From Sheila Hume: The Bike Ride in aid of Churches. Parish of St Theodore, Cranbrook, Kent. In the past, along with other parishioners, I have ridden round the Marsh (Also serving , , and Sandhurst) churches to raise money for the church, but this year a group was doing the Newsletter for Sunday 24th September 2017 circle so I joined them. Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – (A) Starting at the beautiful St. Nicholas church in Sandhurst I then rode to St Priest, Fr. Barry Grant, St. Theodore’s Church, High Street, Cranbrook, Kent. George's Benenden and then we rode to before going on to TN17 3DT. Tel. 01580 713364 [email protected] Tenterden where, ( cunning this) there are five churches of different Bidding Prayer response at Cranbrook– ‘… denominations within a very short space. The second to last was the Unitarian Service Times, Mass Intentions and Feast Days church - one I knew nothing about. Sunday Masses ( Missal Page 655) Started in the States, the Tenterden chapel has a picture of Benjamin Franklin Sat. 23rd Sept. Cranbrook 6.00pm with Joseph Priestley proudly displayed. Joseph Priestly used to preach there and th Sun. 24th Sept Benenden 9.00am Paddy Adlard, RIP. - 40 Anniversary. his friend Benjamin F often visited Tenterden and was, to quote one of the Missed and loved as much now as then. women manning the church " a well-known toe rag!" It was in this church that I Cranbrook 11.00am discovered that not only were Dickens, Longfellow, Mary Gaskell and Darwin all Weekday Masses at Cranbrook (In the house) Unitarians but also that a "sounding board" is a physical thing- a flat roof over the Monday 25th at 10.00am pulpit which catches the sound waves of the speaker and projects them into the Tuesday 26th at 10.00am congregations attentive ears. Wednesday 27th at 10.00am

We also were able to go into the Benenden Hospital chapel which I've never St. Vincent de Paul done before and which is a rather enchanting , plain but peaceful building. On Thursday 28th at 10.00am the final run, it made me feel very proud to arrive at our little chapel to find, St. Wenceslaus Bernard, Anne and Father Baz, some welcome biscuits and drink and the church Friday 29th at 10.00am looking very pretty decorated with Genevieve's sunflowers amongst others Preceded by the Rosary at 9.40am Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael which Margaret ( I think) had moved to stand at the entrance and again st Margaret, had put on some monks choral music which gave the church a Sunday 1 October – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – (A) (Missal Page 659) Sat. 30th Sept. Cranbrook 6.00pm wonderful reflective feel. A big effort and much appreciated by all. Thanks very much to all who sponsored me which raised £102 half of which goes to St. Sunday Benenden 9.00am 1st Oct. Cranbrook 11.00am Theodore’s Parish. Well done Sheila and thank you. Confessions at call; home visits by request Saturday 30th is the Feast of St. Jerome. Notice of some other events in October: This Sunday is a Day of Prayer for the Harvest and is the Feast of Our Lady of th Weekend of 7/8 October. Visit of Columban Father to our Parish. Walsingham. th Saturday 14 October: Next Sunday, 1st October: -A Morning of Recollection for Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of • is Rosary Sunday and October is the month of the Rosary. Communion will take place at St Peter’s Bearsted from 10am to 1pm • is also the first Sunday of the month and there will be refreshments -Rosary Crusade of Reparation from Westminster Cathedral to Brompton after the 9.00am and 11.00am Masses. Please stay and have a chat. Oratory; starts at 1.45 at Westminster Cathedral. Donations are also needed to • the October Draw of the 50/50 Club, the final one for the year, will take help with cost of traffic management, even if you are not going. This is a very place at Benenden after the 9.00am Mass. See note on next page. public witness of our Faith. See flyer and pick up a leaflet. • please pick up your donation envelopes for the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day th Weekend of 28th and 29th October – Feast of St Jude celebrations at the which is on the following Friday 6 October. These will be collected at Masses on the weekend of 14/15 October so as not to clash with the National Shrine of St Jude in Faversham ; more details later. th God Bless, Fr. Baz visit of the Columban Father on the 7/8 October.

