Information from Campton & Chicksands Parish Council Newsletter
January 2006
A New Year means new beginnings, and for me this year that
is going to have even greater meaning. So I am going to have even greater
meaning. So I am going to have to think hard about New Year resolutions
- and not just the ones that I make every year and break before the end of
January - they're usually about Pringles and chocolate! What I am thinking
about are the really important ones - so the one I am going to make this
year is to talk openly about faith - not just about going to church, but
about the daily walk with God. And I'm going to start right here.
A real sadness to me is the number of times we have to print the Lord's Prayer,
because, especially at weddings, we can't be sure that everyone will be able
to say the prayer - either in its traditional or modern form. yet the
whole of our Christian faith is summed up in the first two words of the prayer.
Jesus spoke a language called Aramaic and the Lord's Prayer in that
language begins with the one word 'Abba'. We have translated it as
'Our Father', but the word actually means 'Daddy'. It is the word a
child uses in the familiarity of the home when speaking to a parent. It
is not a trivial word but one that implies warmth, trust and love. There
seems little doubt that when Jesus taught his followers to prayer and told
them that the first word was 'Abba', he knew what a shocking thing he was
doing. God was all powerful, distant, impersonal. But 'Abba'
is just the opposite: close, warm, familiar and even vulnerable - showing
us a God that loves each one of us unconditionally, as a parent loves a child.
How sad, then, that people no longer pray this prayer daily - or even
don't realise it exists to be said. How must God feel that his children
don't talk to him - how would you feel if your children totally ignored you?
I know how I would feel. When did you last pray this prayer outside
of the church?
I pray that in the New Year you will come to know this loving God more deeply and from that will spring great happiness.
Margaret
December 2005
I imagine that by the
time you receive this leaflet you will already have received a number of
Christmas cards and I wonder what they have as their picture? I certainly
receive cards with wintry scenes - snow dusted churches with light gleaming
through the stained glass windows or skaters on icy ponds. But really it
is not like that at all. For the last few years it has been warm and wet
and a more realistic picture would be of umbrellas being shaken in the church
porch! But it's not just the weather that is out of tune, there are also
lots of cards with Victorian scenes on them, as though Charles Dickens invented
Christmas and that it has nothing to do with a baby that was born just over
two thousand years ago. Even those who only send Biblical scenes are out
of touch with reality.
The reality is that more people know the song 'We wish you a Happy Christmas',
than know the words of 'Once in Royal David's City'. That for every family
sitting happily around a log fire, there are others who will be sitting miserably
in separate rooms. And as for Bethlehem, that is no longer a place that lies
still in a 'dreamless' sleep, but is surrounded by a great wall and is a
dying Palestinian community.
So why do we buy cards? I believe we do it because Christmas is a time of
hope and the cards are not about how the world is, but how we wish it to
be. And with the birth of Jesus that became possible. The world will never
be like our Christmas cards, but if we allow Jesus to be our light and life
then things can begin to happen: relationships mended, the hungry fed, and
Bethlehem set free. So, as you open your cards pray that the world will become
more peaceful and happy in Jesus' name.
With every blessing for a wonderful Christmas.
Margaret Venables, Rector
As many of you will know, I am leaving the parishes in January. My final
service will be at 6.00pm at Haynes Church on January 8th. There are many
of you I have met during my years here and I would love to see you again.
Please do come along to the service to say goodbye, all are welcome.
At
this time of year my thoughts are usually about trying to make space in an
otherwise very busy time of the year - and this year is no different. In
fact for me it is even busier than usual- trying to sort out practical things
here and an hour's drive up the A1 as well as having conversations with five
sets of Churchwardens! It was Martin Luther who said that the busier he was
the more time he had to set aside first thing in the morning for prayer.
However, I am just human and find that 1 can't get out of bed any earlier
to emulate his practice - valuable though I am sure it is. So where will
that space come from, 1 ask myself?
Firstly there is a whole morning in the diary just to be together with others
and think about the real meaning of Christmas-not the endless round of shopping,
but to contemplate the child born in a stable. Then I will try very hard
not to let go of the daily morning prayer in the parishes, though sometimes
other things do have to be started early. There is also that drive up and
down the AI, that can be a very good time to set things before God. Of course
one mustn't compromise driving safety, but on your own travelling can be
good prayer time. Then there are the 'arrow' prayers through the day. Something
catches the attention or you remember someone who has asked you to pray for
them, or you go past a house where you know there is someone in need, so
you just set them before God, often it doesn't even need words. All these
moments in a day can add up to quite a lot of praying and it can all be topped
up by those moments before sleep at night, when everything is just handed
over.
My guess is that there will be many people reading this who thought that
they hardly prayed at all, or hadn't time in the run up to Christmas - but
just try some of these ways and you will find you are very much in touch
with the God who came to earth and in Jesus led a very busy life.
Have a blessed Christmas and New Year
Margaret
November 2005
There is
a passage in the Bible that begins: 'There is a time for everything, and
a season for every activity under the sun' and later it continues; 'there
is a time to plant and a time to uproot'. And the time has now come for me
to uproot-of course uprooting is never easy--even when you believe that what
you are doing is right and that that is what God is calling you to do.
