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Dear friends in the parish of St George and All Saints,
As the seasons continue to turn, I find myself grateful for the many ways God meets us through shared worship, hospitality, and prayer in our life together as a parish.
Recently, it has been a real joy to welcome Father George who joined us on placement for eight days. In a short time, he became very much part of our community, sharing in worship, conversation, and the daily rhythms of parish life. Times of placement remind us that the Church is always learning, always growing, and always being renewed through the gifts we share with one another. We give thanks for Father George’s presence among us and pray God’s blessing on his continuing ministry.
Another deeply meaningful moment in recent weeks was our Choral Evensong. In the beauty of music, scripture, and silence, we gathered to pray especially for those who have recently departed this life. Evensong has a gentle way of holding both our gratitude and our grief, allowing us to place our loved ones into God’s eternal care. It was a moving reminder that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and that nothing—neither life nor death—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
As we continue our journey together as the parish of St George and All Saints, may we remain attentive to God’s presence in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of our common life: in welcoming the stranger, in lifting our voices in praise, and in holding one another in prayer. To that end, as we journey into another centenary year (this time, for our diocese) it seemed right to end this letter in prayer.
Let us pray:
Loving God,
We thank you for all who journey with us in faith, for those who serve and those who learn, for moments of joy and moments of quiet remembrance.
We commend to your mercy those who have died, and we ask your blessing upon this parish of St George and All Saints.
Strengthen us in love, deepen us in faith, and guide us always in the way of Christ our Lord.
Amen.
With every blessing, Revd Jordan Bentliff