crossramsbury.net

On one of our days out this holiday,  Anita and I found ourselves in Somerset, and heading towards the market town of Ilminster.  Neither of us had visited there before, and we were very pleasantly surprised.  It is a delightful town, friendly, and welcoming to the stranger and visitor.  I was impressed with the range of local shops in the High Street, including a baker, a butcher, a proper chemist, and even a draper [how often do we see that term used today?].

We enjoyed a great cup of tea and a piece of cake in a traditonal tea-room, and then, having picked up some details of some local houses from the estate agents, we walked around the town checking out some possibilities.  The town is largely built of that lovely warm coloured Ham stone. 

The final joy was to call into the Minster Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where the recent alterations and reordering have included a balcony at the west end, and a very nice enclosed glass area, with etched glass doors, to provide a welcome area and “milling” area at the back of the church before and after worship.  As we were leaving a young couple came in and settled themselves into the side chapel, and invited us to join them in a short evening prayer service.

It is good to get out from your own back yard, and to sample what else this wonderful country of ours has to offer.  we must make sure we find the time and the energy to go out and see it for ourselves.

This month’s collection of Parish Magazines have tumbled through my letterbox, and once again, I’m impressed with the tales of mission and ministry that happens in some many creative ways, in so many places.  This month’s good practice is as follows:

St Bartholomew Benefice: The parishes are organising some away time together, to build confidence, to get to know one another, and generally have a good time with their Christian faith.  A sailing trip to France, over the weekend of 30 September to 3 October.  If the seas doesn’t float your boat, the a trip to the Holy Land is being contemplated for 2011.  A new monthly Sunday initiative called TOAST [Time on a Sunday together] kicks off with breakfast in the School Hall at Semley, with an informal, child and family friendly expression of church.  taste and see that the Lord is good!

Arrowhead, for the parishes on Salisbury Plain, is always a good read, and a mix of community, adverts, and church activities get a blitz in the editor’s blender.  I was impressed by the Shrewton School’s Party in the Park event; the Annual Orcheston Weekend, including tractor rides and target shooting; and the Re-Cycling page, which give people the opportunity of getting rid of, or requesting various items.

Steeple and Street, for Whiteparish in the Clarendon Team, offered some great summer fun in the Parish Picnic with food and games; a May Ball for the Pepperbox Pre-school; and the Whiteparish Pony Show, with collaboration with the local riding school.  They’ve also organised a Whiteparish tidy up day, to give the whole community a chance to contribute to making their village the tidiest in the area.

Focus – on the Community is the mag for the Nadder Valley Team, and included some local articles on the Neighbourhood Policing Team’s new Community Beat Manager, and also a report from the Tisbury Watch of the Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, including a really helpful guide to the role and responsibilities of a retained firefighter – essential for the rural communities.

The Open Door, the mag for St Thomas’ Ensbury Park contains a helpful page of prayers; advertises a parish visit to the Theatre in Christchurch to see “The Screwtape Letters”; some book reviews; and a great puzzles and smiles page, alongside the usual news and views of the parish church and wider community.

Thank you to all those who send me their magazines, and I look forward to receiving others too.

Every now and then a theme emerges over a weekend, and this particular weekend it has been crossing over!   We started off by going over to move our eldest daughter from her existing flat to her new flat in the boarding school where she teaches.  It was not far, in fact it was the flat next door, but unfortunately we had to go down two flights of stairs, and along a corridor and then up another two flights of stairs!  It was a great workout, and after a few hours, Hollie was settling into her new abode.  What struck me most as we moved from one flat to the other, was a sense of knowing when we were over half way in shifting the boxes.  There came a point as we stopped to rest or partake of a cup of tea, when we actually stopped using the old flat, and started using the new – and I don’t think it was anything to do with moving the kettle!!

Then this morning, I started reading the next book on the pile I keep in my study, and I found it was a book called Sum: Forty tales from the afterlives.  It is a fascinating book, given in cases short stories from authors who have speculated, or perhaps fantasised about what happens following our death.  I’ve just read the first ten or so, and it will be interesting to see what other people make of crossing over.

The third aspect of this theme occurred when I was taking a few minutes to catch up on some zzz, and catch a few rays in the garden.  We have a lovely garden, and enjoy every square inch, and of course the river.  One of the given factors though, is that we lie under a flight path from the airfield at Old Sarum, and every few minutes a light aircraft, or microlight, or helicopter makes its progress across the sky.  I don’t mind actually, and it is a fantasy of mine to fly, or even learn to fly in a small aircraft.  Today, one of the men [or women] in their flying machines was performing aerobatics, and I was imagining the amount of G-force that the pilot must have been pulling in the stunts, as s/he crissed and crossed through the sky.  Lovely, and lucky for them.

Today my sermon was on Martha and Mary, the fact that they create a whole – doing and being – which we as disciples ought to consider. There is a place for both types of activity and we ought to find the right balance which may well be different for each of us and, unlike Martha, we ought not to complain when others don’t seem to be pulling their weight.

