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Dear Friends,​

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As many of you will know I am a keen bird watcher and, I note that I talked about Chiff Chaffs this time last year!  As I write this, we are in what most birdwatchers consider to be the bird watching doldrums - not much moving about, the summer migrants are here, birds are singing less and it feels like there is nothing going on.  Of course, what it means is that most birds are focussing on nests and babies - finding them food and protecting them from predators and fledging them safely which is quite a task!

It can feel a little like this in church.  We are now in a patch called 'Trinity' or Ordinary time - no major festivals, no real excitement and it feels quiet!  But, of course, it is our equivalent of the bird watching doldrums - it might look as if not much is happening but it is our time for taking stock, developing and focussing on our faith on a day-to-day basis.  In church, we follow Jesus and his disciples and focus on their ministry using a different gospel each year - this year we study Matthew - who is thought to have been the tax collector called upon by Jesus to become a disciple. 

Each of the gospels was written for a different group of people and, Matthew was writing primarily for the new Hebrew Christian community.  So, he talks a lot about how Jesus is reflected in their traditional scriptures and how he is the fulfilment of prophecy and  law.   Reading Matthew can be quite a challenge as he expects us to know about Jewish religious traditions.  So, this is the year I get my books about life and faith in the first century out for reference!

Trinity lasts for at least 24 weeks and officially finishes on the Sunday before Advent; where the whole cycle of celebration starts again.

I always look forward to Trinity.  There is something special about getting on with the ordinary business of the church...as always, you are more than welcome to join us.  Our services are listed below.

 

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With best wishes

 

Rev’d Jenny

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