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2 ochester Link

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CONTENTS:

What’s On

A New Horizon

Former Army Chief to speak in Sevenoaks

Knitted Bible

Prayer is the Word

Card Readers for your Parish

Messy Fiesta inspires outreach to families

Diocesan Synod 2018-2021

New Bishop of Tonbridge

Trinity Sunday

2

3

5

5

6-7

9

9

11

12

12

1 May

BURRSWOOD Charlie Bell – Writing and Poetry workshop. Spend a day with Charlie Bell exploring how writing can aid wellness and wellbeing. The day will be largely practical and will give everyone a chance to write and reflect. £50 includes tea, coffee and pastries, a delicious lunch and cream tea. Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9PY. Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to find out more or book your place. www.burrswood.org.uk

5 May

BURRSWOOD Creative Space. This course is for anybody with a desire to reconnect with their own creativity. We will explore ways of nurturing and developing creativity through a series of fun and focused drawing and painting sessions. No previous experience of drawing or painting is necessary but all levels are welcome. £195 includes tuition, meals and one night’s accommodation from 10am Saturday to 4pm Sunday. Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to find out more or book your place. www.burrswood.org.uk

5-7 May

BURRSWOOD Seeing the Bible whole. The Bible tells one continuous story centering on Jesus. We will look at the shape of this story and learn how we can take the Bible seriously, without always taking it literally. £265 includes tuition, meals and two nights’ accommodation from 10am Saturday to 5pm Monday. Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to find out more or book your place. www.burrswood.org.uk

6 May

BROMLEY Choral Mattins at St Mary’s Church (Plaistow) led by the church choir at 10.30 a.m. For more information check the church website or call 020 8464 1239.

8 May

The Princess Project Launch event from 10:00am - 12:00pm at Christ Church, Luton. To book please visit www.rochester.anglican.org/mission/hope-2018/events-and-workshops/

12 May

BROMLEY Plant Sale and Coffee Morning at St Mary’s Church (Plaistow) arranged by St Mary’s Mothers’ Union from 10:00am. to 12noon. Admission 50p which includes first cup of coffee. Hundreds of plants, with books, toys, bric-a-brac, cakes and raffle: all proceeds to Mothers’ Union Literacy Project and Away From It All. For more information call 020 8464 1239.

12 May

BROMLEY Concert by the Hammig String Quartet at St Mary’s Church (Plaistow). The concert begins at 7:30pm and admission is £8 (£6) on the door. The programme includes Shostakovich’s 14th String Quartet and an early Haydn quartet. Interval refreshments are available. Further information on 020 8464 1239.

19 May

GRAVESEND Roan Kearsey-Lawson’s Classical Conversations sees three professional musicians play fourteen instruments in the course of one concert. There are beautiful classical melodies and exciting world rhythms as well. It’s at St George’s Chuch,

Gravesend, and not to be missed at 7:30pm. www.stgeorgesgravesend.org Admission is £10 and tickets are available from 01634 365453 or on the door.

OTFORD Special evening with Terry Waite. Terry, as the international envoy for the Archbishop of Canterbury during the 1980s, successfully negotiated the release of British hostages, first from Iran and then from Libya. Then, when trying to do the same in Lebanon, he was himself taken captive and held for nearly five years - most of that time in solitary confinement. Evening will start at 6:30pm when Terry will be in conversation with former BBC broadcaster, Nick Page. This will be followed by a reception with canapés, and Terry’s books will be available to be bought - and signed. Tickets for this evening cost £20 and are available now from the church office st.bartholomews@otford.net and from Joan Beacom 01959 524304.

20 May

BROMLEY Choral Evensong led by the Church Choir at St Mary’s Chuch (Plaistow) at 6:30pm For more information check the church website or call 020 8464 1239.

FAWKHAM & HARTLEY Traditional May, from noon until 4:00pm, at St Mary’s Church Meadow, Fawkham Road, Fawkham, DA3 8EQ. The event will feature a variety of stalls and activities, including a fun dog show, classic car displays, and live music courtesy of the band Jazz Force and choir Local Vocals. Tempting pastries, ice-cream and burgers will provide added pleasure, as will the opportunity to win a Bluewater voucher worth £200 - first prize in the fair’s Grand Draw. A contribution of £2.00 per vehicle will gain entrance to ample car parking.

