In a quiet corner of the Kent countryside just over half a mile outside the present village and almost hidden away is found a small country church, which has been there for hundreds of years. The parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Hastingleigh has been an important part of the village and village life for all that time and possibly more. It remains so today despite its position on the outskirts of the village.
For those hundreds of years people have gathered within the walls of St Mary’s to worship God and to pray. When you enter this small church it seems to be reminding you of this fact.
Today the parish of Hastingleigh is part of the Wye Benefice and is therefore linked with Brook, Boughton Aluph and Wye. When the present vicar, John Richardson, arrived he was asked by churchwarden Arthur Marsh “do not forget us over the hill”! Indeed as the four parishes learn to grow in their relationship with one another under God, each one’s unique characteristics contribute to the benefice as a whole.
The Bible reminds us that church is not about buildings.‘Church’ is the body of Christ made up of the Christian community as they come together to worship God and to serve him. It is the people of God who form the Church rather than the buildings in which they meet. We are very fortunate to be able to meet in a building where the church of God has met for all that time. The Church in Hastingleigh gather together on a Sunday morning week by week. Whilst the numbers cannot be described as huge, they are in line with the New Testament Churches as they gathered in people’s homes.
Renewed links with the school that serves the children and the families of Hastingleigh, along with the villages of Elmsted and Waltham, have been formed over the past year. A recent development has been the intermittent family services. The Church Council made the decision to change the monthly pattern of services to accommodate a family service on the 2nd Sunday of each month. At the same time the parish of Elmsted was reviewing its services and the decision has been made to hold joint family services on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 10 am, the first of which was held in Bodsham School in April 2005. It has often been said that children are the church of tomorrow but that is not true as children are very much part of the church today alongside older (or should that be more mature?) members of the church.
We pray that God will bless this phase in the life of his Church in Hastingleigh as its life and role within the United Wye Benefice develops in the forthcoming years.
