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This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 19 January 2016. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
The newly extended St John the Evangelist Church in Stoke row.
The Revd Kevin Davies.
I MET the Revd Kevin Davies (right) along with the rest of the Langtree Team, that he heads up, as they were finishing Morning Prayer at their offices in Stoke Row in South Oxfordshire.
I had a coffee with the team, which includes the Revd Linda Smith, the Vicar of Woodcote, the Revd Claire Alcock, and the Revd Angela Linton, both Associate Ministers and Licensed Lay Minister and Deanery Treasurer, Brian Turner.
Linda is also the Deanery Vocations Advisor.
They serve the western end of the Henley Deanery where the range of activities quickly contradicts any stereotypes people may have about rural ministry.
This is demonstrated every year when ordinands from Ripon College, Cuddesdon visit to get first-hand experience of how they work. "We have had great feedback from them and their pre-conceptions about this sort of work.
One student last year said she was going to change what she said to her bishop in terms of the type of parish she wanted to serve in after her visit," said the Revd Linda Smith, the Vicar of Woodcote. The Langtree Ministry is at the western end of the Henley Deanery.
The urban centre of the deanery is Henley-on-Thames, well known for its rowing heritage and annual Regatta.
At the east side is Sonning Common and Kidmore End, heading towards Reading.
Until the Deaneries were reorganised last year, the deanery, which is now part of Dorchester, came under the Berkshire Archdeaconry. In Stoke Row itself, the church has just completed phase two of an extension and now has a kitchen and a disabled loo.
The congregation raised £125,000 for the scheme, which has been welcomed by teachers as the church is used for assemblies as well as PE and drama lessons.
"It's thought to be the most expensive toilet in Oxfordshire and was blessed by the Acting Bishop of Oxford in November," said Kevin.
"We finished part one in 2011 so it's been four years of fundraising. "
Vital statistics:
Area Dean: The Revd Kevin DaviesLay Chair: Heather LewellynClergy: 12Churches: 22Benefices: 8
Celebrating 40 years as a priest
HE may have never sat in a rowing boat but his role as the Rector of Henley-on-Thames automatically makes the Revd Canon Martyn Griffiths Chaplain to the town's prestigious annual regatta.
Father Martyn (right) with Bishop Colin in Henley.
Martyn, who was preparing the liturgy for a service to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination of a priest when I called to interview him, is enjoying a long and varied career.
After being Deaconed in the Birmingham Diocese in 1974, he served his title in All Saints, Kings Heath and was priested in 1975.
He went on to become the Rector of the Solihull Team Ministry before moving to become the assistant administrator at The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk.
There he looked after pilgrims and organised the liturgy at the shrine.
"I also organised the national pilgrimage which saw up to 7,000 pilgrims make the journey to Walsingham," he says.
"I organised the early youth pilgrimages and of course used to help in the local parishes, because even then there was a shortage of clergy. "After Walsingham, Martyn moved north to the Manchester Diocese, to St Stephen's in Oldham, where his old Archdeacon was the Area Bishop.
"That was where I met my wife Anne," says Martyn.
"I had just left the parish when we got married and was the Team Rector of Swinton and Pendlebury. " He moved on to become Vicar of Preston before moving to Henley, where he will have been for 11 years in January 2016. In Preston, Martyn had been involved with re-inventing two city centre churches for the 21st century, projects which cost £3. 5m.
He was also chair of the diocese's property committee, working on making vicarages throughout Lancashire fit for purpose. "Once the two churches were finished I stayed for 18 months but wanted to move to a ministry that wasn't clouded by plaster dust," he says.
"The people in Henley are so friendly and welcoming.
You never get bored.
It never becomes 'yet another funeral' or 'yet another wedding' because there are other things going on which people naturally involve you in. "And Martyn says he always remembers a comment his spiritual director made to him on the eve of his ordination.
"Remember God is calling you to be a priest because he can't trust you to be anything else," says Martyn.
"It was a comic word of enormous wisdom and it has been such a privilege to be allowed to be part of people's lives and to be welcome into some of the most joyful and sorrowful parts of life. "The Revd Martyn Griffiths celebrated the 40th anniversary of his priesting with a special service at St Mary's, Henley on Sunday 19 December.
Church cafe attracts emerging artists
COFFEES and teas are enjoyed at Whitchurch parish church by art lovers.
Art and coffee in Whitchurch The artist Gill Williamson finished a fine art degree and contacted Claire Alcock to ask if she could show her work in the church room which is used for community events.
"She shows arts and crafts from local and emerging artists like herself and invites various charity groups to run the cafe. " At the same time the 'friends' of the church are a fall-back until the various groups have started coming in.
Claire said: "We'd like to be doing it once a month.
It gives us an income from the refreshments and increases footfall through the church. "Gill is delighted with the support from the church in getting the project off the ground and with the warm welcome the local community has given to the cafe.
"I am looking forward to attracting outside charities to the cafe for fun coffee morning fundraisers.
For more contact gill@artcafe.co.uk.
The cafe runs every Saturday morning from 10am to 12. 30pm at The Old Rectory Stables, Whitchurch on Thames, RG8 7DF.
From knitted jumpers to professional sculptures
THE talents of people in the Ipsden parish are on display every year thanks to an exhibition at St Mary's Church. The event brings in people from across the village, whether they go to church or not.
"We started it five years ago and villagers bring in knitted jumpers as well as professional paintings and sculptures.
It brings the community together doing all sorts of things. " says the Revd David Addison, who says funds from the Bishop's Outreach Fund has helped provide transport for musicians for afternoon tea recitals.
The fund has also provided money for tambourines for children and a projector and screen. In North Stoke a family activity saw people revitalise their nativity resources.
"We bought moulds for plaster of paris .
We cast them and painted them and at the carol service processed in.
We are already talking about Palm Sunday because we have a long walk from the Lychgate.
We have lots of trees so we break off the branches and place them all the way along up to the church. "