Newsletter - 07-19
To our benefice friends,
I write on a warm day in Penshurst, what a treat! This was a busy week in all of our local schools with school productions, leavers’ services in church, and all sorts of celebrations. It is such an honour to be asked to speak at services offering our leavers a few words of wisdom. Fordcombe have their final service early on Tuesday.
This weekend we have a service of Holy Communion in Penshurst at 1000, to which you are all most welcome. We will also be baptising Felix in Poundsbridge Chapel at the end of the morning and we pray for him and his loved ones as he begins his journey of faith.
During the week two projects, which have been a long time in the planning, were completed. The preparation work to bring water to Fordcombe church has taken place. This church has had no running water since being built in 19th Century but now, amongst other benefits, cleaning will be easier and we will soon be able to baptise babies without using bottled water! We have a small team planning for a loo to be built, and in the medium term some kitchen facilities. Thank you to Roger and Angela for much background work.
In Penshurst, the louvres on the bell tower have been replaced in several sections. This will help the tower be more weatherproof as we begin our project to restore the bells within. Thank you to all of you who volunteer to maintain our church fabric and grounds across five church buildings and several church yards. With a special mention to Christine and Simon, who do so much work keeping St Mary’s ship shape! You are all stars!
Following the recent death of our friend Rev’d Jean Lorimer we have placed a book of condolence in St Luke’s Church. The church is open every day, and the book will be brought to St Mary’s on Sundays when there is a service there. Jean has left clear instructions for a rousing send off. For an assortment of reasons, the date for celebrating Jean’s life is yet to be confirmed. As soon as the arrangements are finalised, we will share them.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
In this edition
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 21st July: Trinity 8
10am Holy Communion, St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 28th July: Trinity 9
10am Holy Communion at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
10am Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 4 August: Trinity 10
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
To download a full overview of July and August services please Click Here.
Life Events:
In our prayers we hold those coming through our doors this month to mark their life events:
Upcoming weddings: in July we married Amy and Richard, and hold them in our prayers as they begin their journey in marriage.
Christenings: This week we will baptise Fergus, followed by Charlotte next weekend, we wish them and their families well on this pilgrimage of faith.
Funerals: We continue to hold the late Jean Lorimer in our prayers. A much-loved minister in Chiddingstone, who will be missed by many. We will update you with further details on the funeral in due course.
And among those whose anniversary falls at this time, we remember with thanksgiving:
20-Jul
21-Jul
Valentine Patrick Fleming
22-Jul
William James Ellson
Doris Charlotte Dalton
23-Jul
24-Jul
25-Jul
Ena Aitchison
26-Jul
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
Learning and growing:
Updates:
Ø 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
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
With every blessing,
Lisa
