Newsletter 08-09
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory. It has been a relatively quiet week in the parish but this is in great contrast to events in many of our towns and cities. In a letter to The Times on Tuesday, UK faith leaders wrote: “Every British citizen has a right to be respected and a responsibility to respect others, so that together we can build a cohesive and harmonious society for all. As faith leaders, we salute the many people who have stepped forward to repair damage and restore their neighbourhoods.” Let us pray for peace wherever there is conflict and for those living in fear to be assured of God’s love through times of difficulty. May we each in our own communities follow the teachings of Micah and do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with our God [Micah 6:8].
In church this weekend we congratulate Seb and Lara who will be married on Saturday afternoon at Poundsbridge. I left the rehearsal just as teams of flower arrangers were descending to decorate the chapel. I am really looking forward to the All Souls wedding experience.
Our worship this week is centred on Fordcombe and from that community we hold the family of Stewart Tucker in prayer. Mr Tucker’s died earlier this week. Funeral details will follow once they are known.
The Joint Council will be meeting this Thursday evening. Please let your wardens know if there any local matters you would like them to raise on your behalf.
In this edition
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 11 August: Trinity 11
1000 Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 18 August: Trinity 12
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
Sunday 25 August: Trinity 13
1000 Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
To download a full overview of 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 August we will marry Lara and Sebestian, James and Alice, James and Emily; and Rachel and Todd. We hold them in our prayers.
Christenings: We wish Isabelle, Emily and Charlotte and their families well on their pilgrimage of faith, as they approach their upcoming baptisms.
Funerals: We continue to hold the late Jean Lorimer and Stewart Tucker, and their families, in our prayers and will update on details for both funerals in the coming weeks.
And we remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
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