20 May

BELVEDERE Patronal Festival. Sung Concelebrated Mass at 7:30pm at St Augustine’s Church, St Augustine’s Rd, Belvedere DA17 5HH.

23 May

BURRSWOOD Kerry Ingham – Illustrations and Drawing workshop 1. Local illustrator and counsellor Kerry Ingham joins Burrswood to explore the art of drawing for fun and inner peace. Tickets £60 per person to include tuition, art materials, pastries on arrival, lunch and a cream tea (plus good company). Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to find out more or book your place. www.burrswood.org.uk

26 May

Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse – Causes, Impacts and The Future, with Peter Williams from Kent Community Domestic Abuse Programme (CDAP) 10.30am-4pm. Refreshments from 10am at Tonbridge Parish Church. Information and booking at: www.rochester.anglican.org/mission/hope-2018/events-and-workshops/

2 June

BROMLEY Concert by Bromley Symphony Players, directed by Bernard Brook. The concert includes Concerti Grosso by Corelli and Locatelli, Burswold’s Dance for Violin and Strings (solo violin Bernard Brook), and Dvorak’s incomparable Serenade for Strings. The concert starts at 7:30pm, and admission is £8 on the door. All proceeds go to The Corps of Army Musicians Trust in memory of Nick Whitehead. Further information from 020 8464 1239.

What’s On

Thank you...Cornerstone Vision would like to take this opportunity to thank the Diocese of Rochester for entrusting us with the provision of an advertising and publishing service for the last five years. We also want to thank all our local and national advertisers who have supported the publication during that time.

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A New HorizonThe beauty of Called Together

is the way it has sifted a cacophony of voices. We have crowd sourced the will of God for us. It also means that the vision has been handed up to the Bishop so he can share it around.

Here are some passing observations on just four of its themes.

Our attention spans are shortening by the year.

One survey recently suggested that human beings now

concentrate for a shorter period of time than a goldfish.

I googled that fact, so it must be true. The information age is reducing our attention spans and making it harder to intercede in prayer, which is the foundation of all we do. We talk about the storms that are building around the Church but our response is to build our house on the sands of prayerlessness. Above all things, we should encourage a culture of deep prayer in this era of rapid change.

When it comes to evangelism, churchgoers still tend to believe that the culture is largely Christian; that people can pick up the faith as they go along, like learning to say please and holding open doors for others. That there’s no need to evangelise because society will do this for us. But the speed of change today is arguably unlike anything seen before and these changes are not necessarily underpinned by Christian faith.

We need to spell out what the faith means and we need help to know how to do this in a sensitive but compelling way. It is not always clear what other people are saying about God because we’re not in the right place to hear them.

We need to work intentionally at not creating filter bubbles,

where we only surround ourselves with people who

think the same way because it’s comforting to do so.

And this is linked to discipleship. As the saying goes, if you want to know what someone believes, look at what they do, not at what they say. Finding a form of discipleship which is fit for this accelerating culture is another of our goals. The New Testament says, effectively, ‘here is

By the Ven Simon Burton-Jones

The Ven Simon Burton-Jones, Archdeacon of Rochester

grace, now work out what it means for you’. Today’s culture is very respectful of personal autonomy. Interference in the way someone chooses to live is frowned upon – especially by younger generations. We decide to bring in people who will direct us, like personal trainers and coaches, but their authority stems from our consumer choice, rather than an external source.

Attempts to make disciples must work within our personal tradition, which is informal and non-directive. How we nurture one another is as challenging as the evangelism question and calls for active attention rather than the passive assumptions we often make.

Evangelism and discipleship without community action is muted and does not bear witness to true redemption. There can be no dualism in how we look at the human body or the world around us. God wills us to transform

structures too. An era of austerity has, if sadly, enabled churches to demonstrate their faith via food banks and night shelters, drop in centres and dementia cafes. By dint of necessity, some churches are re-discovering the social conscience that others never lost. If it is to mean anything, we must only be in the initial stages of this.

Each of these challenges – prayer, evangelism, discipleship, community action – is fluid.

The kingdom of God is not confined to our individual

parishes. As surely as our parishioners live locally but work, shop, socialise, are entertained, and search online wherever is convenient for them, so the work of God’s Spirit flows across parish boundaries. To rise to the challenge this changing world presents and to embody the good news in ways which bring

redemption asks of us new levels of co-operation and trust between churches.