On the way home it occurred to me that I ought to practice what I preach – I need to find the time to be and do – so I start this blog entry with an apology to Alan who has certainly been Martha and I have been Mary, he has very generously not reminded me that it has been a long time since I blogged.

I did think of doing it when we were on Pilgrimage in the Pewsey Team but I couldn’t get on line where I was staying and I didn’t think of other ways I could do it. Then I thought that I would do a retrospect blog but time went by. Then there was my retreat (brilliant with woodpecker and rabbit joining me on various occasions) and the ordinations in the Cathedral where I had the privilege of laying my hands on two people (thank you Ann and Jenny). Again time went by and it seemed to late to do anything. So this blog is also a big thank you to all those who have cared for me, invited me to events, been with me in various meetings and have been generous hosts.

During  the coming week I will blogging most of  my morning thoughts for BBC Radio, the idea came from driving around this wonderful countryside in which we live. I hope to continue to find the time to be and contribute to the blog as part of that being time.

Well, these past few days have been a whirl of social activities and festivities, as we come together and celebrate good things around the Area. 

Friday evening most of the Team were in Burbage to toast the very successful Pilgrims in Mission week in the Pewsey Deanery.  I was at another social event in the south of the County, as part of the Friends of Wiltshire Churches initiative, which seeks to provide a new source of funding for the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust, of which I am Chairman.  We met at a beautiful house just north of Salisbury in the Woodford Valley, and raised a good sum of money which the Trustees will allocate to churches seeking to maintain and enhance their church fabric.  Check out the site at: http://www.wiltshirehistoricchurches.org.uk/Home.html We are looking for new members, and it’s very cheap to join, and we get so much fun from being a member – think about it?

Saturday morning, I attended the Salisbury Cathedral Open Day, and at 1000 hrs when the cathedral opened its Great West Doors, there were 400 people waiting to go in.  There was a real carnival atmosphere as people saw various exhibitions of the life of the cathedral and diocese, and tried their hands at various workshops.  The museums were open and free too – a great day out.

Saturday evening, we in the Learning for Discipleship and Ministry Team, gathered at our home in Bemerton to celebrate the mid-year and to enjoy one another’s company.  It was a good party, a little cold for outside dining, but a few braved it, and the conversation and laughter went on well into the night.  As I was preparing the outside tables a candle, in a large glass container caught the tablecloth which had been whipped up in the wind – just turn your back for a moment, and the cloth, and table supporting it, was an inferno!  I flipped the cloth onto the ground and smothered the flames – but it is true what the advertisements say – don’t leave naked lights unattended – even for a minute!

Sunday morning and I was attending a service in Pitton school, for both the church and school communities, who were gathering to say farewell to David Morgan, the Headteacher.  The service was quite superb – with a lay member of the church, leading a wonderful act of worship.  We had a dramatic reading of a passage of scripture, which helped us all understand how meeting Jesus transforms people’s lives.  We heard about Jairus, his daughter, an unclean woman, and one of the disciples – brilliant!  We also heard from three members of the Bristol University Christian Union, who were supported by the parish of Pitton last year.  Their witness and testimony of their work within the university and the city of Bristol was truly inspiring.

Back home and after Sunday lunch, the Bemerton Community Group Open Gardens event started, with yes, our home and garden taking part.  We had a steady stream of around 100 people come through – many of whom enjoyed a cup of tea  with us, and walked around the garden, and many good conversations were held.

Late afternoon, and I was back in the cathedral for Vespers, and a service of thanksgiving for the work of our  Foundation School Governors.  Tea with the Dean afterwards, and I came home, fully alive, and full of a weekend’s experiences of saying thank you, and raising both the profile and some money for important aspects of our common life here in this part of Wiltshire.

Well the last day dawned for the band of happy pilgrims, and the Team scattered ourselves throughout the parishes for Sunday worship in the morning.  I was detailed to go to East Grafton Church, St Nicholas, another first for me.  It is the most enchanting church, a little miniature copy of St Mary and Nicholas, Wilton, as you can see from the photo. 

I preached, and Rodney Harrison – the Team Vicar presided at a Common Worship service.  It was good to see people from the area there, and I was starting to catch names and faces that I’ve been encountering during the week.  In fact I preached on the subject of encounter, and that when we encounter Jesus, then he joins us on our journey, and then he changes us, and we join him on his journey – or at least I think I said something like that!

After bidding farewell at the door, I took myself over to Chute Causeway, and joined John and Rachel at the Tedworth Downland Ride and BBQ.  There were loads of horses, riders, and happy watchers, as the competitors took themselves along a ten mile fun ride course, and enjoyed the most beautiful scenery.  We stayed behind of course, and chatted and ate, and enjoyed the atmosphere of country people, enjoying country rides.  I was fortunate to gain a seat on a horse, and I think Rachel has some photos.  I used to ride around my country parishes, and it was so nice to be back in the saddle.  I enjoyed myself very much, and will certainly try and get a ride or two from time to time, and in honour of this, I was presented with a bright green rosette – which later confused people who thought I was a green party candidate!  I was certainly hungry, and we consumed, I think between us, one of everything from the BBQ and bar!

