St. Paul’s Church, Chippenham

REV EDWARD HUXLEY - I am delighted that the Rev Edward Huxley has been appointed to our new Team Vicar role (Minister at Large-Missioner-Evangelist). He is currently the Curate at Sea Mills in Bristol and will be licensed on Sunday 13 July and start work with us in August. Edward studied aeronautical engineering at Bristol University before training at Trinity College for ordination. He is married to Rachel and they will live in the house in Garth Close. It will be great to have them with us!

THIS YEAR’S CHURCHWARDENS - I want to thank Neville Hammersley and Cynthia Smith who have both served terms as churchwardens and have stood down this year. A BIG THANK YOU for all you have done and contributed to our church life.

I am very pleased that we have a full team of wardens for the coming year:

• Hardenhuish: Derek Boulton & Debbie Loveday
• Kington St Michael: Pam Tayler & Colin Labouchere
• Langley Burrell: Veronica Kilmister & Sue Gale
• St Paul’s: Judy & Martin Ellett and Michael & Wendy Meilton

(You will note that we have decided to have two couples as wardens at St Paul’s – legally Martin & Michael are the wardens but for all practical purposes we are treating them as a foursome and please feel free to talk to any of them about churchwarden matters – I think this is a great new way forward and should help them to feel well supported. We also have Rachel Collins, Julie Swales and Graham & Helen Pattison as deputy wardens.)

MY RE-LICENSING - took place at the home of the Bishop of Swindon on Thursday 15 May. This gives me a licence for the next 7 years here as Team Rector (until April 2015) … though does not guarantee that I will stay for the whole of that time! As far as I can see God wants me here at this time – all things and timings are in his hand! Bishop Lee was very encouraging and spoke of the parable of the talents in our context and of Jesus saying that “those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance” (Matthew 13:12a). So, let’s see this as a indication of the way forward for us all!

FAREWELL TO ANJALI, NEIL, NITHILAN & JEYAN - St Paul’s will greatly miss the Kanagaratnam family as they move to Thailand where Neil has a new job. Thank you to them for all they have contributed and to Anjali in the role she has had as SPARKS leader and Reader! Do please pray for them as they make this major move. We look forward to keeping them in our prayers as they are part of the CMS SALT programme.

CONFIRMATION SERVICE - is taking place at St Paul’s on Sunday 8 June at 10am (and replaces our normal morning services). Bishop Lee is coming to confirm 10 candidates from our churches and 6 from St Peter’s Frogwell. So please do come along and take the opportunity to support our candidates and to be reminded of your own confirmation promises (and commitment to Jesus).

ST PAUL’S LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE - at the Annual Meeting we announced that the leaders of our Mission & Vision Groups would be

• Caring For Ourselves - Sam Rushton
• Out Of Parish - Ann Tyndall
• Outreach - Phil Crook
• Resources & Property - Graham Pattison
• Worship & Discipleship - Karin Needham
• Youth & Children - Edward Huxley

and along with the Chair of PCC (Ron Pool), the four Wardens and me this group will form a leadership team that will work with the PCC.

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psalm 125:1

What a lovely promise – God is good!

WELCOME TO SAM, PETER, MATTHEW & ADAM! - we are delighted to welcome the new Ministry Officer for the diocese Rev Sam Rushton and her family as they move to Cepen Park North and come to join us in our group of churches. Sam will be licensed in her diocesan post on Monday 9 June at Church House in Bristol (and I will be there as she also receives her license to minister in our Group). Please pray for them as they move in and settle into Chippenham.

SUNDAY JUNE 15 - 7.00pm in St Paul’s hall will be an OPEN TO GOD.

KINGTON ST MICHAEL FETE - takes place on Saturday 14 June between 2.00pm & 4.00pm at Kington Manor. Come along and enjoy a lovely afternoon in a glorious setting and support the work of St Michael’s church.

GOING DEEPER - is for those who would like to think further about our sermon series on HOW TO BE CHURCH (looking at 1 Corinthians 11-14). These open evenings of talk and study are continuing on June 4 and 11 in St Paul’s church hall. Do come along and delve deeper into the Scriptures!

THE VILLAGE HALL ON SUNDAY - takes place on Sunday June 15 from 9.30am in Kington St Michael Village Hall and promises to be (as the previous ones) well-worth coming along to. It is a lovely way to engage with God and each other – to find a different way of worshipping and growing together!

LEE ABBEY 2008 - a date for your diary … we are having our next Lee Abbey weekend 10-12 October 2008. We are very fortunate that our speaker will be the Rev Paul Bayes who is the National Mission and Evangelism Adviser for the Church of England. Please contact Ron & Margaret Pool for more details on the places available. It should be a great weekend and a lovely way to get to know one another and to go deeper into God.

…AND CALLING TEENAGERS! - for those aged 11-14 years there are still opportunities to sign up for The Beacon. It is a great time of fun away from the adults and children and offers many fun activities at the Lee Abbey weekend. Jane Bailey has more details!

BRISTOL DIOCESAN COLLECT FOR GROWTH - we are going to use this prayer as the basis for our morning sermon series in the coming quarter.

Gracious God,
grant us the imagination
to see fresh possibilities for growth
and the passion to bring them to birth.

Deepen our commitment to your ways;
expand our partnership in your cause;
increase our influence for your purpose;
and add to the numbers of those who
acclaim you as Lord.

Lead us from the fear of failure
to that confidence which flows from faith
and to lives of fruitfulness and joy.

In the power of your Spirit
help us to create communities of wholeness
with Christ at the centre;
for in his Holy name we ask.

Amen

THEMES & READINGS - and so for June these will be the themes & Bible readings

• June 1 - Good Foundations - Matthew 7:21-29
• June 8 - Confirmation Service
• June 15 - Gracious God - Psalm 119:1-8, Acts 1:1-11
• June 22 - Imagination - Psalm 119:9-16, Acts 1:12-26
• June 29 - Passion - Psalm 119:17-32, Acts 2:1-13

MIDWEEK BIBLE READINGS - at our midweek services of Holy Communion (10am on Wednesdays at St Paul’s – and 10am Thursdays at Kington St Michael) we are starting a series LETTER TO THE CHURCHES (Revelation 1-3)

• June 4/5 - Greetings - Revelation 1:1-8
• June 11/12 - John’s Vision - Revelation 1:9-20
• June 18/19 - Ephesus - Revelation 2:1-7
• June 25/26 - Smyrna - Revelation 2:8-11

PRAYER FOR THE MONTH – As I write with terrible problems in Burma, China, Zimbabwe & Lebanon, I have chosen this prayer from Christian Aid which challenges our commitment to the plight of others.

God of the rushing wind,
sweep through my indifference.
God of the fiery flames,
ignite my compassion.
God of the many voices,
open my mouth to speak out against injustice.
That through your Spirit
and my actions
this world may be transformed.
Amen

Simon Tyndall