![]() Sam and I want to thank you for your kindness as we had our final Sunday with you yesterday. It was so wonderful to see so many of you, and I'm so grateful to all those who helped to make it a special service. I also want to say a huge thank you for your extremely generous gifts to us; we have been very humbled. I was able to share some words with those at the service, but I will send them out by email now, so I can express them also to those who could not join us. Living in this parish is the first time I have lived in a place with family roots. As many of you know, up until his death last November, my Grandfather lived up the road on Kaye Lane. He grew up here, living in Broken Cross, delivering milk with my great grandfather until he retired. Many of you knew him, and his father whom I never met, and have been able to share stories with me. Since being here I’ve understood in a deeper way the importance and sacred role of place. Josiah was baptised in the same font as his great grandfather ninety years before him (who was amazingly able to be there to see it), in the same church that my father was confirmed in, and my parents were married in. Our study is the same one my parents met Canon Whitely in when preparing for marriage! My Grandfather's funeral was held at St Lucius, next door to a farm he visited often. And my Grandmother’s funeral was held at the Methodist church. Many of you will be able to tell similar stories about your family. Just this week someone asked on one of our local community Facebook groups, whose weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals had taken place in this parish - so many 'commented' to recount precious memories. The churches in this parish hold thousands of sacred stories. Sam and I feel privileged to have shared in some of your stories, and I feel blessed to have been Rector for a small chapter. In many ways it feels too short a chapter, but in this time, this church family has become very precious to us; you have loved us and have loved and welcomed Josiah so well. As you know this decision has not been made easily. It is hard for us to say goodbye, but we do so knowing that God has guided this decision and will be guiding you all into the next chapter of this parish’s life. There is so much exciting work to build on, and each one of you (as I say at each APCM) is an important and precious part of this parish’s life and story. All of you have played a precious part in our lives, and Sam, Josiah and I want to say thank you. I want to particularly thank our churchwardens. We as a parish are so blessed to have them. Each one of them is deeply prayerful, missional and pastoral. They have been a wonderful support to me personally, and they love our churches and parish. They, together with the PCC, will continue to lead on the parish mission plan to which so many of you have contributed. I want to commend them to you as they take on the leadership during the vacancy, and I know they already have your full support. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Jenny, Judith, Michael and Margaret who have generously offered to lead so many of our services over the next few months. I am hugely grateful to them and for their ministry. We will miss you all so much but please stay in touch. This gmail email address will remain the same. You will remain very much in our prayers. With our love and blessings, Felicity, Sam and Josiah
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