Moving on, we team went our separate ways, me to my host and hostess to pack up, say a huge thank you for the marvellous hospitality and generous giving of time and accommodation for this past week.  People are so open and welcoming to pilgrims I find.

Finally, we all gathered at the Crofton Beam Engine site for our closing act of worship – a Songs of Praise, and celebration of our week, with the reading of the winning entries in the poetry competition.  Music was provided by the Phoenix Brass Band, and Rodney compered the worship.  Bishop Stephen gave the final blessing, and as we shared the Peace, the heavens opened and were blessed by a heavy shower which encouraged people to continue their own pilgrimage journey. 

This is not the end of a week’s pilgrimage, but merely the start of another stage of a journey in the parishes and communities that make up the Pewsey Deanery.  Thanks to you all, and may God bless you, and may Jesus be your constant companion and guide, and may the Holy Spirit empower and direct you to serve him, and those with whom you share your lives.

A good walk deserves to be followed by a good sit down – and what better way to enjoy a stunning sunset and evening, than in the company of a church full of concert goers, who gathered at Tidcombe church, to hear a wonderful concert by the Sarum Voices.  It was my first visit to Tidcombe, and to be honest, after I had put my head down after the walk for 40 winks, I had not allowed time for finding the place, and then parking, but as the first piece was introduced, I crept into a bench in a side aisle. 

There was some stunning vocal performances by this talented group of five singers, conducted by Ben Lamb, a former chorister from the Cathedral. [I think I was training at the theological college when he was singing soprano!] and a sublime performance was followed by a drinks reception on the front lawn of Tidcombe Manor.  What a great way to end a great day!  Check out the choir on http://www.sarumvoices.co.uk/choir.htm

Fortified by our cooked breakfast and early morning climb, John and I went over to Great Bedwyn Church where we had some coffee and biscuits [there will be a theme emerging - just you wait] and an amazing collection of photographs were available within the church.  Some thousands of photos were shot by the residents in the run up to Millennium year, and these are now carefully catalogued and available for memories and as a snapshot of the village caught in time.

The walk planned for this stage of the pilgrimage was a triangular route from Gt Bedwyn, to St Katherines’ Savernake, and lunch, and then on to Little Bedwyn, via the ancient chapel of ease at St Martin’s Chisbury, now in the care of English Heritage’ and onto Little Bedwyn, for  tea, and back along the canal to Gt Bedwyn.  It was perfect walking weather, and the conversations, the food and the fine stretch of our legs made for a really good day out.  The photos will speak for themselves – a mix from my own camera, and those from the Unite FC website:

Friday morning – it was 0700, and around 25 men gathered at the foot of Martinsell hill near Wootton Rivers.  Various bits of kitchen kit were unloaded from vehicles and soon we were walking up the hill.  It was a glorious morning, and great views across the Pewsey Vale.  Soon the smell of bacon and sausages was drifting through our conversations, and then tomatoes too were sizzling in the pan.  Baps were filled and hungrily consumed, merely causing the conversations to become drawn out, rather the ceasing.  Well fed, and orange juice, coffee and teas washed down, we sat on rugs or chairs and listened to an inspiring talk from Bishop Stephen about encountering the risen Jesus in our daily lives.  We ended with some helpful prayer. At 0830, a scampering from the working men back down the hill and into their workplaces indicated that it was time for us to pack up and clear off.  A great start to the day; good companions and thoughts for the road.

After a rest day, the team gathered on Thursday morning at Collingbourne Ducis to breakfast together and to celebrate morning prayer.  John and I were particularly interested to see the construction of the new kitchen facilities in the south aisle of the church, and the WC, which has been constructed externally at the west end of the north aisle.  It fits in nicely, and is a modern extension, sympathetically standing alongside the older church.

John and I then exited swiftly to get ourselves down to Rushall Primary school for the day’s pilgrimage.  Booted up, we joined the year 5/6 pupils to begin our walk from Rushall, to North Newnton, then on to Upavon.  At Upavon we were joined by the year 3/4 pupils and walked on to Rushall Church and back to the school.  After an excellent school lunch, we rallied the whole school, including the Reception and year 1/2 pupils to walk to Charlton St Peter, and back again to the school.  It was a great walk, and at around 8 miles or so, the children were quite superb.  Highlights for me were the hospitality we received at each of the church stops, when local parishioners provided refreshments, and facilities; the short reflections and prayers led by John and I; and the wonderful conversations we enjoyed throughout the day, with staff, governors and of course the children.  At the final stop at Charlton St Peter, the churchwarden led us in singing a Taizé chant, and movingly told the 110 or so present, that this was one of the best moments in the life of the parish church.

This is what the week is about – moving and meeting and mixing and making a difference with Christ at the centre of all we do.  The school’s motto? With Christ we can!  Yes!