Newsletter 23-03-24
This week’s newletter includes the upcoming services, an update on the review of the service booklets and an encouragement to complete your safeguarding training.
Newsletter. 16-03-24
This week’s newsletter, with updates on
Upcoming services
News
Forthcoming meetings
Life Events
Finances
Safeguarding
Learning and growing
and with links to
Lisa’s update on our benefice/parish Governance
The Safeguarding training to be found on the Diocesan website
A short paper on the Church of England Investments and Parish Giving.
Enjoy!
Newsletter 09-03-24
This week’s mailings from the clergy.
The year turns, and both the annual meeting and the season of our Life Events ministries are on their way. Below is the weekly newsletter - with upcoming services - and a note from Rev’d Lisa explaining the Annual Meeting and inviting your response.
Newsletter 01/03/2024
To our Benefice Friends,
Lindsay has been out of the parish all week, embroiled in General Synod, which was longer than usual, but with a number of significant items – on race, on estates ministry, on AI, on safeguarding, on how we respond to one another within the structures of the Church. We talked of Peace, of History and its legacy – and of course money and sex. All in all, most there thought it a more positive meeting than we’ve had for a while, though.
The substance of our discussion matters. This is in part because of our international relations – the Ukrainian churches will have been encouraged by our support, while our motion committing ourselves to the Rome Call for promoting an ethicalapproach to Artificial Intelligence will have improved our ability to work internationally with partner churches – but also because many of the items, on Land and Nature, for example, or on bullying, not only commit us to action but set a tone for the Church more generally. Some of the items, on Racial Justice, for example, or on Safeguarding, were important as much because of what wasrevealed about the past as our stated intentions for the future. We are a church not just of here and now, but of deep connection with those who have gone before us, and who share our faith around the world.
We’re also chuffed to share that this week our new sound systems in the Chiddingstone Churches have been installed, so you should be able to hear Sunday’s Evensong at St Luke’s really well! Our thanks to all those who have worked really hard to pull this together.
We still have our vacancies to fill:
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.
Do please talk to Lisa, or any of our Churchwardens, if you think you might be able to fill one of our important roles, or if you think you have another gifting you feel able to share. If you would simply like to have a chat with either Lisa or Lindsay, we are always happy to call (round) – just ask!
The Lent Groupscontinue – it’s not too late to join in, if you would like, or simply to pick up the book, Loving My Neighbourand follow it in your own time.
From our memorial book, we remember with thanksgiving:
1-Mar
Reginald Roy Slack
2-Mar
Gerry Waddell
Richard (Dickie) Kemp
3-Mar
4-Mar
5-Mar
Deirdre Stewart
6-Mar
7-Mar
Basil Everest
8-Mar
Winifred Edith Corney
9-Mar
Terrance Leslie Fox
Leslie Thomas William Stroud
Jean Grace James
Helen Mackenzie
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
The upcoming services are –
Sunday 3rd (Lent 3)
1000 Holly Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1800 Evensong at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sunday 10th (Lent 4) Mothering Sunday
0800 Morning Prayer at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
1000 All Age Holy Communion with the distribution of posies St Peter’s, Fordcombe
Sunday 17th (Lent 5)
0800 Morning prayer at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1000 Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Learning and growing:
Some upcoming courses in the wider diocese -
An Introduction to Christian Meditation
Saturday 23rd March 2024 10am - 3pm
at St Benedict’s Centre, West Malling ME196JX
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
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
Newsletter 24/02/24
To our Benefice Friends
A good week for sales of umbrellas and for the life of ducks! The fields through all of our Benefice villages are very waterlogged; the pot holes on the roads seem to appear afresh each day and I am getting through a lot of dog towels and floor cleaner. Wealden clay gets everywhere! Aside from the weather, I hope you have all had a good week and enjoyed the brief spells of sunshine.
Rev’d Lindsay is now at General Synod in London. The Synod is the national decision-making body for The Church of England and Lindsay is one of a handful of representatives from Rochester Diocese. The papers and background reading for the meeting are extensive and she has spent much of the week in preparation. I pray that the debates are courteous and fruitful and for God’s will to prevail in all the decisions made.
My week has involved many face to face meetings with school governance monitoring, home communions, pastoral visits, spiritual direction, and a training course in the mix. My job is never the same two days running which is both a challenge and one of the benefits.
There are two services this Sunday:
A Sung Holy Communion at St Luke’s Chiddingstone Causeway at 10am and a 5pm Informal Evening prayer at Fordcombe Village at 5pm. This short service of traditional hymns and informal liturgy follows on from the Community Tea which runs from 3-5pm. The tea and cakes are to be highly recommended. All are welcome.
Annual Parish Meeting
Many people are working hard behind the scenes to get our accounts and paperwork ready for the annual meeting on 14th April. My training course this week was to ensure I am working with the most up to date guidance. The Church Representation rules and the regulatory demands of the Charity Commission are a constant work in progress. There are several amendments for us to work with, which I will be feeding back to those preparing reports.
Parish Officers
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. A representative for ministry to Children and Families and a representative for ministry to older people.
Please look out for notices about the meeting which will include opportunities to add yourself from the parish electoral roll and guidance about how to stand for office on the Joint Council or as Warden.
From our Memorial Book
24-Feb
25-Feb
Ellen Elizabeth Everest
Kenneth Albert Stacey
26-Feb
Leslie Chandler
27-Feb
Irene Dorothy Cole
28-Feb
29-Feb
01-Mar
Reginald Roy Slack
02-Mar
Gerry Waddell
Richard (Dickie) Kemp
Upcoming Services
Sunday 25 February (Lent 2)
10..00 Holy Communion at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
17.00 All Age service, Fordcombe Village Hall
Sunday 3rd (Lent 3)
1000 Holy Communion at St John the Baptist, Penshurst
1800 Sung Evensong at St Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sunday 10th (Lent 4) Mothering Sunday
0800: Morning Prayer at St Mary the Virgin, Chiddingstone
1000: All Age Holy Communion with the distribution of
posies at St Peter’s, Fordcombe
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).
With every blessing for the week ahead
Rev’d Lisa Cornell, Rector
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
Newsletter 09/01/24
To our Benefice Friends,
Thank you for your patience with our temporary service pattern. I know some of you are missing having a service in your preferred building every week, but it’s really helping the two of us to get our feet properly under us, and we’re hearing that some of you are enjoying travelling around the benefice. Lisa and I have been looking at our service pattern, and we’re looking to return to two midmorning services every week after the Joint Annual Parochial Church Meeting. This will be on April 14th; do come and hear where we’re at as a community. Meanwhile, we’re posting our services on the new website, https://www.highwealthchurches.org.uk ,so you can always check there for updates.
We have lately been applying the House of Bishops instruction that we should not generally be dipping our bread into the wine at Communion. I know this is an uncomfortable shift for some of you, but we have been firmly told that the practice is not hygienic. Sharing a common cup, on the other hand, is not only a profound sign of mutual intimacy, but the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, have reported that the risk of infection is so small that it is undetectable. You can read more here. Anyone who still does not wish to share the common cup, however, may wish to take up the practice of taking the chalice and simply holding it for a moment before returning it, which some have found a helpful symbol of communion.
Lindsay is off to General Synod in a fortnight, so if she’s looking a bit punch-drunk, it’s on account of the number of documents she’s currently wading through! You can find out what the General Synod is up to on the Church of England website— and you can even follow it live if you’re so inclined!
As we approach lent, you might be considering new disciplines, or temporary ones, for lent.Our Lent book is below (at the time of writing eden books has a small discount running), if you want to join us in working our way through an exploration of neighbourly love, and/or you can sign up to our digital candle and have a short piece of scripture as well as something devotional (often a picture or a piece of music) sent to your phone every day. E-mail me for more information.
Vacancies
We’re very grateful to Wendy Ellis, who is taking up the mantle of Safeguarding officer for Penshurst, as well as Lead Recruiter. We also have a new administrator starting with us next month: Tabitha Haysom, who comes to us with a background in PR and is keen to be a welcoming point of contact for the benefice. Tabitha lives locally and was married in the benefice, so she has a real enthusiasm to share with others the support she herself received from us.
Do please talk to Lisa, or any of our Churchwardens, if you think you might be able to fill one of our important roles we also need filling:
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.
Lent Groups
We will be reading Loving My Neighbour together, with our Lent groups meeting each week to discuss the chapter –
Wednesdays, From 21st Feb, 7.30– 9pm hosted by Penshurst Homegroup (more details on our website)
Fridays at Chiddingstone Rectory, 1345 for 2 (note change of time).
All comers welcome!
