David and Ginny Eaton Announce
from the September 2011 magazine
Baby Emma Sophia Hurst arrived safely, on our 40th
wedding anniversary, weighing 81b. Carly and Stu doing well
after 36hrs of hard work! Please tell mutual friends.
David & Ginny (Grandad & Granny)
A very big thank you
from the April 2009 magazine
Ginny and I would like to say a very big thank you to
everyone for our last Sunday at the beginning of March. We
are still overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity we
received from the coming together of so many people, the
wonderful meal at lunch time and refreshments in the evening,
together with special music from the choir and music group,
but also for the extraordinary generosity expressed through
the presentation of a cheque for over £2000 and the digital
photograph viewer– even if I couldn't make out what it
was at first or how to use it!
My one regret is not going to the church door at the end of the morning service which I thought would speed up proceedings and we would be able to meet up in the Hall. I realise now that by doing this we missed speaking to quite a lot of people who had come for the service, which is a sadness to us both. Hopefully our paths will cross elsewhere. More haste less speed!
So, thank you again for the day and for the support and friendship of the last twenty years. Our address in Brockham is: Two Way House, Wheelers Lane, Brockham, Betchworth, Surrey RH3 7LA. With love and good wishes from Ginny and myself. David Eaton
from the March 2009
magazineFarewell, David and GinnyAt the beginning of this month we say our fond farewell and Godspeed to David and Ginny as David takes a well earned retirement. We enter a period of life without David at the helm! As we know, he will be spending his "spare time" gardening, antique collecting, bike riding and, of course, will be continuing his enthusiasm for model railway building. We wish them both a very happy time in their new abode and look forward to hearing about David's exploration of the countryside on his new mode of transport! To look back to nineteen-eighty-nine is somewhat difficult since so much has happened during the twenty intervening years. It was then that we heard who our new vicar was to be. He was quite an unknown quantity. Would he change what we had come to expect from our Church way of life? What had he done so far? In fact, would he fit in?! Shortly after the Eatons moved into the Vicarage, a fun evening of Desert Island Discs was organized. This gave us some idea of the man who had come to lead us and it was very encouraging! Like all new adventures, we looked forward to travelling along together and learning from each other. David has proved to be a wise, compassionate travelling companion with a great sense of humour. He was instrumental in setting up what is now a very successful ecumenical partnership with our United Reform and Methodist colleagues. |
 Ready for the road: David on his new bike image: Alison Wright |
David is very well known as an excellent tutor to those wishing to train for the ministry. Robert Jenkins, Rural Dean of the Leatherhead Deanery, is one of the past students. He has quietly got on with those jobs which no-one else thought of doing so that the smooth running of the Church seemed effortless. We thank him for that.
We now have to repeat all of those anxieties experienced all those years ago. We are lucky that we have a holy trinity of Mary, Mike and Gail who will carry on during a period of interregnum as we start the process of finding a replacement for David. There is no doubt that a vacancy for a Vicar is a major event in the life of the Parish where some parishioners feel a sense of loss. It is also a time of taking stock, for spiritual growth and for looking forward with optimism. The PCC and the Ministry team will maintain, as far as possible, the status quo in parish policy and worship during the vacancy.
We will be further guided by the Archdeacon, the Venerable Julian Henderson, and our Rural Dean, the Rev Robert Jenkins, who is known to many of the parishioners. Robert and his wife Anne were in our Parish for a number of years.
The process of finding an incumbent starts with our producing a parish profile and a statement of needs. A small sub committee of the PCC has started the process of compiling the Parish Profile, which will provide details of the Leatherhead town with geographical location, rail and road links, housing, schools, and its amenities both cultural and sports. Under this section it will also cover local businesses, medical facilities and details of other entities linked with the Church, like the Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church etc.
Other sections will provide details of the Church and its fabric, the Parish Hall, vicarage and other church houses. It will give information on various church activities such as Youth work, Sunday Club, Parent and Toddler Group, Ecumenical Link, and Home Group. This section would include information about the weekly services and attendance, electoral roll, music activities and outward giving. Details of the Clergy and Ministry teams and curates in training will be included in this section.