In January 1 shall be moving to the parishes of Barnack, Bainton and Ufford,
in the Diocese of Peterborough. This will not be a full time post,
but what the church calls House for Duty. That means that you live
in the Rectory and work Sundays and two other days in the week without
stipend. I see it as a way of moving into retirement without suddenly
stopping from a busy post. Though I guess with three villages it will
be difficult to fit everything into two days- we shall see!! The villages
are quite small and there is only one school. The churches are each
beautiful and very different from one another, but having been in an
interregnum for two years are now looking forward to a new stage in their
life. For me that is an exciting thought as well. And there is a distinct
attraction in that my grandchildren go to school in the neighbouring
village.
There are, of course, many things and people I shall miss from the three
parishes here as well as wider contacts in the Diocese, but that is
the way with ordained ministry. There always comes a time when you
have to move on, because you are not called only to one place, but
to serve the whole church, wherever God calls and in whatever way he
calls. He will be calling someone else to come here, too. It will only
be a matter of discernment of the calling. That may take a little time,
or it may take a long time, but there are three strong, active churches in
Campton, Clophill and Haynes that, I believe, are also ready to he called
to a new chapter in their history.
There is another quotation from the Bible that means a great deal to me:
'He who calls you is to he trusted, He will do it'. I shall keep that on
my heart over the next few months. Please keep it on yours, as well.
Margaret
Information from All Saints, Campton Newsletter
September 2005
There have been many words written since the bombings in London, but it is
difficult to write any thing without referring to that terrible incident,
which has touched us all in one way or another. For those of us living Christian
lives we are saddened, prayerful and need to respond to a new attack on any
faith at all. The Bishop of St Albans acted very quickly with his thoughts
and 1 would like to quote some of his letter to the clergy - knowing that
many in the Diocese would be directly involved:
'We cannot avoid considering the nature of evil in attacks such as these.
1 will not use the word "sick" of the perpetrators, because that is not strong
enough and in any case is based on the notion that the person is unable to
choose what causes the sickness, but to plant a bomb is to make a deliberate
and wilful choice - a choice which flies in the face of all normal understandings
of what it mans to be human. It is to decide to destroy, rather than to build
up, to fragment rather than to reconcile, to mairn rather than heal. Evil
and chaos are horribly intertwined.
The question we have to ask is how to defeat evil - and the answer lies not
only in the physical sphere in which we have to decide how We shall physically
resist it; it also resides in the legal sphere, in which in a democratic
society, law has to take its proper and un-corrupt course. It lies in the
mental sphere in which we have always to search for and uphold the truth
with tenacity and humility. It lies in the moral sphere in which we have
to commit ourselves to live righteously, while recognising that we are also
very flawed and need to seek God's 'Mercy and forgiveness when we get things
wrong; and it lies in the spiritual sphere when we commit ourselves daily
to goodness and light, offering ourselves , our souls and bodies to God in
Christ, that we may be part of his atoning and healing love for our world.
Evil, ultimately, is overcome by goodness; darkness, ultimately, is overcome
by light - but the cost can be, and almost always is, very high .......
We need, as Christian people, to seek God's strength, that we may be courageous;
to seek his mercy as we recognise within ourselves our own propensity for
sin and evil; to seek his wisdom that we may know how to help change the
hearts of all those. terrorists included, who want, out of malice, to cause
suffering and despair.
In the end, the only way is the way of Christ and the way to Christ. It is
to that way we need during events such as these to commit ourselves afresh
- because to do so is in itself a way of combating evil and chaos."
1 can add nothing else - except the prayers of all the churches are with our parishes.
July 2005
This is
the wedding and baptism season and we have already had some wonderful moments
in the churches as people have come to celebrate their special family occasion.
But it is about baptism that there needs to be some clearer thinking.
1 was talking to two church members about this just today, so it is very
much in my mind. It is also something that the five adults who have just
been confirmed have talked about as well. They were all very glad that their
parents had taken them for baptism (or christening - both the same thing
by different names) when they were babies and that they then went to Sunday
School and to church, so they were now able to say that they want to be full
members of the church.
But there still are a lot of myths that surround the wish to have a baby
baptised. Some people believe that it will make the baby 'safe'. This, of
course, is not true. It would be a very strange God who cared only about
babies that have been through a religious ceremony. God loves all, he longs
only for each person, whatever their age, to come closer to him. Other people
believe that if the child is baptised, then he or she will be able to make
up his own mind about religion, when he gets older' - as though this is some
sort of magic spell and nothing else needs to happen. That, too, is not true.
Any child needs to learn about faith and the best way to experience that
is to be in church with their parents or their godparents - because it is
the godparents' special task for a growth in faith. Neither will a school,
however good, be able to deal with all of each child's needs in this particular
part of life.
Baptism is actually about becoming a member of the church, so it is rather
odd that people ring up and ask for this when they sometimes say that they
have never been inside the church in the village and they don't intend to
start being churchgoers. In any other walk of life would you join a club
(golf, tennis, gym, computers, walking) and have no intention of taking part
in their activities?
