Hopes of moving forward with the advertisement for a new Priest in Charge to fill the vacancy left by the departure of the Rev Neil Popham two years ago have been dealt a blow by very unhelpful news from Oxford Diocese.
The Diocese has told chairman of the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership Sharron Marland and chairman of the trustees, David Marland, that the staff who control this will not be discussing the advertisement process until this month.
Sharron said: “We have explained the burden of this vacancy and illness on all our other ministers, so they are aware of our dire situation. I am as frustrated as you are.”
With regard to the appointment of a new Baptist minister to replace the Rev David Lewis a year the SEC chairman said: We are no further along with this appointment at the moment. So frustrating, but I will let you know as soon as I know of any movement to fill this vacancy.”
Unless one or both appointments come to fruition our Partnership of six churches will be left without a full time minister when the Rev Paul Smith retires next September. This will further increase the burden on our already stretched lay ministry team.
News of this and other items can be read in the November edition of the SEP newsletter downloadable here.
