From Rev’d Chloe Kingdon - Curate
The winter months are often seen as a rather gloomy, miserable time of year. There is nothing much to look forward to, we all feel fat after eating too many Christmas goodies, the house looks rather bare, and warm spring days seem a long way off. But a lot of you are getting to know me by now, and will be expecting me to find a cheery alternative, so I won’t disappoint…

I am hugely privileged to see God daily, I see him in the playground at school, and in the many lovely people whom I speak to or share a pot of tea with during my ordinary week. I wanted to become a priest because I felt called to spending time with and walking alongside ordinary people in their ordinary lives. I don’t want to be a Bishop presiding in big cathedrals and taking part in national affairs and debates, I want to be ordinary and spend time doing ordinary things.

If we think about the stories of Jesus’ life on earth, we know about his birth, we know one story of his childhood and then there is a gap of about thirty years before we hear about him again. What was he doing in those thirty years? He was living an ordinary life, in an ordinary village with gloomy miserable weather, and nothing much in the calendar to look forward to. It is very easy for us to think, what does God know about our ordinary lives, but he knows a huge amount, because Jesus spent thirty years learning what life is all about, earning the title the Son of Man.

I see God in the gloomy winter months, living amongst you all, just being ordinary; living in small communities, looking out for one another, and that gives me tremendous joy, just to live amongst you all watching God and his people at work.

Rev’d Geoff Wade - Rector

Father David has been a Priest for something like 65 years, mainly as a parish priest but also as the School Chaplain at Kelly College, before taking his final post as Vicar of Ilminster. He has spent the last 20 years living and working amongst us. Before retirement Father David was well known and respected, he had a reputation for being a strong leader, a clear thinker, an inspiring worship-leader and an eloquent preacher. In retirement David adjusted his approach and used his vast experience to support local villages churches and their Vicars, winning once again respect and gratitude for his caring attitude and thoroughly professional service.

Fr David has now decided to step down from leading services, having celebrated his 90th birthday in October 2012. Personally I have found David to be a trusted and valued colleague, a source of sound, practical, help and advice, and I man I could depend on.

I would like to thank Fr David, from myself and from all the parishes, for all that he has done for us and for the Gospel message over the years; we shall miss his service amongst us.

Advanced notice: On the 13th and 14th April, there will be a 24 musicathon in Shepton Church to raise money for church funds. Starting at 6pm with a concert by the Winsmoor Voices there will be continuous music performed right through the night and culminating in a Choral Evensong at 5pm on Sunday.

There are several ways in which you can be involved;

1) You can take part by signing yourself up for an hours slot, you do not have to perform the music yourself, it is acceptable to record an hour of your favourite music and perhaps provide an explanation of why you like it either in writing for people to read, or you can tell people at the time.

2) You can turn up to support and listen to the music at any time during the event

3) You can sponsor individual people

4) You can sponsor a particular hour. For example you may feel for the person taking the 3-4am slot and wish to sponsor that slot.

The aim is to raise £50 for each hour thus giving us a target of £2,400. Individuals taking part are not obliged to get sponsorship, as being there is more important. Sign-up sheets and sponsor forms are available in the church, or contact Chloe for more information.