A year round

Today, 25th July, is St James's Day and, appropriately enough, it was on this day exactly a year ago that  I was appointed vicar of St James and St Anne's here in Bermondsey.

What a lot has happened in that time.

First, the painful task of telling a beloved and stunned congregation in Redhill 'I'm leaving.'

Its the nature of the confidentiality of the clergy appointment process that such an announcement usually comes like a bolt out of the blue to the poor unsuspecting home congregation.

Then, following fond farewells to Holy Trinity, the move to Bermondsey: a new house, a new district of London to explore, two new congregations, with all their traditions, customs and ways, to get to know.

It's been a year of change and a fascinating and intriguing year. We are enjoying being here immensely, sharing in the life of the congregations, making the most of all the opportunities Bermondsey offers with its proximity to central London, and praying and pondering and working out how to take forward the work of the Gospel in these two diverse parishes.

It feels good to be here and we feel blessed.

And then the icing on the cake: the news a few weeks ago now that my first Redhill curate, latterly

Rector of St Peter's, Woodmansterne, Mick Hough (right)  had been appointed to be vicar of Holy Trinity.

We are thrilled for Mick, and thrilled for Holy Trinity, knowing that by God's grace, that church is in the best possible hands for the next stage of its life.

And not only is he an all round good egg, but he is a blogger, too.