From our memorial book, we remember with thanksgiving:
09-Feb
Charles Henry Martin
10-Feb
John M Leigh
11-Feb
Susan Elizabeth Hearle Twallin
Kitty Frances Emma Grayland
Phyllis Daisy Taylor
12-Feb
Daisy Munro
Alfred Matkins
13-Feb
Peter Godfrey-Fausset
Albert Baker
14-Feb
Ernest Hook
15-Feb
Jo Cotton
Unice Freeman
16-Feb
17-Feb
Gwynneth Eileen Kitchenham
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
The upcoming services are –
Sunday 11th February : Sunday next before lent
0800 Morning Prayer at Saint Mary’s
1000 Sung Holy Communion at St Peter’s
1600 Forest Church at Walters Green
Ash Wednesday
0915 Ash Wednesday Service led by Fordcombe School at St Peter’s
1800 Ash Wednesday Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes at St Luke’s
1900 A service to celebrate St Valentine’s Day. St Luke’s at St Luke’s.
Sunday 18th February
1000 Sung Holy Communion at St John the Baptist’s
1800 Compline at St Mary’s
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
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
It’s your calling, It’s Your Calling is aimed at those exploring where God may be calling and looks at our journey and the gifts that God has given us, as well as the Biblical understanding of vocation. The day gives an opportunity to meet others on a similar quest and to take time to think where God could be calling.
24th February, St Andrew’s Church Paddock Wood
You will need your incumbent’s approval to attend this event. Please download and complete the booking form that you will receive a link to in your confirmation email. You should return it to the address given at least one week before the event.
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
Newsletter 03/02/2024
Greetings from Revs Lindsay and Lisa.
There are two church services this Sunday and we hope that you can join us. There is an 0800 Morning Prayer service at St John the Baptist, Penshurst, and at 1000 Sung Holy Communion Service at St Luke’s Chiddingstone Causeway.
The Church Christmas season officially ended with Candlemas on Friday February 2nd. We will now share two weeks of ordinary time where altar frontals and vestments will be green, before we begin the forty-six days of Lent on Ash Wednesday with a purple array.
We have both been busy this week with many administrative and planning tasks across the Benefice.
Rev’d Lindsay has been working on our new website with guidance from Church-connect.org.
https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/
Thank you to those of you who have helped us with proofreading to date. Further constructive feedback and suggestions are welcome. Please use the e-mail links below.
The website has two key purposes: Firstly, it will act as a shop window for our family of churches and for those visiting and planning life events. The existing Penshurst website will eventually redirect people to the wider benefice site; but will be retained by the Friends of High Weald Churches for their use in stewarding the historic buildings in our care. For the time being, the sites may well duplicate some information. Please bear with us in this time of transition. Secondly: this site will become our go to resource for service information, rotas, and the like. This aspect will evolve organically as we migrate our systems into one place.
Rev’d Lisa has led Lent-themed Collective Worship in both Fordcombe and Penshurst schools. She has spent several hours in both schools as part of her brief as governor. She will visit Chiddingstone School next week for a morning doing much the same. Our Forest Church draws children from all three local schools, and it is exciting to see how our children and their families are growing in faith and relationship.
We have been busy preparing for our Lent Course. The supporting book is available here: https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/devotional/products/loving-my-neighbour
There will be an opportunity for you to attend a group to discuss the text or for you to follow a daily diet of readings, reflections, and prayer without joining a group. A flyer for this course is attached to this mailing.
A wedding preparation afternoon is planned in Fordcombe Village Hall on 9th March for our 2024 and early 2025 wedding couples. If any of you would like to help us with providing refreshments or other support for this event, we would be glad to hear from you. If you have recently been married in the parish, we would love to welcome you back to share some of your wisdom! Please contact the priest who led your wedding service.
Prayer
There are many situations and people for us to hold in prayer:
From our Memorial Book
03-Feb
Rupert Edward Vicary
04-Feb
05-Feb
John Willliam Pocock
Sydney Thomas Austin
Marjorie Irene Chandler, Wendy Hubble
06-Feb
07-Feb
Dorothy Gribble
Percy Alfred Taylor
08-Feb
09-Feb
Charles Henry Martin
10-Feb
John M Leigh
11-Feb
Susan Elizabeth Hearle Twallin
Kitty Frances Emma Grayland
Phyllis Daisy Taylor
We also pray for all of our wedding couples and all those preparing for baptisms and confirmations in the weeks ahead. We have one candidate that we will be preparing for confirmation later in the year. If any of you would like to explore baptism or confirmation for you or a member of your family, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Study
There are many courses and study days to support you in your faith journey. The Diocesan website has several to choose from: https://rochester.anglican.org/events-and-training/spirituality-events/
With every blessing for the week ahead
Revs Lisa and Lindsay
Newsletter 27/01/24
To our Benefice Friends,
It has been agreeable to be a little warmer, this week, if wetter, as Lisa & Lindsay have got on with the humb drum business of parish admin. This Sunday is the last Sunday of Christmas-and-Epiphany (don’t forget to put away any remaining decorations!) and Lent will be on us before we know it.
