Saint Michael’s Church
Serving God and Bishop’s Stortford since 673
Clergy Letter For April 2008
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CLERGY LETTER FOR APRIL 2008 |
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The Revd Derek Hinge writes....
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Dear Everyone I have just returned from a service where our Bishop licensed some new Readers in the Diocese. That simple service took me back nearly forty-five years to when I was first licensed and started to serve in that capacity in St Michael's and in parishes in the Deanery. Twenty-five years later, I retired from working life and that coincided with my training for ordination and my ordination twenty years ago. Now because I have reached the ripe old age of seventy plus it is time to retire again. The Bishop has granted me Permission to Officiate which means that my license to Toby as Assistant Curate ceases and I have permission to take services anywhere in the diocese at the request of the incumbent or priest-in-charge. Retirement will not mean cutting myself off from St Michael's altogether, but, as I was told when I was given Permission to Officiate, it allows me to say 'no' sometimes. I thought it would be good to mark my retirement with a celebration Bring and Share lunch on Sunday 29th June. Thereafter Pauline and I intend to have a three month break, apart from a couple of weddings (!), that will give the parish time to adjust to life without me ! We are looking forward to my retirement and hope to use our time to develop areas of ministry that are not specific to St Michael's; to spend more time with each other, with family and friends and for me to return to some hobbies such as photography and model railways !! In this short letter we want to say a huge 'thank you' to all who have supported us over the years. What matters for me as a Christian priest is the privilege of enabling people to use their gifts for the benefit of themselves and the church; to accompany them on the journey of life and to be available to help them especially at the milestones of life that we call 'hatch, match and dispatch' With our love and prayers to all at St Michael's Derek
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Office Address:
Saint Michael’s Church
Windhill
Bishops Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2ND