Rectors Report

Remembrance to Advent Hope

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 19:10:41 GMT

Remembrance to Advent Hope

Dear friends in Christ,

In the last edition of The Bell, I reflected on “Harvesting Grace, Sharing Blessings”, inviting us to recognise that what we receive with gratitude is also something we are called to share with love. As we now move into November and December, the rhythm of the Church year takes us through another rich and deeply meaningful journey: from remembrance, through waiting, towards the hope and joy of Christmas.

This year, our Remembrance observance at Christ Church will be held on 8th November . Remembrance is not simply about looking backwards. For the Church, memory is deeply theological. We remember because love does not forget, and because Christian memory is always held within the hope of resurrection. We honour those who gave their lives in war, those who carried the wounds of conflict, and all whose sacrifices helped shape the peace we enjoy today. We are especially glad that friends of Christ Church will again join us for this important memorial. Their presence reminds us that remembrance also builds community across generations and beyond the walls of the Church. As Christians, we remember with sorrow, gratitude, and hope, trusting in the promise that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Not long before that, from 2–5 November , I will attend my maiden clergy conference in the Diocese of Edinburgh, to be held at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry. I am particularly looking forward to this opportunity which will allow me to enter more deeply into the pastorallife, spirituality, fellowship, and shared ministry of the diocese. It will also be a chance to step away briefly from the usual rhythms of parish life, to pray, listen, reflect, and rest. Jesus himself said to his disciples, “Come away... and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). I ask for your prayerful support for me, for my fellow clergy, and for Bishop Dagmar during those days. I will also carry Christ Church, and each of you, with me in prayer. A

longside these parish and diocesan moments, I must confess that I am also counting down to something very personal: my long-awaited holiday in January 2027, when I will be reunited with my family after twenty-seven months apart. It is difficult to describe what that anticipation feels like now, and I can only imagine what the reunion itself will mean. Advent speaks powerfully into such longing. It teaches us how to wait with hope, how to live in expectation, and how to trust that the joy we await will come in God’s time.

While we look towards Christmas and the new year, there is important work before us. One matter I believe requires our urgent and prayerful attention is the development of Children’s Ministry/Sunday School at Christ Church . If we desire a living and growing Church, we must intentionally make room for children and families to belong, learn, worship, and flourish among us. My prayer is that something concrete will begin to take shape before the end of this year. I warmly invite your ideas, practical suggestions, and willingness to help, whether in person, by email, or through a phone call.

With every blessing for Advent and Christmas,

Rev’d Cletus

Grace for the Journey

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:52:15 GMT

Grace for the Journey

Dear friends in Christ,

In the September edition of The Bell, I reflected on “New Beginnings, Grateful Hearts”, inviting us to enter a new season of parish life with

renewed commitment, thanksgiving, and generosity. As I wrote this October reflection on the eve of our Church Harvest celebration, which was held on 20th September, those words about gratitude feel especially alive. Harvest reminds us not simply to count our blessings, but to ask how the blessings we receive may become blessings to others.

A simple telephone call to check on our Priest Warden, Lesley Leishman, helped put me firmly into the spirit of Harvest. I caught her busily doing her

shopping in Tesco, including preparations connected with the Harvest celebration. It reminded me that generosity is often expressed through very

ordinary actions. And so, even at this late stage, it is never too late to send along a kind gift of food or a cash donation for the Food Bank if you were

unable to send over your donation.

Indeed, there is a special blessing in looking beyond ourselves and attending to the needs of others. Scripture reminds us that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Our generosity towards the Food Bank is one practical way in which Christ Church can share God’s love with the wider community.That same spirit of giving also turns our attention to our own church family.

As we prepare to celebrate Dedication Sunday on 4 October, I warmly invite you to support the continuing life and ministry of Christ Church, whether in kind, through your time and gifts, or through financial giving. May we never run short of the resources needed to worship, serve, welcome, and care.

I was also grateful recently to begin the pastoral visits mentioned in the September edition. Through the kindness of Lesley Leishman and Margaret

Briggs, I had the privilege of visiting three members in their care homes. I was particularly touched by the warmth of God’s Spirit and the deep sense

of community present in our conversations. Though some may no longer be physically present with us on Sundays, they remain very much part of the Body of Christ. I must also gratefully acknowledge the kindness shown to me personally through an invitation to family dinner and a meal thoughtfully sent to the Rectory. These have nourished more than the body; they have created precious opportunities for connection, conversation, and fellowship.

May this Harvest season teach us that what we receive with gratitude, we are called to share with love.

New Beginnings, Grateful Hearts

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:47:41 GMT

Dear friends in Christ,

In the July/August edition of The Bell, I reflected on “Finding God in the Ordinary Days.” We considered how Ordinary Time is not empty or uneventful time, but a season in which God meets us in the familiar rhythms of life: in prayer, worship, friendship, rest, service, and quiet faithfulness. As we now move into September and October, that same invitation continues, but with a slightly different emphasis. The summer months begin to give way to a new season of activity, and we are invited to begin again with grateful hearts.

September often feels like a month of return. Schools reopen, workplaces regain their rhythm, parish activities begin to gather pace, and families adjust to changing patterns. Even for those no longer shaped by school or employment calendars, there is often a sense that the year is turning. In the life of the Church, this can be a good time to renew our commitment to worship, prayer, service, and fellowship. Christian life is not about beginning perfectly, but about beginning faithfully, trusting that God walks with us.

In this spirit of renewed parish life, I am also looking forward to beginning pastoral visitation, especially among those who are home-bound or no longer able to join us regularly in church. I am deeply grateful to the team who have already kept this precious connection alive through communion visits and faithful care. Their ministry is a beautiful reminder that the Church is not confined to the church building; it is the living Body of Christ, present wherever love, prayer, and sacramental fellowship are shared. I am excited to join in and support this ministry as we continue to assure every member of Christ Church that they remain cherished, remembered, and included in our common life.

This season also ushers us into the season of Harvest Thanksgiving. Harvest reminds us that life is gift. The food we eat, the homes we inhabit, the friendships we cherish, the skills we possess, and the faith that sustains us are not things to be taken for granted. They are signs of God’s generosity. As St James reminds us, “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above” (James 1:17).

Gratitude, however, is more than a feeling. It shapes how we live. A grateful church becomes a generous church. When we recognise what God has given us, we become more willing to share our time, our gifts, our resources, and our care with others Harvest is therefore not only about what we bring to church; it is also about how we live as people who have received grace and are called to become channels of grace.

As Christ Church enters this new season, we look forward to some upcoming events including ‘The Peace Vigil’ and the Church Picnic among others. May we celebrate them together with hope, thankfulness, and renewed commitment to sharing our love in and outside the Church. May our worship deepen, our fellowship grow, and our service become a blessing to our community. And may God teach us, in every new beginning, to count our blessings and share them generously.

With every blessing,

Rev'd Cletus