1 really believe that many parents just want to say thank you for the birth
of such a special baby and that they are unaware that there is a service
that the church can provide for just that. Of course there is the possibility
of a secular naming ceremony, and some are more comfortable with that. But
if you have a very special child why not welcome him or her into the world
with a service in the church at the midst of your community - that is a particular
joy. We had just such a special moment in Haynes, when my niece, Fiona, and
her husband were visiting from Australia and so much wanted to say thank
you for the safe delivery of twins, but was not yet ready to have Sam and
Tom baptised.
The church exists for everyone in the community, all are welcome. If you
are not sure how we can help you why not ring up and we could chat about
it.
P.S. Fiona and David have just had another baby boy - Charlie - and apparently the twins are amazed!!
June 2005
I write
this just after we have held an exciting service for Pentecost Sunday in
Clophill Church. Pentecost is, after all, the time of greatest excitement
for the church. It is the time when we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit
being given to the disciples and the story is full of fire and rushing wind
and people speaking in many languages. So our services should reflect something
of this excitement - and so ours did this year. 1 think that, importantly,
it was a Benefice Service, so the three congregations from Campton, Haynes
and Clophill were' all together in one place' -just as the Bible says about
the disciples on the occasion we were remembering. So, there were a hundred
people, adults and children all worshipping together. There was also the
fact that people were open to a service that at moments was quiet and meditative
and other moments was full of sound and movement - children danced and adults
sang, musicians played. Each person was able to be a part of all that was
happening in their own way.
Of course there could have been more people there, but some seem to find
it difficult to be in a church other than their own and so stay away. This
usually saddens me, but this time it saddened me even more as 1 realised
that they were not only missing a major festival, but also something quite
special that was happening and there was no way that they could ever be part
of it. Of course that goes for many things in life, there are things that
we all miss out on and often it is just because we are not prepared to take
a risk. And as Christians that is what we are called to - risky living. Possibly,
building churches was the worst thing that our forebears did for us. Yes,
many of them are beautiful and we have a sense of God when we go into them,
but the Christian faith is about being on a journey and if we become too
tied to one building or place, then it is often hard to move on. 1 believe
that the beauty of our Benefice is that we are often on the move and so many
new relationships and friendships are being forged - and some even being
renewed.
I was thankful for all those who were there at Pentecost and it will
be along time before 1 forget the faces of the children as they danced in
worship. God has indeed blessed us with so many talents in this place. And
if you haven't experienced our worship at all, do come along - and watch
out especially for Benefice Services - the travelling is always worthwhile.
May 2005
As one grows
older, well known landscapes often change. 1 had reason to visit the college
where 1 did my teacher training, more years ago than 1 like to count and
it was with great difficulty that 1 was even able to imagine where parts
of the building had been. Where, for example, was the window we used to climb
through when we managed to get locked out 'after hours'? Where was the whole
building which made up our accommodation in our final year? Where was the
weaving hut that my later to be sister-in-law inadvertently set on fire one
evening? It had all changed so much. The changes are all good, but didn't
feed my nostalgia at all.
More seriously, though, 1 was watching a television news programme the other
evening and 1 began to recognise a landscape that had become very important
to me and to numbers of others. On the edge of Jerusalem there is a Christian
college where, if you go onto the flat roof, you are able to look across
the West Bank to Bethlehem. The view is the well known one that appears on
many Christmas cards. But what 1 was seeing on the screen in front of me
was not the familiar dry landscape but an enormous concrete wall. It was
nearing completion and soon there would be no access along the West Bank
road. The Palestinians would no longer be able to reach their work places
in Jerusalem and meanwhile, away to the right, a great estate of Jewish houses
was growing. It was more than my nostalgia
that was offended this time. That great wall makes the old Bedin Wall look
like a toy building. How is it that as a human race we have again regressed?
And what can we in Bedfordshire actually do about this?
We can only begin where we are and 1 would suggest that we try hard not to
erect any walls ourselves. When we find ourselves in a different and unfamiliar
landscape we need to put aside the nostalgia and " to see things as.they
really are. Then we need a real openness to other people and to listen to
what they are saying, because if we do not we are building a wall and sometimes
just fencing ourselves in, so that no-one can reach us or touch us and our
opinions become hardened. And that is loneliness.
God did not make walls - we created them He planned for a world of love and
peace. May that be what we experience around us here as we work for a world
in which walls become redundant and shattered.
Information from Parish Community Newsletter - Editor : D. Tollman
April 2005
Having been
on Study Leave for two months I have had more time for reflection than usual
- though these reflections were frequently interrupted by a three year old
who thinks that Granny being about more often is for her personal entertainment!
However, in church terms it was certainly interesting to be in the pew instead
of the Rector's stall.
