In the light of the continuing vacancy in our benefice, Bishop Karen and the Archdeacon were concerned that pastoral provision should be made for the benefice. Thus we are delighted to welcome John Corbyn as Associate Priest. John is not a stranger within the benefice, since, as a newly retired priest he has been taking services in the benefice for the last 18 months. We welcome John to his new role: he will be working in the benefice for two days a week for the next 18 months, pending the appointment of a new incumbent. John was ordained over forty years ago to serve in a Bolton parish in Manchester diocese where he met his wife, Virginia. On marrying they moved further north to Lancaster. As well as working in a parish he was a prison chaplain. He and Virginia then moved to Blackburn for eleven years where they had their three children, now all in their 30s. As a family they moved to Bearsted on the edge of Maidstone, Kent, in the diocese of Canterbury in 2001. During his time there, John was also responsible for a small country parish not unlike some of our smaller parishes in Upper Chase. Without moving, he became the Rector of a new team with a dozen congregations and five full time staff. He also served as Area Dean and became an honorary canon of Canterbury Cathedral. Having served there for twenty-two years, he retired in 2023 and moved with his wife to Harnham, across the water meadows from Salisbury Cathedral, where he is a member of the weekday Evensong congregation.