For too long, our unspoken motto has been: ‘Why do things together when we can do them apart?’ This represents a faulty theology of salvation, may be unyielding to the Holy Spirit and leads to unhealthy competition between parishes. There are many things we will continue to do separately because it makes sense to do so, but there is plenty more that requires co-operation and the pooling of parishes. That is why it’s named Called Together.

This is the last column I will write in Rochester Link. New beginnings lie ahead, not just for me but for this publication, which ends this month. Watch out for something different in the time ahead.

4 ochester LinkAdvertising Feature

We believe in life before death

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They’re not just survivors. They’re fi ghters. But they’re only so strong …

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GOD’S KINGDOM IS STRONGER

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the local church.Stockland Green Road,

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Former Army Chief to speak in Sevenoaks

Over 200 years ago a sergeant, who was a

committed Christian and stationed at Woolwich, was severely censured for putting up a notice at the guardroom offering Bibles to any soldier who desired to have one. Providentially the news of this unjust treatment of Sgt Rudd reached the ears of senior offi cers, and the story ends with cartloads of Bibles being placed in suitable places in military establishments.However many soldiers of that generation were illiterate, and so former soldiers who were committed Christians were authorised to enter military premises to read the Scriptures to the soldiers. In due course the work was formalised and developed into a missionary society named the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association (SASRA). Although the style of this ministry has become more sophisticated, the Association still employs Readers (the old title has been retained), who are enabled, with the approval of Commanding Offi cers and Chaplains, to have access to military establishments in order to “gossip the Gospel” to today’s servicemen and servicewomen.

This signifi cant ministry is blessed by having Her Majesty the Queen as its Patron, and is supported nationally by an altruistic Christian public. Each year an open SASRA meeting takes place

in Sevenoaks, and this year the lead speaker will be the President, General Lord Dannatt. He will be accompanied by Army Scripture Reader Lee McDade, who will speak of his ministry at Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire.

General Dannatt had a brilliant military career, winning a Military Cross for gallantry as a young offi cer in Northern Ireland before distinguished operational tours in Bosnia and Kosovo. He maintains that God saved his life no less than four times! His fi nal military

appointment was as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the Army. He is now a prominent member of the House of Lords and is a regular contributor on radio, television and the press.

The meeting in Sevenoaks, at which all comers are welcome, will take place at St Nicholas Church on Monday 11 June at 8pm, with refreshments available from 7:15pm.

By Brigadier Ian Dobbie

Knitted BibleTo celebrate 60 years at

Huntsman’s Corner, St Stephen’s Church, Maidstone Road, Chatham will be hosting the Knitted Bible from Saturday 2 to Friday 8 June. There will be 32 scenes from the Bible displayed in knitted form for everyone to enjoy.

The opening times are :Saturday 2 10am - 4pm Including a plant sale in the hallSunday 3 2pm - 4pm & 7pm - 9pmMonday 4 10am - 4pmTuesday 5 10am - 4pmWednesday 6 12noon-4pm, 7pm-9pmThursday 7 10am - 4pmFriday 8 By appointment only

Hopefully there will be a time to suit everyone.

There is no fi xed entry charge but a donation is invited towards the cost of

collecting and hosting the display.

Groups are very welcome by arrangement – please call the number below and arrange a time, to ensure there are enough people available to welcome you and provide refreshments. Individuals you do not need to book a time slot, just turn up.

Light refreshments will be on sale during the event and there will also be printed bags for sale.

A “Knitathon” is planned in which visitors are welcome to take part - squares will be knitted, which will be made into a blankets about the size of single bed - these are given to Oxfam who sell them at music festivals during the Summer months. The money raised is used to fund their safe water and sanitation programme in areas of the world affected by natural disasters or war. Clean water prevents the spread of many diseases especially cholera

For more information contact St Stephen’s Church Offi ce - 01634 830788 or email: parishofststephen@talktalkbusiness.net

“You knit me together…. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139 v13-14

General Lord DannattArmy Scripture Reader Lee McDade

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This portable music box stores and plays over 2880 traditional hymns and popular worship songs - all at the touch of a button!

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With over 7300 hymn book entries indexed to 10 favourite hymn books (upgradeable), the great sound of Hymnal Plus has made it the choice of churches across the UK.

Andrew brought aboy to Jesus...

The Boys’ Brigade aredoing likewise.

