The period between Ascension Day (Thursday the 14th May) and Pentecost (Sunday 24th May) is a time in our church calendar when we remember the disciples waiting for the gift of Holy Spirit. During this time we remember the 10 days when the first disciples gathered in the Upper Room, caught between the joy of the Resurrection and the unknown future of the Church. They were told to wait for 'power from on high,' and in that waiting, they found unity in prayer. To guide us through these 10 days, I am delighted that we have booklets written by our new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. Many of you will know that before her ordination, Archbishop Sarah had a long and distinguished career as a nurse, eventually serving as the Chief Nursing Officer for England. As you look through the list of Easter services included in this magazine, you’ll see the rich variety of worship across our benefice—from the reflection of Holy Week to the dawn celebrations of Easter Sunday. While we all love to see our church services full of people, the real heart of our mission is shared experience. We often hesitate to invite others, worrying we might be 'bothering' them, but an invitation is simply a way of saying, 'I value your company'. Perhaps this year, rather than just suggesting a service, you could invite someone to 'come with me'. For those who haven't stepped through our doors in a long time, or those new to our communities, your friendly face might be the bridge they need to re-encounter the love of God in Christ.”As I write this, I am struck by the signs of new life appearing in our own churchyards and across the hedgerows of our benefice. The daffodils are coming to an end but what a display of primroses, and the first hints of green are returning to the trees that have stood watch over our communities year after year. There is a profound parallel here to the season of Easter and Ascension. Just as we see the 'miracles' of fresh leaves and waking earth, we are reminded of the 'vibrant vigour' of the Resurrection. In the quiet corners of our parishes—perhaps in those wilder, overgrown parts of the churchyard where the birds find their habitation—we can find the space to reflect. In a world that often demands we move faster, this season calls us to slow down. Whether you are walking through the village or sitting quietly in one of our church buildings, I encourage you to look for these 'signs' of change. Each budding flower is a metaphor for the hope we hold: that even in the 'brown, barren' ground of our daily worries, God’s grace is constantly tending our souls. As the earth reawakens, let it be a time for us to reconnect with our own purpose and to be surprised by the new growth God wants to see in each of us.Archbishop Sarah Mullally often speaks about how her faith and her nursing vocation are intertwined, centred on compassion, healing, and 'person-centered'. This perspective is evident in her writing; her reflections for 'Thy Kingdom Come' this year focus on the theme 'God With Us'—the God who meets us in the ordinary, messy reality of our everyday lives. These booklets will be available after Easter, and I truly hope they serve as a gentle daily companion for you to enjoy during a quiet moment of reflection during the day.This year, as we join the global 'Thy Kingdom Come' movement, we are invited to do the same. The challenge to pray for five specific people is not about 'recruiting' or pressure; it is an act of love. Think of five people in your life—perhaps a neighbour you wave to, a family member, or a friend going through a difficult season—who might find comfort in knowing the hope we celebrate at Easter. By holding them in our prayers, we aren't just asking for them to attend a service; we are asking for God’s 'transformative presence' to be active in their daily joys and sorrows.In summary, this coming season is more than just a list of dates on a calendar; it is an invitation to witness and participate in God’s ongoing work of renewal. From the 'Thy Kingdom Come' prayer initiative to the simple act of inviting a friend or neighbour to share in our Easter joy, we have countless opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ to our communities.By the time you read this Sarah Mullally will be the new Archbishop of Canterbury, (Wednesday 25th March), let us take her theme of 'God with Us' to heart. May we find Him in the everyday—in our sorrows, our joys, and everything in between. I look forward to seeing many of you at our services in the coming weeks. Until then, may the peace of the Risen Christ be with you, your families, and our entire community.With every blessing,Chris
Dear Friends,I was recently attending a course at Epiphany House, the Diocese of Truro’s retreat and guest house. It is a place steeped in prayer, and while sitting in one of the meeting rooms, my eyes were drawn to an inscription carved into the oak surround of a now-disused fireplace:“Hospites Tanquam Christos Suscipiantur”While the more learned reader might recognise the Latin immediately, I—like so many of us in the digital age—turned to a search engine to unlock its meaning. The translation is profound: "Let guests be received (or welcomed) as if they were Christ."Further reading revealed that this phrase originates from Chapter 53 of the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century. The full original sentence reads: "Omnes supervenientes hospites tamquam Christus suscipiantur"—All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.This is not merely a call to be "polite." In the monastic tradition, it is known as "radical hospitality." Benedict believed that we should be particularly attentive to the poor and pilgrims because, as he wrote, "Christ is more truly received in them." This very phrase has become the cornerstone of the modern hospice and palliative care movement, reflecting the core value of treating every suffering person with the reverence, dignity, and compassion one would afford to Jesus Himself. Its biblical root is found in Matthew 25:35, where Jesus says, "I was a stranger [hospes] and you welcomed me."As I reflected on this, I began to wonder what this looks like in the day to day of daily life in West Cornwall. I am acutely aware that my actions carry weight; if I behave poorly, people may not see me as an individual, but rather as "The Vicar"—a representative of the local church.This last week has been particularly frustrating with home deliveries, either just not appearing or being delayed by several days. We have all experienced the modern frustration of "missing deliveries" or items not arriving as expected. When our expectations of a timescale are met with silence, it causes genuine stress. In those moments, it is easy to let displeasure boil over.Hebrews 13 verses 1-2 state:Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.The Benedictine rule also challenges us: can we show the necessary firmness to solve a problem while remaining courteous? Can we see the delivery driver—likely exhausted and under immense pressure—not as a "service failure," but as a person? By thanking them for their labour, we practice that "as if they were Christ" hospitality in the most mundane of settings.I saw this hospitality in its most literal form recently when I visited the John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. This project, run by Growing Links – Street Food Project, it is a lifeline for the homeless and marginalised in our area. It is open every day, offering hot meals, showers, and laundry facilities. It provides a sanctuary of warmth and security for those who have none.During my visit, I entered a large room which was being used to dry out tents. After the weeks of relentless wet weather we have endured, it was a sobering sight. It made me profoundly grateful for the roof over my head and reminded me that for many in our community, "hospitality" is not a luxury, but a means of survival.I am pleased to share that a portion of the Christmas Collection from Madron Parish Church was donated to support this vital work. I recently received a thank-you note explaining that these funds will be used to purchase seeds for the Community Garden at Gulval. This project is a beautiful example of "growing" hospitality; it teaches people the skills to produce their own food while significantly improving their mental wellbeing through connection with the land and those alongside them.As we journey through the season of Lent, the theme of welcome is at the forefront of my mind. For those who do not yet know Christ personally, they look toward those of us who do. My prayer is that we work hard not to be an "obstacle" to them, but rather a "signpost"—a source of hope and a reflection of the Christ who died on the Cross for every one of us.Let us strive to see the face of Christ in every stranger we meet this month.Yours in Christ,Chris