The final section would address the financial state and administration of the Parish. Deanery, diocese and cathedral link activities and Health and Safety issues together with policies on baptism and marriage after divorce will be addressed in this section. Details of the Parish Office and its function, workings of the PCC and its various sub committees and standing committee and staff meetings will be provided in this section. Once the Parish Profile is completed and agreed by the PCC, a Statement of Needs document which highlights the sort of person we, as a parish, would like to fill the Vicar's role would be produced and agreed by the PCC.
A similar Parish profile is being produced by Mickleham Church and they would also produce a Statement of Needs document. A similar Statement of Needs from our covenanting partners, the Methodist and URC, will also be included in the overall package.
Once the Parish Profiles and Statements of Needs are ready, a Section 11 meeting is held where the Rural Dean will be invited to be present. At this meeting the documents are agreed and sent to the Patron, Bishop and Archdeacon. This is just the beginning of our search for our new incumbent. We hope to keep you up to date with the search as it progresses.
All this is very much our priority at the moment. In spite of this, life has to go on. Services have to be thought out, marriages conducted, funerals take place just as normal. The journey of life is unstoppable. It ishow we cope with it is what matters.
This is taken from the children's hymn which we think is appropriate:
We are travelling on a journey
On a journey through our lives,
And we thank the Heavenly Father
For the love which He supplies.
Our Church has stood on this site for over
a thousand years. It has been through many changes and now it
is for us to look forward to another new beginning with the
help of God's guidance in all our prayers.
The Churchwardens
from the March 2009 issue of the Mickleham magazine
David Eaton's Retirement
There was a large congregation at the 10am service in St Michael’s when we said goodbye to Canon David Eaton who is retiring at the end of the month after serving 20 years as Vicar of Leatherhead. At the end of the service David and his wife, Ginny, were presented with flowers and a 19th century print of St Michael’s. David Ireland paid tribute to David and thanked him for his wise counsel and support to him and to St Michael’s, especially since the Uniting of the Benefices of Leatherhead and Mickleham. We wish them a long and happy retirement.
from the December 2008 magazine
Retirement
Most people will have heard by now that I intend to retire at the end of February next year, although my last Sunday in Leatherhead will actually be 1 March. Looking back, it only seems to me like five minutes ago that we arrived as a family in Leatherhead. Our daughter Carly, who was married at the Parish Church in August, was just seven. A lot has happened since 1989 and there will be an opportunity for me to say more nearer the time of leaving.
It has been a hugely significant time for Ginny and myself and our family and we shall be sorry to leave the many friends we have made in Leatherhead since arriving.
I have given a little more notice than might be usual, but this is to enable the process of appointing a successor to get underway. It hopefully means there will not be too long an interregnum. This appointment involves a process of consultation, which includes both the church councils of Leatherhead and Mickleham, because the two parishes are joined in a United Benefice. Our covenanting partner churches, the Methodists and the United Reformed Church, will also be consulted since we are in a Local Ecumenical Partnership.
The church council will appoint two members to represent it (usually the churchwardens). These will take part in the actual selection procedure under the guidance of the Bishop who will make the final appointment.
We are fortunate in having a strong team of churchwardens and clergy. During an interregnum the overall responsibility lies with the churchwardens and Rural Dean. The recently appointed Rural Dean is Robert Jenkins, vicar of Cobham, who was for many years a Reader at Leatherhead and knows the parish well. Mary Cruddas and Mike Stewart serve in this parish and will be able to offer continuity during the interregnum. However, they cannot be expected to do everything and some locum clergy ministry will also be needed.
The Parish Office will continue to be open in the mornings, Monday to Friday, where Jane Andrews, the Parish Secretary, can be contacted. You will help all these people by offering your assistance where you can and by not referring to them matters which you or others can deal with yourselves.
added 28 Jan: 14 Feb10am-noon Garage sale at Leatherhead Vicarage!
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