St Mary with St Alban

With some sadness we have bid ‘Adieu’ to John, our Vicar, and his wife Diane. We have already been asked how long it could be before we have a new Vicar. The answer is that at present we do not know. During the interregnum – the official name for this period of vacancy – the Churchwardens, Sheila Cooper and Jerry Bryan, together with the Area Dean are appointed Sequestrators: an ecclesiastical legal term that gives us authorisation to exercise both the financial control and administration of the parish until a new Vicar is appointed.

An important part of our duties is to be responsible for the organisation of services and to ensure that life runs as smoothly as possible during this period. One of our first tasks has been to invite the Archdeacon of Middlesex to a meeting of the Parish Council specifically to discuss the qualities we would look for in any applicant and also to draw up a ‘Parish profile’ outlining the work of the church, its community links, number of population etc. We will also appoint two lay representatives to be available to assist in the process of selection. This statement is then submitted to our Patron, the Bishop of London, and to the Archdeacon who is currently acting as Bishop of Kensington during the vacancy created by Bishop Michael’s appointment to St Paul’s cathedral. Applications for a new Vicar will be invited, as the Bishop of London, our patron, sees and feels is fitting.

Jeremy Bryan and I are aware of the family feeling which exists both in the church and the wider community and we will work hard to foster this and keep in touch with those we know who are sick, housebound or who would appreciate someone to visit them. We are in the process of forming a small pastoral team of people from the congregation who are willing to do this valuable work.

The Sunday and weekday services will be taken by visiting clergy, but we will have valuable and regular support from the Revd. Alex Walter, who is known to many of us both from his time as Vicar of Holy Trinity, Twickenham, and, since retirement, as a visiting priest covering John Cleaver’s holiday dates. We are very fortunate to have this regular commitment and we are extremely grateful to Revd. Alex.

The parish website will be regularly updated and the Churchwardens can be contacted either via the website or by telephone; the numbers are listed on the back page. We have a very supportive congregation and the Parish council includes some ex-churchwardens with a wealth of expertise who, we know, will be of invaluable help to us both at this time.

With best wishes to you all,

Sheila Cooper, Senior Churchwarden

Jerry Bryan, Churchwarden