Welcome to Chris Gaynor! Chris’s licensing service last Sunday went off in splendid style, with Bishop Robert leading a service that contained gravity and joy, and a great sense of community involvement. Copious refreshments were provided afterwards despite M&S’s difficulties, rescued by Joan travelling to collect our order from their food preparation centre rather than a local store.Chris’s first service for us will be on this coming Sunday 4 May. It will be a benefice Holy Communion at Kemerton at 11:00 am, to give him a chance to introduce himself and his faith to us all. Again, you are all very welcome – this will be the first time when we will know him as our priest, and it will begin to establish the tone and direction of his leadership. Come if you possibly can!April’s servicesApril contained eight services - all the Easter season services as well as Chris’s licensing - and was rewardingly busy. Particular highlights were Jean Herrick’s Passover Communion on Maundy Thursday, Julie Fay’s reflective but powerful service on Good Friday, then our Procession of the Cross up Bredon Hill (led very sturdily by members of Tewkesbury churches), and finally a joyous and well-attended Easter Sunday service to crown the season.The month also saw the last services from our stalwart visiting priests Bill and Andrew. They have provided the backbone of our services through our vacancy, and their leadership and teaching have maintained our strong spiritual framework through a period which could have been far more uncertain. Our gratitude to them was well-deserved. We are now starting our new life with Chris, and we look forward to working with him to maintain our growth and commitment. We offer him all our help, and the full support of the many church members who join in developing and running our services.
