As most of you will know, our little group of churches – at Hampton, Sedgeberrow and Hinton-on-the Green – is currently ‘in vacancy’. We no longer have a stipendiary priest (or ‘vicar’) at the helm, and all of our services are now being led by volunteers. For this reason, you will notice some changes to our service plan for December. We cannot sustain everything that everyone has been used to over the years; we are having to ‘cut our coat according to our cloth’, as the saying goes!
On 18th October, I chaired a two-hour meeting of our five regular worship leaders, together with most of the churchwardens. At that meeting, we worked out which services we could reasonably offer without putting too much pressure on anyone.
For December, we decided that some of our services could be shared jointly. For instance, on the morning of 15th December, Sedgeberrow are inviting the other churches to share their Tree Memorial Service with Communion. Everyone will have the chance to place a bauble on a tree of remembrance for ‘those we love but see no longer’.
On the following Sunday (22nd), there will be a Benefice Eucharist at Hampton, with our guest president and preacher, Rev’d Canon Doug Chaplin. Then, on Christmas Night (24th), team Sedgeberrow are invited to share in the 8pm Communion service at Hinton, which will be led by Archdeacon Mark Badger. Finally, on Christmas morning, Hampton will host our Benefice Eucharist.
We very much hope that this ‘teaming up’ for some of our special festive services will feel beneficial, not least because the singing will be better! Of course, for some it will be more hassle getting to another church, but please do let Caryl at the office know if you need transport and we will do our best to arrange that for you.
I will write in January’s magazine to share our plans for the revised worship pattern in 2025. Watch this space! If, in the meantime, you have any comments our questions, please do email me.
May God bless and sustain us all as we come together to welcome his Son, who is our hope and peace in these uncertain times.
Rev’d Canon Nick Wright
revnmwright@btinternet.com