Do keep an eye on our website - https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk for services (currently one mid-morning service only, each week) and news. It’s being tweaked regularly, so let us know if we’ve missed something. And a reminder that we’re trying to encourage folk to visit it, so that it’s internet ‘presence’ increases, which means it will show up better if people search for it.
Also, on the subject of Lent, now is the time to start considering adding Lenten discipline to things, this year. Below are details of the lent groups and lent book (you can read the latter without attending the former, if you’d prefer) and there is always the digital candle if you would like a little bit of prayer & scripture on your phone (mostly) each day - contact Lindsay for the link.
You may, too, consider supporting the benefice with a regular direct debit, via our website, or by offering yourself to fill one of the vacancies Lisa mentioned last week:
Benefice Treasurer;
Benefice Safeguarding Lead, and/or parish safeguarding officer for Chiddingstone or Penhurst;
Benefice lead recruiter (a purely administrative role);
Benefice Buildings Rep;
Chiddingstone Church Warden;
Joint Council Member in one of the new roles to be formed in the upcoming annual meeting.
Lent Groups
We will be reading Loving My Neighbour together, with our Lent groups meeting each week to discuss the chapter –
Wednesdays, From 21st Feb, 7.30– 9pm hosted by Penshurst Homegroup Rectory,
Fridays at Chiddingstone Rectory, 1345 for 2 (note change of time).
All comers welcome!
From our memorial book, we remember with thanksgiving:
28-Jan
29-Jan
Hazel Anne Swinglehurst
30-Jan
31-Jan
Edwina (Jackie) Hall
01-Feb
02-Feb
Jean Virginia Grace Beasley
Anthony Tredissar Freeman
William Norman Bishop
Mabel Rose Hills
03-Feb
Rupert Edward Vicary
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
The upcoming services are –
Sunday 28th January
10.00am: United Benefice Sung Holy Communion at St John the Baptist Church Penshurst
6pm: United Benefice Compline at St Mary the Virgin Church in the Chapel.
Please mark in your diaries –
Ash Wednesday
0915 Ash Wednesday Service led by Fordcombe School at St Peter’s
1800 Ash Wednesday Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes at St Luke’s
1900 A service to celebrate St Valentine’s Day. St Luke’s at St Luke’s.
Sunday 28th February
8am: Morning Prayer at St John the Baptist Church Penshurst
10am: United Benefice Sung Holy Communion at St Luke’s Chiddingtone Causeway
Learning and growing:
Some upcoming courses in the wider diocese -
“In the beginning was the Word…”
A Quiet Day with space to prayerfully experiment with words and ways of writing.
Saturday 3 February 2024 10am - 3pm
at St Benedict’s Centre, West Malling ME196JX
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
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
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
It’s your calling, It’s Your Calling is aimed at those exploring where God may be calling and looks at our journey and the gifts that God has given us, as well as the Biblical understanding of vocation. The day gives an opportunity to meet others on a similar quest and to take time to think where God could be calling.
24th February, St Andrew’s Church Paddock Wood
You will need your incumbent’s approval to attend this event. Please download and complete the booking form that you will receive a link to in your confirmation email. You should return it to the address given at least one week before the event.
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
Newsletter 20/01/24
To our Benefice Friends,
This week past much of the benefice came together to say goodbye to Carol Benton, who for many years served her local community in a number of ways but with consistent love and commitment. Please continue to hold her and her family in your prayers. And as we start a new year, do let us know if you would like the benefice to pray for your dead at their year’s mind. You can either fill in the form on our website, or get in touch with us directly. There is a small fee if you would also like us to add their names to our book of remembrance, do ask us for more information if that is the case.
On which note, do please visit our website - https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk It is still a little rough around the edges, but we’re trying to encourage traffic locally so that it’s internet ‘presence’ increases. If, while you’re there, you notice any teething problems, please let us know.
