May Message

May message … A Time of Vacancy

The five Anglican Parishes in our United Benefice of Kinnerley with Melverley, Knockin with Maesbrook, and Maesbury are now in what is known as “a time of vacancy.” Basically this means that our Rector has now been installed in a new post elsewhere in Shropshire and we are waiting for a new one to be appointed. The process by which this happens is often quite a long one and it is likely to be some considerable time before we know who the new Rector might be and when they might be installed into the post so they can begin work here.

In the meantime worship in our five churches continues with the usual regular services each Sunday. We are very grateful to clergy from other local Anglican churches and also many retired clergy who live in Shropshire who have helped us out by taking services on Sundays or officiating at baptisms, weddings and funerals in our churches.

The vacancy involves our churchwardens in quite a lot of extra work as they are responsible to the Rural Dean, the Acting Archdeacons and ultimately the Bishop for ensuring that the ministry of our five churches continues.

If anyone wants to get in touch with the church during the time of vacancy they can contact one of the churchwardens whose details can be found in the front of the magazine. Telephone calls to the Rectory during our vacancy are being diverted to another number and if you call the Rectory number one of the wardens will answer. Likewise the Rectory e-mails will be checked regularly.

Although it may seem that the future of our benefice is uncertain we take comfort from many promises in the Bible like these verses from the prophet Jeremiah:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

We may not have a Rector at the moment but our loving God is still with us and even if we do not know what the future holds, God does!

Please join us in praying that just the right person, the one God already has in mind,  will apply for the job of Rector here and come to work amongst us soon and maybe we could all use this time of vacancy as an opportunity to get to know God better.