First I became aware of how easy it is to 'miss' a Sunday, I managed to get
the time of the service wrong on one Sunday and that made it hard for me
to 'think it right' the next week. But I do have to say that what became
most important was that I found it so much more meaningful only having to
attend one service each week. I was living within a Benefice much like our
own and though they did things slightly differently, I soon felt at home
with a welcoming congregation and it provided such a place of quiet and time
to pause and to meet God, that I really didn't want to miss another week.
So, of course, I fell to reflecting on why it is so many people don't want
this time of quiet meditation in their lives. Of course I don't know the
answer to that, perhaps some of you who are reading this could answer it
for me?
Coming back to work was like being hit by a sledgehammer. There were any
number of people who were saying ' I just want you to listen for a moment',
while they presented some problem. But I was most sad to hear that two of
my most valued friends had decided to move away from the area. How was I
to manage without Christine, a fellow priest, who has been such a gift to
us in the last year or so, and Judith who has been the most efficient and
thoughtful Church Warden one could ever wish? Well, it will be hard to say
goodbye to them, but I also believe that God always provides for his church
the people he needs so we move into a new phase of our churches lives in
trust and send our friends on their way with our love, knowing that God goes
with them.
It is one of the fallacies of our time that the church is never changing
- it changes all the time. Did you know that there have only been pews in
churches for a very short time? Or that music groups played long before organs
were introduced? But those are other stories. Our church is always changing,
it has to. If it stayed the same it would be because we believe it to be
perfect. Only God is perfect - so change is built into our belief. And if
you are wondering what has been happening why don't you come along and find
out. Just as I found a welcome in Rutland so will you here.
December 2004
I have a friend who has recently bought a house in Devon as a weekend retreat.
When he was describing it to me and enthusiastically showing me photographs,
I asked him how often he planned to travel from here to there. “Oh, most
weekends,” he replied. I found that hard to believe knowing only too well
the length of the journey. “Won't you tire of that journey?” I asked. “No,”
he replied. “You see every time I travel the journey is part of my holiday.
I find it as enjoyable as the arrival. It's all part of it.”
At this time of year I would love to be able to be just like my friend -
not that I am planning to travel to Devon at weekends! But because Advent
is all about the journey to Christmas, and if we are not very careful, we
miss out on the journey and arrive too soon and quite unprepared. During
Advent we need to prepare ourselves for the celebration of that very special
day of Christmas - and I mean a little more than rushing round shops buying
presents and food and putting up the decorations. I mean giving ourselves
time to stop and reflect what this season really means. Advent celebrates
the coming of Christ in three ways: it is the time we remember the Virgin
Mary waiting for the birth; it is the time we remember that Christ is present
with us now and waiting to be asked into our lives; it is the time when we
look forward to the Christ who will come at the end of time. Advent is when
we need to be open to hearing his words: “Listen I stand at the door and
knock; if you hear my voice, open the door and I will come in.” So how do
we do that?
Advent has the longest night of the year and the darkest days and yet it
is about the coming of the light. A good way to enter into this is to light
a candle - you can buy Advent Candles and sit quietly for a few moments as
the candle burns to the next day. Think about that saying: “It is better
to light a small candle than complain about the darkness.” That thought might
take you all over the world or it might speak to your heart. Some people
light more candles - one for the first week in Advent, two in the second
week and so on until Christmas Day. Another way of preparing is to make an
Advent wreath as an expression of your understanding of God's abiding love
for you and for all of creation and put it in your window as a sign to all
who pass your door. Whatever you choose to do, it will give you time to pause
in an otherwise very busy time of year.
I hope you enjoy the journey through Advent and that when you arrive at Christmas it is an even greater joy.
Margaret
During Advent there will be weekly meditations in all three churches in the
Benefice following Candles in the Dark by David Adam. Please see weekly Notice
sheets and Notice Boards for times and places.
November 2004
I often find in a strange way there are links in life that offer themselves
again and again. And today I was thinking about grey days - you know the
sort, when the sky is overcast and there seem to be lots of jobs needing
doing. Then I thought about my 'grand horse' Figaro.
There are not many of you reading this who will not have heard of the amazing
days I spent recently at the Paralympics in Athens. In fact it has been the
stuff of three sermons and five school assemblies! But most of what I have
said has been about the athletes, an amazing group of people. However, in
the equestrian events there would not be any medals without the horses, and
I am sure the riders would, in fact, be the first to pay tribute. Though
it is another aspect that struck me today.
Some years age I used to broadcast "Thought for the Day" on BBC Bristol and
on one occasion my daughter-in-law had just bought Figaro (triple gold medal
winner in Athens) and this is part of what I broadcast on that day:
‘After much searching of advertisements and talking to friends, Nina at last
heard of a horse that she thought would suit her, so a visit was made with
a trial ride, plus a check with a vet and so on a grey February day Figaro
was brought to a nearby farm, and what an adventure he thought it was - no
really grey days for him, for he is interested in
everything that is happening.
He enjoyed the ride in the horsebox - though he had never travelled in one
before, then he went quietly into his new stall enjoying the luxury of a
warm hay bed - as well as a full hay-net to munch on. Strangely enough he
didn't know what a carrot was either when he arrived - but he soon learnt
to nuzzle any passing human who might be carrying one in their pocket. Then
it didn't take him long to spot the little mare in the next stable - and
apparently to fall in love with her.
