Brief excerpts from report to the 2025 Parish Annual meetings
Dear friends,
Last month the three parishes took part in their Annual Meetings when we celebrated our achievements over the past year and looked ahead to the prospects and challenges during 2026. Particularly encouraging has been the development of the Breakfast Service and of Messy Church. I am deeply grateful for the many regular groups, events and gatherings from our Lent and Advent courses, Pop-up, Coffee Stop, skittles and quiz nights to our summer evenings and Harvest Lunch at Thornfalcon, Cream Teas, Christmas Lunch plus new ventures such as the Christmas Tree Festival and the Community Choir. They remind us that church is far more that Sunday mornings alone.
However, we are faced with challenges relating to finance and congregations who are not getting any younger. We need to shape parish life in ways that are sustainable, life-giving and focused clearly on mission. This raises questions that we can raise prayerfully, honestly and with hope. As the Benefice moves into a new year together we know that the future may not look exactly like the past. Our hope has never rested on nostalia for former days. Our hope rests in the God of the Harvest who continues to work quietly and faithfully among His people. So let us move forward together with courage, compassion, honesty and hope.
Rev'd Lee