Please remember those who are in need of our prayers at this time; Maggie THE PARISH QUIZ Friday 6th Oct. at Sissinghurst Primary School, 6.45pm for a Maggs, Karen Cramp, Paul Phillips, Willow Friday, Diana and Martin Soper, prompt start at 7.00pm as we have to be out by 10.00pm. Helen Friday, Peter and Lucy Swainston, Sister Kathleen, This is for tables of up to 8 people and you can either make up your own team Fr John Lawrence and Catherine Abbot. or book singly and we will make up a team or you can join a team on the night. Please pray for the happy repose of the soul of Cathy Sparks who sadly died on Tickets at £10 per head are now on sale after Mass or by ringing Thea on 01580 14th September and for her family and friends who mourn her loss. 713882. Please provide all your own refreshments for the evening. Please remember too those others who have died recently, those whose This is an important social and fund-raising event for the Parish so please come anniversaries occur about now, and their families and friends. and bring your families and friends. When you know you will be coming, please tell Thea straight away, buy your tickets and so give her peace of mind. Pope Francis’ Mission Intention for September is: That our Parishes, animated There will be a raffle and donations of prizes will be gratefully received. by a missionary spirit, be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen. Reminders for events in Sept. The 50/50 Club: - The new year for the 50/50 lottery starts in November. Would 27th - St Gregory’s Catholic School, Tunbridge Wells. Open days for pupils current members please collect their named envelopes at church. There are also starting in September 2018. 9.00am;11.00am; application forms available for anyone new wishing to join. The cost is £12 per 28th - Ditto. 9.00am; 11.00am and 4.30pm to 7.00pm. ticket for the year and this will feature in each of the 12 monthly draws. (And also Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 October 2017 - 9:00am & 11am) This is an important fundraising event and the money raised in the lottery is 30th - A meeting for the laity to explore and discuss the Pope’s views on ‘Love shared equally between the monthly prize and Parish funds. So, the more tickets and Joy in the family’ at West Malling from 10am until 1pm. See flyer. Booking sold, the higher the prize money and the greater the gain for the Parish. essential: [email protected] or 07983524727 (Diocesan Marriage and My thanks to Judy for again running this initiative for the next year. Family Life Team) Achdiocese of Southwark Ecumenical Commission We have been asked to discuss in our Parishes the qualities we need in a new Visit to Canterbury Cathedral Archbishop. If possible this should be done in time for the Deanery Pastoral Everyone is invited to join us on our visit to the Anglican Cathedral of th Council (DPC) meeting on 2nd October at Bearsted. If you have any thoughts on Canterbury, on Wednesday 11 October 2017. this matter please jot them down and give them to me. Fr Baz. We shall meet at the Cathedral Welcome Centre at 2.00 pm. This can be found through the Christ Church Gate entrance to the Cathedral. Badges will be I have also been asked to arrange for the Parish to have a representative at DPC supplied for all attending for identification purposes. meetings. Would anyone be willing to take this on please. They are every three There will be a guided tour, followed by an opportunity for us to pray together months, generally in the evening. As noted above the next is on 2nd October for Christian unity in a chapel in the Cathedral. There will then be time for refreshments and souvenir purchase, after which we will join the Cathedral Come Home prayer – Loving Father, we pray for those who have been baptized community for evensong at 17:30. A collection for the work of the Cathedral but who no longer, or rarely, attend Church; that they will understand and will be made and the suggested donation is a minimum of £6 per person experience in their hearts that Christ is the source of unconditional love and although the choice is yours. If you would like to come, please contact Deacon th reconciliation. We also pray for everyone who worships in our Parish Community Jolyon Vickers ([email protected]) by the 30 of September. that we may find the right words and means to invite our absent brothers and sisters to return to the practice of their faith. Amen. LATE NEWS A reminder that there will be some disruption in St Theodore’s in November - Pax Christie invite you to their Nonviolence Works! Seminar at the Amigo Hall, (exact date not yet known) when work on replacing the existing dormer and St George’s Cathedral on 2 October 2017. For details visit paxchristi.org.uk side windows with double glazed uPVC units is due to begin.