Dear friends,

A very warm welcome to this service, wherever you are worshipping this morning. May the peace and joy of the risen Jesus be with you all.

Team Celebration 30th June – next week !

Don’t forget that next Sunday is our Team Celebration service at Checkendon at 10.30am. There will be no other main morning services in our churches, so this is a great opportunity to come together to worship and celebrate our risen Lord. Next Sunday (30th) being the closest Sunday to the feast day of St Peter and St Paul (29th June), and these being Checkendon’s patron saints, we are going to remember these two giants (“pillars”) of the church, both in our worship, and afterwards over lunch at the Highwayman.

Many congratulations to James and Annabel on the birth of Archie, and also to Hayley and Gino who were married yesterday. Please remember in your prayers all new parents, and those preparing to be married in our churches during the coming months.

Revd Alan Gates to retire

Lastly, just to let you all know that Revd Alan Gates will be retiring from the Team Ministry on Sunday 25th August. Alan and Margaret have served at Ipsden and North Stoke for almost three years and have made a valuable contribution to the life of the Team, not only in their locality, but across all the parishes. All the staff and I join together in wishing Alan and Margaret much joy in this next stage of their life and ministry together. Alan’s final service in the team will be a service held at North Stoke at 11am on Sunday 25th August, to which anyone from Ipsden and the wider Team who wishes to bid farewell to him and Margaret will be very welcome.

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the rain fall softly on your fields, and may the Lord hold you in the palm of his hand. Now and always. Amen.

Your Rector                        Revd Canon Kevin Davies