Tomorrow’s (Sunday) 10:30 service will be significant for two reasons:
Firstly, it will be the last time that St Giles’ and St Margaret’s will be worshipping together, having done so since before the summer holidays.
Even more significantly, it will mark Anne’s final service as a licensed member of the benefice ministry team, having received her licence five years ago, at the beginning of Advent 2019.
The good news is that this isn’t the last we will see of Anne – we are thrilled that she will continue to take services in our benefice from time to time as a ‘PTO’ priest (PTO stands for ‘permission to officiate’, which she has received from the Bishop of Oxford).
However, Anne will be taking a significant step back in all of her other activities in the benefice (many of which will be invisible to most members of the congregation, but have been vital none-the-less), and this is an opportunity for us to celebrate this important step in her life and ministry. Please do come if you are able.
Anne won’t be bored though: she has recently been appointed as Area Minister for the Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis, an Anglican Franciscan society which encourages both lay and ordained people to follow the way of St Francis in their daily lives – you can visit their website below if you are intrigued.