Mark in Time
Yesterday evening, Bishop David commissioned The Rev Mark Zammit, priest in charge of All Saints Durrington, and Associate priest in the Avon Valley, as the new Rural Dean of the Deanery of Stonehenge. Mark takes over this responsibility from Canon Simon Wilkinson, who has managed the post for some five years.
The service was a Eucharist, with many clergy, lay ministers, and the Lay Chairman from the Stonehenge Deanery supporting Mark alongside his local ministry team colleagues. The Bishop preached an extraordinarily creative sermon, focusing on the blank faces of the Epiphany figures in the nativity scene under the altar table, drawing on their blank faces which we seek to fill with the face of Christ. The bishop also mentioned the intimacy of God, expressed in the kiss of the president of the Eucharist, in the kiss of the altar table, the kissing of the Book of the Gospel, and the kiss of peace. But all this is merely a prequel to the kiss of Christ himself as he meets us in the bread and wine which kisses our lips as we receive the sacrament.
There was much fun and laughter throughout the service, and Bishop David was able to affirm the ministry of Lady Sarah Gooch, in her role as Lay Chairman of the Deanery Synod, and we enjoyed the hot coffee and biscuits after the service.
We wish God’s blessing on Mark’s ministry as he seeks to get out and about amongst the people and parishes of the Stonehenge Deanery, supporting, resourcing and encouraging.