‘He stands quietly, enjoying being brushed until his coat gleams and then
trots happily along the country lanes on his daily exercise, not straining
to canter or gallop away but just enjoying the outing. For Figaro it's the
simple things of everyday life that he delights in, he is looking to enjoy
himself.’
Many years have passed since that broadcast and Figaro has had so many more
experiences. He has been highly trained in dressage, he has travelled many
miles to compete, he has learned to accept the differences of being ridden
by my daughter-in-law and Debbie the disabled rider who Nina trains. He has
flown, he has competed in mud and rain and he has lived for a month in the
heat of Greece without a blade of grass in sight. Yet you only had to watch
him flick his feet as he came out of the arena to know that none of that
enjoyment of life has ever been lost, and the only reward he looks for is
a few Polos!
There used to be a saying during the war that every day was a dull ordinary
day unless it was worse - and I guess that is what a lot of people continue
to feel. But life isn't like that for Figaro. He's not fussing about being
left in his field, while the humans in his life all celebrate 'his' medals,
he's too busy enjoying the fresh air and the grass. There are no grey days
for Figaro because he knows that there is always something to enjoy in every
day.
So I think there is a lesson to be learnt here. We need to turn that wartime
saying round to: ' Every day is a dull ordinary day unless we look out for
the brightness that is surely there.'
Have many bright November days.
October 2004
The
year has turned and, as we pick up conkers from beneath the trees and take
in the final harvest of apples, pull the curtains across earlier each day
and start to light fires we know that Christmas is not far away. What a thought,
you might be thinking!!
However for many people after Harvest, that will be the next time they are
in church - so what is the Church doing between these two big festivals?
It may seem odd to some that there is no chronology of Jesus's life at this
time of year. At Easter and in the following weeks we know the story, the
story which is central to our faith of the death, resurrection of Jesus and
then the growth of the early Church. So what is this time of year about?
Essentially it falls into two parts. The first part we call 'All Saints Tide',
which is an opportunity in the autumn months to echo the natural world's
time of death and remembering. We recall God's action in the lives of the
saints and show confidence in rejoicing in our fellowship with the saints
in heaven. However, while we celebrate the example of the saints, we feel
the loss of those we know and love. But it is a reminder of our Christian
belief of another life beyond this which we know and many people are helped
by holding together All Saints and All Souls. I have found myself, recently,
returning again and again to the phrase: "in this world we are merely Strangers
in a strange land". It is a good thought. Of course, part of this, too, is
Remembrance Sunday.
The second part of the season is Advent. In the Sundays that lead up to the
full Advent Sunday we celebrate the Kingship of Christ. Unfortunately much
of Advent itself is now lost in the preparations for Christmas - have you
noticed the tinsel is already in the shops? Advent should be a time of watching
and waiting and if we manage to experience it properly then the joy of Christmas
is so much greater.
Do think about these seasons and try to enter into their meaning. I think
it often seems to people that the Church is just going its own sweet way,
but in fact everything we do is close to the seasons of the year and a part
of the experience of every human being as they journey through the 'Strange
Land'.
Margaret
P.S. Some months ago I told you that I intended to retire in May 2005. However,
a number of things have changed and I am now planning to stay longer, just
how much longer I am not yet sure, though I am planning not just this Christmas,
but the next, however the next retirement date I give will not be changed.
The truth is that I enjoy you all so much!
September 2004
On
a recent visit to London I had reason to walk around the outside of Westminster
Abbey. As it was holiday season there were long queues stretching on both
sides of the entrance and I wondered at the power of this Church building
to draw so many people of all nations to be prepared to wait for an hour
or more to gain entry, especially as heavy rain was threatening. At the same
time I have been reading Pray, Love and Remember written by Michael Mayne,
a past Dean of the Abbey. He, too, wonders about the crowds, and this is
what he writes: “Sometimes I would watch from my study window overlooking
the nave as people streamed through the doors in startling numbers. For much
of the year they would come at the remarkable rate of 15,000 a day, people
from diverse cultures and from every religious tradition and none. And I
would reflect on the paradoxes that lie at the heart of the Abbey's daily
life: the tension between welcome and control, pleasure that so many are
drawn to its presence but anxiety for their safety in its constricted space;
the tension, too, between the reality of the a noisy, circulating mass of
tourists and the ideal of a calm and peaceful atmosphere which allows a breathing
space in a ‘place where prayer has been valid’ for centuries; and I would
reflect on how hard it is, in a building spinning daily with people from
almost every nation on earth, to communicate the truth of the unique and
irreplaceable worth of each one of them.”
It made me think about our Churches, which, for the most part do not attract
large numbers of people, certainly not tourists. Yet there are occasions
when there is a wedding or christening or funeral when there are often large
numbers present. I wonder whether those people go away feeling valued and
having met with God. Does the Church feel warm and welcoming or do they find
it all strange and rather threatening? I think they expect the latter, because
increasingly I watch people standing outside, leaving it to the very last
moment to actually enter the building - even if they know that the service
is due to begin. Then it is really hard to offer them those precious moments
of reflection and the knowledge that this, too, is ‘a place where prayer
has been valid.’
