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mid-June to end July 2009
from our Curate . . .
The Ashes, Warm Beer, Sunshine and God
What could be better? A pint of warm beer, lots of lovely sunshine and the England Cricket team taking to the field at Lords to take on the Aussies in the Ashes? Now that is an English summer at its very best.
When I was a young boy, I used to love the autumn frosts and the winter snows; perversely perhaps. I liked the shortening nights, and the darkness, and the crisp mornings, holding my mum’s hand as I walked to school wrapped up with a scarf and a warm duffle coat, looking forward to Christmas with its twinkling lights and family fun. Each different season brought its own delights to me as a child, just like the church seasons bring their own patterns and treasures. Advent then Christmas and Epiphany; Lent then Easter, Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity; Ordinary time, Harvest and Remembrance; all creating a sense of rhythm to our lives and to our journey with God.
But as I have grown older, I guess I have caught the British disease; you never get the right weather. It’s either too cold or too hot; too wet or too dry. It seems to be a national pastime - whatever the weather - of finding something to complain about. Well, I have a recommended cure and I have developed a simple remedy which goes as follows: simply say to yourself whenever you get the urge to grumble, “never complain about the sunshine”! That’s all you need to say, whatever the weather - “never complain about the sunshine”! Just remember those cold winter days, with the rain and the wind and the snow that we had this year and then give thanks for the lovely sunshine, the green grass, and for England, having scored 500+ runs in the first innings and the bowling out the Aussies over the next two days to win the Ashes! not that I am partisan at all…
Well actually I am. Come on England!!! (and if that doesn’t go well, we could always win back the Ryder Cup at the end of the summer in the golf - I’m not fussy!!)
Speaking of summer, may I also take this opportunity to wish you a lovely, relaxed and peaceful holiday, wherever you may be going or indeed, if you are staying at home! I understand that more people are taking holidays in England this year and many people come to visit us here in St Albans for their holidays. So, if you are staying at home, I suggest you roll out the sun lounger in the garden, pour yourself a long glass of Pimms (or whatever is to your taste), throw a hot dog onto a barbeque and have a great time. If you are going away, have a great time!
Claudia, Adam, Ross and I are off to one of the most wonderful and beautiful parts of this country, Lee Abbey on the north Devon coast, in the first week of August. Lee Abbey is a Christian retreat centre and we are staying with friends in the chalet down on the beach. For us, it’s a great time to get back together with old friends from Croydon (where our boys were born) and to simply relax with a book or a laptop, depending which takes your fancy. So wherever you may, or may not be heading, have a safe journey, a wonderful time and relax; there’s plenty of time during the rest of the year to get things done.
Which brings me full circle; as we look forward to the summer and to our holidays, let’s remind ourselves of journeys, of sunshine, of fun and of God. The metaphor of journey and of cycle throughout the Church’s year helps to show us the patterns within our own lives and this in turns helps us understand the pattern of God’s call upon our lives. Never rushed, often gentle and coaxing, God shares our journeys wherever we may be going or wherever we have come from.
I’m sure you all know that the patron saint of journeys is St Christopher, but you may be less aware that almost nothing at all is known of his life or his death and perhaps this is also the nature of our own journeys, holidays, life, and even the Ashes. We don’t know what will happen but we remain hopeful that all shall be good and that God will go with us. So as we look forward to the summer ahead, I leave you with this little thought of St Paul from the letter he wrote to the Romans before he set off to visit friends in Spain:
“For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, Romans 15:24
Revd Martin Brown |
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St Mary’s Parish Church Marshalswick, St Albans |