Rector's Letter ~ November 2026

Dear Friends

Well, here we are in November already, and the days are shorter, wetter and darker.  In less than a month our diaries will be filling up with work Christmas parties, Carols, Crib Services and, of course, Christmas itself, with family, friends and all the festivities that come with it!  Meanwhile, our screens bring us an endless stream of news, opinions and advertisements and the wider world can seem endlessly troubled.

But amidst the busyness, amidst the trouble, life needn’t overwhelm us.  The quieter pace of village life still affords moments of peace and calm: a neighbour stopping for a word during their morning walk, a light appearing in a window as dusk falls and the familiar sight of people meeting for coffee, lunch or an evening pint on the high street.

November also brings with it a time to remember, as we gather in reverence to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who’ve gone before us in the midst of the winter chill.  Young or old, there is something healthy and right in acknowledging our collective gratitude for the peace we enjoy today.

Maybe that is one of November's gifts.  It encourages us to look back with gratitude, to look around us with warmth and to look forward with hope.  At the heart of the Christian faith is light that shines in darkness.  The light doesn’t necessarily or immediately remove the difficulties and challenges of this life, but it does remind us that darkness does not have the final word.  And the light is personal - indeed, it is a person: Jesus of Nazareth, a man who knew well the endless demands of this life and yet was able to retain a peace and calm even in His life’s darkest moment.

So when you’re tempted to be overwhelmed, take time out to pause and to reflect, to remember what makes peace today possible and to consider the light that has come in to the world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  Happy November!

Best wishes,

Phillip