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From the Curate, May 2016

From The Curate, Revd Jon Roberts

 

What a wonderful time of year! It’s that much warmer, there’s that much more sun, more birds singing, more children outside playing, there’s the smell of freshly cut grass, and if like me you’re starting to plan what to grow in your garden this year, then there’s seeds to be sown. So much potential about, so much life waiting to burst forth, suggesting at all that spring and summer and even autumn enjoyment ahead; I love it.

 

As I’m sure you’re aware, the Church is in the season of Easter at the moment. This continues for 5 weeks after Easter weekend, until Pentecost; and it’s a season of joy. I love the fact that the Church’s year coincides so much with the natural year, that our worship joins hands with the worship of nature, that together we may say thank you to God for all the goodness around us, all the blessings we have, and together bring our sorrows and concerns before God.

 

I’ve often wondered why, when the Church celebrates Harvest with such vigour, there isn’t more time set aside in the church year for celebrating and praying for all this potential life bursting forth, no more so than the sowing of seeds in our gardens, or out in the fields. Its something I try to take up myself. I try to pray for those signs of life springing forth as and when I see them; simply asking God for a little blessing on that bumble bee, that patch of bluebells, those hawthorn buds, and so on; as well as these lettuce seeds. This is a practice which not only helps me feel connected with the natural world around me, it also draws me deeper into the present. It’s all too easy to wander round dwelling on things I need to get done, or fixating on that which I could have done better, but to decide to pray for all those joyful signs of spring in the air, that makes me stand in the moment and simply say thank you to God, and hope for new life to come; that is what Easter is all about for me.

 

Happy Easter to you, and may God bless you this spring with new life!

 

Rev Jon Roberts

Assistant Curate

Berinsfield

Dorchester Team Ministry

revjonroberts@gmail.com
07980 929302

 

 


 
 

The Revd Paul Cawthorne is Team vicar for The Baldons with Nuneham Courtenay, Berinsfield and Drayton St Leonard.

e-mail: bbdparishoffice@rocketmail.com      and tel: 01865 340460.