Newsletter -09 - 13
Weekly Mailing 12th September 2025.
Rev’d Lisa, Rector writes:
I hope this mailing finds you well and settled into September. This week began with two weddings and a renewal of marriage vows. We congratulate Emily, Toby, Abi, and Luke as they begin married life and celebrate with Maggie and David who marked the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding at St Peter’s by renewing their vows. This week, David and Amelia will be married in St Mary’s. Thank you to our visiting clergy who have led weddings in Chiddingstone this summer. Rev’d Aji officiated last week and Rev’d Rob returns for this week’s weddings. Thank you to all of you who staff our weddings and help them to run smoothy.
Parish life involves walking alongside families at times of both joy and sadness. This Sunday we will baptise Isabella at a service in Penshurst and we pray for her, her big sister Lara, and parents and Godparents as they begin their journey of faith. On Monday and Tuesday, we held the funeral and celebration of life for Viv Timothy. Thank you to Rev’d Fiona for leading Tuesday’s service in St Mary’s. This Monday coming, Carole Allen’s funeral service will take place at The Kent and Sussex Crematorium at 1130. On Thursday, the memorial service for Sarah Noss will take place in Penshurst Church at 2pm. Sarah was for over 20 years on the staff team at Penshurst Place organising many weddings and events. The service is likely to be very well attended, so please allow plenty of time to park. We pray for Rob, Sarah’s husband and their sons Sam and Ben as they mourn.
This Sunday, there will be an 0800 Holy Communion service at St John the Baptist. At 1000 Fr Stephen Mitchell will celebrate Holy Cross Day at a Communion service at St Mary’s. Holy Cross Day is not marked in all churches. Here are links to two articles explaining the significance of this festival . The first is a general description and the second a sermon printed in this week’s Church Times.
https://anglicancompass.com/holy-cross-day-a-rookie-anglican-guide/
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/12-september/faith/sunday-s-readings/holy-cross-day
I will be leading a Communion service at St Peter’s where the sermon will consider the parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin. I shall then be dashing back to Penshurst for Lara’s baptism. Comments about rest and wickedness definitely apply!
The school term is now in full swing. For families with older children, college and university terms are beginning apace. We pray for all experiencing life change as their young adult children begin higher education courses away from home. This can be a time of mixed emotions; I pray for safe travel and peace to surround families as they adjust to a new life stage. I close with one of the Collects for this Sunday.
Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
In this edition:
Ø Services
Services:
14th September
0800 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
1000 Holy Communion St Peter’s Fordcombe.
1000 Holy Communion (or Matins) St Mary’s, Chiddingstone.
21st September
1000 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst.
28th September
1000 Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Penshurst. To include the harvest festival.
1000 Holy Communion 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)
