Milton Keynes Food Cupboard will be closing down as age catches up with its volunteers.

John and Diana Sturgess write: “With sadness we are writing to inform you that the Food Cupboard Committee has recognised that the time has come to start the process of closing down our outreach. THIS DECISION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN NOT BECAUSE of a drop in demand, that our services are no longer needed, nor that our regular donors of food/finance have diminished to a point where we can no longer continue.

“As with so many other organisations, our volunteer age is steadily rising, and whether a Deliverer or a Thursday morning sorter/packer, the negotiating of stairs whilst carrying heavy food loads is becoming more and more challenging. Most of us are now regrettably, carrying age related problems that significantly increase the risk of injury or aggravating an existing medical condition.  With this in mind, as a committee, we don’t want to feel responsible, even if only as a contributory factor, for a future significant decline in health of one of our volunteers.

“Your churches have supported our outreach so generously in the past and we ask you to pass on our sincere and grateful thanks to all those who have who have played such a worthwhile and effective part in it. We understand the time and effort this support has taken, but, may we encourage you to continue your care of others by developing a link with your local Food Larder, Community Fridge or Food Bank.

“In conclusion, we must acknowledge, once again, the generous and vital part your churches have played in our outreach (both in the past and present). Thank you so much for the support you have contributed during our almost 35 years of outreach. It would have been an impossible dream without regular support from individuals, churches, schools and organisations like yourselves.

“Thank you all so much.”

Yours sincerely

John and Diana Sturgess

(main co-ordinators for Food Cupboard)

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.