A Pastoral letter and response from Sean
Dear friends in Christ
The announcement of my recent appointment and pending move from the Ross Parishes will come as a great shock to many of you, particularly at a time when our parishes are flourishing, and for this I am truly sorry. My ministry in the Ross benefice has been a time of great fulfilment and happiness, and Jenny and I and our family have loved living here.
For these reasons we were certainly not looking to move but through a series of extraordinary events, I have been elected to Episocpal office in the Diocese I served in before coming to the Diocese of Hereford. For anyone who knows the Anglican Church, such happenings are vanishingly rare. And it is because of these unusual circumstances that I believe we can have hope. God is at work – God, whose wild and unpredictable Spirit disrupts and challenges and blesses – God is in this and is leading us forward.
What I have witnessed in my five years here is that when God’s people humble themselves and pray and seek his face; when they take the risk of being open to God and neighbour; when they begin to believe in themselves as God’s people, faith, hope, love and joy grow. It is your joy that first comes to mind when I think of you.
In the months I have left with you, I will relish our partnership in the Gospel and the the bonds forged through pandemic and change; and I ask for your prayers, as I hold you all in prayer and love.
Sean
The Ross Parishes: Ross-on-Wye, Walford & Brampton Abbotts 
“Be thou strong and very courageous” God bless you mate and thank you in turn for blessing us.
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Hello Sean & Jenny
Yes, it certainly was a shock to hear the news. However, I am very happy for you. I wish you more warmth & sunshine than you’ll get here! I’ve been to Cyprus once, in my teens, staying with friends in the forces. I have very happy memories of that time.
Another happy memory I have, you may be amused to read, is of coming across the wonderful sound of bagpipes one Thurs eve when I happened to be walking down Church Street during those pandemic times. I wonder, will you be doing a little performance on them before you leave. If so, do let me know!
Anyway, I wish you well in your new life.
Very best wishes.
Fiona Leathart
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Dear Sean
You have been a quiet influence in my life and I will always be grateful for your wisdom and understanding. I will miss you. But I know that there are great things ahead of you. I will always think fondly of ‘fun and James’ and the tremendous amount I learned from you.
‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose ‘
Catherine Lewis
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