Are you reaching out to the homes around your Church

and surrounding area?We reach the ‘young’

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Prayer is the word

There’s perhaps no better encouragement for praying than hearing when it has been

answered. This was the case for the community at St George, Weald as Judith Howard, Pastoral Assistant explains.For a while several of us at St George’s Church, had been moved and inspired by the story of Ffald-y-Brenin as told in “The Grace Outpouring” by Roy Godwin and Dave Roberts ,and had been thinking about how we could become a House of Prayer to bless our church and village.

As a result, about eighteen months ago we started to have a short Celtic daily prayer service, in the morning and in the evening in St. George’s Church to pray blessing on the church and Weald, to which all were welcome.

Soon after that things began to happen but not in the way we hoped!

The owner of the only village stores announced she would be retiring in July 2017 and the Postmistress too. The owners of the village pub said they were looking to move away and the Arriva bus proclaimed that we were not a viable route for them and they would no longer come through Weald. So possibly no shop, no pub and no public transport.

Where was God in all this?

Nothing seemed to happen for six months or so, just lots of talk, but we kept on praying. As a church, we offered to do coffees in August to provide a venue for people to get together but that was not a long-term solution.

Then, with only a week to go before the shop closed, a meeting was held and a newly-retired couple offered to initiate a pop-up shop, over seventy people offered to help and Weald was back in business. The shop is in a converted shipping container at present, opened with a service of blessing by Mandy, the Vicar and the de-consecrated Methodist Chapel is being converted into a small coffee shop and grocery; GO have put on a limited but much appreciated bus service, and the publicans decided not to move at the time.

It seemed that God had to let institutions which we relied on break down in order to build something even better. This is seen in the revitalised community spirit and increased links between church and village. Indeed for a short time the shop met in the church whilst we were waiting for the container.

Thank you Lord, for many blessings and answers to prayer.”

While there’s certainly no right or wrong time to pray, this month, prayer will defi nitely be

in the spotlight. Individuals, families and whole church communities will be joining together for the global prayer event, Thy Kingdom Come (TKC), praying for more people to become Christians and for the growth of God’s kingdom. So, if you’re still looking to get involved or are just looking for some fresh ideas for prayer, then look no further.

Across the Diocese, Deanery Champions are co-

ordinating events locally and making sure that they appear in a diocesan TKC prayer calendar, so that everyone can pray for events everywhere as they happen. Look out for the calendar, which will be updated as TKC unfolds, online and in social media. A full list of Deanery Champions can also be found on the diocesan website.Rochester Cathedral, which is co-ordinating the diocesan calendar, will itself become a giant visual prayer for our Diocese between 10 and 20 May, with prayers and displays from each deanery: a large illustrated map of Beckenham Deanery; a boat from Gillingham deanery; a tree representing Dartford deanery; and prayer stones from Erith deanery. These, alongside prayer stations, children’s prayers, prayer chains and much else, will encourage worshippers and visitors to pray for the whole Diocese. Do come and join in!

If you want more information please email: TKC@rochestercathedral.org

Why take part?

Some of the Diocese’s local TKC Champions told us why they wanted to get involved:

“We’ve taken part in Thy Kingdom Come for the last two years and are looking forward to joining in prayer again this year. We’re starting early with an ecumenical prayer walk around Eynsford, Farningham and Lullingstone. St Martin’s Church in Eynsford will then be turned into a TKC prayer room for the Novena. Groups are meeting across the deanery, we

Thy Kingdom Come Gets Local

There are some fantastic resources out there to help support and develop your prayer life. Many

of them have been developed through Thy Kingdom Come. Here’s a couple of our favourites:

Discovering prayer app

This app offers a simple way to get going with prayed by providing fi ve-minute audio prayer tracks that you can listen to each day to help you discover prayer. There’s also a free guide to prayer: 101 Ways to Get Going and Keep Going with Prayer: www.discoveringprayer.com/thy-kingdom-come

Family Prayer Journal

With charts, space for drawing, and lots of ideas to think about, The Family Prayer Journal, is a colourful and creative activity designed to help you and your loved ones pray together from Ascension to Pentecost. Visit www.engageworship.org/ and search for family prayer journal to buy or download an e-version.

Canterbury Novena materials

Colleagues in Canterbury Diocese have worked with

Resourced to pray

Pop-up shop answers community’s prayers

Credit to www.thykingdomcom.global

Credit to www.thykingdomcom.global

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Prayer is the word

The Rev Canon Susanne Carlsson, Spirituality Advisor for the Diocese has some top tips.

