Newsletter 17/02/2024

To our Benefice Friends,

As we entered into Lent once again this week, Wednesday saw our benefice doing a wide range of services for the people of the High Weald. Starting with a simple ashing, we moved on in the evening to a more contemplative traditional ash Wednesday service and then concluded with a valentine’s Day blessing for our wedding couples. (The latter was very small in attendance, but really rather lovely.) We also had our first session of the Lent course, this week, at which we discussed how we understood love.

If our lent courses are not for you, or not convenient, you can simply take up the loving your neighbour book yourself, or perhaps find another that suits you better. You could also try something like the Visual Commentary on Scripture’s stations for Lent, taking up a new pattern of daily prayer or Bible study, or simply trying to find 5 to 10 minutes each day to be quiet with God.

AJPCM

I’m conscious we need to be grateful at this time of year for the people working hard behind the scenes to get our paperwork right and tight for the annual meeting after Easter. Don’t forget we are still looking to fill roles on our council and in our church life so if any of the following call to you (however faintly) please get in touch:

·        Benefice Treasurer;

·        Benefice Safeguarding Lead, and/or parish safeguarding officer for Chiddingstone;

·        Benefice Buildings Rep;

·        Chiddingstone Church Warden;

·        Joint Council Member in one of the new roles to be formed in the upcoming annual meeting.

I was also speaking to our archdeacon this week about the importance of our safeguarding training. She was very clear this needs to be a greater priority for us, but I’m conscious that for many of us online training can be daunting. We are there for putting on a training day so that we can all get up to speed on our safeguarding training together. On the 16th of March we will be gathering at st John the Baptist’s for coffee, pastries and safeguarding training! Everyone is welcome, but if you hold any kind of role within the life of the church, from the tea rota to the choir, it really helps us build a welcoming community that actively protect the vulnerable. All of our leaders and office holders will need to complete this training before the APCM. We will be emailing everyone who must or should complete their training over the coming week or so, so do look out for that email.

Memorial Book

From our memorial book, we remember with thanksgiving: 

·        18-Feb          Christine Bell

·        19-Feb          Olwen Mary Hosegood

·        22-Feb          Anne Catherine Hills

·        23-Feb          Betty Thelma Batson

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

(If you would like to add somebody to our memorial book you can fill in the form on our website, or simply contact office@highwealdchurches.org.uk and enquire.)

Upcoming Services –

Sunday  18 February – first Sunday of Lent

1000 Sung Holy Communion at St John the Baptist’s

(Those wishing to get to church early to avoid the road closures will find tea and coffee waiting for them and serving after 9 a.m.)

1800 Compline at St Mary’s

Sunday 25 February – second Sunday of Lent

10am:       Sung Holy Communion in St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway

5pm:         All Age Service Fordcombe Village Hall

(The hall is open from 3:00 p.m. for tea and cake.)

Learning and growing: 

Some upcoming courses in the wider diocese - 

A Quiet Day in Lent with space to prayerfully reflect on key moments in Jesus' ministry 

Saturday 24 February 2024 10am - 3pm

For more information, see the Diocesan website.

An Introduction to Christian Meditation 

Saturday 23rd March 2024 10am - 3pm 

at St Benedict’s Centre, West Malling ME196JX 

The Revd Mark Ball introduces the tradition and practice of Christian Meditation as taught by John Main and the World Community for Christian Meditation (wccm.org).

For more information, see the Diocesan website.

Joint appeal
It is still possible to donate to the joint appeal to support those affected by the war in the Holy Land, launched by Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop Hosam Naoum, calling for prayers and donations, both for the vital work of Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, and also for the wide range of ministries of the Diocese of Jerusalem which are also being greatly affected by the war.

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). 

Best wishes,

Lisa & Lindsay