When a much valued Rector leaves a group of 8 rural parishes to move on to be an Archdeacon there is a temptation to feel things are never going to be as good again. But of course that is not the case.
When Revd Christopher Bryan left the Gauzebrook Parishes they held a party to say Goodbye then they set about planning their next celebration.
All eight parishes combined for 'Gauzebrook Together' a celebration of their gifts and of working together to bring about God's Kingdom. Every church brought a gift. Music, creativity, reading and prayer gave a depth of joy to their worship and they all enjoyed the gift of sparkling wine and nibbles during the fellowship at the end of the service.
Symbolic of their working together was the way in which they transformed a piece of plain black webbing into a riot of colour. Everyone tied a ribbon to the webbing as they arrived in church and soon what was dull became beautiful. No one person could do it on their own it took the group working together. The children added sparkly jewels and it was tied around the font at Alderton Church. Alderton is one of the smallest churches in the group, but that day enjoyed a record congregation "It felt great to be with God and with each other" Becky Fisher commented.