Newsletter - 05-03
Dear Parishioners
I write at the end of a most beautiful week. I have located my shorts and type this week’s newsletter from the garden table admiring the vibrant greens of the new leaves and not minding too much that the last of the apple blossom is blowing around me. Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) wrote:
The spring is fresh and fearless
And every leaf is new,
The world is brimmed with moonlight,
The lilac brimmed with dew …
I begin with the sad news of two deaths in the benefice this week. Mr Charles Beare well known in The Chiddingstone parishes died last Sunday. His funeral will at St Mary’s on 21st May at Noon. Mr John Byrne died on Monday and his funeral will be at St John the Baptist on 29th May. The time is still TBC. We send our sincere condolences to their families and friends. May both these gentlemen rest in peace and rise in glory and their loved ones know the peace that only God can bring.
I have returned from my post Easter leave, and what a busy week of meetings it has been. My plan to work gently did not materialise and I have very much hit the ground running. Holy Week passed in quietness with solemn reflective services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Easter Day saw 80+ people in St Mary’s and well over 200 in St John the Baptist, a third of whom were children. 3kg of foil wrapped Easter eggs were located in the egg hunt and we were treated to a performance of “He is Risen” by children from Penshurst School. The energy and joy in the church was something to behold. Never have I been more pleased to run out of chairs and hymnbooks.
As we go into the Early May Bank Holiday Weekend, I hope you are able to enjoy rest and refreshment. I am looking forward to the Penshurst Country Show and must remember not to grumble too much about the extra traffic in the village!
Next week we have our four APCM meetings. On Tuesday, the PCCs of St John the Baptist and St Peter’s will be meeting to receive the local accounts, nominate wardens, treasurer and safeguarding officers. To enable the Penshurst Choral Society access for their rehearsal in church I plan to swap the meeting times. So please note the Penshurst APCM is now at 6pm in church and the Fordcombe APCM is at 7pm at St Peter’s. Both meetings should be very short. On Thursday at 1830 the Chiddingstone Parish are holding their APCM at St Mary’s. On Sunday at noon the Joint Council APCM will be held at Penshurst Village Hall. The Ven Nick Cornell (no relation) will be at the Chiddingstone and Joint Council meetings
I look forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day in the parishes next week. I may well see you at the concert, memorial events and various parties being held. For many people who lived through VE day the date will be etched on their minds and their stories an important part of their family history. For those unable to attend events in person, I offer this link which invites us to pray and light a virtual candle:
https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/light-candle
And finally, in our troubled world as we look back at a time when peace was celebrated let us share together Bishop Hugh Nelson’s prayer:
O God, who would fold both heaven and earth
in a single peace;
that the design of your great love lighten
upon the waste of our wraths and sorrows
and give peace to your church, peace among nations,
peace in our dwellings and peace in our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
With every blessing for the week ahead
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
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.
Sunday 18th May
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 25th May
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Evening Service at St Peter’s Fordcombe (TBC)
1000 Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone.
Thursday 29th May
1900 Holy Communion at Tonbridge Deanery Ascension Day at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
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
