Dear All,I trust and pray that you have all enjoyed the lovely warm sunshine that we have experienced throughout August, and that it has not caused too many problems for the keen gardeners amongst us! Looking at the weather forecasts and speaking to friends and family elsewhere in the country, we certainly have been blessed with slightly cooler weather than a large percentage of the nation.While away on the Isles of Scilly at the beginning of August, I had the privilege of taking Sunday services on both the islands of Tresco and Bryher. In one of the church vestries, my eye was caught by a fascinating piece of our history: a historic strong box, rather than a modern safe, used for securing the communion silver. Heavy, heavily reinforced, and built to withstand the elements, it stands as a powerful testament to how deeply our predecessors valued the sacred vessels of the Christian faith.Strong boxes and safes are built for one purpose: to protect what we deem irreplaceable. In the history of the church, these boxes held the silver chalices and patens used to celebrate the Eucharist. These items were valuable not just for their precious metal, but for the sacred stories, generations of worship, and holy mysteries they carried. We naturally want to lock up and secure the things we care about most.Yet, seeing this sturdy old box brought to mind the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount:“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)This passage offers us a profound challenge. The physical strong box, no matter how securely forged by human hands, will eventually age. The silver inside, while precious to our heritage, is ultimately an earthly treasure. Jesus reminds us that the most valuable things we possess cannot be locked away in a vestry safe or hidden behind a locked door.Our true treasures are the things of heaven: faith, love, kindness, community, and our relationship with God. These are the riches that never rust, never degrade, and can never be stolen.As we look at the historic treasures of our parishes, let them serve as a beautiful reminder of our past, but let them also challenge us. Where are we investing our deepest energy? Are we spending our lives building earthly security, or are we rich in the things that matter to God? Let us pray that our hearts are always found securely anchored in heaven, stored safely in the grace of Christ.I wonder what you view as your own treasures? What are those things in your life which are truly special or completely irreplaceable?Often, our greatest earthly treasures are found in the communities we build and the shared times of worship that connect us to one another. With that in mind, as we look ahead to a new season this autumn, we have some wonderful opportunities to gather, refresh our faith, and welcome new chapters in our parish life. Please do take a look at the services listed elsewhere in the magazine and if you have not been with us recently it would be great to see you, in addition we have the following services starting again in September:Families@4 – Sunday 27th September 4pm at St Thomas’ Church, HeamoorSeptember marks the return of our Families@4 service. This will be the start of a brand-new chapter for us as we have said a huge thank you and goodbye to Jo Thomas and Kay Alexander. Both Jo and Kay were absolutely instrumental in setting this service up. They worked tirelessly to ensure it took place every month, always bringing great, engaging ideas that perfectly suited all the families attending. We are so incredibly grateful for their ministry, and we look forward to continuing this special service as we step into its next phase. To this end we will be holding a meeting on the 13th September at 4pm at St Thomas’ Church to share information for anyone who would like to get involved with supporting this service.“A Heart to Praise” – Every Saturday from September, 7pm – 8pm at St Thomas’ Church, HeamoorAlso recommencing this month is “A Heart to Praise”. This weekly service offers a wonderful opportunity to come together for an hour of contemporary praise, prayer, and worship. Everyone is warmly welcome to attend, and it is especially perfect for those who enjoy a more contemporary style of worship. It is a fantastic way to anchor your weekend in fellowship and prayer.Whether you are looking for a lively space for family worship or a reflective hour of contemporary praise, I encourage you to join us as we invest in our community and store up those heavenly treasures together.Every blessing,Chris
