Dear Friends,

In the life of the church, May can feel like a month of hidden feasts. There are a number of significant festivals and feast days that don’t get the same
publicity and recognition as the bigger ones that attract not just the church’s attention but the attention of the general public also. Perhaps this is because of the holidays that accompany them. When I meet people who
are occasional attenders of church they might say things like, “I’m a Christmas and Easter person.” Both Christmas and Easter are marvellous occasions in the church calendar as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and
then reflect on his death and resurrection.

In May we think of how Jesus
returned to His father in heaven after His resurrection, the festival we know of as Ascension. As it is usually celebrated on a Thursday, we
sometimes have different local celebrations and this year we hope to have a service in church at 7.30 pm on 9th May.

We also celebrate the gift of God’s Holy Spirit on the feast day of Pentecost which is 19th May. This is that sense of Jesus’ presence in dwelling in our lives and is promised to all who put their trust in Him. As He comes to dwell within us, He begins the process of transforming us from the inside out so that we become more and more like Him.

On 26th May, we celebrate Trinity Sunday when we think of the teaching that reflects on the nature of God. It proclaims the mysterious but glorious truth that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit in His Divine nature. It can
be hard to fully understand and grasp this and I always appreciate the sense of mystery and wonder around it. It’s not as though we will ever fully
understand God and all His ways and His glory, but we marvel at this aspect of His character and His nature and we bow down in worship before His
majesty.

Whenever faith becomes an important part of our lives, I always think there is so much to learn. It’s like the more we know, the more there is to learn and discover and we can never in that sense plumb the full depths of it all. Each month and season brings fresh opportunities for learning and
growth. There are little nuggets that come our way through observing these festivals and special occasions together as a worshipping community but also in our daily devotions and Bible readings, in our participation in
Life Groups and organisations.

It’s impossible to attend everything but the more opportunities we give ourselves to learn a little more or experience a gathering in worship, the more often we find ourselves unexpectedly blessed.

I want to thank everyone who made our Lent, Holy Week and Easter services so special. Not only were our speakers varied and interesting, the music, the flowers, the level of engagement made me very aware of God’s presence during that most holy season.

Many people made behind-the-scenes preparations from our Musical Director and Choir to our Wardens and Sexton and all who decorated the church so beautifully. Sometimes we are inclined to take such things for granted without fully being aware of all that has gone into making them happen, so my deepest thanks to everyone involved.

One of the most important things that underpins so much of our activity in church is prayer. Our online prayer meetings have resumed on Thursdays at 7 pm. If you have never been before we usually reflect on a Bible
passage and use it to inform our prayers for events happening in the life of our church, our nation and the wider world. We also pray for people who have asked for our prayers by first name only. It provides a little window of
space and silence and reflection. For some who find in-person gatherings hard for health and other reasons, it offers an opportunity for fellowship. If you’d like to try it out, please speak to one of the clergy and you can receive the link via email.

We take this opportunity to wish our new Wardens every blessing and to pray for them and for the newly appointed Select Vestry. We thank Claire
and Gillian for all they have done in providing such a warm welcome to all and serving us so effectively in the past year.

With very best wishes.

Jonathan Pierce (Rector)

Telephone 02890 793822