Newsletter - 04-19
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
Tomorrow on Easter morning, we join together in joy and thanksgiving to proclaim afresh that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. In a world that still knows darkness, we are called to be people of light, shaped by the resurrection and sent forth to live as witnesses of Christ’s transforming love. In his Easter message, Bishop Jonathan reminds us of the hope we can receive through the risen Lord Jesus. He writes:
“Jesus’ death on the Cross and his resurrection from the grave show us a God who has shared the depths of our suffering and who has conquered the very powers of death and hell. This is the God in whom we can put our trust, whatever uncertainties we may face”
This is a video of his message: https://youtu.be/7Wq_6mhwEls
This holy season invites us to look for signs of new life—in creation, in our relationships, in our church, and even in our own hearts. Just as the stone was rolled away from the tomb, may the Good News of Easter help us with God’s grace to remove the barriers that keep us from loving more fully and living as Jesus commands.
In our own parish setting we welcome a special new life. Augustus was born to Tabby our administrator on Tuesday morning. Gussy weighed in 7lb 12oz. He is a brother to Raphy. We congratulate Tabby, James and all of their families. A picture of Gussy can be found here: Baby Gussy for newsletter. We also welcome into the family of faith young Barnaby who is being baptised in Penshurst at noon on Sunday.
Thank you to everyone who has filled in a parish electoral roll form. If there are any of you still to complete a form, please e mail the office for a form to sign and return online or print and post or ask one of your wardens for a paper copy. Every six years parishes must completely rewrite their electoral roll so please make sure that you have a vote in the upcoming APCMs.
The APCMs take place early in May and there are as usual, elections for local PCCs, wardens and various posts.
The meetings are scheduled as follows:
Nomination forms are available in each church or can be found here: APCM forms for 2025 blanks Each PCC will need to elect a Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO), Local Treasurer and other members to represent the parish. As a united benefice we currently have one Deanery Synod Rep. attending meetings. We are entitled to one rep per local PCC and it would be good to have a representative from each parish going forward. Deanery Synod reps are also part of the local PCC. The Synod meets three times a year. The Joint Council is made up from people elected to local PCCs or co-opted for particular roles. The current postholders names will be in the report and accounts soon to be published. Please note PCC and JC members must undertake level one and two safeguarding courses and church wardens and PSOs are required additionally to undertake the leadership course. All courses are available online and Wendy our benefice PSO can assist you in gaining access to these courses if you need any help with this.
I shall be taking leave from early afternoon on Easter Day and returning to work on 29th April. I will not be checking e mails during my time off. Please contact Tracy our administrator or one of the wardens if you have any urgent queries whilst I am away from my desk. There will be no weekly mailing next week. I shall write again at the start of May.
In the love of our Risen Lord,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
In this edition:
Ø Services
Ø Electoral Roll
Ø Bells project at St John the Baptist
Services:
Easter Day-20th April:
0800 Holy Communion St Peter’s Fordcombe
1000 Family Holy Communion with Easter Egg Hunt St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
Low Sunday- 27th April
1000 Holy Communion St Peter’s Fordcombe
Sunday 4th May
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 11th May
0800 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
1000 Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone.
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
