In his last video recorded a few weeks ago in Bahrain, Bishop Richard talks about camels -- and the pervasive influence of materialism in our culture.He says 'consumerism fuels insecurity and unhappiness.' ... So how might we model generosity? 'Don't spend more; give more away!' He concludes: 'Our Father is a generous God. May He help us to be the same.'Bishop Richard's weekly video message #205You can find a transcript of this week's video on the diocesan website.
Bishop Richard has been in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the consecration of our former Rural Dean, Sean Semple, as the new Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf.From the perspective of Bahrain, Bishop Richard reflects on how the familiarity we have with our own culture has stopped us seeing how radically detached the UK has become from its Christian foundations. 'We live in a country now where we ... have largely rejected the King [Jesus].'We 'will need to be in a constant place of prayerful discernment as [we] seek to be faithful to the Lord ...'. 'Such prayerful dependence, the dependence [that Jesus'] disciples learned on their first mission, is something we need to cultivate even more.'Bishop Richard's weekly video message #202You can find a transcript of this week's video on the diocesan website.
As always, our Parish News is packed with stories from all our villages, a helpful listing of the many events in our parishes, wildlife notes, book reviews, lots of small ads, and of course a Chuckle Corner.You can click the DOWNLOAD link to view the Parish News in PDF format.
Well, hello!It’s high time I introduce myself. My name is Angie Kateley and I am looking forward to joining you as your new vicar very soon. During June I will be moving to the vicarage in St Weonards, and then on Monday 1st July I will be licensed by Bishop Richard and installed by Archdeacon Derek as Priest-in-Charge of the St Weonards Benefice. After that, our adventures together begin! I will be joined by my dog Benji, and my adult daughter, Phoebe, will be around on and off.I’m coming to you following a happy curacy with the team in the Abbeydore Deanery. It was there that I learnt to love the beautiful countryside and communities of these borderlands, with their hills, valleys and rivers, narrow winding lanes, every type of tractor and of course especially the wonderful people. My joy at being able to move just a little south and east to join you in your remarkably handsome benefice is resounding and abundant.This will be my first time as a priest-in-charge, and I will be doing some learning as I go. It is my nature to take a more informal and pondering approach to things, and I think there are few situations and conversations that can’t be vastly improved by throwing in a nice cup of tea. I will take my commitment to pray for you very seriously, in fact I’ve already begun. And being a vicar I’m likely to bang on about Jesus a bit too.There’s going to be plenty of time: I won’t so much hit the ground running as hit the ground at a gentle but enthusiastic potter. My big first priority will be getting to know you and your communities. In that spirit, to give you a head start in getting to know me, here is a randomly selected, fairly useless bunch of facts:1. If looking for me in a crowd, you often just need to follow the sound of my outrageously loud laugh.2. I am a scouser by birth.3. I once ever so slightly headbutted a former Archbishop of Canterbury.4. I was a secretary and portfolio PA before training for ordination.5. Despite best efforts to avoid it, I find myself at 48 looking very like my paternal grandmother (short and round with a crop of recalcitrant curls).So, good people of Garway, Hentland, Hoarwithy, Michaelchurch, Orcop, Pencoyd, St Weonards and Tretire, get that kettle on and I’ll be round soon.God bless you,Rev Angie x
