Welcome to the first of our monthly round-ups!
At our recent Annual Parochial Church Meeting, the topic of communications came up. Some of you felt that it would be helpful to share good news stories across the Parish and, also, to hear what’s been going on. We took this on board, and…here we are!
June was a very busy month for us all. Beth has just returned from a six-week sabbatical, during which she travelled around Europe researching the resistance movement during the Second World War. We have loved reading the updates on her blog – though we did feel for her, when she ended up having an unexpected 8-hour tour of southern Norway! She has now returned, refreshed and revitalised, to continue her ministry amongst us.
The weather has finally brightened up! It’s a shame that the sun wasn’t shining for Messy Church Goes Wild at St Dunstan’s on the 15th June, but that didn’t stop the faithful few who enjoyed it, despite the wind and rain.
Thankfully, the pilgrimage to St Alban’s was rather different, and the sun certainly shone there. A group from across the parish joined many other pilgrims from churches named after St Alban for a parade through the city centre, which retells – each year – the life of England’s first saint.
Have you ever been on a pilgrimage before? This can be any kind of journey that is made with the intention of encountering God in Christ. It can be made on foot, by bike, or by bus. It can be undertaken alone or in a group, with family, friends or strangers. All you need is an openness to what the journey might offer, and a willingness to be changed.
Speaking of a willingness to be changed, we’re always open to your ideas about what we could do to better serve the communities around us. Thanks to one such suggestion, we held a prayer service for peace at St Oswald’s on Thursday 27thJune. There are so many conflicts going on around the world, and sometimes it feels like we’re powerless. But we are not without hope, and we can always pray. For ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1:5). So please do speak to us if you have any ideas, and we’d love to help them come to fruition.
And finally: new headteacher for St Dunstan’s incoming! We’re delighted to announce that Amy Mann, currently Vice Principal and Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Cheam Fields School has been appointed and will take up her role on 1st September. Please pray for her, and for the whole school community, as a new chapter begins.
With every blessing,
The Clergy Team
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