Newsletter - 08/05
Rector’s Newsletter. 8th May 2026
It has been a relatively quiet week at Penshurst Rectory, but I have been busy re-dog-proofing sections of the garden. Six months ago, we adopted Coco, the beloved Dachshund of the late Chloe Phillips. Having hardly moved from the sofa in the first few months, she has now discovered her prey drive. This has led to her gifting us several recently deceased field mice in recent days. She has also worked out fiendish ways to escape. It seems there is not enough chicken wire or strategically placed logs in the world to contain her. Who knew that such a small dog could cause such chaos!
This Sunday, there are Holy Communion services at 0800 in Penshurst and 1000 in both Fordcombe and Chiddingstone. On Thursday, the Church worldwide celebrates Ascension Day. At 1900, I will be hosting the Tonbridge Deanery Ascension Day service at St John the Baptist, Penshurst. Please do come along!
The nine days between Ascension and Pentecost, sometimes called the Novena, have, since the formation of the early Church, been a time of prayer. In the last decade, the worldwide Church has marked the season with a campaign called Thy Kingdom Come. The 2026 focus is as follows:
“This year’s Thy Kingdom Come is all about the presence of God through His Spirit.
The God who is with us in the everyday, in the joys and sorrows of life (and everything in between), and the One who, through His Spirit, longs to reveal Himself to those who do not yet know Him.
From the story of Ruth to the story of Gideon, from the story of Elijah to the story of the early Church, who waited for the promised Holy Spirit to come, over the 11 days we will explore a different Bible story each day which demonstrates God’s transformative presence, power and love at work in the lives of people and places.
We hope that, as we pray for our five people, they too will experience the life-changing love of God and choose to follow Him.” www.thykingdomcome.global/thy-kingdom-come-2026
To support our prayers, I have multiple copies of a Novena written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. Each day from Ascension to Pentecost has a double-page spread with a Bible reading, reflection, and prayer points. It would be lovely for our benefice churches to join in this worldwide programme of prayer.
With every blessing for the week ahead,
Lisa
Rev’d Lisa Cornell.
Rector of Penshurst, Fordcombe and the Chiddingstones
Upcoming Service:
Sunday 10 May
08:00 - Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Thursday 15 May
19:00 - Tonbridge Deanery Holy Communion, St John the Baptist, Penshurst
Sunday 17 May
10:00 – Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
10:00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
16:00 - Forest Church for Rogation
Sunday 24 May
10:00 - Holy Communion at St John’s, Penshurst
10:00 - Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone
Life Events:
We remember those whose anniversary falls at this time of year, they shall be prayed for in church on Sunday.
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
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)
