Thinking Allowed

What does a Vicar do? I’ve resisted sharing my diary but after two years perhaps it is time to go back over the last week for you to see my involvement in the community. Monday 3rd August started with prayer in the church with our Reader David Bowles. Then at 8.45am I met with the Wardens, Jacky Ward and Sheila Minet, to go through the week and plan ahead. I also met with Di Freeman our Parish Administrator, just to review the week. Holiday Club started at 10am and so it was great to welcome the youngsters into the church. At 2pm we had a meeting with Roger Simmons from East Sussex County Council to get an update on the Children’s Centre progress and check the details of the arrangements. It was decided to have an open meeting in September in the village hall so folk could really have a chance to understand all that will happen in this centre.

At 5pm I met Geoff Driver, Chaplain of St. Michael’s Hospice to work with them on setting up a ‘Lights of Love’ service in St. Mary’s Church on 6th December 2009. I then visited to talk through the details of a funeral service. At 8pm that evening I met relatives to discuss a burial service. Tuesday started with our monthly prayer meeting in the church at 9am and then it was my turn to talk to the holiday club youngsters about St. Mary. I got a brief update from Scott and Kevin from Paynes on the building project - all going well! On to a meeting with the new Church Warden at St. Augustine’s, Flimwell, Peter Johnson, and back to take the burial of John Joyce.

A first for me as the coffin arrived on a motorcycle and sidecar, don’t know if this is a first for Ticehurst? Then off to the dentist and hygienist - help!!! In the evening a local couple came to see me about getting married in the church - a date was fixed. Wednesday started again with prayers in the church with David and then on to the Holiday Club. In the afternoon we had a tennis tournament at the Old Vicarage in aid of the building project, at the invitation of the Swifts. It was indeed a gorgeous afternoon and great fun. In the evening I did a baptism visit. On Thursday we had the Holy Communion service that usually happens on the Wednesday in the church and then off to Cross Lane House for a communion service there. Back for a pub lunch with a member of the congregation at Flimwell. In the evening we had our St. Mary’s PCC meeting at the Minet’s home. Friday we had a lovely rehearsal for the wedding of Katharine Howitt to Philip Harrison and then Sheila Minet and I met Richard Upton (The Bell pub) to look at the shop in the high street. Saturday I visited someone and took the wedding and enjoyed the reception. It is indeed a vibrant community we live in with a lot happening.