As an important part of my training for ordination I am being sent away from Elstead and Thursley to worship with and get to know the people of another parish. I will be doing this from the beginning of January until Easter Sunday 2009. This is by way of farewell but not goodbye: though I still live in Thursley and have our company offices in Elstead you won't be seeing me at all in either church.

I will be based at St John the Evangelist, Milford. My training incumbent will be Rev Clive Potter and I will be a part of the ministry team and worshipping community of that parish. This is to give me essential experience of a different group of people with different patterns of worship and their pastoral opportunities and challenges.

Apart from broadening my experience to draw in my own ministry when I return to my home parishes, I look upon it as a pilgrimage journeying with strangers as we follow the Christ child, first as a babe in arms, then through the few precious years of his life to his death on the cross and finally to that glorious realisation of the Resurrection on Easter Day. I wrote recently about what it is that binds Christians together and I hope I will be able to spend some of my time at St John the Evangelist, Milford reflecting on anything new I discover in that different community.

As for my formal studies I am in the middle of writing an assignment exploring the peoples' part in the celebration of the Eucharist. As I research and reflect on what I have read, I am continually drawn back to the crucial importance of community, of a group of people who worship together and support each other in their daily lives. Goodness knows there is enough separation and loneliness in this world without the erection of artificial barriers that prevent us coming before God as single united communities.

There are so many threads to be tied together in the coming months. One of the jobs to be completed before my ordination is to draft my job description. I am in the process of doing this with William as we explore the time I have available and the best way of using my time to work under his guidance to further the work of the church in both parishes. Before anything can be agreed (and the process is thorough!) my draft job description has to go first to the Archdeacon and then to the Diocesan Bishop before it can be agreed. This all takes time.

I may be gone for a while but I will return, hopefully a little wiser, and I will surely hold you in my thoughts and prayers during that time. May I ask you to do the same for me? Please hold me in your own thoughts and prayers until you see me again after next Easter.

December 11^th, 2008, the last Meeting of the year, attended by 20 members, was held in the Bar Lounge and we were entertained by the St James' School Orchestra, who played us a selection of carols and associated music from their repertoire, under the guidance of their Music Master, and Music Mistress. It was very entertaining, and much appreciated by those present.

Following their departure a small Xmas party was held, and the usual Raffle was drawn, followed by the Christmas Raffle, which raised £30.

No Meeting will be held in January, the next being on February 12^th, 2009, when a talk will be given by Sandra Morgan JP.

We wish everybody, in and around Elstead, a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year, and should anybody wish to join us at our Meetings, please contact Sandra on 702 050