hatred.” She goes on to call us to face this challenge together across society and within all our communities. I would like to echo Dame Sarah’s message.
This Sunday, there will be a family service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone, and Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst, both at 10:00am. There will also be two baptisms in Penshurst on Sunday afternoon, and we pray for Tobias and Freya, and George as they become the newest members of the Church of England. May they grow up in a peaceful world, knowing how deeply loved they are by God and his people.
With every blessing,
Lisa
Upcoming Service:
Sunday 3 May
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 -Family Service at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Sunday 10 May
08:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Thursday 15 May
19:00 - Tonbridge Deanery Holy Communion, St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 17 May
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
16:00 - Forest Church for Rogation
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)
