Sunday evening witnessed an important event in the Itchen Valley parish calendar—the Patronal Festival Evensong in St Swithun’s, Marty Worthy.

This year we were delighted to have returning into our midst as our guest preacher none other than the Revd Canon Andrew Micklefield (rector here from 2010 to 2015). I am grateful for the various services that Andrew has come back to lead in recent years when I have been away; but this time it was great to be able to lead worship together (and also to take it in turns to lead in the singing of the Sung Prayers!).

Thank you, Andrew, for pointing us so clearly in your sermon to the call of Jesus on each of our lives and for your encouragement to be those who follow in St Swithun’s example of practising gentleness and lowliness in His service.

And then a big ‘Thank You’ to Lucinda Ffennell and Verity Coleman for masterminding the team of those helping lay on the wonderful supper that took place in the Village Hall afterwards.

The weather too was kind—enabling us to enjoy a summer evening in the Valley at its best. However, several of us noted that the weather forecast for the next day (Monday 15 July, St Swithun’s Day, when tradition has it that, if it rains on that day, we will have rain for another 40 days) was for rain most of the day. And this proved all too true—let’s hope the Jet Stream moves a little bit north soon!