July 2008

From the Vicarage….

Summer got off to a good start with the Defford cum Besford Fete. The weather was kind to us and we managed to raise over £3000 for church funds. My thanks go to the many people who gave time and cakes and things for the stalls - and indeed, those who came to spend money! There were a few teething problems with the change of venue but lessons have been learned from this year's fete and hopefully next year's will be bigger and better - and we will have sorted out the parking!

On 5th June Bishop John spent a day in the Pershore deanery. The day began with Morning Prayer in the Abbey followed by a clergy Chapter meeting. This was a time when the clergy could get to know the new bishop and his vision for the future of the diocese. There are issues in the diocese which need attention, not least of which is the need to reduce clergy numbers over the next 8 years. Bishop John has had no option other than to grasp the nettle and all vacant posts have been frozen until deanery plans have been formulated to manage clergy numbers. In this deanery there are at present 9 stipendiary priests, to be reduced to 8 by 2010 and 7 by 2016. The first of these posts will be lost in the group south of Pershore, when Jan Moore, vicar of the Beckford group, retires at the end of October. Jan will not be replaced and the proposed plan is for the remaining three priests (at Bredon, Elmley Castle and Eckington) to cover the benefice between them. This is still in the consultation period and is not, therefore, set in stone. Plans have to go before PCCs and then be passed by Deanery Synod at the meeting on 15th July.

The need to reduce clergy numbers has arisen partly because there are far more clergy retiring than are being trained and it is important that there is a fair sharing of available clergy around all the dioceses in the country. However, with parishes being unable or unwilling to pay full Parish Share to the diocese, the budget requires that we reduce our costs and clergy stipends and housing form the greater part of the diocesan budget.

What all this means for us in Defford, Besford and Eckington, is that we may need to review our pattern of worship in order to maintain services across the southern parishes. It is also going to mean that clergy will have wider responsibilities and more villages to provide support for. This gives us a wonderful opportunity to think about the gifts of the whole people of God - and to use them. Some people have a specific gift for visiting the elderly and housebound; some may be good at leading worship; others may be skilled in administration and finance. We must look at what we need as a benefice and pray that God will nudge the right people to offer their gifts for the building up of the whole body of Christ. What might YOU do to further God's kingdom in this place?

Every blessing, Susan

CHURCH SUMMER HOLIDAY CLUB, JULY 21ST- 25TH

We will be running a summer holiday club for the first week of the holidays. The club will be held at the School, and will run from 9.30am- 12.30pm every day.

It is open to any child who will be in Y1 to Y7 (as of September 2008).

There will be crafts, stories, outdoor activities, cooking, role play and generally having fun!

The church is very generously subsidising the club, so we expect the cost for families to be no more than £10 per child for the week to cover materials, snacks etc.

All the leaders have current CRB checks.

Places are limited to 40, so please, if you would like your child or children to come and join us, let one of us know as soon as possible!

Thank you!

Kalantha Brewis 750115 and Karen Sagar 750401

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DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY

On the weekend of 11th-13th July hundreds of people from all over Worcester Diocese will gather at the Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire for lectures, discussion and worship.

The organisers have asked that on Sunday 13th July, deaneries come together for worship and so on that day, there will be no services in Defford, Besford and Eckington.

Deanery services that day will take place in the Elmley Castle Benefice as follows:-

8.30am - Holy Communion - Great Comberton Church

10.00am - Deanery Family Eucharist - Elmley Castle Church

6.00pm - Deanery Celtic Service - Bricklehampton Church

Please support these services.

There will also be the usual services at Pershore Abbey

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FLOWER FESTIVAL AND OPEN GARDENS

The Flower Festival and Open Gardens made a profit of almost £10,000.

Well done to everyone for all your hard work.

We are hoping to use some of this money to improve the access to the front of the church.

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