From Revd Anthony Cross

Dear friends,

Dear all,

‘Everything stays the same, yet everything changes.’ I forget where I first read this aphorism, but I think it is apt for all of us to reflect upon.

At our recent Plough Sunday service, we reflected that, whilst the seasons come and go with regularity, our practices change based on our skills, knowledge and experiences. The plough itself has been innovated from a piece of tree that creates a furrow to a tool that turns the soil and helps improve the yield of the crops.

Similarly, the villages in which we live remain our beloved villages, but they are constantly changing. Whether that is a new use of land, new people moving in, or the development of new and existing businesses and social projects, change is part of life’s rich tapestry.

Our churches do not stand still either. There is always something going on in our parishes, from the Michelmersh Marmalade Festival to the 150th Anniversary celebrations at Awbridge, and everything in between. That is why it is a delight and a joy that we were able to announce on Sunday 18th January that, subject to the necessary checks, Revd. Ann Devereux will become the House for Duty Assistant Curate in King’s Somborne, with her service of licensing taking place in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on Tuesday 7th July. Ann is at present the curate in the parish of Ampfield, Chilworth and North Baddesley, in this Deanery.

As the seasons change, we look forward to seeing new shoots poking through the soil and reaching up to the sun. As Spring awakens the earth, my prayer is that we can all be open to a new springtime of the soul, and that God’s seed of love will continue to burst forth to surprise, challenge, and brighten our lives.

Anthony