WARDEN’S BRIEF

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth 

For your love is more delightful than wine. 

Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; 

Your name is like perfume poured out. 

No wonder the young women love you! 

Take me away with you – let us hurry! 

Let the king bring me into his chambers.

The bible talks about Love in many ways; it is after all a whole book about God’s love for mankind. If you don’t recognise this passage, it is the start of Solomon’s Song of Songs. 

Another lesser read book is the book of Ruth. She was a foreigner in Judah, who had travelled there to look after her mother-in-law after both their husbands died. Ruth’s love story starts when Boaz who owns the field where she is collecting spilt grain, spots her and instructs his men “to pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up.” 

These two stories in poetry and prose have much for us – why not find your bibles and have a read.

Many are looking forward to summer holidays, time to relax with family and friends. But for some it is not. Too much time with family and friends can be stressful, fallouts happen and can be impossible to put back in the box. 

For some the holidays bring sadness saying good-bye to friends as we move on from schools, college, university and jobs. John 14:16 tells us the Holy Spirit is there to comfort us and be with us forever and wherever we are. Scripture Union’s book ‘Its Your Move’ is described as “your guide to thriving at secondary school”, the church has a few copies do ask if you would like one. 

 One date for your diaries is the annual visit of our friends from Charlton 26th July do join us on the Green in the afternoon or for the shared evening service. This will be the final visit for Liz Newman as Vicar of St Luke’s, St Richard’s & St Thomas’ as she is retiring, we wish her and her husband well and look forward to continuing the link with their new incumbent. Looking ahead we are planning that August Worship Services will include children and young people in the service rather than have them go out. 

Where ever you are, whatever you are doing and whoever you are with this summer, remember God loves you. 

Richard Nevard - Churchwarden