It was appropriate indeed that our new Vicar the Rev’d Julia, was licensed in July. In fact on Wednesday 2 July. Late the previous week we had made the church ready, bringing extra chairs from the village hall to put in the sanctuary and placing all the folding seats at the back. It was well that we made this provision as the church was packed with clergy and visitors from Welwyn and members of the congregations from St Michael’s Eggington and St Michael and All Angels' Billington. The service was taken in two parts by bishop Richard, firstly in Eggington and then in Billington and people crowded into the village hall afterwards for refreshments provided by members of both congregations. It was particularly good to share this time with all Julia’s family including her parents who had come down from the north east.

Julia’s first service in Billington included the baptism of Jack Charter, so once again the church was full of family and friends as well as the regular congregation. His grandma Joan Murray arranged some splendid flowers for the occasion.

On every Sunday during July, Julia took the service as we have the opportunity to get to know her and David. We look forward to working together with her for the extension of the Kingdom.

On 10 July our WI was treated once again with a talk from Jo Parker. She had spoken to us previously on her experiences working as a water engineer in Afghanistan, a period of her life which she had described in a book. This time she was telling us of her wedding in Antarctica, which she illustrated with slides. We await the instalment of her unconventional and exciting life.

As I write this article the Lambeth conference is entering is third and final week. Two thousand years ago there was a man who tramped around Palestine, teaching, preaching and healing. Let us of hope that congregations, clergy, bishops and archbishops never lose sight of his eternal message of good news to the world.

SB