We are very sorry to announce the departure of the Rev. Elizabeth Bland who was Team Vicar of Great Aycliffe Parish until last week.
Rev Elizabeth and her husband Steve feel they have been called to serve God in a slightly different way and are moving to the parish of Upper Skerne which surrounds all villages in the Sedgefield district. Rev Elizabeth will take up the part-time post and begins her new role in January. Her licensing will be on January 3rd at St. Edmund’s in Sedgefield and all are very welcome to attend.
Both Elizabeth and Steve have served very broadly in our parish in many ways. They helped start up the “Open the Book” scheme in several schools here which has been very successful. Also they will be missed as great helpers in our monthly “Messy Church” monthly services, and in the Meditation group which Rev. Elizabeth started a couple of years ago.
Their final service was a parish event and held in St. Clare’s Church on December 9th where they were presented with a generous cheque in thanks for their sterling efforts throughout the four churches in our parish.
Their new home in Trimdon is not quite ready to move into as yet so they will commute to Sedgefield from Newton Aycliffe as necessary.
We wish to send them both all of our love and good wishes in their new journey, and although missed very much by so many, they leave behind fond memories of a couple who serve God with dedication, wisdom and humility, and will continue to do so in their new parish.
