Newsletter 10-25
To our benefice friends,
Please see below for a note from the Bishop of Rochester, for those who attended the Archdeacon’s farewell service on Sunday, thank you to all who attended and helped make the service so special.
Dear Lisa and Sal,
This is just a quick note to thank you most warmly for all your help organising the splendid farewell service for Archdeacon Sharon last Sunday.
It was both a joyful and a sad occasion, but everything you did helped it to come together as a very special time for Sharon and for everyone present.
The service was very personal, and the refreshments afterwards were absolutely delicious – a great combination all round!
Please would you pass on my sincere thanks to everyone who helped in so many ways to make it such a great occasion.
With my warmest thanks to you both and very best wishes,
Jonathan
The Rt Revd Dr J R Gibbs
Bishop of Rochester
Coming up, please also be aware of a couple of dates for your diaries. On Saturday St John’s will be hosting a piano concert with Jeffrey Straker, we hope to see many of you there.
We will also be holding an Annual Memorial Service for All Soul’s Day, at 6pm at St John the Baptist. This service offers an opportunity to sit with others who mourn, light candles and pray for our loved ones as we remember those that we love but see no longer. All are welcome. The following week Remembrance Services will be taking place across the benefice, please find further details below.
In this edition
Ø Services
Services:
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
Sunday 10 November
0800 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1045 Remembrance Service at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1045 Remembrance Service at St Luke's, Chiddingstone Causeway
1500 Remembrance Service outside at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
Monday 11 November
1100 Remembrance Service at Fordcombe village green (with school)
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 on Saturday.
We congratulate Jenny and Glynn celebrating forty years of marriage at a special service in St Mary’s, this Sunday.
Christenings: We pray for Eleanor and Cecily ahead of their upcoming baptisms, and wish them well on their pilgrimage of faith.
Funerals: We pray for the family and friends of Patricia Loring whose funeral took place on Friday; and Rhian Palmer, as they plan her funeral in late November.
We remember with affection and respect Rev’d Jean Lorimer. Her ashes will be laid to rest in St Mary’s churchyard this Saturday at noon.
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
