All things new

Dear friends,

A very warm welcome to the Revd David Benskin and his family, who was licensed by Bishop Gavin at St Leonard’s last Thursday and conducted his first services as our new Team Vicar on Sunday. Very many thanks too are due to the churchwardens at Woodcote; Martin, Barbara, and now Sue, for their steering the ship during the vacancy, along with my colleagues on the staff team for helping to ensure that services of all kinds were able to continue. Well done, everyone. Please do pray for David, Alice, and the girls as they begin to get to know everyone at St Leonard’s, and on the wider team. Please also pray that they will be able to move into the Vicarage before too long.

Our worship services this week at Checkendon and Stoke Row are as below – if you have a companion animal, or indeed wish to give thanks for all the animals who have touched your life, do join us at Checkendon on Sunday at 11am.

Worship Services for Sunday 16th July

9.30am Informal Worship at St John’s Stoke Row with Revd Romey Poston

11am Animals’ Service at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Canon Kevin Davies

Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm  410 935 129

All things green

The  courgettes are suddenly in full flow, and need daily attention, else they escape. A new variety “Verde Early” is light green and beautifully striped, contrasting wonderfully with the very dark green of the well beloved “Black Beauty”. Two potted dahlias are proving their worth, with purple foliage setting off the small creamy orange flowers. “Happy” – what a great name. Mr Squirrel has had his revenge after defeat in the battle for the strawberry patch – he has developed a taste for the dessert gooseberries, and has probably eaten about half of this years crop, by getting under the netting I used to keep the pigeons off. So, after my outrage at this incursion, the bush was stripped as I resolved that he would not get any more.

A reminder that the Checkendon School end of year music concert is on Friday at 1.30pm in school – do join us if you are able. The school end of year service is next Wednesday (19th) in Church at 2pm, again, you are warmly invited to this. Looking further ahead, on Sunday 30th July there is our Team Service and Garden Party at St Mary’s Whitchurch at 10.30am. Do put it in your diary – it is a great opportunity to gather together as a Team and celebrate God’s great love.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your Rector, Canon Kevin.