VIEW FROM THE PEW
Wanted – one new vicar – a whole one!
St Mary’s had a great Christmas – some of the largest congregations ever seen! Craig totted up 240 people at the Christingle. He doesn’t usually count up to more than 95 on the golf course!
Joking aside, it is always fantastic to see so many people drawn to church over the Christmas period. The writer A N Wilson wrote a very interesting article in the Times recently:
“Churches exist as much for those who don’t go as for those who do, and that is part of their beauty….Churches do not only exist for those who are pious or those who know themselves to be saved. Churches exist for those who do not go to them at all, or who do not go very often. And this is what is surely so beautiful about the Midnight Mass, or the Christmas morning service in which the pews are filled by those who would not necessarily know how to define their religious position.”
At St Mary’s, we wholeheartedly agree that the church is for the whole village! Our plans to fill the current vacancy involve recruiting a full time vicar. We are making real headway on this mission internally within the Parish and the Diocese. However, this needs a lot of additional support both in terms of time commitment and yes, sadly but obviously, financial. The parish is funded exclusively by less than 50 villagers. It doesn’t get help from the Church of England, the Council or Central Government as some might think.
In the same way that the church is for the whole village, we do want to expand our financial supporters from less than 50 to a much wider spread, representative of the whole village, those who want the church to be there when they need it for a funeral, a wedding, baptism or a Christingle, as well as being very welcome at our services, our youth group, prayer meetings and other everyday activities. Please think (and pray!) about how you can help.
More news to follow next month.
Contact us at fundourvicar@kettonandtinwell.uk