The Parish of Freshford, Limpley Stoke and Hinton Charterhouse
Dear Friends, some of you will know others still wondering about the plans for our retirement. We have had to delay due to housing problems, finding a suitable property for us and for Celia to live in. As things stand today, neither of us have handed in our three months’ notice but we are hoping that will change this month.
On Saturday 29th June I went with a few of our members down to Wells Cathedral for the Ordination as a priest of Harry Wainwright who we were privileged to have with us for two years during his training. He is now curate in Frome but he asked if we would come to this ordination service, I missed his one last year, but was free this. Harry was justifiably elated, yet aware of the magnitude of what he was agreeing to do on behalf of God, the church and the congregations he will minister with. It bought back so many memories of my own ordination 33 years before in St David’s Cathedral. The words had changed a lot, not only because the Church in Wales has its own services, but because in an effort to please everybody the emphasis had changed. I particularly felt that the actual moment of Ordination was truncated by the anointing with oil of his hands. The main purpose of his Ordination as a priest is that the Bishop, whose Mitre (Hat) is a symbol of the fire of the Holy Spirit, has the authority of the church to ask the Spirit of God to fill Harry with all he needed for ministry. The anointing, though a lovely touch, was secondary to the ordination. Maybe it is just that my own ordination still creates a huge and precious memory in my past that none other will ever live up to it!
Nevertheless, Harry is now a priest and I know how much that will mean to him. The task of the priest is to represent God to us mortals and us humans to almighty God. We can do this ourselves but not everyone feels able to do so. The priest becomes that intermediary and the task of the priest is to be, and I quote:
An online survey listed all the qualities that people expect from ‘perfect’ pastors:
They preach for exactly twelve minutes.
They are twenty-eight years of age, but have been preaching for thirty years.
They work from 8 am until midnight every day, but are also the caretaker.
They frequently condemn sin, but never upset anyone.
They wear good clothes, buy good books, drive a good car, give generously to the poor and have a low salary.
They make fifteen daily calls to parish families, visit the housebound and the hospitalised, spend all their time evangelising the un-churched and are always in the office when they are needed.
They are also very good-looking!
However, this is an impossibility but it does reveal some of the expectations for the role. Harry is not paid and runs his bookshop to enable him to give his time freely to the church, so we could cut out a few of the criteria above. Please continue to hold Harry up in your thoughts and prayers.
Keep your ears open as eventually we will be retiring and you don’t want to miss it!
Blessing to you all.
Mike
So what is the pattern of our services in July 2024?
7th July 10.30am Morning communion in St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse
14th July 10.30am Morning service in St Peter’s, Freshford
21st July 10.30 Baptism and informal communion at 10.30am taken by Nigel Rawlinson, chaplain of the university at St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke
28th July at 10.30am Morning communion in St Peter’s, Freshford
4th August 10.30am Morning communion in St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse.
Midweek Holy Communion service *
At St Peter’s Church, Freshford on Wednesday 31st of July
at 2.15pm
* This is an informal service using more traditional language and pre-consecrated bread and wine. The service will last for approximately 30 minutes.
Wednesday afternoons – Tea, cake & chat
Please do come and join us in the Old Bakery on Wednesday afternoons from 2.30 – 4.00 for tea, coffee, cake and chat. Everyone is very welcome.
Ladies Wednesday walking group
The next walk will be on the 10th of July, 7th of August, 4th of September, 9th of October and the 6th of November. December date to be decided nearer the time. Debbie Ashcroft
Monday Zoom sessions
If you don’t get out much and feel like a chat, a small group of us
zoom together for 45 minutes on a Monday morning. To give it a try,
please contact Penny Jones on jonespennyg@gmail.com.
List of contacts
Rector
Rectorymike@gmail.com Tel 01225 723570 (Day off Friday!)
Churchwardens St Peter’s, Freshford
Roland Birchby birchbyr@gmail.com or Tel: 01225 723432
Debbie Ashcroft debbieashcroft@live.co.uk
Steve Ashcroft steveashcroft@hotmail.co.uk
Churchwarden St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse
Karen Roberts-Wray (Grattage) kgrattage@me.com orTel: 01225 729364
Churchwardens St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke
Kathy Tucker Kathltucker.cleevefarm@gmail.com orTel: 07883 301500
Richard Hutchinson Richardloshhutch@aol.com
Wednesday Mornings 8.30am at the Old Bakery.
Please join us as we pray for the parish. Pam Southam
Midweek Holy Communion service *
At St Peter’s Church, Freshford on Wednesday 24th April
at 2.15pm
* This is an informal service using more traditional language and pre-consecrated bread and wine. The service will last for approximately 30 minutes.
Wednesday afternoons – Tea, cake & chat
Please do come and join us in the Old Bakery on Wednesday afternoons from 2.30 – 4.00 for tea, coffee, cake and chat. Everyone is very welcome.
Ladies Wednesday walking group
The next walk will be on the 10th of April, 1st of May, 5th of June, 10th of July, 7th of August, 4th of September, 9th of October and the 6th of November. December date to be decided nearer the time. Debbie Ashcroft
Monday Zoom sessions
If you don’t get out much and feel like a chat, a small group of us
zoom together for 45 minutes on a Monday morning. To give it a try,
please contact Penny Jones on jonespennyg@gmail.com.
List of contacts
Rector
Rectorymike@gmail.com Tel 01225 723570 (Day off Friday!)
Churchwardens St Peter’s, Freshford
Roland Birchby birchbyr@gmail.com Tel: 01225 723432
Debbie Ashcroft debbieashcroft@live.co.uk
Steve Ashcroft steveashcroft@hotmail.co.uk
Churchwarden St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse
Karen Roberts-Wray (Grattage) kgrattage@me.com Tel: 01225 729364
Churchwardens St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke
Kathy Tucker Kathltucker.cleevefarm@gmail.com Not available
Richard Hutchinson Richardloshhutch@aol.com
Administrator
Debs Jones contact.parishoffice@gmail.com Tel: 01225 720347