Dear Congregation and Friends of St Mary,

Please find attached the Benefice Newsletter for Sunday and associated documents from Lucy.

I have been asked when the new Bishop of Dorchester will take up his post, as it is now public knowledge that Bishop Gavin’s consecration at the end of this month has been postponed.  As it happens the Bishop of Oxford sent out an e-mail earlier today about the situation.  See below:

“By agreement with the Archbishop of Canterbury, I plan to license Gavin as Episcopal Vicar for the Dorchester Area on 28 January, the originally planned day of his consecration. This will be a reasonably low key licensing by Zoom. Area Deans and Lay Chairs from the Area will be invited, together with the Area Team and members of the Bishop’s Staff.  

Gavin and Christina will move to Arran House in early February and have some time to settle into their new home.  There will then be a Service of Welcome for Gavin as our Bishop-designate, as originally planned, on Sunday 28 February. If conditions allow, this will be streamed from Dorchester Abbey. Gavin will be working to a full diary from that date, meeting people virtually, leading and supporting the Area team and engaging with the wider community and Diocese.

We will, of course, keep you posted as to when Gavin’s consecration as bishop can be arranged.” 

Details of the Benefice online services this Sunday can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/shrivenhamandashbury/.   And if you fancy a change of scenery, then details of the Oxford Diocese livestreaming services can be found at: https://www.oxford.anglican.org/coronavirus-covid-19-2/livestream/

Best Wishes,

Dennis

Church Warden St Mary The Virgin, Longcot