1) Spend time with God

Find some space to be with God each day – it might be on your run, waiting for the bus, or the 5 minutes’ peace in the shower before getting the kids’ breakfast ready. If you fi nd it diffi cult to take time out with God, perhaps go away on a retreat. – www.rochester.anglican.org/ministry/spirituality/retreats/

2) ‘Pray as you can, not as you cannot’

Find your way of relating to God – maybe through music, or the senses. If technology is your thing, you might fi nd a daily prayer app like Pray as you Go helpful. Don’t forget to look at our prayer pack for some new ways of praying. www.rochester.anglican.org/ministry/spirituality/the-prayer-pack-/

3) Find a Spiritual Director

If you feel stuck why not try to speak to somebody, a companion on your journey with God. The Diocese has a network of experienced spiritual directors we can connect you with.

4) Finally, dare to be fascinated by God

You may not have prayed for a while or you may pray every day, but be open to knowing God in a new way…and to what might happen!

Looking to refresh your prayer life?

Across the Diocese, Deanery Champions are co-

ordinating events locally and making sure that they appear in a diocesan TKC prayer calendar, so that everyone can pray for events everywhere as they happen. Look out for the calendar, which will be updated as TKC unfolds, online and in social media. A full list of Deanery Champions can also be found on the diocesan website.Rochester Cathedral, which is co-ordinating the diocesan calendar, will itself become a giant visual prayer for our Diocese between 10 and 20 May, with prayers and displays from each deanery: a large illustrated map of Beckenham Deanery; a boat from Gillingham deanery; a tree representing Dartford deanery; and prayer stones from Erith deanery. These, alongside prayer stations, children’s prayers, prayer chains and much else, will encourage worshippers and visitors to pray for the whole Diocese. Do come and join in!

If you want more information please email: TKC@rochestercathedral.org

Why take part?

Some of the Diocese’s local TKC Champions told us why they wanted to get involved:

“We’ve taken part in Thy Kingdom Come for the last two years and are looking forward to joining in prayer again this year. We’re starting early with an ecumenical prayer walk around Eynsford, Farningham and Lullingstone. St Martin’s Church in Eynsford will then be turned into a TKC prayer room for the Novena. Groups are meeting across the deanery, we

are joining together for evensong in Kemsing on 13 May, and some of us are making a pilgrimage to the Cathedral on Ascension Day to join in the Eucharist and use the prayer stations.”

The Rev Gary Owen, Shoreham Deanery

“At St Justus we are going to have prayer stations around the church that help and encourage people to pray for all of the different ministries that are going on in the parish, and one for our link parish in Rofati, Kondoa in Tanzania. Many people who come to the church are not aware of all the things that happen during the week and what various people do, so our prayer stations will help to unite the church in prayer for our church family and the wider parish.”

The Rev Andrea Leonard, Rochester Deanery

“Not only is it very exciting to be joining a wave of prayer across our parishes, deaneries, dioceses and the whole world, but an initiative like ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ can be such an encouragement and, indeed, stimulus to our personal prayer life. We are hoping in Tonbridge Deanery that parishes will be encouraged to pray at noon each day – it will be great to pray wherever we are knowing others are in prayer also.

Dr Sally Musson, Tonbridge Deanery

Thy Kingdom Come Gets Local

There are some fantastic resources out there to help support and develop your prayer life. Many

of them have been developed through Thy Kingdom Come. Here’s a couple of our favourites:

Discovering prayer app

This app offers a simple way to get going with prayed by providing fi ve-minute audio prayer tracks that you can listen to each day to help you discover prayer. There’s also a free guide to prayer: 101 Ways to Get Going and Keep Going with Prayer: www.discoveringprayer.com/thy-kingdom-come

Family Prayer Journal

With charts, space for drawing, and lots of ideas to think about, The Family Prayer Journal, is a colourful and creative activity designed to help you and your loved ones pray together from Ascension to Pentecost. Visit www.engageworship.org/ and search for family prayer journal to buy or download an e-version.

