You may be aware of some changes recently at All Saints here in Easton.  This article is to provide you with a brief up-date of what’s been happening and what we are doing.

Firstly, thanks to everyone who has inquired about the situation and shown interest in these events. It is important to stress that whilst we may have some challenges currently, we are confident that solutions will be found and our lovely church will once again provide us with the spiritual and pastoral support and guidance we value.
Please know that we are actively exploring various scenarios. There are no “quick fixes”, especially as a couple of the options will take some time to research.  We won’t go into those here until things are clearer and we can ask for your views based on as much information as possible.

In the meantime, we do have some questions for you, whether you regularly attend services or only occasionally or even not at all.  What sort of services would you like to see? This might be a one-off, an annual or seasonal service.  It might be something more hymn-based, or prayer-based, or even something meditative.  Sunday school?  What would encourage you to come to church just once each year, apart from Christmas/Easter/Harvest??  It’s obviously really important for us to understand what your thoughts are, so that we can start to build towards that together. There will be things we cannot do because we don’t have the resources or people, but we would do our best to try to find a way forward.
Are there any other events you’d like to see happening in the church? Is there something you would like to lead on or deliver?

Please let us know your thoughts – they can be sent to Robert Woodfield (Chair of the Friends of the Church): robertwoodfield540@gmail.com
We are also holding an open meeting on Wednesday 15^th April at 6:30pm in All Saints Church

In the meantime, the local ministry team here in Easton (Emma Hanson, supported by Sue Hunt and Deborah Davenport) are ready and willing to support everyone, and to have informal chats if that is something you would value.

Thanks to you all for taking the time to read this, and to think about what our church means to you and your families.

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An open letter from the Vicar to the Village of Easton on the Hill

I have been reflecting on the Winter and Spring Seasons recently, and on Lent, which shares the same word root as length (as in the lengthening of days) as the bridge between them. Winter itself is normally a cold and hard time of year. A time when many plants have died back, tree branches look dead and bare, the ground is icy and frozen. There is still life, but it is hidden away, underground. But winter does not last for ever, spring will come and with it the “first green” of new growth. 

I am sure that most of you are aware All Saint’s church in Easton on the Hill has been going through its own hard wintertime over the past few months. I am working with the current local ministry team, PCC and the Friends to make this time an opportunity to reset, begin again, and rebuild our church in Easton on the Hill so that it can once again be a welcoming, safe and supportive space that provides both pastoral and spiritual support to our community.

I would personally like to take this opportunity to thank the many people in Easton on the Hill who have supported our church over very many years, and in many different ways, including the regular and occasional members of the congregation, past and present members of the PCC and Friends, and the wider village community. I am immensely grateful for your previous and ongoing support that has carried All Saints church this far.

Also on a personal level, I have divested myself of most of my wider church responsibilities outside of the Benefice, including resigning from my sometimes demanding role as Area Dean.  This is to allow me to concentrate on looking after the parishes of my own benefice that need more support from their vicar at this time, and especially Easton on the Hill.

You will  have seen the letter from Robert Woodfield (Chair of the Friends of the Church) above, asking for your input into the style of worship services we are/could be offering at All Saints. Also think about whether Sunday morning is still the best time to do church or could there be a better time? Please do respond to these questions if you can, the more answers we receive the better we will be able to respond to the current spiritual needs of the village. Robert is collating the responses to these questions at robertwoodfield540@gmail.com

Finally, Emma Hanson, Robert Woodfield and I would like to invite you to an open meeting of the Church Congregation, Friends and Village on Wednesday 15^th April at 6:30pm in All Saints Church. We are confident that solutions to our current challenges will be found, but we need your help to explore the path forward together.

God bless and keep you

Revd Eddie