Dear Friends and Neighbours,
Remember, Remember……. We do a lot of remembering at the beginning of November: the Saints on All Saints Day, followed by all the ones we have loved but are now out of sight on All Souls Day. On Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, we remember all those who gave the biggest sacrifice, their lives in war.
So where, you may ask, is hope?
Hope is found in celebrating the love we shared, their courage, and a faith that death could not defeat. Jesus promised that light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never put it out. Hope lives in the way we honour those who went before us: by choosing peace over conflict, kindness over division, and love over indifference.
As the nights draw in and the fallen leaves remind us of seasons passing, memory can sometimes feel tied to sadness. But Christian hope is not about looking backward with regret; it is about looking forward with assurance.
In our parish community, that hope shows up in simple, everyday acts of care—a hot cup of tea shared with a neighbour, a quiet prayer offered for someone in pain, or a welcoming smile on a rainy Sunday morning. Every time we reach out to help or comfort one another, we bring a little piece of God's hope into our world.
This November, as we hold our memories close, let us also look around us. May we be a community that carries hope for one another, shining brightly as a reminder of God's endless warmth and grace.
Yours in Christ,
Sandra Edgerton
Licensed Lay Reader
Dear Friends and Neighbours
“Be fruitful and multiply”
In our Harvest Thanksgiving Service we offer to God our produce in gratitude for the
bountiful yield and His generous provision for our needs, for the labour of farmers and
gardeners, and the rain, sunshine and growth of the crops through God’s grace.
We give thanks also for those who contribute in other ways to our well-being and material
needs, for the productivity of our industries, public services, schools and universities. We
offer also as a Harvest offering to God our skills, expertise and time, to be used for the
benefit of others as well as ourselves.
Above all we thank God for the spiritual growth and Harvest of souls, for those who have
allowed the Word to grow in their hearts, and who give their fruit by sharing the love of God
with everyone they meet, especially those who are still seeking the spiritual side of their
lives. We thank God for the seed of His word in our hearts that is growing and bearing fruit
through His grace. Our gift is to be aware of and alert to the spiritual needs of others, and to
find out where God is working among us, so that we can join in bringing in the Harvest in
God’s Kingdom.
Yours in Christ
Rev’d Victor Barley
Dear Friends and Neighbours,
For many, September brings change: a first day at school, moving on to secondary school or university, starting a new job, or leaving home. Each time, this change affects not only the individual but everyone around them. For some, it brings excitement; for others, trepidation. For some, smiles; for others, tears.
On 6th September, we mark Ian’s last service in our benefice. After the service, we will share a buffet lunch, giving us all the opportunity to thank Ian for his ministry over the last five years and for bringing a unique benefice of seven churches together. It is also a chance to thank him and Kelly-Ann for their friendship and support, especially for sharing Iris’s first months with us—her baptism, her first smiles, and her first steps. We pray that God guides them on their coming journey of change in Bath and keeps them all safe.
Our benefice also moves into a season of change. Lately, I have noticed the word ‘vacancy’ creeping into our vocabulary: “we will be in a time of vacancy,” or “I wonder how long the vacancy will last.” Although this is the standard term used when a Rector moves on, it can sometimes carry a negative feeling about the future.
Recently, Ian preached on the feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. He drew our attention to how the disciples could only see the small amount of food they had, but Jesus saw that gift, blessed it, and fed everyone—with 12 baskets left over! As human beings, we can tend to focus on what we lack rather than on what we have. We are the small army of volunteers who keep our parish churches functioning—the people Ian thanked in the last Village News, and whom Jesus sees with all our individual gifts.
Another term often used is ‘interregnum’, which means a pause between kings or leaders. Yet we keep our King of kings, and we will continue worshipping Him and praying for His guidance, both individually and together across our churches.
Our churchwardens have agreed on an 8-week rota that enables each church to host one service each month, alternating between Eucharist/Holy Communion (BCP) with visiting priests and Morning Worship or Evensong. Winford has an extra service to complete the 8-week cycle, and any 5th Sunday in a month will be held in Chew Stoke. This makes it straightforward for each church to remember 'their Sunday' of the month:
There will also be additional services whenever our churchwardens are able to arrange them, and these will be included in the monthly service list.
"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
With my best wishes,
Sandra Edgerton
Licensed Lay Reader