Rector’s Ramblings
August sees many people off on holiday, whether it is a staycation or travels further afield. For many hard workers on the holiday club team, led by Carrie O’Regan and Helen Boswell to whom I am very grateful, it will be a time of rest and regrouping, time to thank God for all that was good and to start thinking about next year. For myself August will mark a slightly earlier return to work than I had planned. When I came to this benefice six years ago, I expected that I would be here until I retired, however I believe that God is calling me to go to another church and people. During my study leave I didn’t go looking for a new job but find that it has found me. So I am returning early from my sabbatical study leave to help prepare the benefice for my departure. My leaving service will be on 21st October and I will be licensed as priest-in-charge of St. Mary’s Goldington, which is on the east of Bedford, at 7:30pm on Monday 5th November, when I hope the service will go off with a bang to mark this next phase of my ministry. I am full of mixed feelings, thinking about those who we will be leaving and who have become such parts of our lives and the excitement of new opportunities and new friends to be made at the new church. I hope many people will be able to come and join us for my licensing and stay in touch after the move. Between now and then life will be very busy for myself and for the wardens and PCC members as we make sure the benefice is ready for its new opportunities in the coming months. Meanwhile it is also business as usual in our churches, with a special Songs of Praise at St. Peter’s Steane on 12th August and then we will be getting ready for our harvest celebrations in September, not forgetting the historic churches Ride and Stride on 8th September. This is a wonderful excuse to go and visit as many churches as possible in a day and raise money for your local church at the same time. Don’t forget if you get your house insured through Eclesistical Insurance Company who insures the church, then they will give £150 to your local church if you ask them to as they celebrate 150 years of insuring churches.
What I have been reminded about this past month is that it is right and proper that we have and make our own plans, but that God also has plans for us and that we should be ready to listen to him and be willing to take the risk and follow his call.
May God bless you one and all, Simon
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