View from the Vicarage
“What did the Romans do for us?” was the question posed by John Cleese (Reg) in The Life of Brian. After a silence, the veiled audience came up with a long list, starting with the aqueduct, sanitation, roads, irrigation, medicine, health and so on. “Oh yes, and the wine” observed an ‘activist at the front’ “That’s something we’d really miss, Reg” was the response from Omnes.
The church does a lot for us too, but we have to stop and think what we would miss if it weren’t there. We preserve and cherish the oldest building in the village, and much of our village heritage with it. There are priceless treasures in the church, such as the poor box from 1615, the Jacobean finely carved pulpit and altar, and the bells dating back to the 16th century. We need help conserving these for future generations: a recent concert raised almost £1,000 towards the £11,000 needed to replace corroded wrought iron pins threatening to crack the bells, and more is quickly needed to prevent irreparable damage. Can you help?
The church also provides and maintains the churchyard, in which many of our forebears are buried. It is almost full, and an extension is needed. We have the land, but is it right for the cost of clearing the space and making it suitable for future generations to fall on relatively few people? Would you like to help in some way?
On a lighter note, did you know that the church really does welcome marriage enquiries? Until last October, there were only two possible connections with the parish which would legally qualify you to be married at St Giles. Now there are 10 – and many more couples can have their wedding in church. We love to say yes – and that includes many cases where one person has been married before.
We love baptisms too. There are a number arranged over the next few months. They take place at our main Sunday service when the candidate can be welcomed by all the people. St Giles is a family-friendly church. We have a Sunday Club, and children are now able to take communion from the age of 8 and above. Our Singalong with Prayers for carers and toddlers is at 9.15am every Friday.
The local people cherish their church, and the church also supports local people and their activities. A big village without an active church can feel like a place without a heart. Our faith is at our heart, but we are also a place to meet, a place of encounter, a social place, a place of quiet and prayer, a place for remembrance, a place of education and many other things.
The church is a natural place for times and seasons. The next will be Harvest Festival on Sunday September 20th at 10.00am.
All our Sunday services are now at the regular time of 10.00am. You can follow events on the blog: click on http://wrightreverend.com to read sermon notes and news about your church.
“What did the church do for us?” After a pause for thought, quite a lot it seems – “oh yes, that’s something we would really miss.”
Robert Wright
wrightreverend@gmail.com
01296 661358
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