Our former curate, Holly Newton, who left us at the end of July, did a lot of work on disability awareness and church inclusion. She will be starting MA in Theology and Disability in September. Before she announced her departure, we invited her to come and preach in September at All Saints on 21 September and at Holy Trinity on 28 September, about disability and how the church can develop its awareness and accessibility for people with diverse needs and abilities. So she will be returning on these two Sundays to our Team. We do hope that you will come and hear her reflections on this important topic, which, I think we’ll find, affects us all.
Can you believe it is 25 years since Westbury Leigh Community Hall was established followed the reordering of Holy Saviour church in 2000? There will be a celebration taking place at the hall, on Saturday 20 September where cream teas will be served from 2.00 – 5.00pm. This is being organised by Lily Munday and friends. The celebration is open to everyone and it would be lovely to see people from across our Team who have enjoyed visits, events and services there over the last 25 years.
We are pleased to announce that Sharon Waggott has been appointed as our new Team Administrator from 1 September. Sharon comes from a background in housing management, working for a number of housing trusts. She has a great deal of experience in administration and IT and is keen to start a new role supporting our mission and ministry in the White Horse Team. We have been tidying up, sorting out and decorating the Team office to make it more welcoming and attractive. The Team office email address will come back into use on 1 September: office@whtministry.org.uk and we have the same telephone number: 01373 859450. Please be in touch with Sharon directly with your enquiries for baptisms, weddings, funerals, burials of ashes, parish hall bookings or anything else. Sharon will need a bit of time to get used to her new role, so please be patient. She will have a lot to get to used to! Please give her your full support. I’m looking forward to working with her.Revd Rebecca Harris
Harvest Thanksgiving in our churchesWe shall be collecting items of non-perishable food to give to the Westbury Food Bank, so please bring along something to contribute.Holy Saviour on Sunday 14 September at 11.00am, including Holy Communion and followed by refreshments.All Saints on Sunday 28 September at 10.00am. We are inviting our local uniformed organisations to join us for this service.The Tin Church, Brokerswood on Wednesday 1 October at 5.00pm with Bishop Andrew. The Bishop will be blessing the new work on the tower and the bell during this service. Followed by light refreshments.Holy Trinity Dilton Marsh – Sunday 5 October at 9.30am. This will be followed by a bring and share lunch.
This month, on the Feast of Michaelmas, 29 September, both Revd Rebecca and Revd Margaret will be celebrating their 30th anniversary of ordination as deacons.Rebecca was ordained in Gloucester Cathedral on this day in 1995 and Margaret at Salisbury Cathedral.We give thanks to God for many years of Christian ministry. Please pray for them both as they continue to serve God and his people and for his sustaining over this time.
We are delighted to be welcoming Bishop Moses and his wife Mama Rejoice who are visiting Heytesbury Deanery from 6th - 9th October. There will be two opportunities to meet with Bishop Moses and hear the latest about the Diocese of Maridi.Wednesday 8 October - Mothers' Union Meeting, Westbury Bishop Moses and Mama Rejoice will join the Mother's Union in Westbury with Rev. Gay Maynard and Anne Thompson for their meeting in the Parish Hall at 2.30pm.Thursday 9 October - Light Luncheon at St Denys Church, WarminsterLunch is 12.30pm for 1.00pm start.Bishop Moses will update us on the latest from our link Diocese of Maridi in South Sudan.If you would like to attend the lunch please let Anne Thompson know by Thursday 2 October on 01373 825 838 or sign up on the sheets in each church. There is no charge but donations are welcomed. All money raised will go to the Maridi Fund. Thursday 9 October - Celtic Evening Prayer at Holy Trinity Church, Dilton MarshBishop Moses and Mama Rejoice will be coming to Holy Trinity Dilton Marsh for a service of Celtic Evening Prayer at 4.00 pm at which the Bishop will give a short reflection.