Dear Friends,Reading: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” – Mark 6:31The summer holidays have officially arrived. For parents, grandparents, and businesses in our community, it is a bustling, high-energy season. But for many, the holidays represent a deeply ingrained human need: the desire to break the routine, pack a bag, pack up the car, and escape the daily grind. We long for a change of scenery and a chance to pause.This urge to step away is not a modern luxury; it is a spiritual necessity designed by God.In Mark’s Gospel, we find Jesus and his disciples in the middle of an intense, chaotic period of ministry. People were coming and going in such huge numbers that the disciples did not even have time to sit down and eat. It sounds a lot like modern life.Jesus looks at his exhausted friends and does not give them a lecture on productivity. Instead, he issues an invitation: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”Jesus knew that human beings cannot pour from an empty cup. He understood that to sustain a life of love, service, and faith, we must regularly practice the sacred art of stopping. He models this throughout the Gospels, frequently slipping away to lonely mountainsides or quiet lakeshores to recalibrate and connect with his Father.The secular world often views rest as something we must earn—a reward at the finish line of burnout. But the biblical concept of Sabbath flips this entirely on its head. In Genesis, God creates humanity on the sixth day, meaning our very first full day on earth was a day of rest. In God’s kingdom, rest is not a reward for finished work; it is the foundation from which all good work flows.Whether you are going away on a grand trip this August, enjoying a quiet staycation in our beautiful Cornish surroundings, or simply trying to survive the school holiday rush, Jesus extends that very same summer invitation to you today.True rest is not just about stopping physical activity; it is about changing our focus. It is about letting our souls catch up with our bodies. This summer, give yourself permission to step back. Turn off the mental to-do list. Spend five minutes sitting quietly in the garden, walking on the beach, or sitting in the stillness of our ancient churches.As the pace of the world changes around us this month, let us accept the Saviour's invitation to find a quiet place, pull up a chair, and rest awhile in His presence.Prayer:Lord God, thank you for the gift of summer and the blessing of holiday seasons. Quiet our busy minds, ease our heavy burdens, and help us to find our true rest and refreshment in you this month. Amen.If you need to know more about. This I would recommend reading “The ruthless elimination of hurry” by John Mark Commer.August brings an influx of holidaymakers and visitors to Cornwall. This seasonal rush presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the warmth of our own church welcome. Let us all make a conscious effort to ensure that anyone visiting or stepping into our services for the first time feels completely at home and included in our different church families.Looking back at July, I want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who supported the Church Fete at Madron and the Cream Tea and table-top sale at Gulval. Both events were highly successful, drawing in many visitors from our communities and sparking rich conversations which we hope will lead to further engagement.This month also signals a season of profound transition and new chapters for our ministry team: Farewell to Kay Alexander: On Sunday 30th August at 11:00am, we will gather at Gulval Parish Church for a special Benefice Communion Service. Kay, our wonderful Reader, will be preaching her final sermon before she relocates to Scotland to be with her husband, Hugh, as they begin an exciting new chapter in their lives together. Kay has been an absolute pillar of support, leading ministry across all three of our churches and faithfully serving Night Church at St Mary’s in Penzance. Please join us to celebrate her incredible ministry and wish them both well. A New Chapter for Revd Jo Thomas: After seven years of dedicated service across our three churches, Revd Jo is moving on to take the lead at the churches of Towednack and Zennor. These two departures represent a time of significant change for our entire benefice, and it will likely result in adjustments to our regular service patterns in the future. We hold both Jo and Kay in our prayers as they step into these new callings. Because August is traditionally a time for doing things a bit differently and stepping back to rest and recharge, please note that there will be no Heart to Praise services or Families@4 during this month.However, there are two fantastic upcoming events in the wider Penwith Deanery to add to your summer calendar if your other commitments allow: Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St Hilary Church (Thursday 13th August at 7:00pm): We are honoured to welcome the Bishop of Truro, The Rt Revd David Williams, who will serve as President and Preacher. A light buffet supper will follow. To assist the organisers with numbers, please RSVP directly to Churchwarden Roger Calfe at roger.calfe@btinternet.com. Sancreed Evensong & BBQ (Sunday 23rd August at 5:00pm): Led by local Lay Reader Richard Westcott, this special service will welcome the local community. It will be followed by a community BBQ. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own alcoholic or soft drinks, alongside a contribution to the BBQ. As we navigate these times of change and celebration, I wish you all a safe, restful, and joyful August.Warmest blessings,Chris
