Message from Rev Sally

WELCOME REV SALLY AS OUR PERMANENT PRIEST-IN-CHARGE………

On 12 July Rev Sally became licensed and installed as Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice of Capel St Mary and Great and Little Wenham. This represented a huge success for us all as Rev Sally continues to develop her missionary work in the benefice. However, as she lays out in the article below (which also appears in Capel Capers July issue) we face many challenges ahead…

Capel is my Home
I moved into Capel in June 2020 during one of the lockdowns and I knew no one. My wardens were so kind and we sat in the Rectory Garden with a cake and a cup of tea getting to know one another.  I was a trainee Priest, let loose on unsuspecting congregations and they have mentored and supported and loved me ever since. I make so many mistakes. There is a lot of sitting down and standing up in Church of England services and I always get it wrong. But they have put up with me and there has been an awful lot of laughter. Both the churches of St Mary’s and St John’s in Great Wenham are amazing. 

As a curate, you are expected to move and go to another parish after your three years of training. I was very daunted by that. Moving is hard and leaving a place where you have begun to put down roots, harder still.
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich decided I could be interviewed for the job. I prepared and tried to answer the questions, as usual I talked too much, did a very nervous presentation, but they gave me the job! 

I am delighted to be staying in this great village and have enjoyed getting to know you; all the great kids and teachers and admin staff at the school where I am a Governor, marrying and baptising couples and babies and walking beside you in the sorrow of preparing and conducting funerals. 

All of it has been amazing and I have flourished as God intended me too. I will now become a Priest/ Vicar in Charge rather than a Curate and be responsible for both St John’s and St Mary’s Churches. But, (there is always a but) …. now the churches must pay my salary through fund raising alone. Imagine having to pay for the upkeep and heating of the churches and now the vicar’s salary on top. It is daunting and we must Trust in God. 
Every single person who works in the churches does so voluntarily; they keep the churchyards tidy; they visit the sick and sort out all the services, including weddings, funerals and baptisms; they organise ‘soup a lunches’ and lunch clubs and they give their time freely and willingly. It is tiring.

The village, I hope, wants a Parish church. I hope you want a vicar. And I wonder if you can help us? Either by volunteering or maybe even considering making a small monthly contribution? If you can, we would be delighted, and thankful and it would secure our financial future. Please see our donate page.

And on a very happy note, there is a service to licence and ‘install’ me. I sound like a radiator. There will be representatives from the community, parish council, churches together and the school.  The Bishop will be there, together with the new Archdeacon, who is responsible for all the churches in the locality. It would be great if I have crossed your path if you would like to come too. You would be most welcome and it will be so lovely and a happy, joyous occasion. 

St Mary’s is YOUR Parish church, Capel was named after it. Come and sing, listen to the choir and be part of its future. Wednesday 12th July at 7.30pm. There is parking at the Community Church on Days Road. Please email the wardens of St Mary’s: melandjudith [at] btinternet.com 

Thank you so much and here is to a bright and exciting future,
Amen