It was so good for me to back with you—after 12 days in the Holy Land—to enjoy our Sunday services together.

It was lovely to have new people joining us to celebrate Holy Communion at the later time of 08.30am (“that half hour makes all the difference!”, said someone as they went out) and to have the new time of teaching and fellowship afterwards. Thank you so much to Patrick and Charlotte Appleby for hosting us on this occasion.

And soon we were being joined by our families for our 10.00am All Age Worship service. Thanks to Sarah Noble, James Greig and Tim Clapp for taking the lead in this—and I think we will all remember Sarah’s talk on Jesus as the Light of the World (for its many ‘props’ and the way she then summarised it all on her emojis light-board!).

Then, at 5.00pm, we were back in St John’s to use the theme of Christ’s light in a different way—as a comfort and consolation to those who have lost loved ones in recent years and wanted to remember them in our Service of Prayer and Reflection. It was good to welcome several visitors who came specially for this occasion, and to enjoy so many good conversations with each other afterwards.

In some ways this was St John’s church at its best—being used as warm place of welcome in three very different services. So again may I thank all those who devoted so much time and effort ten years ago to the reordering of this church.

The next two Sundays are special ones in our calendar:

• Sunday 13 November: Remembrance Sunday, with acts of Remembrance in each village
• Sunday 20 November: Festival of Christ the King, with a special 5.00pm Choral Evensong in St Swithun’s Martyr Worthy

With love and prayers to you all

Revd Peter