The Cake - Spring 2022

LOCAL COMMENT
organisations to come inside
the wonderful building we know
to be St Dunstan’s church for
concerts and Saturday ‘coffee
and cake time’, and much more
besides.
There is much more to be
done, but at nearly 66-years-old I
will retire and pass on the baton
to the next vicar. I hope, like any
good gardener, I have prepared
the soil well and possibly sown
some seeds of faith amongst
you. Sometimes we don’t see
the results of our planting,
but preparing the ground and
sowing the seed is always done
in the hope that, when the right
conditions come along, blossom
and fruit will follow.
To all you lovely parishioners
I look forward to reading about
your blossoming and fruit, and
do take care of your next vicar,
resident alien that he or she may
be.
May God bless you all,
Goodbye and love from Revd Ann
A note from Revd Ann while
Cranbrook is without a vicar
The vacancy may be a long one, so in the
meantime there are four names to share with you.
If you need a priest for any reason, then please ring
Revd John Tapper on 01580 713836. If you would
like to receive Communion at home please ring
John Mulrenan, one of St Dunstan’s Readers, on
01580 714756. If you need to ask for a referral to
Nourish, our local foodbank, please contact Wes
Sargent, the minister at Cranbrook Congregational
church, who is taking over this duty. Sad to say
this is still needed as families and individuals
have their finances squeezed even more as the
year progresses. Last but not least, if you need to
book the church for a concert or event, or wish to
enquire about a wedding, baptism or funeral, then
please ring Julie Warman in the church office on
01580 715861.
St Dunstan’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) will
be meeting during the vacancy, putting together
a profile they hope will attract the right person to
feel that God is calling them to serve as the next
vicar of Cranbrook.
I do know that one of the stumbling blocks that
may mean the vacancy is longer than the normal
nine months or so, is whether the PCC can show
that St Dunstan’s is a sustainable church, able to
afford a vicar.
It does cost us all to have a vicar. We vicars
don’t come out of thin air, we have been selected
for training, trained and then housed and paid a
stipend. St Dunstan’s contribution to the Church of
England finances amounts to well over £60,000 per
annum.
Please don’t think vicars get paid that much,
but with employers’ National Insurance, clergy
pensions, housing and training etc. it all mounts up.
JUST 50P A WEEK…
If you think Cranbrook should continue to have
a vicar, and I sincerely hope you do, please think
about making a donation to St Dunstan’s PCC.
Julie in the office (01580 715861) can tell you
the church bank account details. If 3,000 adults
in Cranbrook could commit to giving just £20 a
year (less than 50p per week) then that would
almost cover it, and the PCC could then tell the
Archdeacon that St Dunstan’s is a sustainable
parish.
I do think that vicars are worth more than 50p
a week, I like to think you will do too.
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The Cake • Spring 2022 21