How was the eclipse for you? My pin-hole camera was not a great success; I saw a disc, I persuaded myself it did get smaller but it was hardly spectacular. The birds probably did go silent; not so some of the nearby parties. But I did notice how it seemed that dusk had arrived; it was notably gloomy. The next day I saw some quite spectacular photos of the sun taken in Billingsley; it really was 90% covered. It is easy to see how in former times an eclipse would be regarded with fear the trepidation and why in many ancient cultures the sun was considered to represent a God. Both as a scientist and a Christian, I of course have no truck with such notions. But I am aware of the power of the sun. As I write this just after 8am in the morning, it already uncomfortably hot. There is the famous Greek myth of how Icarus flew to close to the sun and was killed. I however find myself drawn to the famous poem by St Francis; the Canticle of the Sun.Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor, and all blessings.To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no man is worthy to mention Your name.Praised be You, my Lord, with all your creatures; especially Brother Sun, who is the day, and through whom You give us light.And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, and bears a likeness to You, Most High One.I give thanks for the wonder I feel for my Brother Sun.
As I write this, the town of Thetford in Norwich has experienced its third night of violence originating from anti-immigrations protests. There are of course a range of views on migration; I suspect most people would accept there is a need for regulation of who comes into the country. It is certainly not for me to lecture others on what that number should be or the policies needed to enforce it. However, as a Christian priest what I can and should do is to remind us of what has always been the Christian response to the stranger and alien. This is rooted in the history and tradition of the people of Israel that they had been exiled and had become migrants, albeit something that did cause tension even in Old Testament times. I worry that asylum seekers are being housed in places where they can receive no support, becoming someone else's problem. It is also not right that protests against asylum hostels turn violent; it is evil when crowds turn on the asylum seekers themselves by attacking houses where s are living to try and force them out. I find it particularly sickening when some try and dress up their prejudices as supporting Christian values. Jesus's summary of the law stands as a rebuke to this; "You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength... and you shall love your neighbour as yourself".
St Bartholomew’s Church, Glazeley is just off the B4363, approximately four miles from Bridgnorth (SO703 882), with Deuxhill on the same road, less than a mile further. The church which services both hamlets, was built in around 1875. It is a fantastic example of an unspoilt Victorian country church, designed by the renowned architect of his day, A W Blomfield. It is a grade II listed building and stands proud in the community, where there has been a place of worship for over 1000 years, with reference included in the Doomsday Book. Currently we have one service on the 3rd Sunday of each month; a Holy Communion held at 10 am led by one of the priests who serve the benefice. The precise style will depend on the leader, but generally it is broad-church held in predominantly, but exclusively, traditional style. The theology reflects the variety we have in the benefice, from evangelical to liberal; the worshipping community are happy to be challenged! Glazeley serves a very scattered community which has always extended beyond the strict boundaries of it and Deuxhill, the parish with which it is co-joined and this is reflected in our attendance, with worshippers from within the two parishes but also those with connections who come from outside. Glazeley has always attracted support from those with historic ties; we regularly have individuals from Bridgnorth, Kidderminster and Wolverhampton who make the effort to join us. The congregation will typically be around 15. We have a number of special services, the largest being Remembrance Sunday when we expect around 50. The War Memorial commemorates those from a number of neighbouring parishes. Due to concerns around Covid, this year we did not hold a carol service, but that will also attract a larger-than-usual congregation. Over the last few years we have hosted history talks and concerts in the church. However, our biggest community-building event are breakfasts, held at a local pub. These typically attract 50 or so people, from both our own and neighbouring benefices; those who are have strong faiths and those who are unsure or who have no explicit faith. However they all share a commitment to the work that we do at Glazeley and see the value of it. We have strong links with surrounding churches, in Chelmarsh, Billingsley, Middleton Scriven and Chetton; a set that spans three benefices. This reflects former benefice arrangements but the ties are certainly one of our strengths; we work as part of a wider missional community that transcends organisational boundaries. The church uses ACNY for its main website; it also has a page on the Billingsley website. News of, and reports from, church events are posted on ACNY; there is also a regular “Thought for the Week” which is posted. During lockdown, services held at the church were filmed and made available through the Benefice website hosted by Highley St Mary’s. Around 15 years ago, a “final” service was held at Glazeley and the process begun to close the church. This provoked a sufficient backlash to relaunch the church. There have been ups and downs since then. We currently have 30 people on the electoral role, with a PCC of 5 lay members and a co-opted treasurer. There are no churchwardens, with the administration being carried out by members of the PCC and the assistant curate. Finances are stable and the building is in good condition; we are currently renewing the heating and attending to routine maintenance tasks. Recently the path to the church was relaid, to improve its accessibility. The congregation has lost some long-serving members but has also gained new worshippers. We intend to introduce “Forest Church” services as a new means of outreach. As we are dispersed, rural communities, travel to church is by motor vehicle, therefore the relevance of the church is peoples lives as a physical point of meeting is more pronounced. We value our ability to work together with parishes in the surrounding area. We are good at involving the wider community in our events; we can reach people who we would never see in church but who are happy to support us. Glazeley church and churchyard functions successfully as a sacred space in our community, for those who again would not go to church on a regular basis. Whilst we are restricted by current resources, we believe that we have an important role to be the Body of Christ and that there is real potential to grow in this.
