This newsletter comes with a warm invitation to join us for our Harvest Festival services on Sunday 26th September.
Our main celebration will be at 10.30am, with other services at 8am and 6pm.

Nicholas Burton, Curate Pat Elford and Ken Hillocks, Churchwardens

The observant among you will have noticed that this Newsletter has not been signed by David Frost. That is because after sixteen years as being the Vicar of St Stephens David moved this summer to become the Rector of St Marys in Rye.

So at this time of Harvest when we traditionally give thanks for all the things that God has given us we at St Stephens and many others in the town thank God for David’s time and loving ministry among us. He was a gift to us. And he goes with our blessing and prayers as he starts a new phase in Rye, where he will undoubtedly again be much loved.

One of the psalms or songs of the Bible says "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever". It is good to give thanks and Harvest particularly is a time to thank God for all his gifts to us.

Why not come and join us on September 26th to give thanks for God’s gifts: our homes, our food, our families and friends, our work, and all the other things God graciously gives us? In our worship we will have a collection of food to be distributed locally and money for the poor in the world.

September 26th this year is also Back to Church Sunday, so even if you haven’t been to St Stephens for a while or ever before, you will be more than welcome to come.

Now that David has left, we are starting a period without a Vicar, which can be an exciting and creative time.

More than ever it is a time to recognise and pool together all the gifts that God has given us. We’ve got two steady churchwardens, Pat and Ken, some wonderful retired clergy and a curate, me. But more than that, every member of the church has got gifts and others may want to join us too so that together we worship God for his goodness.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever."