The Church of England in St Mary’s, Sixpenny Handley,
Gussage St Andrew and St Rumbold’s, Pentridge.
Gussage St Andrew and St Rumbold’s, Pentridge.
It is now coming up five years since Margaret and I came here. In that time I have been grateful for all the dedicated hard work by many, many people – far too many people to name. I hope I have tried to listen and learn where we are in this place - and where we need to go. One of the privileges of my position is having time to pray and reflect and talk and listen, and one of my roles is to try to pull ideas together. I am talking about vision – God’s vision – for this place.
We cannot separate worship, theology, pastoral and social concern and practical issues. They come as a package; each is vitally important. And our vision is incomplete until we turn our talking into action.
The new welcome area at the back of the church with restored font in its new position.
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After discussing the way ahead on practical issues we have moved the medieval font out from the base of the tower, where it had been placed by the Victorians. It now stands proudly on a new Purbeck stone floor at the back of the church, providing a visual focus to our new social area. It looks like it has always been there! This gave us space to bring mains water into the church and install a toilet. Smart opaque glass doors now separate the base of the tower from the rest of the church and provide a neat setting for the font and stone. We could not have achieved this without the dedicated work of our project managers and churchwardens and everyone who worked to raise the funds. Thank you.
The PCC in Sixpenny Handley has already talked and considered much. We knew that we had to be consistent in order to grow, and out of this has come the current service pattern. We have each style of worship at the same time every week. This is a big commitment for a small church, but I believe it is showing growth. It would not have been possible without the very hard work of our worship leaders, musicians, readers, sidespeople, coffee-makers and cleaners. Thank you!
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I would ask you to think and pray for the church in our villages. We have to balance the fact that we are the living Body of Christ, with the fact that we worship in three beautiful old buildings, which are also part of our heritage. This does not mean that we stand still! I believe God has exciting plans for His Church in this place. |
We still want to improve the heating and sound system, and install better lighting and a vision system. At no stage has any of the work affected our outward giving and concern for our neighbours and the world. If you would like to contribute to these exciting projects, please talk to us!
At Gussage St Andrew we shall have the electrical system renewed, improved lighting and conservation work on the medieval paintings carried out this year. We are looking at ways we can use this beautiful little chapel, with so much history and prayer soaked into its walls, as a resource for its community. And at St Rumbold›s, Pentridge we are quietly getting on with worshipping God – in a traditional way and traditional language, yes, but with real depth and insight.
Both our churchyards have won awards for their management to help the local environment, as well as providing peaceful havens for visitors. We are constantly looking for ways we can help those around us, care for those who belong to us, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Mel Durrant, February 2011