The Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Stony Stratford with Calverton is delighted to announce that our new Rector will be Revd David Jarratt.
In the interregnum newsletter handed out on 15th March to the congregations of St Mary & St Giles and All Saints, Fr David shared the following message:
“Greetings to you all in the name of Christ.
With great joy I received the news from Bishop Dave that I had been chosen to be your next rector. Whilst my visit to the parish was short, I was struck by the welcoming nature of all the people I encountered: in the churches, in the school and in the community generally. I am very much looking forward to joining you all in the summer. The licensing will be held before the end of July and a firm date will be established soon.
I am currently serving as the Anglican Priest in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Please do keep my current church of St Andrew’s in your prayers during a time of upheaval for them. You have lived with uncertainty for a number of years, so you will know how much we rely on the grace of God to maintain us through such times. You all are already in my prayers and will continue to be so.
I would appreciate your prayers for my wife Mercy. She is Kenyan and so will initially have to return to Kenya when I move back to the UK and then try to navigate the immigration system so that she can join us all.
Please pray for the ongoing situation here in the middle east. In Abu Dhabi we have several alerts each day of air threats from missiles and drones. The vast majority are intercepted, but the falling debris has led to four deaths and many injuries. So let us pray for de-escalation so that people can go about daily activities without fear.
I look forward to sharing some more with you in the coming weeks and God willing will be with you soon.
May God bless you
Fr David”
Easter message from Fr David Jarratt
“Dear friends of Stony Stratford with Calverton,
Alleluia — Christ is risen!
Even from a distance, my thoughts and prayers are with you this Easter. I give thanks to God for the community you are: faithful, rooted, and already dear to my heart.
Easter is the hinge on which everything turns. Whatever the world throws at us be it uncertainty, fear, loss or weariness the resurrection declares that none of it has the final word. Love does. Life does. God does.
So wherever you find yourself this Easter morning — whether full of joy, or in a quieter place, know that the risen Christ meets you exactly there. The tomb is empty. The story is not over. In fact, the best of it is still unfolding.
I am grateful for you, I hold you in my prayers, and I look forward to the induction and collation service on 13 July.
A very happy and blessed Easter to every one of you.
With love and prayers, Fr David.”
Induction and collation service for our new Rector
The service will be held on Monday 13th July during the evening in St Mary & St Giles Church.
We look forward to welcoming Fr David and Mercy to the Parish of Stony Stratford with Calverton and pray for the congregation of St Andrew’s, Abu Dhabi.