Our Vacancy

The Right Revd Joanne Grenfell, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, is delighted to announce that The Revd Sarah Elizabeth Hall, currently Assistant Curate in the Ipswich, St Augustine Benefice, has been appointed as the new Curate in Charge of the Woolpit and Drinkstone Benefice.   A date for Sarahs institution and induction will be confirmed in due course.    

The Bishop has asked me to pass on her thanks to all those involved in Sarah’s appointment and assures you of her prayers.  Please pray for Sarah and her husband Phil as they prepare for their move. 

 Hello from Sarah

I am thrilled that I’m going to be Woolpit and Drinkstone’s next Rector…I can’t stop smiling! My husband, Phil, and I are so looking forward to joining you early next year (date to be confirmed). We had the joy of meeting some of you on the interview days; we really appreciated the warmth of your welcome, and we’re excited to get to know everyone. My speciality is chatting to people over coffee, but having met so many people with dogs, I think I might start joining people on a dog walk…or even a walk without a dog! Living in a village is going to be new to us both, and we look forward to getting involved in many of the village events that happen and settling into village life.

I am currently the curate at St Augustine’s church in Ipswich, and I will complete my curacy with you, hopefully within the first couple of months. I was originally from Leeds and Phil grew up near Great Yarmouth, but we have lived in Ipswich for over 30 years. Phil used to work for BT at Martlesham Heath and I worked as a midwife, mostly in the community, for many years. Our son, Josh, who’s 25, now lives with his girlfriend, Laura, in Herne Bay, Kent, having met at university in Canterbury.

I look forward to seeing what God has planned for us all in Drinkstone and Woolpit, and to taking the next steps together throughout the coming year…and beyond! So, see you all in 2026 and God’s blessings on us all in the waiting.

Sarah

Reverend Ruth Farrell officially retired as rector of the Woolpit and Drinkstone Benefice on July 20 following many years in her role. 

Retirement parties and gifts were arranged to thank her for all she has done for her congregations since she was made rector in 2007. 

And on August 5, Revd Ruth was gifted a special and prestigious certificate of Long and Exemplary Dedicated Service.

The certificate, which came as a complete surprise to the reverend and is rarely handed out, was from the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich as an “acknowledgement of her faithful service to the diocese and benefice”.

The certificate reads: “In thanksgiving for many years of dedicated service to the life of the Church of England in Suffolk.” 

It is signed by Martin Seeley, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. 

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” it reads.