Canterbury Novena materials

Colleagues in Canterbury Diocese have worked with

London-based Christian illustrator Ian Pentney to design a beautiful set of Novena prayer materials for use between Friday 11 May and Saturday 19 May as part Thy Kingdom Come. Available to download or receive on your smart-phone or tablet, they use the idea that Art and Scripture create a space for God to speak to us afresh. How do our transformed lives change the world? Visit: www.canterburydiocese.org/novena/

Resourced to pray

Credit to www.thykingdomcom.global

ochester Link

The Home of DevenishWeymouth Dorset

There are 23 Bungalows and 2 flats available to widows of clergymen of the Church of England or widows of officers of the armed services (excluding Territorial Army and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) providing they are members of the Church of England.

For further information or an application form please contact:

Mrs J Kemmis-Betty, The Home of Devenish,Manor Coach House, Stottingway Street,

Weymouth, Dorset DT3 5QA

Telephone: 01305 813895www.homeofdevenish.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 202400

Each property has 2 bedrooms, is unfurnished, occupied rent free and is centrally heated, decorated and maintained free of charge. Council tax is also paid by the Charity. They are not warden controlled.

Home of Devenish provides free accommodation to widows of clergymen or o� cers of the armed forces� e Home of Devenish is an independent registered charity founded in 1961 providing free unfurnished accommodation to members of the Church of England who are widows of clergymen of the Church of England or widows of o� cers in Her Majesty’s armed forces. � e Trust is funded from a bequest from the late Major John Devenish, the former president of the local Devenish brewery.

On the Jurassic coast at the edge of Weymouth the Trust has 23 bungalows and 2 maisonettes on three small estates. Each property has two bedrooms, a kitchen, sitting room, shower room, and a small sunroom.

� e residents have neither rent nor council tax to pay. All properties are provided with free background heating and the Trust also pays for internal and external repairs and painting. Whilst there is no warden, each resident is linked to a local telephone emergency system.

Residents live independently and may have friends and family to stay. � ey only have to pay for their contents insurance, telephone, electricity, TV licence and the repair of their own domestic equipment and furnishings.

� ey also have the opportunity to do a little gardening if they wish, although the Trust is responsible for looking a� er the gardens.

ST. MARY’S CONVENT WANTAGE

St Mary’s Convent offers a variety of facilities and fl exible accommodation for Group Quiet Days and Group Retreats. Also, Conference facilities and private stays.Everyone is welcome at the Eucharist and Daily offi ce in St Mary Magdalene’s Chapel.

For further details please contact:St Mary’s Convent, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9AUTel: 01235 763141Email: guestwing@csmv.co.ukwww.csmv.co.uk

ochester Link

With many people no longer carrying cash, allowing them

to make payments in the way they choose is becoming increasingly important. One solution is a card reader which works alongside a smart phone or tablet and is very inexpensive to buy (they cost less than most kettles). Following a national trial, of which a couple of parishes within the Diocese were involved, the Parish Buying service now has contracts with two companies, SumUp and iZettle, to allow parishes to buy card readers at a discounted rate.

Church of England parishes can buy card readers at a discount through the Parish Buying website and use them with specially negotiated low transaction rates.

Whether it’s using the Chip and PIN function or the tap of a contactless card,

a card reader enables a modern way for people to pay for:

• wedding fees• church hall hire• concert & conference

tickets• donations• even teas and coffees!The Rev Mark Montgomery of St Gabriel’s Church, Kings Hill which helped trial the technology said: ‘We have had signifi cant positive feedback from visitors and on Christmas eve the reader amounted to around half of our collection.’ They’ve found that visitors in particular use the facility, or people who come to their Messy Church

Any parishes considering buying a card reader for their church should register

for free with the Parish Buying service. Once registered they will be able to view all the discounted pricing information, along with FAQs and setup information.

Card Readers for Your Parish

Messy Fiesta inspires outreach to familiesMessy Church teams from

across Kent, Southwark and Chelmsford Dioceses gathered recently at Christ Church, Orpington to experience Messy Fiesta: an inspirational day of fun, good teaching, sharing and learning, about all things Messy Church.Messy Church is a whole family approach to being Church based on fun, creativity, hospitality, and celebration. A shared meal is an integral part of Messy Church as ‘a foretaste of heaven’.

Founder and international speaker, Lucy Moore, led the day which explored Messy Discipleship, Intergenerational Growth and how all of Messy Church is worship: ‘even gluing googly eyes onto stuff’.

