Newsletter -05 - 17
Greetings from a very sunny Rectory Garden
After not contributing to the newsletter last week, it is good to be back. I was very caught up with VE Day events and the APCM. In my busyness, I managed to walk over 30,000 steps three days in a row. For those of you present at the celebrations or the local / benefice APCMs thank you for being there and a special thank you to those who have agreed to serve in various posts for the year ahead. Many of you work tirelessly for church without an official title or role. Thank you to you all for your part in growing the Kingdom of God in these parishes. A list of new postholders follows my letter.
Sunday this week is a busy one. There are two baptisms in Penshurst, and we pray for Ivo who is being baptised in the 1000 service and Gracey who will be baptised at Noon. We will also be celebrating Rogation as our Forest Church service this Sunday. Thank you once again to The Broad Family for hosting us. Details are below.
In our schools this week the Year Six students have taken their SATs. I am sure it feels good to have these behind us. Meanwhile GCSE, A level and IB exams are underway for our older children and for many, end of year college and university exams are taking place. May God strengthen all who teach, learn and support alongside them at this stressful time of year.
There are two funerals planned in the benefice. Charles Beare will be laid to rest in Chiddingstone this Wednesday and John Byrne at Penshurst on June 5th. We pray with their families as they prepare for these services. This year’s wedding season kicks off this week and we pray for Vicky and Alex as their clans gather at St Mary’s next Saturday. My thanks to Edward, Hannah and Mandy for leading the Chiddingstone occasional offices next week.
Until next week, may you know God’s love surrounding you.
With every blessing
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and The Chiddingstones.
Meetings up coming:
JC to meet on Tuesday June 3rd 7pm
APCM 2026 Sunday May 10th 2026
Local PCCs: meeting dates to be advised by The Archdeacon in due course
Deanery Ascension Day Service: St John the Baptist, Penshurst May 29th 7pm
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
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)
