Rt Rev Jonathan Frost
Bishop of Portsmouth
The Church of England’s Bishop of Portsmouth is the Rt Rev Jonathan Frost, who is currently the Dean of York. Downing Street announced that HM the Queen had nominated Bishop Jonathan to be the tenth Bishop of Portsmouth. His current role involves him leading the historic York Minster where he has served since February 2019. He has previously been a parish priest, police chaplain, university chaplain and suffragan bishop.
The Venerable Steve Daughtery
Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight
Rev Jackie Maw
Reverend Jackie Maw has accepted the Bishop’s invitation to be Team Rector of the West Wight Mission Community. You can find out a little bit more about Jackie in the short biography below.
The Federation enjoys significant support from our local churches, with both clergy and volunteers leading worship and working with children.
Volunteers from church work every week with children under the direction of teachers, hearing readers or taking small groups, while the popular ‘Open the Book’ group acts out Bible stories in Collective Worships.
Outside the schools, children take part in church community events such as carol singing to Abbeyfield and in Yarmouth Square, as well as the Shrove Tuesday races. They also read or lead occasional services in the churches. This year, outdoor learning about the environment and community will include the extensive churchyard at Freshwater.
We also have strong working partnerships with the Diocese of Portsmouth, who provide training and help us prepare for SIAMS (Inspections of the schools’ Christian provision and identity). They provide Christian counsel when asked and visit regularly.
Our Link with Yelwoko
By Rev Linda Porter
We’re back! Safe and sound! On 25th August we flew from Heathrow to Accra, the capital of Ghana, and the on the 26th a further flight to Tamale in Northern Ghana. It was then a few days into our stay before we were taken on the long drive of about four hours to Yelwoko.
I hadn’t been prepared for the remoteness of this place. I was aware that there was a clinic in the village and somehow this had, in my mind, translated itself into the village being on a ‘proper’ road. And so it was when we left the road and started off on a dusty track, at that moment I realised what rural really meant.
We were warmly greeted by Father Jeremiah Aladago, his assistant Fr. Michael, one of the Church Wardens, the Headmaster of the school and one of the teachers.
Nor had I realised the extent of the recent storm damage to the school which is, in large part, currently without a roof. There are approx. 250 pupils at the school which provides for kindergarten and children up to the age of 15.
Although the school children were on their summer holidays we were able to meet just a few of the younger ones together with some of the mums who go in to help at the school on a rota basis.
The villagers have begun to build a new church. The present building accommodates about 200 but when the Yelwoko congregation are joined by worshippers from its outstations they number around 600. They have been saving for three years and are only now at foundation level, providing the labour themselves. When I asked when they hope to complete I was told, ‘it could take 5 years, it may take 10’!
Yelwoko is, without doubt, a poor village, that is in material terms. In other ways we have much to gain from them in the way they lead their lives, placing value not so much on what they have got but on the goodness of God each and every day.
The children at Shalfleet & Yarmouth schools will soon be able to write letters to children at Yelwoko, widening knowledge, learning from each other, appreciating what life is like in another part of the world. As for us, what will our role be? This link is a companion link; encouraging one another, praying for one another, sharing both our joys and our down moments.
I hope over the next weeks and months to share more with you and update you on progress with both the church and school. I know we will be enriched by these friends in Ghana as I pray that they will too.
work on Yelwoko church
bricks for Yelwoko church
Yelwoko school
Yelwoko people
Yelwoko children
UPDATE – Friendships are beginning to be formed as the children of Shalfleet and Yarmouth Church of England Primary Schools have sent off over 100 letters to the pupils in Yelwoko.
The Churchyard Project
On Thursday last week, a few of us went to St Michael the Archangel church in Shalfleet.
Our mission was to help tidy up some of the gravestones and clear some weeds, so we went prepared with gloves and trowels.
Chloe and Rhod, who help look after the church showed us round and answered all our questions. Rhod helped us fill up 4 big buckets of weeds and ivy!
While we were there, we hunted for clues to help us find out about some local families associated with the church and looked for hidden objects in the stained-glass windows.
Chloe was a mine of historical information and we learnt a lot of fascinating facts. There was just enough time for a bit of artwork, too. It was great to be able to help out in our community and we’re looking forward to our next visit in March.
Mrs Gates, Year 4 and Year 5 Helpers
Churchyard Project (3)
Churchyard Project (2)