I would love to see queues of people outside our Churches, just as they were
outside Westminster Abbey, longing to get inside. Then, of course, the building
can speak for itself and God will be found.
Margaret
July/August 2004
Being the Rectory dog is not all you might think! But this is the first time
'She who thinks she wears a dog collar' has failed to write something and
left me to do it, so I thought that I would put you right about a few things
that I am expected to do that are really beyond what should be the life of
a dog.
Firstly I have to exercise extreme patience. Quite often I get only a very
short walk before I have to sit still for Morning Prayer. I can't complain
about that too much as I think praying is a good way to start the day and
there are always other humans there who make a fuss of me. Often my special
friend Jo will take me for an exciting walk afterwards when I can do real
doggy things like chasing rabbits.
I like to spend the morning sitting on the settee by the window, so I can
watch people pass by and have a good sleep, but I often have to put up with
lots of people coming to the house and they all have to be welcomed with
a bark. Then they often sit round talking for ages and forget all about me.
Some mornings it's quite late by the time I get to the settee, because I
get to visit other houses, though I notice 'She' doesn't take me to other
dog's houses or where there are cats, who would be great fun to play with.
On some mornings I just get left alone at home on my own.
'She' doesn't seem to understand that after lunch I spend all afternoon waiting
for the next walk and I sometimes have to wait for ages, but I don't say
anything unless it gets really late. I really hate it when I am all ready
to go out, lead on, and the telephone rings yet again. Though worse still
is when my dinner has just been prepared but not put on the floor and the
human on the other end always seems to be more important than me! I do get
hungry!!
Then, of course, I go to lots of other things as well: PCC meetings at all
three Churches (I do wish there was a bit of warm carpet at Campton - though
they have the best biscuits), prayer groups and house groups and I've been
better prepared for Confirmation than any human as I go to all the classes,
children and adults, though no-one seems to have mentioned that to the Bishop.
Sometimes I get to go to Services as well. I'm really looking forward to
the Pet Services this year, 'cos though the other animals get blessed once
I am blessed three times, in Campton, Clophill and Haynes.
Of course I love Thursdays because 'She' has a day off and we do all sorts
of things and I have some lovely walks then. I love the parks in Bedford
where I can really run and run and I love to go to Stamford and see the grandchildren
who play with me in their garden.
There are lots of qualities a Rectory dog needs and I do try to do my best,
though just like people I sometimes fail. I do find it hard sometimes to
understand other dogs and that can get me into trouble. But I really like
to be with people and am very grateful for my interesting life.
I have to go now because 'She' is calling me - and I ALWAYS come when called
- unless there's a muntjac around - but that's another story!! I think it
is prayer time again. Time to go down on my knees once more and say thank
you. And thank you, too, to everyone who stops to speak to me and show that
they care with a pat or stroke.
Barni
June 2004
In our three parishes we have been looking at what it is that makes a healthy
Church and seeing what we are good at and where we could make improvements.
On the whole our Churches are in a good state, people are welcomed and we
hope feel comfortable. But what is it that people outside the Church perceive?
There is, of course the common idea that what we do is inappropriate. At
one end of the spectrum we hear that the Church is old fashioned, the hymns
dull and the language used incomprehensible. At the other end there are those
who think that there have been far too many changes, we are bowing to popular
culture, the hymns are 'happy-clappy' and the language trite. Of course there
are grains of the truth in each view and it may depend on which Sunday you
come which type of service you will experience. A village is not like a town
where you can choose which Church to attend and expect to find the same sort
of worship each week. In a village the Church has to try to cater for everyone's
needs in worship, but without losing its integrity.
But the Church is not just about worship, it is also about serving all God's
people in the place in which it is set while not forgetting we are part of
the worldwide Church too. So we have to think about our giving and how we
might help others, not only by praying but also through practical action.
A particular concern for us at this time are those living in the new homes
at Chicksands. We are very keen that everyone there should have the opportunity
to feel a real part of the local community and of course we would like to
have some new friends too. All three parishes in the Benefice are concerned
to help in this.
I don't think our Churches are at all boring, there are just so many interesting
people in each of them. It seems that all the time there are new people to
get to know and I have watched many friendships formed and grow. No-one is
ever left out of the continual conversation that seems to go on after a service.
At Haynes there is the danger that those who have been to 8.00am will still
be talking in the car park when the 9.30 congregation begin to arrive - and
I've yet to work out how anyone at Campton ever has a Sunday lunch!! Bored
or unhappy is the last thing our congregations are - they've all so much
to talk about!!
Sometimes I am told that there are those who won't come to Church because
of what they read in the press about the arguments that go on - about the
big issues - like women priests and the performance of the Church Commissioners
or the debate about the appointment of Jeffrey John as Dean of St Albans
(I believe Bishop Christopher is to be congratulated on the bravery and openness
of the appointment). These debates should not put us off the local Church,
for they are only a part of all that goes on and, honestly, in what other
situation would you actually believe all you read in the press?
