The View from the Rectory - July 2021
Dear friends,
I can hardly believe that a year ago I moved to the Parish. Moving in a pandemic has not been the easiest of things to do. First, there was no where to go and no childcare while we moved (which took the removal company 3 days), meaning we had to entertain our daughter outside without much as our belongings were packed away! Still, it went as okay as it could -we did not lose the cat and within the first week we had only set off 3 alarms here!
Over the past year I have enjoyed getting to know people, the church and the area, though of course I have not been able to do so in the ways I would have hoped -Socially distanced in face masks, while essential, is not always the easiest of things to build relationships, and some are still isolating so there are some of you I am still looking forward to meeting in person.
Despite all that, and having to close the church for worship as many times as re-open it, it has been a very good move and I feel blessed by God to be here with you all.
Recalling my move, makes is seem a vey long time ago to me. The house is now full of our furniture, my family are settled, the study is filled with items relating to Parish life here (church rotas, cards from local people, documents about upcoming events, etc), the house and the Deepings already holds memories for us, and we feel like we belong here. I am certainly glad we made the move last year, even (or especially) in a pandemic.
Life is actually full of movement and change, endings and beginnings, decay and growth, death and life. It is sometimes challenging, daunting, and scary, but it is also exciting, wonderful and joyful. It is both winter and summer. Perhaps this is why we hear in Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 that, ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,..a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance', and so on. It reminds me of the importance of not dwelling on the difficulties of life too much. We are after all a people of hope; a people of Easter Sunday right after Good Friday. No, we might not know what is round the corner for us, but we can have a great, joyful hope in the God who loves us, cares for us, and ultimately will bring us to his home, which will become our home, where we all feel settled, content and a sense of belonging and peace.
With warmest wishes and prayers to you all,
Rev George.