WELCOME TO ST MARY'S AND ALL SOULS
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Ready Steady Grow Pre-School |
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Take a look at the churches in the Benefice from the air |
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St Mary's and All Souls Services We will post any revisions to services here and on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysAndAllSouls |
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St Mary's and All Souls latest Newsletter |
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PCC Papers You can now download minutes and other PCC documents from the PCC page |
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Food Bank latest needs: https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ *PLEASE DON'T SEND US FROZEN OR CHILLED ITEMS AS WE DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT STORAGE FOR IT AND IT SPOILS BEFORE WE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT* WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF PASTA, CEREAL & BISCUITS
Thank you!
Judith Simmonds will be taking the Parish contributions towards the end of the month so please drop your donations into our box in the porch before then. |
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The Church Of England Daily Prayer |
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Rev Susan writes:
It is hard to believe that we are almost halfway through the year but June is here and with it comes warmer sunny weather (hopefully), St Martin’s Church Fete (will there be wet sponges thrown at the Rector this year?), a concert in Well Hill, a Benefice service preceded by afternoon tea at St Mary’s and a ‘new’ priest taking up his new role.
All of these are events to look forward to though I want to reflect on just one right now. A new priest arriving in a benefice can set all sorts of thoughts buzzing. Some people may wonder, “Does this mean everything is changing?” Others may quietly ask, “Will the Rector still be our Rector?” And at least one person will probably want to know whether the new priest takes sugar in their tea and can be safely added to the coffee rota. Well, even though Rev Martin has been with us as Curate since 2022 I am ashamed to admit that I still don’t know if he takes sugar in his tea, but I can definitely state that he cannot be added to the coffee rota!
So let me reassure you all, you still have a Rector, the ministry, love, leadership, prayer, and pastoral care that has been given by the ministry team and myself is not being packed away in a box marked “previous arrangements”. Rather, the arrival of a new priest is a gift of companionship and shared calling. It means there is another pair of hands, another listening ear, another voice in prayer, another person to notice what God is doing among us.
And that is hopeful. Because parish ministry is wonderfully varied. On any given week it can include preaching, funerals, school visits, pastoral conversations, emails, Eucharists, baptism families, rotas, several church meetings, lost keys, and someone asking whether the church chairs really have to go back exactly where they came from.
So, whilst we were saying farewell to Rev Michael, I met with the Archdeacon and secured a new post to be a colleague. The wider church appreciates the work of the Rector and congregations, and this added post is a sign that the life of this benefice matters enough to be strengthened. It allows the ministry here to breathe more deeply, to reach a little further, and perhaps even to let me have a cup of hot chocolate before needing to move off to the next service.
The hope is not that one priest will do less so another can do more. The hope is that together, with different gifts and one shared purpose, the clergy, ministry team and congregation will be better able to serve Christ in this place.
We are not beginning again from scratch. We are continuing a story already full of faithfulness, prayer, laughter, endurance, and grace. Rev Martin joins us in his new role not to overwrite that story, but to help write the next chapter.
And with God’s help, it may be a very good one.
Reverend Susan
Rev Martin will be licensed as part-time Associate Vicar of the Benefice of Chelsfield with Green Street Green and Pratts Bottom at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 9 June at St Mary’s. Please come along to support him.
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