Thank God for these happy Church communities where we live.
Margaret
May 2004
I can only feel sad for those people who were unable, for whatever reason,
to be at one of the Easter Services which were presented in all three of
the Benefice Churches in Holy Week. 'At the Foot of the Cross' was a real
example of people working together, giving of the best of their considerable
gifts and expressing their faith at the most important time of the Christian
year. I was left with a feeling of
profound thankfulness for all we have to celebrate in each other and for
people's willingness to give of both their time and their talents.
Many of those who took part said that it had been good to make new friends
in the other Churches and that a real sense of fellowship arose in the various
groups; drama, choir, singing and music and reading. It was noticeable, too,
how people's confidence grew as the week progressed. One choir member said
that they now felt like a 'real Benefice choir' after meeting the challenge
of learning and singing three anthems together. And another asked me 'What
next?'
Many people did come to join in and many told me how moved they had reflecting
on just how Jesus experience is related to our life experiences. The family
in the drama finding through their troubles that Jesus is able to stand alongside
us in the ups and downs of life and that is linked through music and hymnody
and worship to the depths of our humanity.
Of course this was very special and our weekly churchgoing is not always
as rich, but we are fortunate in all three Churches of this Benefice - Campton,
Clophill and Haynes. Real worship is offered in all three Churches at a regular
time every Sunday, there is a full weekly programme of activities and all
the Churches are 'alive' and well. Of course we are only human and have our
problems and our 'off' days, but we all get on together and are learning
about the riches of being together. If you haven't yet ventured away from
your 'own' village Church, I suggest that you give it a try. You'll find
a warm welcome and even if it seems a bit strange at first, in one sense
it is the way to stretch your faith just that bit further.
And if you are reading this and haven't been to any Church for some time
why not come along and enjoy the riches that these congregations have to
offer, as well come to know for yourself that Jesus is standing alongside
you too.
Margaret
April 2004
"All you need for a happy Easter" proclaimed one of the large supermarkets
this time last year. No, it wasn't over the shrink wrapped trays of lamb
but over the mountains of bright cardboard and cheap chocolate (any three
for £5) egg shaped boxes at the end of every row. Chocolate is definitely
where Easter is! "Do they know it's Easter?" asked one Christian booklet,
well of course ‘they’ do. Any self respecting child knows that there are
two weeks Easter holiday and they are well aware that most shops are full
of lilac and yellow displays, with lots of fluffy chicks and bunnies. The
point is that Easter is very noticeable. This should be positive, but if
you look more closely you will see that it is a commercial package - DIY,
spring fashions and confectionery.
It all starts with Good Friday - well it should. There was a time when Good
Friday was truly good. All work stopped; all shops shut, except the bakers,
to sell hot cross buns. Incidentally have you noticed that far from being
dead the hot cross bun is now available for almost all of the year? Everyone
was impressed by the solemnity of the day, a sort of super-Sunday when it
seemed all the world had stopped. Some supermarkets are closed on Easter
Day, but Good Friday is now a day of shopping for the feasts ahead.
Talking to people, many plan to spend at least part of Easter with family
or friends. Sunday lunch is still important and the restaurants are early
to advertise. Stately homes and tourist attractions all open for Easter and
the M25 will be best avoided. Garden Centres will be busy, the fishermen
will be out and people will be taking out their caravans and boats. After
a dreary winter everyone is wanting to spend some time doing just what they
want and most of them richly deserve a break from the long hours they work.
However, something is missing. Churches are no longer full over Easter, in
fact many regulars are themselves on holiday, going away on Good Friday.
I find this immensely sad. Without the public and shared religious observance,
without shops closed and Churches full, family lives lose the transcendent
dimension that gives meaning to all of life. Everyone needs and deserves
a break but everyone also needs to sing the Easter alleluias.
Society may have lost the plot, but at the very least in the countryside,
we can still find, in the Spring and in the returning light, a symbol of
resurrection. Maybe that will stir in people's hearts a discovery that life
itself is a poor, bare thing without the sap of Christ's resurrection life
flowing through it.
Have a truly blessed Easter - and enjoy your Easter eggs!! - my grandchildren will!
Margaret
March 2004
Someone put into my post last week a poem which had been written by an older
lady who was pleading for things to stay as they were in the church - no
more change, she asks. While I have an understanding of the feelings, I am
afraid that change is simply something that is built into the lives of the
human race.
Think about these for a moment. For example, if you choose to look at a map
of the world that is a mere four years old, you will find that it is already
out of date. There will be countries that no longer exist, some that have
new names - it's longer ago than four years but remember Rhodesia? Your children
won't. Then there are the other changes that may not show up - huge areas
of forest gone, coastline eroded, little islets drowned. Then look at a tin
of baked beans, something you probably have replaced on your shelf for many
years. It is not marked 'genetically modified' but it does contain modified
maize starch, so there's a possibility that at some point on its journey,
it too has been changed to contain more than the humble bean. Finally look
at a picture of a young member of your family that is also four years old,
and I imagine they will have changed greatly from when the photo was taken
and so will almost everything else about their lives. Incidentally we're
still wondering about those passport photos for babies!!
