Letter from Clare

A very Happy New Year to you all

New Year is a time for making resolutions, sometimes making life changing decisions, giving up smoking, getting fitter, or rather more sadly deciding to end a relationship. New Year is the busiest time of year for RELATE, as people seek help with their relationships.

In our three parishes this new year, we too, are engaged in exploring new relationships, not because our old relationships have broken down, but because we are being challenged to look to the future of our Church in this part of Suffolk, and how we work together. During the past year, the Deanery Synod, and every PCC, have had to think hard, about how to take the church on into the future. They have had to recognise that there are fewer people coming through to the full time, ordained stipendiary ministry of the Church; they have had to acknowledge the financial burden of maintaining clergy numbers in this area, and think about how the church can continue to serve its people and the people of the parishes it serves.

That’s the negative side, the positive side is that they have had to think about how each of us is called by God, to be his minister, some to be active in pastoral and caring work, visiting the sick, caring for those who live alone, being a listening ear; others to use their gifts in leading worship, working with children and young people; some to be administrators and ensure the smoothness of the day-day running of church affairs, in finance, secretarial assistance etc. “All of us are called”.

In this Deanery, there are three part time clergy: Betty Mockford in the Charsfield Benefice, and Graham Vellacott, who cares for Brandeston, Kettleburgh and Easton, and me. These three posts, it has been decided should be reduced to the one. This reduction will only happen, when one of the three naturally moves on, either by retiring or moving to a new job. When this happens, the proposal is that Earl Soham will become part of the Framlingham group, along with Saxtead, and Cretingham and Ashfield will join with Betty’s and Graham’s parishes to form a Mid Loes group.

This is the proposal, which should be ratified by the Deanery Synod, in March. Each parish is represented on the synod, and has a vote, all the options have been discussed in each PCC, during at least two meetings. The decisions have not been arrived at hastily.

The clergy have already started to work together, to plan together, to initiate the changes, so that when someone does leave, the changeover is as smooth as possible. Next month on Feb 6 th, there will be an opportunity for people from Earl Soham to go and join with the people of Framlingham, at their 9.30 a.m. service. In Cretingham, we will welcome people from the Charsfield benefice at our 10.00 a.m. service and later in the year, we will join them.

2005, is a time for New Year resolutions for each of our parishes that we will walk forward into God's future, in hope, in partnership, with old friends and with new friends, yet to be made.

Clare Sanders