FROM THE MINISTRY TEAMHeather and I have been on another of our trips visiting cathedrals/minsters around the country. As I write this we have just returned from visiting Peterborough, Lincoln, Grantham and Southwell. We have twenty in our Pilgrims Passports now and hopefully we can continue to see these glorious places of worship.Each one of the churches we visit it never ceases to amaze us the number of people who keep the wheels in motion to ensure visitors are made welcome, the beautiful floral arrangements, the greeting at the door, the questions answered and so, so much more. These people I refer to are the volunteers of course. Yes, some positions are paid but hundreds of them give their time willingly.The word ‘volunteer’ comes from the Latin word ‘voluntarius’ meaning ‘of one’s free will’. I think about this every time see such dedication to God which took me to the Bible in a ‘search’ for volunteers. Jesus himself was the prime example of willing service by His life and ministry, stating, ‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve andto give His life as a ransom for many’. Paul often relied on the voluntary support of fellow believers for his missionary work.Galatians 6: 9, 10 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.1 Peter 4: 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Proverbs 11: 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.These are just a few!Volunteering is a joyful way for us to practice service in our communities - it is about giving our time and talents willingly to help others which is a reflection of the love that God shows us ever day. We all have unique talents and abilities that God has blessed us with whether it is our time, skills, resources, using these for the benefit of others brings e sense of fulfillmentand joy.Serving others is an opportunity for us to work hand in hand with fellowship and when we unite our efforts not only do we share our experiences we will deepen our relationships and faith in God.Volunteers are not paid - not because they are worthless but because they are priceless!Hazel Chittock - Lay Elder
FROM THE MINISTRY TEAM I am writing this in France, where we are on holiday with the family, including our two grandsons of 3 and 5 (5 as of today!) We’ve been coming here for many years and have noticed that whereas 10 or so years ago, we never knew if the summer holiday would be fine and warm, or chilly and rainy, the temperature for several recent years is consistently in the 30’s and it doesn’t rain, apart from the odd shower. Last week it was in the mid to high 30’s! So, we’ve had no problems with the weather, for example, while visiting a theme park called Terra Botanica, where the rides, the activities and the exhibits all relate to plants and nature – the children had a brilliant time. Today we visited the local bioparc which is dedicated to the protection of endangered species, and where the habitats resemble as far as possible those of the animals in the wild – the rhinoceros enclosure is many football pitches in size, and the elderly lions have their own retirement home! Harvest is already underway around us, with huge tractors on the narrow roads, so we feel very much at home in that respect! The land is parched, though most of the crops comprise sunflowers, corn and hemp, which don’t seem to mind the dry conditions. It reminds me, living as we do, in a farming community in Suffolk, that farmers are united in their concerns over their harvest, wherever they live. Another example, if we needed one, that more unites us than divides us. The view from our windows in France might be different from that across the Rec. in Coddenham, where I live, but together with our experiences at Terra Botanica and the Bioparc, it makes me appreciate the wonder of all of God’s creation. That took me to thinking about the Crowfield Flower Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend. The theme this year was “Time” and, in preparing the celebratory service on the Sunday morning of the weekend, I had been lucky enough to see the descriptions of all the proposed arrangements. We listened to the wonderful Bible passage (from the book of Ecclesiastes, probably written by King Solomon 3000 years ago) which told us that there is a time, a season for everything under the heavens. You may remember the song “Turn, Turn, Turn,” by the Byrds from the 1960’s, which uses the words of Ecclesiastes and we sung it, accompanied by David Tydeman, at the service. So whatever time, season or activity the arrangements focussed on, they all celebrated them in the beauty of flowers and foliage: different seasons of the year and times of the day, harvest produce, joyful activities that we join together to enjoy, the love we have for one another and that God has for all of us, and our desire for peace – something I’m sure we all pray for. The poet W H Davies wrote : “What is this life if, full of care; We have no time to stand and stare.” Standing and staring and enjoying nature can be extremely relaxing and uplifting. So, wherever you are, and whether or not you made it to Crowfield, do take time out to appreciate the beauty of the world around you and if you were very observant, you might have found Auden’s words attached to one of the arrangements at Crowfield!Rev Helen Norris