Welcome to the new website for five rural parishes - with seven beautiful and historic churches - in the South Cotswolds near Cirencester. 

Dear Friends and Neighbours,

It is the season of Annual General Meetings and the civil Parish Councils, Parish Meetings and District Council have been doing their business of appointing new chairmen, agreeing the annual accounts and making plans for the coming year.  And it’s no different for the church and five Annual Parochial Church Meetings have taken place in the past month. 

Annual General Meetings aren’t known for fun-filled entertainment, but rather being somewhat worthy, businesslike and dull.  However, were it not for the people who serve as Churchwardens, PCC members, Secretaries and Treasurers we would not be able to function properly or legally.  So, a big THANK YOU to all who do so and give of your time and talents in support of your local church.

Thanks also to those who serve us in their capacities of Parish Councillors, Chairmen of Parish Meetings, District and County Councillors.  They make a considerable contribution to our communities by looking after our interests and caring for the areas in which we live in many different ways.  Theirs is all too often a thankless task – so thank you.

Jesus was clear in his teaching that to follow him didn’t simply mean believing; but also doing – serving one another in different ways and helping those in need.  We are richly blessed in these villages that there are so many people who readily commit their time, energies and expertise in the service of others.  We have much to be thankful for.

I hope that you will join in the various celebrations across our villages to mark the Queen’s Jubilee at the start of June, when we gather to give thanks for our Sovereign who has been an example of dedication and service to her people and inspired by her faith in God.

John Swanton, Team Vicar

2nd May 2012