A View From The Vicarage, May 2018

Dear Friends

Thank You Are Not The Hardest Words

Elton John put the phrase “sorry seems to be the hardest word” to music, well this is not an “apologia” in either sense of the term;  but during April we’re holding our annual Parochial Church Meetings or Easter Vestry’s as they were once known.

These are incredibly important moments in the life of the Church because they give us a precious annual opportunity to look back at where God has been leading us over the past twelve months and forward to where he might be leading us in the future.

It seems to me that two words become not the hardest words but the most vital;  those words, of course, are thank and you.

I want to take this opportunity to express my profound and sincere thanks to everybody who works so hard in so many varied ways to ensure that all of our church buildings are the friendly, welcoming places that they are.  This, as so many of you know is not just something that happens inevitably like the changing of the seasons.  Each and every one of our five wonderful churches is so because of the people who week by week and month by month give so generously and so willingly of their time and their talents to the care of not only our church buildings but of at least equal, if not of paramount importance to the communities that they exist to serve.

We are extremely blessed to have five wonderful churches in our group of parishes, and by “churches” I am not referring to the buildings.  A prayer which I use regularly prays for “churches complete in the beauty of holiness”.  I am deeply grateful that that holds to be true of us here.  To each and everyone of you please know that you have my sincerest thanks for “all that you do” but more importantly for “all that you are”.

It was a particular joy for me to see so many of our churches so full of people enjoying and valuing our Easter Services.  I’d like to pay an especial thanks to all of those who joined us hunting Easter Eggs, having fun, thinking about the Easter narrative and making the two resplendent Easter Gardens in Titley and Kington Churches.  If you haven’t seen either of them yet please do go and have a look, I promise that it’ll be worth the visit.

Finally, I must thank our Churchwardens for all that they bring and offer to all of our parishes.  I regard myself as being particularly blessed to have such a talented group of people.

In conclusion to all of you for all that you are and all that you do.  THANK YOU.

With my love and prayers as always.

Ben