I hope you have been able to enjoy the wonderful weather, and I hope you have enjoyed the
football, cricket and the tennis if sport is your passion. As I write this, I don’t know the results
and so it is all quite tense.
With August being summer holiday for the children, I hope that families can have a
wonderful time together, maybe going away, or just enjoying time here. Having only recently
moved here I still can’t quite believe how fortunate I am to be in such a wonderful part of the
county. I hope everyone can have some rest over August. Psalm 55:6 says “And I say, ‘O
that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest”. Although we might not be able
to sprout wings and fly wherever we want to go, I hope you can take time away from the
busyness of life.
There are a few events going on over these 2 months at St Mary’s and All Saints’ churches.
At the end of August, the garden at The Bridges on The Street in Woolpit is opening for the
National Garden Scheme. The gardens are a delight and, with so many different plants and
hidden parts to the garden, there will be lots to marvel at. It will be open from 11am-5pm on
Sunday 30 th August (costing £5 for adults) with wonderful refreshments on sale that will be
raising money for church funds.
On Saturday 12 th September we will have our Pop-Up Shop at St Mary’s church from 10am-
12:30pm, with books, nearly new/vintage, cakes and produce, and games and puzzles for
sale. There will also be refreshments to enjoy while you ponder your purchases. Please
could you look through your cupboards over the summer and see if you could donate to
these stalls. Please see the advert in this copy of the Diary for details about donating.
Back in February, I was licensed and installed as “Curate in Charge” for Woolpit and
Drinkstone churches. I’m pleased to say that I have now completed the process that allows
me to formally be made “Rector”. So, on Sunday 13 th September at 10am there will be an
‘Institution and Induction’ service at All Saints’ church in Drinkstone, led by the Archdeacon.
It would be lovely to see you there. Although it will make little difference in the day to day
running of the church, it is a formal step of the Church of England…and a good excuse for
cake!
Also, over the summer, there is a concert at All Saints’ Church: ‘Songs from the Shows’ on
Saturday 15 th August at 7:30pm. There will be local musicians, singers and the Drinks Tones
choir, all performing a variety of West End favourites. If you like musical theatre, you’re
bound to love this concert! Tickets are £12.50, which includes interval refreshments. Email
liz.schmitt2019@gmail.com for tickets.
There is also a Teddy Bears’ Picnic at All Saints’ on 29 th August at 3pm, with a scavenger
hunt, a daring challenge for brave bears, along with bear related crafts and games. Please
do come along, bring a picnic, a rug and a bear and enjoy the fun. Open for everyone; you’re
never too old to have a teddy bear. Let me know if you are attending so we can have enough
cake!
There is lots happening over these next couple of months and it would be great to see you
there.

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.

Rev. Ruth’s Ramblings July 2024     

A friend of mine recently recommended that I down load onto my smart phone a free App called ‘Merlin Bird ID’ by The Cornell Lab.

It is a brilliantly clever piece of software that allows you to record the bird song you are hearing and then identifies the birds that are calling. I’ve never been good at bird song. I might, if I am lucky, recognise a black bird and a robin and sometimes get the great tit call right but generally it is just a melange of calls to me. Now, I easily identify which birds are singing and I realise I have far more wrens in the garden that I expected, and even have an elusive song thrush.

I really enjoy my garden birds and now I am getting more pleasure by having confidence that the song I am hearing is genuinely from the bird I am watching.

There is an element of making explicit, what was previously implicit. The sound I am hearing is from a wren, even though I might not see it from one week to the next. I know it is there.

Perhaps that is what I hope my ministry over the past 18 years has been about, at least in part. I have tried to make both the love and the action of God explicit in the lives of our community.

I believe that God is always present in our lives but too often we fail to notice how he is working in and around us. Like bird song, we are so accustomed to his touch on our lives, that it becomes just part of the background of our being. Yet, when we stop and notice, we are conscious that he has held us through the difficult moments of our lives, put the right person along side us at the challenging times and given someone the word we needed to hear when we have needed encouragement.

I hope and pray that I have helped people to notice that it is God there holding each of us in love and guiding us in our life’s journey.

As I move away, to start the next part of my life’s adventure, God remains here with you – before and behind. His love for each of you and for all that you do doesn’t change – it is just that it will be someone else, in the future, helping you to listen to his voice and to feel his touch.

I have loved my 18 years of being part of the community, of sharing in joyous times and being there for the hard ones too. I want to thank you all for helping me also to experience the presence of God through your friendship and care. I can’t thank you all enough for your warm best wishes for my future, your cards and gifts and most of all for the unconditional support and care I have received from you all in this most wonderful of communities.

I will continue to hold you in prayer, remember my time in Woolpit and Drinkstone with happiness, and be ready to welcome you when you turn up on my doorstep in Leiston wanting coffee.

May God bless you and keep you.

May he make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

May he lift up his countenance upon you

And give you peace.

Now and always.