The Rector Writes

Dear Friends,

If I had a pound for every time some one said ‘You only work on a Sunday’ I would be quite well off. It is an old chestnut and most often it is said in jest but sometimes it is a genuine statement made in ignorance. Ministry is very varied and no two weeks are ever the same. Some weeks seem to cover the whole range of pastoral situations and all aspects of ministry.

Last week was an interesting mix of activities for me. It included a Wedding preparation evening, Men’s Breakfast, the School leavers’ service, Tots and Teddies, a family service meeting and a burial of ashes. At the school leavers’ service we sang ‘One more step’. This hymn has the theme of God walking with us through our lives, in good times and in sad times. In many senses it echoes the words of Psalm 23, which talks of ’still waters’ and the ‘valley of the shadow of death’. Good times and bad times.

As I look back over this week I can see just what the writers of Psalm 23 and ‘One more step’ were seeing. This week the church was there with our Tots at the beginning of their lives and at the beginning of their church lives. The church was there with those making an important step of getting married and it was there to ensure dignity at the end of a life.

God, through his church, was present in all these activities and he is there in our lives, at the beginning, at the end, in times of sadness and times of joy. May you know his presence and feel his comfort and strength in your lives.

(this appears in the August 2010 edition of the Maulden Magazine)