Well, here I am about to leave Belmont and Pittington in just a few weeks. My last day as Vicar of our United Benefice is 31st January. I will stay on in the vicarage for a little while as I get ready for the move to High Shincliffe where I have a little house that, as I wrote last month, is having a significant make-over!

The loft conversion, the new space I have discovered, is virtually finished and the builders are now working on most of the other rooms. It is all very dirty and seemingly chaotic but it is slowly coming together. I am very glad I am not living there at the moment! Hopefully all will be ready by February for the move.

I am of course very mindful of so many good things that I will need to relinquish now, even though I am not going far. These are mostly centred round people and places that have been part of the privileges and pleasures of being both priest and vicar of our parishes. I hope to continue work as a priest in the diocese and Canon of the Cathedral for some years to come and there are some things ‘waiting in the wings’. But I will cease to be your vicar and I shall miss that very much.

I have so enjoyed my time with you all. Thank you to those who have encouraged and cared for me. Thank you to those who have challenged and stretched me. Thank you to those who have laughed and cried with me. Thank you to those who have worked alongside me when I haven’t been easy to work alongside. Thank you to those who have faithfully shared the hard graft and who have joyously shared the many moments of reward.

Another New Year is about to arrive and I guess we are all wondering what 2012 will hold. There are many ‘unknowns’ for us all but those ‘unknowns’ give us the opportunity to trust God and experience his loving provision in a way we can’t when life seems more certain.

‘Lord, for the years
your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us,
cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us,
pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years,
we bring our thanks today.’

I will be praying that you will know the Lord’s sure guidance and presence at every change and turn throughout 2012.

With my love and prayers,

Di