Anglican Chaplaincy
of Midi Pyrénées & Aude
NEWS
The Autumn Giving Campaign
Our chaplaincy, our challenge and our choice.
This year’s Autumn Giving Campaign has begun. It started at our Chaplaincy Celebration Day at Montauban at the end of September. Its double aim is to get everyone to take a more active part in our chaplaincy and to donate money on a regular basis to ensure our future financial stability.
After the presentation at Montauban everyone present there was given an information pack giving more details of our chaplaincy’s situation.
The next step, starting later in October, is for both Rev. Paul and the treasurer, Ross Jenkins, to visit every one of the six congregations in turn to give further briefings on the project and to give the chance for you all to ask questions during a group discussion, or privately as you may wish. We will distribute the information packs to all who are present. We have asked everyone’s Congregational Representatives to encourage the maximum participation and give the information packs to those who are not able to join us then.
We welcome written responses from people who are on the electoral roll of our chaplaincy, and others who regularly participate in our services and meetings. Please complete the pledge form included in the information pack and return it to the treasurer by the end of November.
We both thank you for all that you have done for our chaplaincy in the past and we look forward to achieving, with you, our mission in the future with your help.
SAFEGUARDING SUNDAY
November 22nd 2026 (or the nearest date in you worship centre calendar)
Safeguarding Sunday has been an annual event in the Church of England calendar in the month of November for the last 8 years. Churches throughout parishes in England and the Diocese of Europe have been celebrating this event with a particular theme each year.
This year the theme is:
LOVE PROTECTS
Because love protects. Always. This Safeguarding Sunday, let’s embrace protection not as a duty, but as one of the most beautiful expressions of our faith. Because when we truly understand that love protects, safeguarding stops being something we must do and becomes something we can’t help but do
In everyday terms, safeguarding means:
• Protecting children and adults from abuse, neglect, exploitation andmistreatment
• Preventing harm to a person’s health, wellbeing or development
• Noticing early when something isn’t right and offering support before asituation worsens
• Responding appropriately when there are concerns, so people get thehelp and protection they need
• Creating a culture of safety, so people can flourish in safe, respectfulrelationships and environments
Why safeguarding matters in churches
Churches are often built around trust, welcome, community and service.These are all positive and powerful strengths, but they can also createrisk when boundaries are unclear, power and authority is misused, orconcerns are minimised or covered up.
Safeguarding matters because:
• Abuse can happen anywhere, including faith settings
• People may disclose harm in church because it feels safe and trusted
• Good safeguarding protects everyone – those who may be harmed, those who have been harmed
Safeguarding is not about suspicion or bureaucracy; it is a form of care:taking responsibility so that people can participate confidently and safely
The Safeguarding team are putting together anIntergenerational service for this special day. There will be anorder of service and Homily provided for all worship centres.
I look forward to hearing how your Safeguarding Service wentin your worship centre.
Celia Scott
Chaplaincy Safeguarding Officer
About our Chaplain - Revd Paul Willis
The Reverend Paul Willis was licensed as the new Chaplain of The Anglican Chaplaincy of Midi-Pyrénées & Aude at the Chaplaincy Holy Communion Service on Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 11.00 am Église St Eugène, 81600 Brens celebrated by Bishop Robert, with Archdeacon Peter.
The Revd Paul Willis grew up in the North East of England in a Salvation Army family and left school at the age of sixteen. A few years later, he joined the Royal Air Force as a musician. During many years of service in Germany, he trained as a Methodist Local Preacher, assisting Service Chaplains and, on his return to the UK, ministering on the Methodist Circuit. In due course, Paul began worshipping in the Church of England and was baptised and confirmed. Sensing a call to ordained ministry, he explored ordination and was accepted for training on the St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course.
He was ordained deacon in 2006 and priest in 2007. Paul served his curacy and title post in High Wycombe. As a curate, he was involved in establishing the Wycombe Homeless Connection, and later, as parish priest in an Urban Priority Area with significant levels of deprivation, he played a leading role in a community regeneration project. In 2015, he moved to Reading, where he became Rector of a group of four churches, a post from which he retired in 2020.
He now lives in south-west France with his wife, Gill. They have three grown-up daughters living in the UK with their families and are blessed with two granddaughters. Since his arrival in south-west France, Paul has offered regular ministry in this region, supporting Anglican life and worship. On 21 September 2024, he was commissioned as Area Dean for South West France. We are greatly blessed and privileged to be welcoming Paul as our new Chaplain, and we are encouraged to offer Paul and Gill our prayerful support, together with all the help and assistance they may need as Paul undertakes this new ministry among us.