Dear Friends,A great deal has happened since I last wrote for the magazine, but one particularday stands out vividly: Friday 15th May. I was privileged to arrange a tour on behalfof the Penwith Deanery for the new Bishop of St Germans, James Treasure. Thegoal was simple yet profound: to introduce him to the remarkable people who areworking tirelessly across our area to make a real difference.Our day began at 10:00 am at Madron Rectory, setting the stage for a journey rooteddeeply in community and care. First of all, we arrived at the Penzance ChurchesTogether Food Bank. There, we met the dedicated volunteer staff and listened tomoving accounts of the families and individuals who rely on their resources. Just asinspirational was hearing where the food donations come from and learning aboutthe immense generosity of both individuals and businesses. The food bank operatesout of very minimal facilities, and it was incredibly clear that to ensure all stock isorganized and accessible, every volunteer involved understood their role perfectlyand knew how important it was to work as a team.After the food bank, we drove the short distance to the Lescudjack Centre where wemet Crin Whelan, the Director of Trelya. She spoke passionately about the manydifferent projects which are based there. This amazing community centre sits right atthe heart of one of our most economically challenged neighbourhoods. Among manyother life-changing initiatives, it proudly hosts the West Cornwall Legal Aid Centre.Interestingly, one of the tenants in the building is our local MP, Andrew George, whoarrived by bike just as we were standing by the entrance! He kindly invited us tomeet his team upstairs, where it transpired that Bishop James had actually been anMP’s research assistant in the past.At 12:00 noon, Lynne Dyer welcomed us to the Growing Links Community Gardenon Posses Lane in Gulval. While the project focuses heavily on supporting homelessindividuals, the garden itself serves as a beautiful, peaceful sanctuary for anyonecombating loneliness and mental health challenges. Bishop James asked whetherthe clients find the garden to be a spiritual place; Lynne was keen to concur andwarmly offered the facility for any of our church groups to use in the future.We returned to Madron at 1:00 pm for lunch with a number of deaneryrepresentatives, including two Lay Ministers. It was a wonderful opportunity forBishop James to hear firsthand about the diverse ministries and quiet servicehappening right on our doorstep.At 2:00 pm, we shifted our focus to the younger generation with a visit to MadronDaniel Church of England Primary School—distinguished as the most westerlychurch school on the UK mainland. It was the end of a long SATS week, and wefound the Year 6 children from both Madron Daniel and St Mary’s Primary Schoolsunwinding beautifully together at Forest School.We joined them around an unlit fire pit for a moment of reflection. Each child wasasked to think about three concepts: Up, Out, and In. In was a personal reflection on something that had impacted them internally. Out focused on their interactions and kindness toward others over the pastweek. Up encouraged them to think about something bigger than themselves thatthey appreciated, felt challenged by, or blessed by.It was an incredibly moving experience that stayed with both of us long after we left.Following this, the Year 6 children from Madron gave Bishop James a personal tourof the school, particularly wanting to share the school's core values as well as thespecial prayer corner set up in the school hall.To crown an already inspiring day, we gathered in the evening for a joyfulConfirmation Service in Madderns Church. Bishop David presided over the service,with Bishop James participating alongside him. It was a beautiful and lovelyconclusion to a day that gave a real insight into the very best of our deanery—fromour helping hands and community gardens to our schools and spiritual life.All those present could not help but notice how both of our Bishops made genuinetime for each person there, showing a wonderful warmth and certainly not wanting torush off! (You can see a photo of Bishop David with Jennifer & Couvin below.)Thank you to everyone who made Bishop James feel so welcome and whocontinues to make our church communities such a beacon of hope.Every blessing,Chris
