Church Blog

FROM THE VICAR I don’t know how many of you knew of the computer program ‘Zoom’ this time two years ago. I certainly didn’t. Then the Coronavirus pandemic happened, and we were all under instruction to stay at home as much as possible. As if from nowhere, the popularity of ‘Zoom’ as a way of seeing and speaking to each other through our computers, tablets, and phones really took off. It enabled us to communicate with each other. It helped us to do lots of things in ways we would not have previously imagined, including church services. Of course, it wasn’t without its problems – if the pandemic had a catchphrase, it would probably be “you’re on mute”! As we continued to stay at home, [...]

FROM THE VICAR During my recent illness, I took up running. I had heard many times that it was good for your mental health, so I thought I would give it a go. After all, it doesn’t really cost much to just go out and run. What I had heard was right, it did turn out to be good for my mental health. To my surprise, I have even found myself enjoying it. In all honesty, it might be stretching the truth to call what I do ‘running’. It’s more like a gentle jog, often with a bit of walking thrown in as I tire myself out. I don’t go very fast, and I don’t go very far. You certainly won’t find me entering the [...]

FROM THE VICAR One of the many things which I love about being Vicar of our three villages is the strong sense of community. That sense of community finds expression in so many ways. When I first arrived, it was evident in the huge number of clubs, societies, organisations, groups, and activities which seem to proliferate in our little corner of the world, so numerous that plenty of big towns would be put to shame. The regular contents of this magazine bears witness to that. Whether in Soberton, Newtown or Hambledon, it seems there is little excuse for being bored! The past year has of course been very different. So much of what we normally do hasn’t happened in the usual ways. What has been [...]

FROM THE VICAR A year ago, the patience of our esteemed editor was being put to the test as the emerging Coronavirus pandemic led to a whole host of last-minute changes to the magazine – including several re-writes of the Vicar’s column. I imagine that few of us thought then that we would still be living with such significant restrictions a year later. The amazingly rapid development of several highly effective vaccines has provided a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, but it has been a long and at times very dark tunnel through which we have all been travelling. When I last wrote this column myself, back in the summer, it looked like things were improving – but as we all now know, [...]

From the Churchwardens There are few greetings which with just three words express such hope and cheer, and at the beginning of this new year we especially feel the need for such joy and hope! Last year challenged us in varied ways, but like other extreme situations many of us were encouraged to find new ways of doing so much that had become routine. This community has found and continues to explore refreshingly different approaches to supporting and caring for each other. So thank you to you all for everything that you have done to keep our community safe and to keep its spirit intact in what was a most trying year. Because we have all played, and continue to play, our part by following [...]

FROM THE CHURCH WARDENS As I write, we are all getting used to another period of lockdown and the limitations this has on our lives. Having only recently, it seems, been able to have services back in the church, we are feeling this tightening of restrictions as strongly as many others. Our church building is nearly 1000 years old and has been through many changes, including pandemics and wars, supporting the people of this village through joys and sadness that life brings. It started as a Saxon building, the remains of which can still be seen, and are a tantalizing glimpse back to the past. The ‘graffiti’, which, if you know where to look, has marked our church from its earliest points is another tangible [...]