Newsletter - 03-21
Warm Greetings from your Rector,
At Diocesan Synod last Saturday it was announced that Rochester Diocese has received over £11million pounds in funding from the national church. The Area Deans conference on Monday and Tuesday was focussed on the strategic direction of the diocese and the plans that are unfolding to use these funds to strengthen the missional work at parish level.
Here is the press release: https://www.rochester.anglican.org/news/diocese-of-rochester-awarded-11-million-to-support-mission-and-growth.php
The funding is in addition to that already budgeted and will enable parishes like ours to receive the investment and training they need to flourish. I am particularly pleased to see that rural parishes are earmarked for particular care and attention amongst the workstreams planned. I will share more with you and how we will benefit as things become clearer.
Please can I ask you to return your electoral roll forms as soon as possible. The details are linked below. You will need to be on the ER if you want to continue to be on the PCC or Joint Council or to vote in the upcoming APCM. Some very efficient accounting work means that we can bring the date of our parish and Joint Council APCM forward to before Easter. I am awaiting some details from the Archdeacon’s office before I firm dates in the diary. I hope to have news next week.
In Penshurst this week the bell tower has been a hive of activity. The historic bells have been lowered to the floor of the tower awaiting further work before being moved for refurbishment next week. For the next few days, the church will only be open when volunteers are available to supervise, or a service is being prepared or taking place. This is to ensure the safety of all visitors and security for the bells which are valuable piece of history and irreplaceable. The church should be open as normal from next Thursday onwards. Thank you to all whose hard work have helped this project come to fruition. A notice will soon be placed at the church door with details of revised opening times.
This weekend marks a change in the administrative life of the parish. Our administrator, Tabitha Haysom will be on holiday next week and then begins a time of maternity leave. We wish Tabby every blessing as she awaits the arrival of her baby in April. We will keep you posted as news unfolds. Tabitha’s maternity leave will be covered by Tracy who was Tabitha’s predecessor. So goodbye Tabby for now and welcome back Tracy! We are blessed by you both.
Finally, I hope to see some of you next week at Poundsbridge for the first of our monthly our working parties. There will be the opportunity to help with the churchyard upkeep or clean inside the chapel. You do not have to stay the full two hours and any time you can give would be very much appreciated. I shall be there for the first hour only. Please bring your own tools and drinks.
I look forward to seeing many of you at church on Sunday. I shall be leading a BCP service of Holy Communion at St Peter and St Paul’s, Edenbridge at 0800 and Holy Communion at St John the Baptist Penshurst at 1000.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Electoral Roll
Ø Bells project at St John the Baptist
Services:
Sunday March 23rd: Lent 3
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
Sunday March 30th Lent 4 / Mothering Sunday
1000 St John the Baptist, Penshurst: Holy Communion
1000 St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway, Holy Communion
Sunday April 6th Lent 5 start of Passiontide
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.
Ø Bells project at St John the Baptist:
If you go down to the Church today you’re sure of a big surprise! As many of you might know the lovely bells of Penshurst Church are being taken down in preparation for removal and refurbishment. 6 of these majestic pieces of metalwork are sitting in the church. The last 2 will probably be lowered on Wednesday. The oldest bell was cast in 1349 (the 5). The Tenor, the biggest bell was cast in 1619. The last time these bells were removed was in 1895. The firm of Matthew Higby and Company Limited are doing the work. The method of installing, and indeed of removal of bells has hardly changed over the years, however, the advent of electricity has made things easier.
Please do come and see the bells whilst they are there, it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to stand alongside these wonderful beasts. The church will be open from 10-2 on Saturday, and from after service until 2pm on Sunday this weekend.
Roberta Weatherley, bellringer.
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
