Dear Friends,
As I write this we are in the middle of a long spell of
unseasonably warm weather. I have lost count of the amount
of washing loads I have achieved in the last two weeks!
Children and school staff are on their Easter break, and we are
about to head into Holy Week; Matthew and I are ramping up
the wedding preparations and it is a busy season all round. For
this article I need to put my head in a different space, to lay
aside thoughts of Maundy Thursday service, an hour at the
cross on Good Friday, celebrations on Easter Sunday and of
course all things wedding. This is quite usual for a priest. For a
day can have many seasons within it -whether that be spent in
joy with someone in the morning as they celebrate a new birth
into their family, and in the afternoon handing over tissues to
someone who is lost in the midst of grief at the death of their
loved one. One has to be adept at adapting! So now I have the
small luxury of gazing out of the window, looking forward to
summer, and to wonder what I hope for.
One of my hopes is that as the days grow longer and the sun
shines a little brighter, we’re reminded of the beauty and
simplicity of God’s creation. I hope that the summer will be a
time of growth, rest, and renewal—not just for nature, but for
our souls and bodies too.
Whether you’ll be tending a garden, taking a walk in a park,
going on holiday, sitting in your usual chair with a good book,
or gathering with family and friends – these warmer months
invite us to slow down and savour life’s simple blessings. I hope
that it will be a season of connection—hopefully spending
more time with friends, family and loved ones, perhaps
enjoying a barbecue, a weekend away, or just simply sitting out
in the garden together.
I also hope that we will be able to take time to reflect on the
many ways God is present in the everyday moments: as the
steaming water soaks into the teabag, in the birdsong at dawn,
in the laughter of children as we hear them on their bikes or
playing football, the vibrant colours of a sunset, the joy of
shared meals, and the peace that comes from a quiet morning
with a cup of coffee and a prayer. The extraordinary can be
found in the ordinary. It’s right there with us.
As Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “To everything there is a
season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
I hope that this summer season is one of warmth, joy, and
spiritual refreshment and of finding the extraordinary in the
ordinary.
With every blessing,
Jo