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May 2019 May 2019
‘vacancy.’ In simple terms what this means is that I, with the Church Wardens,
have responsibility to ensure that things are in place for the orderly management DATES FOR
of the parishes and church life therein across the whole benefice. My clergy
colleagues in our team are all Associate Priests, in one case with P t O (Permission YOUR DIARY
to Officiate) and we are also blessed to have four LLMs in the team to minister
across the benefice with us. When the new priest is appointed he or she will also
be an Associate Priest in the Benefice of West Purbeck and will minister across the 2019
benefice with the rest of the team. As it stands at the moment, the plan is to
advertise for the post of Associate Priest in May and, God willing, to appoint for 11th AL: Rob Curtis, Dorset Curiosities
September. The Associate Priest will have pastoral responsibility for Bere Regis and
Affpuddle but will also be a team player, working with colleagues cross benefice.
The patterns of things, including mission and worship, will be planned cross 18th WI: Local Artist
benefice. In this way, although we will each have areas of responsibility and
because of geography and location of housing some of us will be looked to more 14th PiP: Bere Regis Alzheimer’s Memory Walk 10.00
locally than others, no parish will really have their own ‘vicar’ (in fact there aren’t
any vicars amongst us, simply a rector and associate priests) but rather a whole 27th PiP: MacMillan Coffee Morning 10.00-12.00
Ministry Team.
October
Because we are not in vacancy we have to cover everything ourselves. Whereas
in a vacancy the fees for retaining the services of visiting clergy may be
reclaimed from the diocese, we cannot do so. As we know, thankfully and 1st GC: Harvest Supper
joyfully, Rev. Jenny Alidina became a member of the team when the benefice
was inaugurated which means that we can cover more Services ourselves. 8th FG: R Thompson, Up the Garden Path
However, as our Associate Priest Rev. Jenny is with us in the benefice for 2 Sundays
each month this means that there may be some gaps for Services to fill until our 9th AL: Tony Bates, Stunning Wildlife Photography
new colleague is appointed. With this is mind the Ministry Team have drawn up a
pattern of Services across the benefice that we deem to be manageable in the
interim period. In recognition of the fact that we are a member of clergy ‘short,’ 12th PiP: Presentation Evening with Shaun Marx 7.30
we have managed to negotiate with the diocesan authorities to pay for cover for
2 Services per month across the benefice, to be deployed as determined by me, 13th Havest Lunch - Briantspuddle Village Hall 12.30
until our new colleague is with us. In the meantime, if there are any other Services
that we cannot cover, for example if two of us are on leave at the same time, 16th WI: The Watercress Company
which may happen this year as most leave was booked before the benefice was
established, we have to find people to cover and we pay any fees that may be 25th Purbeck Film Festival at Briantspuddle Village Hall 7.00-7.30
incurred. The aim is, of course, to keep this to an absolute minimum but it will be
necessary sometimes before our new colleague is in post.
November
In considering the Services pattern of the benefice and what is practically
manageable for the Ministry Team, even with some cover, we have noted the 2nd Affpuddle Church - Gift Day
legal requirement that there should be at least one Eucharistic service in a
benefice on any Sunday and we have endeavoured to treat each parish fairly.
On a very positive note, all of our parishes will have at least one Service each 5th GC: Roaming Free - New Forest Ponies, Suzanne Kemp 7.30
Sunday, although there may be an amendment to Service times, and there is a
Eucharist in at least one of the churches each Sunday. All three parishes will have 12th FG: Mr Nicky Heal, Christmas at Home
three Sundays per month with 10am Services, one Sunday each month with an
8am service and each church will have one non-eucharistic Service per month. 13th AL: Glo Curtis, Advice for All Citizens
On fifth Sundays, as they occur, we will hold one joint Benefice Family

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