A message from Revd. Lee

Dear Friends,

As I sit to write to you this time, I do so on a grey and overcast day on the 9th of June. Today marks my first year with you. And what an exciting year it has been!  I have so enjoyed getting to know you and sharing in life, worship and ministry with you all. I have learned already so much about how you express your faith and live out the call you have received to serve. This was expressed so very well at the now memory (Shameless reminder of last month’s letter) of our Jubilee weekend. What an amazing time! And it was wonderful to see the whole Benefice coming together across the whole weekend.

I am also discovering that many readers of this magazine, and of my letters, are not regular worshipers in our Churches. In conversation with many in this category, I understand that they, you, do support what you identify as your Parish Church well. It’s a wonderful thought to know that my congregation whilst not always gathered, is much wider that I had first realised. With this knowledge, I am inspired, yet cannot help but wonder why many of you do not come to Sunday Services? I wonder out of a genuine curiosity here, not from a point of judgment, neither from expectation. My pondering leads me to asking the question of why?

We as the church, strive to reach out in acts of love and service to our communities. I understand that may sound pious and a little holier than thou, however, our intentions are no doubt, similar to yours. We wish to do good in the world. In the Church we use God to help us measure what good looks like. And sometimes we might even get it right!

I began my letter by stating that I have been here now a year. On the 16^th July I would like to bring the whole benefice together, especially those who read this letter yet don’t visit us regularly, for what we are calling the Big Church Conversation. You are invited!!!

This will be held at St. George’s Church, Ruishton on Saturday 16th July at 10am, finishing with a Buffet Lunch at 1.30pm at the Ruishton Inn. Please let us know if you would like to come along. Via e-mail to: crtparishchurches@outlook.com or call the Office 01823 444793.The day will provide an opportunity for all of us to begin to look at what the next year or two might look like??? We will look at questions about what it means to be a community in 2022; what our Sunday Services offer; and at what other times might we wish to meet; what events to hold in our Villages; how we might serve in the challenging times ahead and even a little time to reflect. I hope you will save the date and come along. In the meantime, I hope you all are able to have an amazing Summer, that you are able to take a little time out of your usual routine to enjoy the gift of warmer brighter days and that you are able to do so in the company of friends. We take a break from our Magazine in August, so until September, be amazing to each other.