The United Benefice of Orsett, Bulphan and Horndon-on-the-Hill
Benefice events are coloured purple.
RECTOR'S REPORT ON THE BENEFICE
to the Annual Parochial Church Meetings
Going through my diaries for the months since our last APCM I was particularly struck by the frequency of what we call "occasional offices" - baptisms, weddings, and funerals. It seems we've been doing rather a lot of those duties lately - duties, yes, but it's also a great privilege to take part in the great events of people's lives, sometimes joyful, sometimes tremendously sad. We've had to say good-bye to some old friends during the past year, but also said hello to new Christians through baptisms and newly married couples. Through these occasional offices we help to build the Christian community, which is what the church actually is.
During the year, we've seen some major building work at Orsett Church, thanks especially to the efforts of the Friends of Orsett Church. We've had a hopeful renewal of our youth work. Work with our Church of England schools continues to be a high priority, from taking assemblies, to visiting classes, to serving on the boards of governors. It's not been an easy year, especially for Orsett and Bulphan schools which have lost their headteacher once again, but I also chair the Collaboration Committee which seeks to examine those things that the schools have in common and to look for ways in which we can support each other in the future.
My duties as Rural Dean of Thurrock continue to take me away from the Benefice from time to time, but I hope that this work helps to broaden our (and particularly my) knowledge of what it means to be church on a bigger scale than individual parishes. One of the subjects that our Deanery Synod has examined during this year is the question of deployment of ministry. How, where, and why ministers -both lay and ordained - will be used in the future will be of key importance as to how the church operates in the years to come. At the moment, we in the Benefice have been blessed with the ministry of Max and Glyn over the years, and this past year has also seen Michele's priesting. We have also been placement posts for readers-in-training which has helped us to glimpse that type of ministry working among us.
Our vision of ministry has also been expanded through the two three-month placements of Romanian theological students among us from the Diocese of Iasi. John was with us last summer and Sorin is currently in his last month here. I hope that this programme has been mutually beneficial as we learn more about our fellow Christians in different traditions.
The way that we walk the path of Christian life together was graphically brought home to me in September when Richard Page and I undertook a walking pilgrimage from Orsett to Canterbury Cathedral, the road taken by so many over hundreds of years. This year the pilgrimage was special because we were joined by fellow pilgrims from the Benefice, walking sections of the route together and others joining us for a special Communion in Canterbury Cathedral itself. Walking the path together - both literally and figuratively - is what really makes us a Christian community.
There are too many people to thank individually for all the work that goes on in our Benefice, but you all know who you are and how you help. Sometimes it can be simple faithfulness in attending services around the Benefice, sometimes in more active roles. But however you do support us, that is what makes us a Christian community, a church. As always, many thanks to you all.
Please pray for me, as I do for you.
Your brother in Christ,
Ed
Contacts
Rector
Revd Edward W. Hanson
Tel. 01375 891254rector@hobnob.org.uk
Hon. Asst. Priest
Canon Glyn Jones
Associate Priest
Revd Max (Steven) Blake
Tel. 01375 360522max@hobnob.org.uk
Assistant Curate
Revd Michele Marshall
Tel. 01375 361599curate@hobnob.org.uk