The Rev Roger Bristow, Vicar of Holy Trinity Church Bromley Common said: “It’s so wonderful to encounter someone like Lucy who is bursting with excitement about all that Messy Church can bring to a community. She’s left everyone enthused and encouraged to

begin or to continue the challenging but exciting journey which is Messy Church.”

Many stories were shared about families fi nding and growing in faith at Messy sessions, with a teacher from St John’s School in Chatham, ‘buzzing’ as she recounted stories about the positive impact and encouragement for families that their new Messy Church had on those who attended.

There were stories of growth too, as Messy Leader Gill Betts from Pembury explained how their Messy Church@St Peter’s and Pembury Baptist Messy Church had now combined, enabling them to become one big Messy Church in both locations and in the local school - ‘more disciples are being made’. As a result of the day, potential volunteers for a Messy pilot in a prison visitors’ centre were also gathered.

The session was run as part of Hope 2018, a year of events aiming to support, inspire and enable churches to better serve the needs of their communities. Caroline Clarke, Diocesan Community Engagement and Social Responsibility advisor, who facilitated the Messy Fiesta

said: “I feel honoured to be part of this ever-expanding network of churches reaching into their communities and making disciples through Messy Church. All the stories that have been shared have been so inspiring.”

Messy Leader, Deacon Jane Paine from The Brent Methodist Church in Dartford said “This Messy Fiesta was really excellent. Our whole team found it very inspiring and encouraging.”

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Diocesan Synod 2018-2021Want to make a difference? – Your Diocesan Synod needs YOU!It’s that time in the round of diocesan elections when we draw together a new Diocesan Synod – an opportunity for you to serve the Diocese, your Deanery, and your Parish, and to play a part in our strategic vision “Called Together”.

You may not realise it, but Diocesan Synod is where a real difference can be made. In the past Diocesan Synod members have responded to the need for more support for those living with dementia; they have approved the establishment of a Children & Young People Fund to help resource mission within parishes; they have also debated budgets, climate change, vocations, and many other subjects. You could be part of this – you could make a difference.

As we look to ‘Grow, Enrich, Resource’, you could share in shaping and forming the work of the Diocese as we move forward in a world that has constantly changing needs. Our Diocese is a diverse place – both urban and rural; our churches are diverse – both young and old; and our demographic is also diverse – with a mix of many different

cultural and ethnic backgrounds represented in our congregations. Diocesan Synod should represent all of them – let’s make sure that’s the case.

Who? Me?Anyone can stand for election, as long as they are a lay person who is a communicant member of the Church of England aged 16 or over and who is on the Electoral Roll of a parish in the deanery, or they are a Clerk in Holy Orders who is a member of the Deanery Synod.

Philip French, Lay Chair of Rochester Diocesan Synod: “Diocesan Synod can easily seem like the same people, talking about the same things. We really need to have younger, enthusiastic members involved for the Church of the 21st century, not the 20th century. It’s also the place where we discuss our mission and strategy. So, Called Together is shaped in Diocesan Synod - be part of that. Don’t have it done to you!”

Up for the Challenge? Then what next?If you think you could do this - and you totally can! -, you need to get your

hands on a nomination form. These will be sent out to the electorate of each deanery in early May. If you’re not on deanery synod, just contact Suzanne Rogers at the diocesan offi ce and ask for a form and you can have one sent out to you.

You need to get a member of your Deanery Synod to nominate you, and another to second you. There is more information on the diocesan website about what Diocesan Synod does, how often it meets and what elected members might expect.

Once you’ve completed your nomination form, please just check it over one last time before you send it in – you’ll be surprised how easy it is to miss something vital! Forms need to be returned to the Diocesan Offi ce by 12noon on Wednesday 6 June to be valid. With 79 clergy seats and 75 laity seats available it would be fantastic to have many contested as possible. Good luck!

For more information visit:

www.rochester.anglican.org/diocese/diocesan-synod-20182021/

After many years of production and hundreds of editions, this issue will mark the fi nal edition of the Rochester Link newspaper. The ambition is to provide an accessible and engaging alternative before the end of the year, that will allow for the fuller sharing of stories, ideas, good news, and theological refl ection than a monthly newspaper can reasonably allow.

Have your sayAn online survey has been created to give people across the Diocese the opportunity to share their views on what they might like to see replace it. A link to the survey can be found on the front page of the diocesan website under Noticeboard or directly by typing: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WVHG92X For those not online, a cut-out version is included on page 11 of the April edition of Link. These should be returned by post to: ‘New publication survey’, Diocese of Rochester, St Nicholas Church, Boley Hill, Rochester, ME1 1SL, by Thursday 31 May, 2018. Completed surveys can also be handed in at your local church, who will return any contributions via pre-paid envelope.

