Dear Church Family,   I can’t believe how quickly 2025 has started! There’s already so much to reflect on and celebrate. Over Christmas, we welcomed 400 more people than the...

Dear Church Family,   I hope you’re well and getting some space over this Christmas season to reflect up on the amazing truth that is Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. As I said in my...

Dear Church Family,   I’m writing this message a week in advance (although it will be distributed for the first weekend in Nov) as I’m taking leave for the half-term.   By...

Dear Church Family,   This morning the staff team went out for breakfast -something we’re going to try and do on a regular basis as part of the practice of eating with others. It was...

Dear Church Family,   How was the summer for you? I hope most of you managed to find some time to rest and recharge? Many of you have asked me how my summer was, and for the most part I think...

Dear Church Family,   Summer is finally here, and I don’t know about you but I need to slow down and breathe in after the busyness of the last few months.  The Church Wardens, Will...

Dear Church Family,   It’s been a while since I wrote one of these messages, and so there’s much to communicate with you.   Looking back over the past few months, there have...

Dear Church Family,   We start this month with much to be thankful for. I always find it’s helpful to focus on what we can thank God for. We can cultivate a discipline of praise - a...

Dear Church Family,   At the start of the year I outlined the four priorities of mission and ministry for the year ahead.    Leadership – growing our capacity for...

Dear Church Family, My apologies in the delay writing this update to you. I was ill last week on the day I intended to sit down and write it.   Vision Sunday The year has started with many...

Dear Church Family,   Happy New Year to you all. I hope that managed to find some time and space to relax and find refreshment over the Christmas Season? I come back to work feeling that...

Dear Members of the Community,  You may be aware that it’s not been possible to ring the bells of the parish church properly for some time. Although we’ve recently been able to...

Dear Church Family,   It seems like every time I wrote one of these messages there’s a lot to report to you all. We are now firmly back in the church building and settling into a new...

Dear Members of the community,   You may be aware that the Parish Church clock chimes have been silent for most of the past year while building work was being undertaken. At one point during...

Dear Church Family,   I am writing to you slightly earlier than normally as I’m away at a conference next week – which I do once a year, because it’s important to get fresh...

  Dear Church,   Looking back over the last few weeks there has been lots happening in the life of the church, with lots to celebrate also. We’ve moved to a 2-service format, with...

Dear Church Family,   I hope you had a good Christmas and you all got the chance to rest, relax and enjoy time with family and loved ones. I certainly have come back feeling more refreshed...

Dear Church Family,   It’s never easy writing to inform you that one of our family is no longer with us. This afternoon I have the sad duty to let you know that Anne Shire passed away at...

Dear Church Family,   I’m excited about Christmas. In church life this is a busy season, but it’s also a great opportunity to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to a world...

Dear Church,   I’m writing to you this month feeling quite tired. As a family we were hoping to get a rest over half-term at the end of October, but were then beset by illness &ndash...

Dear Church Family,   It seems much more than a month since we had our Vision Sunday – but it was only four weeks ago. So much has happened in that time.   Obviously the major...

Dear Church Family,   I hope you’ve enjoyed your summer and had some time to reconnect with family and friends. For me it seems that this summer has gone very quickly, and my children...

Dear Church Family,   I think it’s fair to say that many of us will be saddened but probably not surprised to hear the news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing yesterday. Her long life...

Dear Church Family,   It was lovely to see so many of us gathered together with the rest of the churches in Blandford at the United Service this past weekend. I was struck by the sense of...

Dear Church Family,   There are so many things to be encouraged by in the life of our church. We have new people joining us, we are seeing more children actively playing a part in our...