Vicar's letter for March	Archive
As I write I can see the crocuses appearing like bright gold jewels on the lawn, the sun is shining and the sky is blue and at last Spring is in the air. How we long for the coming of spring this year after all the snow and bitter cold. A musician friend of mine once gave me a CD of her own music played on the flute – it is called ‘Longings’ and expresses our yearning and hoping for....for what? For love maybe, for God, for Peace, for healing. There are many expressions in the Bible of longing and the poets too have given us verses to help us to articulate what is deep in our hearts. Wordsworth’s ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey’ are a wonderful description of the longing for a special place. Five years have past; five summers, with the length Of five long winters! and again I hear These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs With a soft inland murmur.--Once again Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, .... ........................ But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din Of towns and cities, I have owed to them In hours of weariness, sensations sweet, Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart; And passing even into my purer mind, With tranquil restoration.......... Are you familiar with the children’s classic, ‘The Wind in the Willows’, by Kenneth Grahame? I often think, at this time of the year, of the opening chapter where Mole senses the coming of Spring. I have discovered a Lent book called ‘The Gospel in the Willows’, based on this classic; it is written by Leslie Francis (publ. DLT) and he links the first chapter with the Call of the Disciples. The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring- cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said `Bother!' and `O blow!' and also `Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gravelled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. As Spring approaches, let us make time and space in our lives to hear the call of God, to experience that longing of which the psalmist sings: My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning. Psalm 130.6 Do read the Parish magazine; among lots of other things there is a GAP update and there are articles on the recent Confirmation and the Pancake Party, for those families who have recently had their children baptized at St Cross and for the Sentinels. Well done Liz and thank you for all your hard work as Editor! I wish you all a Holy Lent and a Joyous Easter! PS. Do make a note in your diaries and on your calendars to get up early on Easter Morn when we shall see in the dawn with our Easter Liturgy. Come to the garden at the Vicarage while it is still dark and see the sun come up as we celebrate the Lighting of the Fire and the Paschal Candle and the First Eucharist of the Resurrection. After our 6.15 start we shall be ready for breakfast which will be served in the Parish Room. All are welcome to this very special occasion.

Vicar's letter for March

Archive

As I write I can see the crocuses appearing like bright gold jewels on the lawn, the sun is shining and the sky is blue and at last Spring is in the air. How we long for the coming of spring this year after all the snow and bitter cold. A musician friend of mine once gave me a CD of her own music played on the flute – it is called ‘Longings’ and expresses our yearning and hoping for....for what? For love maybe, for God, for Peace, for healing. There are many expressions in the Bible of longing and the poets too have given us verses to help us to articulate what is deep in our hearts. Wordsworth’s ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey’ are a wonderful description of the longing for a special place.
Five years have past; five summers, with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur.--Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, ....
........................
But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din
Of towns and cities, I have owed to them
In hours of weariness, sensations sweet,
Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart;
And passing even into my purer mind,
With tranquil restoration..........

Are you familiar with the children’s classic, ‘The Wind in the Willows’, by Kenneth Grahame? I often think, at this time of the year, of the opening chapter where Mole senses the coming of Spring. I have discovered a Lent book called ‘The Gospel in the Willows’, based on this classic; it is written by Leslie Francis (publ. DLT) and he links the first chapter with the Call of the Disciples.

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring- cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said `Bother!' and `O blow!' and also `Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gravelled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air.

As Spring approaches, let us make time and space in our lives to hear the call of God, to experience that longing of which the psalmist sings:

My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning;
more than watchmen for the morning.
Psalm 130.6

Do read the Parish magazine; among lots of other things there is a GAP update and there are articles on the recent Confirmation and the Pancake Party, for those families who have recently had their children baptized at St Cross and for the Sentinels.

Well done Liz and thank you for all your hard work as Editor!

I wish you all a Holy Lent and a Joyous Easter!

PS. Do make a note in your diaries and on your calendars to get up early on Easter Morn when we shall see in the dawn with our Easter Liturgy. Come to the garden at the Vicarage while it is still dark and see the sun come up as we celebrate the Lighting of the Fire and the Paschal Candle and the First Eucharist of the Resurrection. After our 6.15 start we shall be ready for breakfast which will be served in the Parish Room. All are welcome to this very special occasion.