There was a big announcement made in church circles this week: The Diocese of Winchester is to receive a new Bishop. As the announcement was made, the Venerable Kelly Betteridge, Bishop of Basingstoke elect, said,

A second, much smaller announcement is to be made today, and these words are just as pertinent.

As a family we have been excitedly looking forward to moving to Devon, to our own cottage, in just under a year. When I was ‘dispossessed’ (read ‘made redundant’) in 2021 we decided as a family to remain in Andover to see our children through GCSEs and A Levels and off to University, before moving to our own cottage in Devon. We are less than a year away from living the dream, and as we holidayed in Sunshine Cottage my mind began to wander…

Early one morning I found myself looking up the Diocese of Exeter’s website, and intrigue took me to the situations vacant page; and the situations vacant page took me to an advert for the Rector of the Upper Culm Valley Mission Community. Isn’t it always the way? The ‘perfect’ job comes up at the wrong time! There’s no way we can move just now with A levels less than a year away, what kind of mother would do that? I will be needed at home to support my child, but in showing the post to my family and sharing my frustration that it had come up a year too soon, my little A Level student said, ‘Go for it!’

As a family we discussed how being a vicar an hour and a half away from home could possibly work, made a plan, then made a decision. I was to apply.

So how will this work? The role is part time, so for the coming year I will spend part time in Devon focusing on serving the villages in the Mission Community I am to be Rector of. The rest of the week I will return home to support my daughter, and to continue to work as a Spiritual Director and Retreat Leader.

A date is yet to be set for moving and licensing, time for us to work out which furniture will be traveling with me to the new rectory and what will stay behind in the current family home. Your prayers for us in this time of change will be most welcome. Thank you for being part of the journey so far.