Dear Friends of The Valley
Lambourn snow
Glad to see that our first Lambourn snow didn’t last too long! Evidently, it provided lots of fun and games for the villages as daily exercise was relished with snowmen appearing, angels being seen in the snow along with plenty of snow balling. I especially liked these Ice Magi who appeared in The George car park – obviously returning by another (very chilly) route! A copy went to the manageress, Alex. She was pleased to see the security guards doing their bit!
Journey of the Magi
It’s reminded me of how in his ‘Journey of the Magi’, T.S. Eliot calls this ‘just the worst time of the year’. We know what he means especially in the light of the news today of the UK death toll. The days are short and cold, the nights long and cold. And this year, there’s the monotony of lockdown and isolation to contend with too. And yet, we have snowdrops! The first I saw this year was a little cluster, their snow-white bells nodding in the breeze as I opened church one freezing cold morning. And there they were, radiating hope, a sign of the approach of Spring as the earth tilts towards the sun. They always strike me as true Epiphany flowers – a glimpse of God revealed in these messengers of better days to come. The little bell like flowers used to be known as Candlemas Bells.
St Paul wrote of hope along with faith and love in his first letter to the Corinthians but just maybe, the most needed spiritual gift in this time of pandemic is hope – that we may be able to embrace our loved ones, gather in worship, visit friends and enjoy the fulness of life. And of course, we hope for a stemming of the pace of infection, of deaths and that vaccines will offer protection to all.
Snowdrops may be tiny and fragile, but they are bold witnesses to unquenchable hope, unmistakable signs that the worst is passing and better times are at hand. In these days of isolation and anxiety, the snowdrops in the churchyards our villages and gardens renew my hope in the dependability of God’s loving purposes. I trust and pray they renew your hope as well.
‘Now the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come’. The Song of Songs 2.1-2
Candlemas Bells
Thinking about these Candlemas Bells – this Sunday January 31st we observe Candlemas. It is a pivot point in the church’s year as our thoughts turn from the manger to the cross as we approach Lent and Holy Week. It is one of my favourite festivals and marks the end of the Christmas and Epiphany Season – 40 days after the birth of Jesus.
The readings speak of how Mary and Joseph went to the Temple in Jerusalem, where they presented their baby son to God as an act of thanksgiving and met the prophets Simeon and Anna. Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. Simeon took the baby into his arms and blessed Jesus with the words of the Nunc Dimittis Luke 2.29-32. A canticle I use at every funeral, words that have been rendered so variously and used daily at Compline. Words that thrill me as I sing them – well, used to sing at Evensong.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
We celebrate by all bringing our own candle to Church. Each is placed on the altar, which says that we are each of us individuals. Yet, we shine with the same light of Christ, the light which has come into the world and which Simeon sees smiling up at him in the face of the child he holds. Obviously, we can’t do that this year but we may be able to echo that celebration. Maybe light your candle on Sunday, take a photo and send it, or leave one (unlit!) on the altar of your village church and I will light them and pray for you on Sunday.
God bless you cards
God bless you cards here is an idea for children and adults alike! Simeon blessed Jesus. That means he prayed for God’s blessing on him. We can pray for God’s blessing on people, too. It could be for someone who needs God’s love, his help or protection, or to feel God’s presence. How about thinking of someone for whom you would like to pray God’s blessing. Make a card, saying ‘God Bless You’, and write a special message in the card. Then give the card to the person and pray that God will bless them every day this week. Alternatively drop me a line and we will pray for that person.
International Holocaust Day
Call it Remembrance or Memorial – today is International Holocaust Day, the day for remembering the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur and which are sadly, continuing in the world today. https://www.hmd.org.uk/ It is a day when we are reminded to learn from genocide for a better future and of the need to call out such atrocities.
Revd Paul Cowan reflects on the silence that envelops the camps where the horrors of the Holocaust took place
It is a powerful piece with resonances for today culminating in this…
God give me the capacity to sit with and honour those for whom the valley is very dark,
who need the freedom and space to rage at,
the God who dies,
yet forever refuses to die,
the God who reveals himself in scripture, tradition and reason, yet remains a mystery,
the God who does not rescue his people, yet remains with them through the darkest of evils,
the God who is absent, yet always present,
the God who can be rejected, yet cannot be fully escaped,
the God who is my master and my friend, yet whom I see only dimly,
the God who is silent, yet never stops speaking to my yearning heart.
Amen.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday this year is on February 17th and I am planning a Zoom service with ashing. More details to follow! Please return your Palm crosses either into church or through the letter box here at The Vicarage.
And last but not least…
A Note from Mr Vicarage about Easyfundraising… for all!
During this challenging time while collections are down and we can’t fundraise in the usual ways, I would like to let you know that we are on easyfundraising, which means you can still help St Michael Church – Lambourn by raising free donations when you shop online. (Note from Julie – please do volunteer to set this up for either All Saints or St James as well!)
Easyfundraising has over 4,400 shops and sites which will donate to us at no extra cost to yourself, including lots of big name retailers like John Lewis, Argos, Uswitch, eBay, M&S, Just Eat, Now TV, Domino’s Pizza and Audible.
All you have to do is sign up to support us using the link below and the next time you shop online go through the easyfundraising website or App and we’ll receive a free donation.
We really need all the help we can get at the moment and any funds we raise will make a big difference to us! You can find our easyfundraising page at:
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/stmichaelchurchlambourn/?utm_campaign=raise-more&utm_medium=email&utm_content=c19-e3
Thank you!
Keith Mintern
PS I introduced easyfundraising to our old church, and over a six year period we raised almost £3,000 – at no cost to us!
Please do think about using this means of raising extra funds – any queries simply ask Keith via phone or email and he will help out!
Take care and stay safe, with prayerful best wishes for the week ahead.
Julie