This week was also met as a benefice Joint Council and began preparing for our annual meeting – of which more anon – and to agree a provision service plan for the coming months. This has been slimmed down to enable Lisa and Lindsay better to support one another while they recover from the stresses they have been under. Instead of two 10am services every week, as is usual, with some additions, we are having only one 10am in the benefice, supported by at least one other service, either early morning or tea-time, at the other end of the benefice. We have also made the decision to omit lay-led services at 10am, for a number of reasons, not least of which is so that we can all come together over this time of renewal and reflection. Please be assured, Matins is not abandoned, but it will be returning with the new pattern of services to be put before the AJCM (annual meeting of the Joint Church council) along with a – hopefully – richer provision across the board. (You can keep track of upcoming services in our regular mailing and on our shiny new website!)
Also at our JCC meeting we reviewed the Bishop’s Guidelines for intincting Communion bread. “Simultaneous Communion (aka intinction), where practiced, should only be administered by the minister. Congregants should not be dipping their ow n bread into the chalice.” This is concisely explained in this article by the Diocese of Europe.
Finally it became apparent that there is a lack of clarity about the role of the Joint Council in the wider community of the benefice. Do please read Lisa’s Governance Report, which tries to set out how the Benefice has been structured. We have several vacancies on the Joint Council and wider parish administration that need filling – see separate note from Lisa on Governance matters.
As mentioned last week, Lent begins on the 14th February, this year, which means –
· We will be reading Loving My Neighbour together, with our Lent groups meeting each week to discuss the chapter. One will be on Wednesday evenings, in rotating locations (contact us for details) and one will be hosted at Chid Rectory, Fridays at 10.30. All comers welcome!
· We will be using the Advent books again, to give them a longer run for feedback.
· We’re going to be holding two services on the 14th – see below – one penitential, and one celebratory!
Please pray for little Leonora Beare, being Christened on Sunday, and hold her and her family in your prayers as they prepare for this important day.
From our memorial book, we remember with thanksgiving:
21-Jan
Betty Raymond
22-Jan
Alistair David Robertson
23-Jan
Sidney Cutler
24-Jan
25-Jan
Patricia Ann Banks
26-Jan
Frank William May
27-Jan
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
The upcoming services are –
Sunday 21st January
10am: United Benefice Sung Holy Communion at St Luke’s Chiddingtone Causeway
5pm: United Benefice All age Service Fordcombe Village Hall
Sunday 28th January
10.00am: United Benefice Sung Holy Communion at St John the Baptist Church Penshurst
6pm: United Benefice Compline at St Mary the Virgin Church in the Chapel.
Please mark in your diaries –
Ash Wednesday
0915 Ash Wednesday Service led by Fordcombe School at St Peter’s
1800 Ash Wednesday Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes at St Luke’s
1900 A service to celebrate St Valentine’s Day. St Luke’s at St Luke’s.
Learning and growing:
Some upcoming courses in the wider diocese -
Steps to lip reading in church, a four week Bible lip reading course. The course will teach some basic lip reading shapes from a biblical theme each week and give strategies for supporting communication.
The course is free, and on Zoom, but donations to the Anna chaplaincy are gratefully received.
Mondays Jan 15, 22, 29 and February 5th, 2-3pm on Zoom.
To book contact judi.pettman@gmail.com
“In the beginning was the Word…”
A Quiet Day with space to prayerfully experiment with words and ways of writing.
Saturday 3 February 2024 10am - 3pm
at St Benedict’s Centre, West Malling ME196JX
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
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
For more information, see the Diocesan website.
It’s your calling, It’s Your Calling is aimed at those exploring where God may be calling and looks at our journey and the gifts that God has given us, as well as the Biblical understanding of vocation. The day gives an opportunity to meet others on a similar quest and to take time to think where God could be calling.
24th February, St Andrew’s Church Paddock Wood
You will need your incumbent’s approval to attend this event. Please download and complete the booking form that you will receive a link to in your confirmation email. You should return it to the address given at least one week before the event.
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
Newletter 13/01/24
To our Benefice Friends,
Greetings to you all from Revs Lisa and Lindsay. It has been lovely catching up with so many of you since the return from the Christmas break. The schools are positively buzzing with energy and lots of work is afoot across the benefice setting up services and events for the year ahead. You will, we hope, be pleased to know that Lindsay is back in harness, but on light duties, so the January slimmed down service plan will continue for now…
Contact thornburybenefice@outlook.com if you would like to be added to the weekly Newsletter mail out.