I hope you are keeping well? I can’t quite believe it, but I am writing this message to you today as a ‘farewell’. Having taken over pastoral responsibility for Black Bourton when I became Area Dean in 2019, and having been designated your ‘vicar’ in June 2020, it is with huge regret that I have to tell you I am now moving out of the area, to pastures new.
Getting to know Black Bourton over the past two years has been such a privilege. As most of you know, I have lived in the neighbouring village of Bampton since 2000, when our little family moved here from Germany, where my husband Mark was working in manufacturing. I have been involved in the Church and the Diocese of Oxford ever since and have a real passion for the rural church. Black Bourton reaffirmed to me the fact that it is in the villages where people live out the message of Jesus to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’, and villages where the church naturally continues as a place of meeting and connection. Just as we have done for centuries, we meet to celebrate the Harvest gathered in, to bring our newborns for baptism, to remember our dead and to worship the Creator of life and love.
Since 2019, I have loved getting to know those in the village whom I have visited and met at church. Who can forget the service where we heard from the bellringers and prayed for their ministry, as they call people to services? Despite the restrictions of Covid-19, with the help and support of the BBVA, we managed to organise some really special services for children at Christmas and Easter. Our crib service will live long in the memory, with David playing the keyboard in the church porch in his fingerless gloves and little groups of families all singing carols, whilst dutifully spaced 2m apart with twinkly bamboo sticks. The Easter Egg hunt (inspired by Jane-Anne and ably planned by Nikki Holmes) was a tremendous success and it was wonderful to see the same families and children joining us for services in the months afterwards as well. You are always, always welcome!
A particular highlight for me has been those times when we have travelled together as disciples, learning more about the Bible and praying together. Somehow, in the depths of last Advent, we managed to meet once a week in Church and study the ‘openings’ of the four Gospels together as we prepared ourselves to meet with Jesus once again at Christmas. Our online bible study each week has been a really special way to begin a Wednesday morning and it is my real hope that it continues after I leave. If you are interested in learning more about the Bible, or the mindful practice of prayer, contact Jeremy Lane, licensed lay minister or Lene or Lawrence the churchwardens, using the Contact Us form.
My last service in Black Bourton will be on Sunday Nov 7th at 10am. However, over the summer the PCC and I have been working on a plan to make sure that our little Church will always be part of a bigger ministry team and will always have someone to take services. So, from November 7th onwards, Black Bourton will be looked after by the Team Ministry of Carterton and Brize Norton, and particularly by their Rector, Revd Drew Tweedy and their Team Vicar, Revd Ian Howard. Their children’s minister, Gary Long, will be leading occasional family services in the village, which will be advertised well in advance. His first was our Harvest Festival on the 24th, which was a great success! I am so grateful to the PCC’s of all three churches for their unanimous support of these plans which will now progress to the Diocese and Church Commissioners before coming back to the three communities for the official seal of approval. Watch this space for news of groups and new ventures run by Carterton which I hope you will join in with.
My job as Vicar of this parish has been as a ‘self supporting minister’ (SSM): with my paid job as Chaplain at Worcester College, Oxford. On 20th November, I will be installed as Canon Missioner at Winchester Cathedral: a residentiary ‘Canon’, or one of the four people who make up the ‘Chapter of clergy’, who govern the Cathedral. Quite a job, in a place that big and full of history! As Canon Missioner, it is my particular responsibility to develop the discipleship of the congregations and to encourage others to come into the building and allow it to nurture seeds of faith. I will need your prayers!
All in all, it has been a joy to spend time with you as a village and it is my great hope that I leave the Church is good hands for the future. I cannot begin to thank everyone who helps out in the church by name: you ring the bells, do the accounts, tidy the churchyard, clean up bat droppings, put beautiful flowers in the church, play the organ, ascend ladders to sweep away cobwebs and check lights, keep in touch with baptism and funeral families and always greet me with a smile. This is a community of the most wonderful, friendly and kind people and it has been my honour to serve it for two short years.
With my love and blessings,
