New Beginnings – Father Terry

It is so good to be back among you again. I have had a truly fruitful and restorative sabbatical (even though it seems to have gone so quickly), and I look forward to living, once more, alongside each and every one of you, as together we seek to tell the story of Jesus to a needy world. I am, it goes without saying, immensely grateful to Fr David Osborne for his incredible ministry in the parish over the last year and I join all of you in wishing him well as he begins his time as parish priest of Bognor Regis. I also recognise, with deep gratitude, the energy, hard work, and  commitment of our deacons, along with a great number of you, in the preceding twelve months. I pray that it has helped us all to recall that no parish priest is indispensable, and that life goes on perfectly well, regardless of the surprises with which we can find ourselves unexpectedly presented. At this stage, I do have one small request: please allow me the time to get back into the swing of things! No doubt, there will be various matters, across many areas of parish life, with which I can help, but it will inevitably take time for us all to adjust to being around one another again. Additionally, with my upcoming appointment as moderator of the larger parish unit (i.e., the current deanery), I will have to be prudent about what, realistically, I can and can’t do. Most importantly, however, I sincerely thank you for welcoming me home and, as always, I will seek, in my own fragile way, to serve you as best as I am able