Newsletter - 03-07
Lenten Greetings from a much warmer Penshurst Rectory. How lovely not to be knee deep in mud when out walking. My decision to give up chocolate failed on the first afternoon when I only remembered it was Lent after I had consumed a Kit Kat. Must try harder!
Following many recent deaths in our local communities, I am sad to announce the death of Linn Lee from Meadow Wood, Penshurst. We send condolences and pray for her husband James and his family at this sad time. Linn’s funeral will be at St John the Baptist Church on 25th March. Details will follow once confirmed.
After eight funerals in as many weeks my diary has switched to an education focus in recent days. I led a Shrove Tuesday Collective Worship in Chiddingstone School and an Ash Wednesday service at St Peter’s church for Fordcombe School. On Thursday I was the student for a change. I attended the first of a four-day course examining spiritual care for older people. The course written by BRF was led by Julia Burton Jones who heads up Anna Chaplaincy across the diocese and holds many national roles in leading this aspect of church and community care. This link details the course: https://www.annachaplaincy.org.uk/about-the-spiritual-care-series. The diocese has kindly funded my place on this course. I hope to share this learning locally once my studies are complete.
Tomorrow, I am meeting in Fordcombe with those with an interest in Forest Church and other children’s work across the Tonbridge Deanery to share current practice and identify how we can collaborate between parishes in both the delivery of ministry to children and in the training of leaders. Nobody can claim that my job is boring!
As Lent begins, final plans are being put in place for school Easter services and the parish in Holy Week. I hope to publish details next week about what is planned across the benefice for April.
To close my section of this newsletter, I share words about Lenten disciplines published in 2021 by Pope Francis:
Do You Want To Fast This Lent?
Fast from hurting words and say kind words
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints; contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness; fill your hearts with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be. Compassionate.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled
Fast from words; be silent and listen.
Praying for us all in the week ahead.
Lisa
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Electoral Roll
Services:
Sunday March 9th: Lent 1
1000 St Peter’s Fordcombe: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway: Matins
Sunday March 16th: Lent 2
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1600 Forest Church, Penshurst Rectory
Sunday March 23rd Lent 3
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Readings and lections for March can be found if you Click Here.
Life Events:
Ø In our prayers we hold those coming through our doors this month to mark their life events:
Funerals: We hold the family and loved ones of Linn Lee in our prayers ahead of her upcoming funeral.
And we remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
Electoral Roll:
Ø The High Weald Churches electoral roll is now open for applications ahead of the 2025 Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) – Click Here to read the full notice from the Diocese. Please note that every six years the electoral roll must undergo complete revision, which is taking place this year, therefore everyone who would like to be included should fill out and return an application form - Click Here to download. Forms can be printed, or collected from church, and returned to a churchwarden, or filled in electronically and returned via email to the office. The deadline for applications is 31 March, and the roll will be finalised by 14 April ahead of the next APCM.
Learning and growing:
Ø 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:
Ø 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
