Vicars letter

July 2020

Click for the Vicars letter from June 2020

Opening churches, curates and racism (all in 500 words)

Three months of lockdown and things seeming that they’d never change, and then changes, changes and changes. In mid June, the churchwardens and I had been planning how to open the church for ‘individual private prayer’, as we were told we ‘may consider doing so’ from Monday 15 June. We did our planning for that date, and then were told we could open two days earlier. Hey ho.

The day before the magazine went to print we heard the news that places of worship can consider re-opening, with restrictions, for public worship from 4 July. We have already met to start planning how we will be doing this. Right now, there is no detail other than to pass on the good news that we intend to worship at St George’s Church on Sunday 5 July. There will be restrictions, and it won’t be the full range of services, but it will be great to be back in church worshipping and praising God together. (See the church website for updates: www.benendenchurch.org.)

Other good news to report is that within the benefice (the parishes of Benenden and Sandhurst) we are to get a part-time curate to assist in the ministry and mission of our churches. Ylva BlidMackenzie was due to be ordained at the end of June in Canterbury Cathedral and then join us in the parishes. This has been delayed, due to coronavirus, until possibly the end of September, but she will be ordained in due course and then join us as a deacon before being ordained as a priest, hopefully next summer.

Ylva will be writing a piece for the August magazine to introduce herself. Once public worship restrictions are lifted, we will be able to welcome her at a church service, and she will begin work with us once she is ordained.

So, what is a training curate and what is a deacon? A deacon ‘shares in the pastoral ministry of the church in our community and leads God’s people in worship’ (amongst many other things). A curate helps with the workload, as an ordained assistant. The ‘training’ bit is probably self-explanatory (for some reason the Diocese now think I have the experience to be a Training Incumbent!) When you meet Ylva, please make her feel welcome.

So those are the good things to be writing about. Then we turn the news on and see so much about racism, inequality, and injustice. We, every one of us, would do well to simply remember that God created each of us. God treats everyone equally. All are equal in the eyes of God. God does not see the colour of our skin and think any differently. And God calls us to be the same.

Revd. David Commander
Rector

Benefice of Benenden and Sandhurst

T: 01580 240658 E: david@dc-uk.co.uk