After many months of waiting I have finally been inducted as Rector of St Wulfran’s, Ovingdean and I am feeling both excited and privileged to be here. I'm really looking forward to meeting you all in the months to come and exploring how I can best serve and support this beautiful and lively village.
The service on Thursday the 22nd October, where I was instituted and inducted into the parish by the Bishop of Lewes, Will hazelwood, was beautiful and I am very grateful for all the work that went into making this possible. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated on Zoom and also a big thank you to everyone who has been so welcoming and helpful since we have moved into the village, we are really starting to feel at home.
A phrase I hear a lot and I seem to be using a lot myself is that we live in extraordinary times. The pandemic has made this year a very difficult and challenging period, many of us have lost friends and family, we may have been ill, we have been separated from loved ones, we may have had to manage stressful situations at home, we may have lost our jobs or our businesses. Unfortunately until we have a vaccine this situation looks set to continue for a while yet, which means we will need to continue to draw on those good things that have come out of the crisis, perhaps most significantly our appreciation and support for key workers and the love and care we have shown to neighbours, especially those who are lonely, vulnerable and in need.
As we turn from Autumn to winter, there are many feasts and festivals on the horizon plus other opportunities for us to stop and reflect on the past and what is yet to come. We are given the chance to remember and give thanks for the people we love but have passed away on Old Souls Night, then we have bonfire night of course which is followed by Remembrance Sunday and on the 29th of November we enter Advent, that time of waiting and anticipation for Christmas. As the seasons change, there will be new challenges but there will also be new opportunities and new blessings ahead.
With all of this in mind, I believe we should try and face these days of uncertainty and testing together. With love and support the days ahead can be more than fear and worry, they can be days of renewed worship, rededicated service, care, friendship, work, and love. We must be alert to the neighbour in need among us, and we must love one another and be kind to one another as God in Christ has been kind and loving to us.
Every blessing
Fr Richard
