Rev'd Mark has issued the following message to the whole community
"It was the spring of last year, after 12 months without a ‘vicar’…albeit a rector in this case…. (and notwithstanding the very good offices of other local clergy and ministers) that +Martin, our Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, and the three parochial church councils of the Claydon Benefice, agreed that after a period of reflection they would welcome an interim priest-in-charge for a period of up to two years. That person has been me, and I was zoom-licensed in May 2021!
Nearly 18 months from the start of those discussions, the time has come for me to now stand back, as the process of a permanent appointment of a rector for the benefice is well-underway, and it has been decided that applications (both from Suffolk and nationally) will seek candidates who, in addition to leading the three benefice parishes of Claydon & Barham, Great Blakenham, and Henley, will also be the next Rural Dean of Gipping Valley and its other nine benefices; a first-among-equals.
My very last Sunday is August 7th, and after a very warm and heartening farewell benefice service last Sunday, I now wish to express here to the wider village communities my thanks for the welcome, friendship and hard work in church, school and wider parish/community over my time with you, which has included coming out of the pandemic restrictions on our normal patterns and style of worship, our pastoral ministry, and our outreach.
My prayers are for each and everyone, in and beyond our church congregations, wishing God’s blessing on you all, and of course whoever is called to continue and consolidate the ministry amongst you. ‘The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it’ (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
Mark
Revd Canon Mark Haworth"
For his final Sunday on 7th August Rev'd Mark wrote
"Dear Friends, EUCHARIST
I want to thank you all for last Sunday’s 10am benefice service at Barham; I was very touched by the many expressions of thanks and goodwill, card(s) and tokens. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving” and so our focus was rightly on the sacrament and Christ’s presence in the sacred elements, but also in each other. I am looking forward to celebrating for the last time this Sunday at the 8am and 9.30am services, then calling in to see you over coffee after the 10am and 11am. I also want to say thank you in making the Wednesday 10am Eucharist at Barham a helpful time of communion, coffee and conversation; we have grown in number and allegiance, a genuinely benefice gathering; amongst many aspects it has been a highlight… do go along if you can to what is never more than a 35-minute said service. Please remember for good all that we have learnt together, and now it is time to say good bye, and God-bless; please pray for me and the road-ahead, as I surely will for you all.
Yours in Christ, Mark"