Below is a list of letters from the rectory published in each copy of the Milborne Port Magazine. Just click on any title in the list below to see a summary and a link to the full letter in PDF format.
A Letter from Rev Rona November 2025
Re-Membering
As the year turns towards November, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a member of something. We all have groups, teams, and communities we belong to — family, friends, clubs, or causes that give us a sense of connection and purpose. Membership matters. It reminds us that life is not meant to be lived alone.
A Letter from Rev Rona October 2025
What do the Lifeboats and the Air Ambulance have in common? They save lives every day, and yet they rely almost entirely on donations.
In many ways, your local parish church is the same, if not ‘saving’ lives then certainly accompanying and enriching them.
A Letter from Rev Rona September 2025
In 1974, in a field near Kettering, Northamptonshire, Greenbelt Festival was born. Every August Bank Holiday since, it has offered three days of faith, arts, justice, inclusion, environmental and creative events.
A Letter from Rev Rona August 2025
Speaking Out, Speaking Truth
Summer stirs a sense of openness—long evenings, gentle conversations, space to breathe. It’s in that spirit that I’ve been reflecting on the simple yet radical act of speaking the truth. It isn’t always easy. Saying what’s honest can be uncomfortable, even costly. But I’m constantly moved by how many people in our community carry a fierce sense of justice.
A Letter from Rev Rona July 2025
When I was at Theological College, being interested in spirituality was almost considered the soft option; the more intellectual subjects seemed to appeal more. Yet I could never move far from the awe and wonder—the mystery of God—and so prayer, contemplation, and quiet became my guilty secret.
A Letter from Rev Rona June 2025
In today's society I think we all believe that strength lies in independence: in doing, giving, and caring for others. But what happens when we find ourselves unexpectedly needing help? Can we just soldier on? Should we? Or can we open ourselves up to receive from others?
A Letter from Rev Rona May 2025
The other day, someone asked me a question that made me pause and smile: “Why does Milborne have ‘Port’ in its name?” It’s a fair question—and one that speaks to the rich heritage of this village we call home.
A Letter from Rev Rona April 2025
April brings with it the promise of new beginnings. As spring unfolds around us, the lengthening days, blossoming flowers, and singing birds remind us of renewal, hope, and life. How fitting, then, that this April also marks the beginning of something new for our church communities!
A Letter from Rev Rona March 2025
Dear Friends,
As we step into March, we enter the season of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, 5th March. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting, self-examination, and preparation for Easter. Many of us think of giving something up for these forty days, but what if we also took something up? This year, I invite you to embrace a few moments of daily contemplation – a chance to rest, reflect, and listen to that still small voice inside you.
A Letter from Rev Rona February 2025
The end of December and beginning of January have been a difficult time for many, with death rates in this area rising beyond the seasonal norm. Some refer to it, rather glibly, as “funeral season.”
For priests like me, who guide families through their loved ones’ funerals, I’m always reminded of how uniquely precious each individual is.
A Letter from Rev Rona January 2025
I write this in storm Darragh, uncertain of the damage occurring, but you read it as we step into this New Year, 2025. As always, we do so with hearts that are perhaps a little weary.
A Letter from our Churchwardens December 2024
In the Christian Church our focus in December is Advent. It’s the beginning of a new church year and a season of expectation and preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the birth (adventus) of Christ.
A Letter from Rev Stuart November 2024
Someone asked me recently, “Are you the new priest who’s just retired here?” Well, 37 years on from my ordination I hardly qualify as a new priest. And since we retired here from Surrey 32 months ago, ‘newcomers’ probably isn’t the most accurate description of our status.
A Letter from Our Churchwardens October 2024
Harvest Festivals have been important events in country churches for hundreds of years. A chance for the community to get together and to give thanks for the work of our farmers who work tirelessly through the year. This year the Harvest Service at St. John’s is on Sunday October 6th
A Letter from Rev Rona September 2024
Welcome to a new year! Well…a new year for all teachers, and students in full time education. Welcome to September. I wonder what this month means for you? Harvest Festival? Buying back to school supplies, wonderfully empty beaches again, increased morning traffic, or the treadmill of another school term?