Thoughts from The Vicarage with huge thanks and looking forward
Greetings! Alleluia. Christ is Risen!
A reminder that there is a single service at 10.30 in St Michael & All Angels this coming Sunday. Please see the attached Pews News for prayer requests and events.
Holy Week was a busy one and it was really good to see many people throughout the week. Huge thanks from me and the whole Benefice to those who worked so hard to make everything go well – cleaning, dressing our churches, organising, singing, the Good Friday concert, reading, helping etc. Thank you. It is a team effort and there is something remarkable and special about walking through Holy Week not only with Jesus but also doing it together in the Valley. Thank you.
Looking ahead
Although Easter eggs and hot cross buns have disappeared from the shelves the church celebrates the Easter season right up to Pentecost, Whit Sunday May 19th.
Living Well in The End Times (LWET). Death is a natural part of life! Have you ever wondered about planning your own funeral, writing a will, making a good end to the story of your life or the physical process of dying? These aren’t easy questions to think about, but ones that we will all at some time, be asking ourselves. We will be addressing these questions – and more in a series of meetings, ‘Living Well in the End Times’. The meetings have been planned so that such questions can be discussed in a supportive, relaxed and friendly setting in our home. It will be open to all, so please do feel free to ask about bringing a spouse or a friend. We will meet weekly from 3.00 – 4.30pm at 4 Newbury Street. The series will cover issues related to living well and comfortably with our own mortality and preparing for our own deaths. The first session is on April 24th ‘Be prepared’. Over the weeks we will be welcoming a palliative care nurse, a lawyer and an undertaker who will each be available for questions. If you have a query or want to know more please ask! More in March Village Views.
Lambourn Library is a great community resource and provides so much more than books. There are internet access terminals, children’s reading groups, free wifi, Colour and Black/White Copying, free document scanning to email, Colour printing and much more. e-resources include services such as free access to ancestry search, online catalogues. You can help secure the future of the library by becoming a member. There is no obligation and no charge. Go on, support your local library and spend 5 minutes completing the on-line membership application. Click Here to apply to be a member. Remember to select Lambourn Library in the drop down section.
Lambourn Wellbeing Walks start this coming Monday April 8th – meet at St Michael’s 11.30, returning at 12.30 for refreshments. I will be joining this first one – looking forward to seeing you. Any query please get in touch with me.
Please remember to sign up to the Parish Electoral Roll if you have been coming along to one of the Valley churches for 6 months or more – it is a really important statement of belonging and membership. Forms in church and thanks to those who have so done.
APCM season will soon be upon us. This is your chance to hear what has been happening in each church over the last 12 months. At each meeting we will need to elect or re-elect two churchwardens for St Michael’s, St James and All Saints, Deanery Synod reps and PCC members. If you are interested in becoming a PCC member, please speak to Katie, Jenny or Lise, myself or one of the churchwardens as soon as possible and complete a nomination form. PCC meetings are held about 6 times a year.
Please consider whether you are called to stand, and also pray for the life and work of each PCC, its effectiveness, commitment and openness to the guidance of God.
And finally, a sonnet by Malcolm Guite I’m inspired to share this day while looking at the stained glass window in St Michael’s with ‘Rabbouni’ and ‘Maria’ – words of recognition.
He blesses every love which weeps and grieves
And now he blesses hers who stood and wept
And would not be consoled, or leave her love’s
Last touching place, but watched as low light crept
Up from the east. A sound behind her stirs
A scatter of bright birdsong through the air.
She turns, but cannot focus through her tears,
Or recognise the Gardener standing there.
She hardly hears his gentle question ‘Why,
Why are you weeping?’, or sees the play of light
That brightens as she chokes out her reply
‘They took my love away, my day is night’
And then she hears her name, she hears Love say
The Word that turns her night, and ours, to Day.
God bless
Julie
Revd Julie Mintern Vicar Lambourn Valley Benefice