Thank you to everyone who has already participated in the survey!

It is the last issues of Rochester Link

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In March the Queen approved the nomination

of the Venerable Simon Burton-Jones to be the next Suffragan Bishop of Tonbridge. He currently serves as Archdeacon of Rochester and Canon Residentiary at Rochester Cathedral.As Bishop of Tonbridge, Simon will focus on evangelism and growth. This aspiration and intention to grow is rooted in “Called Together” the Diocese of Rochester’s vision. He will also have oversight and leadership of the education, youth and children, and community engagement work of churches across the Diocese of Rochester.

Bishop James said “I am delighted that Simon Burton-Jones has been appointed as the next Bishop of Tonbridge. He is a thoughtful

theologian and gifted communicator. As Archdeacon of Rochester he has supported the mission of the Church in some of Kent and Medway’s most deprived communities, and steered the development of valuable new work in Chatham and Ebbsfleet.”

On the day of the announcement in April Archdeacon Simon and Bishop James answered questions from Year 10 students at St George’s School in Gravesend, joined a community lunch at Christ Church in Beckenham, met with members of the Diocese at St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Tonbridge, and attended an evening service of reflection and music at Rochester Cathedral. A film of highlights from the day is available on our website.

The date of his consecration in London is 3 July, 2018 – 25 years to the day since Simon

was ordained Deacon in the Church of England. Simon will be consecrated alongside the Venerable Dr John Perumbalath as the sixth Bishop of Bradwell in Essex; John previously served in the Diocese of Rochester from 2002-2013.

Simon studied Law and worked as a researcher and political campaigner before ordination. He trained for

the priesthood at St John’s College,

Nottingham, and has served churches in East Lancashire and across the Diocese of Rochester before becoming Archdeacon in 2010.

Simon will be the seventh Bishop of Tonbridge, and succeeds the Rt Rev Brian Castle, who retired in 2015. The Bishop of Tonbridge is the sole Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Rochester.

12 ochester Link

The Great Vocations Conversation launched on 22 April (Vocations

Sunday).The challenge is for all the Church’s ministers lay and ordained to commit to having at least one conversation each month about vocation with someone different from themselves.

The campaign builds on the 14% increase last year in those entering training for ordination – the highest

figure for a decade - and the work of the Setting God’s People Free programme aimed at encouraging the vocations of Christians who are not called to ordained or licensed ministry.

Research has indicated that personal conversation and relationships are among the most effective means for encouraging vocations.

Head of Vocation for the Church

of England, Catherine Nancekievill said: “Each of us has a unique part to play in building the Kingdom of God. Vocational living means responding to God with our whole selves. Others are often much better at seeing our gifts than we are, so personal conversation is among the best ways to uncover someone’s vocation.”

Pamela Ive, Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocation said: “Think about a conversation which you had which triggered your exploration or confirmed that vocation for you. Who can you speak to and encourage them to explore where God is calling them? I would be happy to talk to any minister, lay or ordained about a conversation which they have had.”

Rev Chris Nobel, Rector of Stansted with Fairseat and Vigo remembers a significant moment on his own journey of faith and calling while visiting friends in Dorset and being invited to attend church: “The Rector launched out on a sermon about the Holy Trinity. I had been thinking about God but this was the first

time I had heard someone trying to explain who God is…through just hearing about and thinking about this triune God, I had embarked on a new journey of faith.…Little did I realise as I stepped into that ancient building that God was about to show me my life’s work.”

The Diocese of Rochester’s Vocations team holds a number of ‘It’s Your Calling’ days throughout the year to help people explore how they may be being called: the next is being held on Saturday 12 May 2018, Christ Church Orpington. They are for everyone, not just for those exploring ordained or authorised ministry. There are also a number of resources available on the website too.

If you would like to speak to someone about your vocation, please contact Pamela Ive: pamela.ive@rochester.anglican.org For national Vocation and Vocation Sunday resources visit

w w w . c h u r c h o f e n g l a n d . o r g and search ‘growing vocations everywhere’.

Vocations Conversation

New Bishop of Tonbridge

figure for a decade - and the work figure for a decade - and the work