church letter

Dear Friends,

With retirement now firmly in the diary, I wanted to write to you personally. Serving you as your vicar has been a privilege. We have shared baptisms full of hope, funerals edged with resurrection, harvest celebrations, packed Christmas carols, and countless ordinary Sundays made holy by faithful worship. You have allowed me into sacred moments of your lives. I carry that with deep gratitude.

In September, the benefice will enter a vacancy. I am genuinely at peace about that. We are fortunate that our part-time Curate Alison is hoping to remain, giving real continuity. We also have a resident retired priest Patrick, willing to help, and members of the Ministry Team ready to step up. The wardens, PCCs, Patron and Diocese will guide the process carefully and prayerfully.

In practical terms, the PCCs will work together to prepare a Benefice Profile — an honest description of who we are, our communities, our worship, our hopes and challenges. Representatives from the parishes will then join with the Patron and the Bishop’s representatives to advertise the post, shortlist applicants, and conduct interviews. It is not simply recruitment; it is discernment. We are asking not just “Who can do the job?” but “Whom is God calling to serve here next?” When an appointment is made, there will be a Service of Institution and Induction — a joyful moment of new beginning. I am not anxious for the benefice. The Church was here before me and will flourish long after me.

If I am honest, my deeper questions are more personal: who am I when I am no longer “the Vicar”?

For many years, the rhythms of parish life have shaped my days and my sense of purpose. Retirement is not just laying down duties; it is laying down an identity that has been woven into everyday life. I suspect there will be Sunday mornings when instinct tells me I should be somewhere specific, doing something particular.

And I know I am not alone in that. Some of you are approaching retirement yourselves. Some of you have already stepped away from careers that once defined you. Some carry a quiet grief that the working world no longer quite knows what to do with you. There can be a surprising sense of loss when responsibility eases and the diary empties.

Perhaps this season asks all of us the same gentle question: where does our worth truly rest?

Henri Nouwen wrote, “The question is not, ‘How much can I accomplish?’ but, ‘How much can I love?’” That feels like a faithful compass — not only for clergy retiring, but for anyone learning to live without the scaffolding of a job title. Our identity is not secured by productivity. It is secured by grace. This will be a time of learning for me: learning to sit rather than lead, to pray without organising, to encourage without carrying oversight. For those of you navigating similar transitions, be gentle with yourselves. God’s purposes do not retire.

Thank you for your kindness, your patience, your humour, and your faithfulness. If I wobble slightly as time with you depletes, and I adjust, you will understand why. It is not regret — simply the holy reshaping that comes with any new chapter.

With affection and deep gratitude,
Your retiring Vicar

PRAYERS FOR TODAY
1    Shine on us, O Son of God, with grace unfailing, granting us the gift of wisdom, the power of faith and the endurance of hope. Amen.
Ethiopian Orthodox

2    "I thank Thee, Lord, today
For Thy unfailing presence Along life's rugged way.
Guide me, O blest Redeemer,
Teach me to do Thy will,
And Thine own perfect purpose In me each day fulfill."
Avis Christiansen

3   "God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
the belief in Christmas, which is truth;
the all of Christmas, which is Christ."
Wilda English

4    The Lord’s Prayer – Gnostic Order of Christ Version:
O Giver of All Life, Who Is in Heaven and in Earth,
In Whom We Live, Move, And Have Our Being,
Holy Is Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done in Earth, as it Is in Heaven.
Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread, And Forgive Us Our Trespasses
As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us.
Keep Us from Temptation, Keep Us Ever Mindful of Thee.
For Thine Is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory,
Forever and Ever. Amen.

Church Contacts

Benefice Administrator: Tamara Laing, part-time at the Benefice Office Email: wbboffice@gmail.com 07359 327072.

Churchwardens:
Inkpen: Charlotte Bampfylde (tel. 669285), email: inkpenchurch@outlook.com.
Combe: Tina Fiertz (tel. 668529), Katherine Astor (katherine@kirby-house.co.uk).

Inkpen graveyards on-line

For anyone wishing to view the details of Inkpen's graveyards, including burial details, grave stone inscriptions and the location of the graves, please click here.  Inkpen Burial, Marriage, Baptism and Birth records covering the period 1607 to 1837 can be found on the Inkpen history website, here.

NEWS FROM ST. MICHAEL'S

In May we again took our services outdoors and closer to the community and nature. Firstly, at Rogation we celebrated the land, farmers, crops, and all who produce our food. We gathered in the field opposite the Church on a sunny but cold and very windy morning. There was a lot of laughter as Annette brought her talk to life by blowing bubbles with the children and the adults. Then on Pentecost the Sunday service took place in the Combe Gibbet car park on a glorious morning with fantastic views of the countryside.

Coming up on 28th June there is a Pet Service outside the Church so pamper your pooches and bring cats, chickens, hamsters, gerbils, stick insects and whatever else – all pets will be welcome for a blessing and plenty of fun.

A very important date for your diaries is a service on Sunday 30th August at 5pm with a reception after which is Annette’s last service and a celebration of her ministry in the Benefice.

If you would like to make a donation towards the running of Inkpen Church please go to the Parish Giving Scheme on www.parishgiving.org.uk Enter Inkpen in the search box, then click on Find your Church. Click on Give Now beside Inkpen St Michael All Angels and then on Regular Giving or One-off Gift (we pay a 1.5% transaction cost for one-off gifts so Regular Giving is preferable). Your gifts are enhanced by having tax refunded through Gift Aid

church services FOR INKPEN, COMBE and West Woodhay

Other Services in the Benefice are on the Website which is www.walburybeaconbenefice.org.uk

INKPEN
Sunday 7th June – Compline at 6pm
Sunday 14th June – Holy Communion at 8.30am
Sunday 21st June – Parish Communion at 9.45am
Sunday 28th June – PET SERVICE at 9.45am

Sunday 5th July – Compline at 6pm
Sunday 12th July – Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer) at 8.30am
Sunday 19th July – Parish Communion at 9.45am

COMBE
Sunday 21st June – Holy Communion at 11.15am

WEST WOODHAY
Sunday 28th June – Holy Communion at 11.15am

CHURCH SERVICES AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HUNGERFORD
Our Lady of Lourdes, Priory Road, Hungerford RG17 0AF Parish Priest - Fr Zbigniew Budyn 01635 40332
Sunday Mass - every Sunday at 9.00am
Weekday Mass - every Wednesday at 10.00am

BAPTISM ANNOUNCEMENT

OBITUARIES

A victorian view - now and then

The images of St. Michael's past and present are shown here