These things illustrate the unassailable fact of change. Because in reality,
change is our only constant. It is the one thing we can be sure of - things
change. By the time we are forty, we have not one single cell in our bodies
that we had when we were ten years old.
What I believe that we find hard is the speed of change. There has probably
been more change in the last century than ever before and now we have the
means to know about it. Some has been very good, but some has been destructive.
And it is the same with the Church. But more than any other institution the
Church should change because, as Christians, we believe that we are made
in God's image, but we are not made perfect and our worship of God is not
perfect either, so we must keep on trying to do better. Hope should be the
key that unlocks our willingness to change. It was the hope that Jesus offered
people that allowed him to create a community open to the utterly new and
strange fact of the resurrection. May our Church community become like that.
Margaret
February 2004
As I am writing there is a fierce wind blowing around the house. It often
seems to me that it is windier in North Lane, Haynes than anywhere else on
earth. On days like this, I can look out of the window and watch the sky
dappled with shades of grey, dark and light, with short-lived patches of
blue. It is a welcome sight for the skies have been a monochrome grey for
what seems the last few weeks.
It is the Christian writer, Gerard Hughes, who likened the sky to our 'inner
landscape'. That is the moods and feelings that arise in our consciousness,
affecting our perception of life around us and our reaction to it. In our
inner journey there is darkness and light, blizzards and sunshine, hail and
rain, gales and calm. Most of the time, hopefully, we operate in light and
sunshine, but it is when the clouds gather that our inner journey is most
tested. And those are the times when people are most likely to turn to God.
The most destructive force in us is a mixture of fear and imagination. Once
they break loose, it is hard for us to cope alone. God knows this. It is
striking that the most common phrase uttered by God in Scripture is “Do not
be afraid.” It is said to appear 365 times - often enough for re-assurance
every day of the year. The next most common phrase is “I am with you”. If
fears are not acknowledged they go underground in our minds, spread, infect
every aspect of our lives and diminish us. Once acknowledged they have less
hold over us. If we set time apart to be with God in these situations then
an inner peace will return.
This is good assurance, but we should not be using God just as a buffer in
the bad times or in the very best of times either. I see most people acknowledging
God at funerals, baptisms and weddings, and sometimes, of course, at Christmas.
It is wonderful to see that, but my concern is that, when only on a nodding
acquaintance, how are these folk to find the way to talk to God when they
most need him? He IS always there, but it is not always easy for us to find
him - we need some practice. And we need other people to help us do that,
which is why a Church community is so important, we are not made to be alone.
The Church, too, is always there - a symbol of God's presence. Why not come
along and enjoy with us the sunny days as well as the blustery ones?
Margaret
December/January 2004
I
am sure that as you read this you will be knee deep in preparations for Christmas.
Whether it is still the question of what to buy for all the family members
and friends, or working out how big the turkey needs to be or worrying about
how everyone will get on together, all that surrounds Christmas occupies
us all to a greater or lesser degree. It has been identified as the most
stressful time of the whole year! Not quite what God had in mind when he
came to earth in the babyhood of Jesus! And also, sadly, not what the vast
majority of people in the world have in mind either. How wonderful it would
be if everyone was in a position to celebrate fully the birth of our Saviour.
Because we are aware that we do not live in a fair and just world where everyone
is free to celebrate, in Campton Church on each Wednesday morning a group
of people gather to pray and bring before God the differing needs of people
in a Service for Peace and Justice. It began when we were praying for our
troops in Iraq, but it has continued in bringing other concerns. I am writing
this on a Wednesday afternoon so I am very aware of the wide ranging concerns
people brought today: from concerns about children who are the victims of
violence, to the setting up of no-go areas in London, to rape victims in
Bosnia, to our young members of the Armed Forces who are expected to act
in situations to keep the peace. We also light an Amnesty International candle
to remind ourselves of the many people in the world who are wrongfully imprisoned.
Prayer is something we can all do and I hope more from the Benefice churches
will feel able to join us on Wednesday mornings at 9.00am, it is important
work that is happening here and half an hour is so little time to draw aside
and think about these people.
Prayer, however, is action too and we are looking hard at the opportunities
provided by Amnesty to write letters to governments on behalf of individuals
who are wrongfully imprisoned. To write is such a small thing to do and it
has been proved to be effective so often. There must be more of you who are
reading this who could help with this letter writing. Amongst the tinsel
and the food and the drink and the real joy of all that you give this Christmas
, this one extra gift could be the most precious of them all. After all each
imprisoned person is the loved one who will be missing from around the family
table at this time - how wonderful if your letter was a part of restoring
them to their homes and families. If you want to write please be in touch
with me or come along to Campton church - which is always open during daylight
hours and you will find the information you need.
In the meantime I hope all your preparations for a really wonderful Christmas
go well and that you have a truly blessed Christmas and New Year.
Margaret |
