Vicars letter

October 2019

Click for the Vicars letter from August 2019

Efforts of the past securing the future

I know a lot of people are going to mention it this month, but ... what a fantastic new primary school we have. Thank you to everyone who has worked to bring this about. It is something that the whole community should be proud of and should be happy to support. This is for our children and for future generations; they - and the staff - are the ones that really matter in all of this; they now have somewhere to teach and work, to learn and play, that is wonderful. Already people are looking back, remembering and wondering how teaching and learning ever happened in the old facilities. Here’s to a great future at the new school.

Here we are back in October once again, and November is just around the corner. Both months are times of looking back, of reflecting, of remembering. At the end of the month we have our annual service to remember and commemorate those whom we love but see no more. In November, of course, we have our service of Remembrance and Acts of Remembrance. I would encourage you to be involved in both of these services if at all possible.

Remembering our loved ones whom we see no more, reminds us of who we are and where we have come from. It is an important part of our individual identities. Doing so all at the same time - with community - reminds us that we are part of something bigger, something stronger than we can be individually. Remembering, in November, those who lost their lives during times of conflict should remind us of the price of war and the incredibly high value of living in peace with our neighbours; something that current nationalistic tendencies in many countries around the world seems to be forgetting. We would do well to remember.

So please join us for the service of Commemoration of the Faithful Departed at 7.30pm on Friday 1 November, at St George’s Church. Refreshments will be served at the back of church from 7pm. Names will be read out, and people are invited to come forward to light candles in memory of loved ones. If you would like one or more names read out, please let Cathy Baker have these by Sunday 27 October (emailing her at: benendenchurch@gmail.com) or by putting names on a list at the back of the church.

Please also join us as local community, but also aware that we gather nationally to remember those on both sides of all conflicts that this country has been involved with over the years. We gather to remember young men and women who died fighting for the freedom to live, freedom to speak, freedom to think, freedom to worship as they wished. Our service of Remembrance at St George’s begins at 10.45am on Sunday 10 November, followed by an Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial immediately after the service.

Remember: so we don’t forget. Remember: so we don’t make the same mistakes.

Revd. David Commander
Rector

Benefice of Benenden and Sandhurst

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