Newsletter 10-18
Greetings from Penshurst Rectory
Another busy week in the parish. Last Sunday the final harvest service in the benefice was celebrated at St Peter’s in Fordcombe. Thank you to everyone who attended the six services in three locations over two weeks. Thanks to your generosity, local foodbanks are now well stocked! Also last Sunday we baptised Pippa at St Mary’s Church and later forty or so people attended Forest Church in The Rectory Garden. We thank God for all of the children on our parishes and pray for their journey of faith.
I understand that the harvest lunch held in Chiddingstone Causeway last Sunday raised funds for a local farmers charity and a group from St Luke’s met on Friday to mark their patronal festival. Thank you to Sally Musson for stepping into lead this service, which was organised at short notice. St Luke will also be celebrated in prayers used in church on Sunday.
During the week I have led worship in Penshurst and Fordcombe Schools, attended school governor events and had the opportunity to brief Brian Buck, a local lay minister who is leading the 1000 Matins service in St Luke’s this Sunday and several forthcoming services. This Sunday there will also be a 1000 Holy Communion in St John the Baptist, Penshurst. At 1630 the church is also hosting the Archdeacon of Tonbridge’s farewell service. Bishop Jonathan and many of the great and good from across the diocese will be in attendance. The music is led by a visiting organist and choir from St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Yalding and they are being joined by local voices. This is a service of Evening Prayer with presentations and drinks afterwards. Please park at Penshurst Place if you are attending.
Rev’d Jean Lorimer’s ashes will be laid to rest in the churchyard at St Mary’s at 12 noon on Saturday 26th October. Please contact John Gordon Reid for further details.
I am sad to report the recent death of Patricia Loring who died aged 80. Pat and her late husband John are well known to residents of Fordcombe and Speldhurst. Pat’s funeral service is at 1215 at the Kent and Sussex Crematorium on Friday 25th October. Mourners are invited to wear something red, which was Pat’s favourite colour. Also this week, Rhian Palmer of Chiddingstone Hoath died. We send our sincere condolences to her husband Richard and their young daughter, Rosie. Rhian’s funeral will be at St Mary’s Chiddingstone on Friday 29th November. Further details will follow once confirmed. Please hold these families in prayer as they mourn.
Next weekend Niall and Lucy will marry in St Mary’s on Saturday. The next day Jenny and Glyn will mark forty years of marriage with a special service at St Mary’s. The wedding season will then be paused until two ceremonies in December.
Lastly, please look out for an e mail and notices at each church door regarding three Special Parochial Church Meetings scheduled for Sunday November 3rd.
With blessings for the week ahead,
Lisa
In this edition
Ø Services
Services:
Sunday 20 October
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Matins at St Luke's, Chiddingstone
1630 Evensong service and farewell to Archdeacon Sharon Copestake
Sunday 27 October
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1700 All Age Service in Fordcombe Village Hall
Sunday 3 November
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion at St Luke's, Chiddingstone Causeway
1800 Evening service for All Soul's Day at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
To download a full copy of the October service plan, hymns and lections click here.
Life Events:
In our prayers we hold those coming through our doors this month to mark their life events:
Weddings: We hold Niall and Lucy in our prayers ahead of their wedding next weekend.
Christenings: We pray for Eleanor and Cecily ahead of their upcoming baptisms, and wish them well on this pilgrimage of faith.
Funerals: We pray for Patricia Loring and Rhian Palmer, along with their families, ahead of their funerals.
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
