Dear Friends,

I am constantly amazed at the amount of time and energy given to keep our church buildings open for public worship. Yes, we are blessed with seven beautiful churches in our group of parishes, each with its own unique history and story, but keeping them safe and fit for purpose in the twenty-first century is a never-ending and often thankless task. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to those few volunteers in our parishes who work tirelessly to raise funds, jump so many hurdles to gain necessary permissions, oversee repairs and so much more besides.

Saint Peter, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus, wrote a letter of encouragement to a few small Christian communities in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). One phrase in his letter is particularly striking. He calls those Christians who heard and read his letter ‘living stones’. These people probably had no spiritual centre, no building where they could meet and organise themselves as a church—yet they themselves were described as a ‘spiritual temple’. In other words, the Church consists not of bricks and mortar, but of people.

Thinking of ourselves as Living Stones is attractive but also challenging. Jesus does not want us to be the sort of stones lying around in the field waiting to be cleared away before the harvest begins. Nor should we be the sort of stones that cause others to trip or stumble. Instead, we are to be shaped and trimmed to play our part in the building-up of the Church—a living church, reaching out and building-up others.

A meditation by the French priest and poet Michael Quoist makes this point memorably:

I thought, Lord, of that brick buried in the darkness

at the base of the big building.

No one sees it, but it accomplishes its task,

and the other bricks need it.

Lord, what difference whether I am on the roof-top

or in the foundations of your building,

as long as I stay faithfully at the right place?

Yours in Christ,

Rev’d Dr Ian K Mills

Prayer

 Our Benefice Contemplative Prayer Group meets on the first Monday of each month between 10.30am and 11.30am in St Andrew’s Church, Chew Stoke, led by Rev Dr Victor Barley.

 Community Choir

 The next Community Choir session will be held on Wednesday 11^th September 2024 at 7.00pm in St Mary & St Peter’s, Winford.

 Midweek Holy Communion

Holy Communion with intercessions for Healing is celebrated in our group of parishes on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 10.30am.

Wednesday 4^th September 2024

St Katharine’s, Felton at 10.30am

 Wednesday 18^th September 2024

St Andrew’s, Chew Stoke at 10.30am

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’

 (Matthew 11:18)

Mini Melodies & Jubilee Children’s Choirs

Congratulations to our wonderful young singers from Mini Melodies and Jubilee Children’s Choirs who crowned a successful year of singing with a special concert in Wells Cathedral in July.

Is your child aged 7–11? Do they enjoy singing? Could they benefit from the many rewards of singing in a choir and learning the basics of music and rhythm?

If so, we would love to hear from you. Rehearsals are held in Chew Stoke Church School on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school term. Please contact the Rector or Carole Hope for more information:   CHope@chewstokeacademy.org

Mind & Spirit

The next meeting of Mind & Spirit will be held at 10.30am on Wednesday 25^th September in Felton Village Hall. These sessions are intended to support those living with conditions affecting the memory and those who care for them through conversation, Bible study and prayer. For more information, please contact Revd Fran:  curatechewvalleywest@gmail.com

Contact

 Revd Dr Ian Mills, Rector & Area Dean

The Rectory

4 Parsonage Lane

Winford

BS40 8DG

(01275) 474504

Revd Fran Smettem, Curate

 (01934) 340682