There was a lovely celebration of new ministry on the 29^th July when all our hopes and expectations were realised in the Licensing of Revd Trudy Hobson, our new Rector, by the Bishop of Salisbury in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Heytesbury.  A full congregation welcomed the Bishop, the Rural Dean and clergy representatives from the Deanery, the Upper Wylye Valley Team and the surrounding area who, together with a the choir and beautiful music chosen carefully to fit the occasion, witnessed and celebrated both the legality of the occasion, and the subsequent  installation of Revd Trudy Hobson to a role that had been vacant for fifteen months.

Churchwardens joined the Bishop in procession before the service began with the Presentation and moved through God’s Call to the Licensing and the Welcome.  It involved a number of groups, Churchwardens, Lay Worship Leaders and Lay Pastoral Assistants together with individuals, both clergy and lay, who demonstrated the inclusiveness - and diversity - of this team of churches and its communities.  In ‘The Welcome,’ representatives from our Parish Councils, our Church Schools and the many aspects of church and community life were introduced to our new Rector bringing greetings from their disparate agencies, all with one aim – to demonstrate our willingness, our readiness and our delight to embark on a new chapter of our lives.

There will be more news to follow in our churches, in the Parish News and on this website as Trudy settles into the Team and the Valley, but, for now, we rejoice in her calling here, her appointment and her Licensing and we look forward with hope to her ministry among us.  This is a happy place and we wish her great happiness here.

(Click the photo below for a larger view)