I am very much looking forward to taking up the post of Priest in Charge (vicar designate) of Alrewas with Fradley and Wychnor. From first meeting people at the interview day to subsequent meetings preparing for the new post, I have been made to feel very welcome.I very much believe Church is a place for all- whether young or old, whatever our background or life experience. The love of God is for all people, and when we encounter God, we can’t helped but be changed and transformed through that experience. I am therefore excited to be joining the church and wider communities in the local area.My wife and I will be moving from our current location of Sutton Coldfield, where I have been vicar of St Chads Church since 2015. As well as enjoying hill walking, cycling and gardening; we also keep chickens so alongside Sian and I moving into the vicarage, our chickens will be taking up residence in the vicarage garden.Over the coming weeks you may spot us coming and going as we do bits and pieces of decorating in preparation for the move. We don’t have a moving in date yet, but it is likely to be towards the end of April, in preparation for the licencing service in May.I am very much looking forward to getting to know people within the local areaJonathan
Great news!!<a></a>As most of you know, we have been without a stipendiary priest for 15 months now. We have advertised and interviewed, and we are delighted to confirm that the Revd Jonathan Nicholas has formally accepted Bishop Tim’s offer of the position of Priest in Charge (Vicar Designate) of Alrewas with Fradley and of Wychnor.Jonathan is currently vicar of St Chad’s, Hollyfield Road, Sutton Coldfield and this announcement has been made in All Saints Alrewas, in St Stephen’s Fradley and in Jonathan’s home church in Sutton Coldfield.Jonathan’s licensing date is in the process of being confirmed with Bishop Michael and more information about Jonathan and his wife Sian will be forthcoming, but we feel that he is an answer to our prayers.Please continue to pray for him and for us as we prepare to welcome him and his family here in due course in 2026.A prayer…for Jonathan and Sian and for ourselves………. Loving God, we give you thanks that your Holy Spirit has guided this process and this appointment. We pray for Jonathan and Sian as they prepare to leave a parish where they are much loved and begin preparations for the transition to move here and minister among us.We pray for ourselves as we prepare also for change and continue to serve God in our churches and the wider community.
As we move into November we enter the season of Remembrance with All Saints and All Souls, followed by Remembrance weekend. As the days shorten, we move on in the year to something of a more reflective time.This seems to have been a year to remember anniversaries; we commemorated the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8th – the end of the 2nd World War in Europe. Then on August 15th we made sure that we acknowledged VJ Day 80- the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Japan. Who could forget the really moving flypast from the Memorial Arboretum at 1pm on the anniversary? Many felt that they were forgotten at VJ Day; celebrations had begun in Europe for the end of WW2..After fighting stopped on 15 August, it would take several months for POWs, servicemen and women to return home to Britain, where their harrowing wartime experiences would continue to take a toll. On VJ Day 80, we paid tribute to our veterans, the Second World War generation and remembered those who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace. We must never forget the sacrifices made….in the hope of peace…and for our freedom. Why do we remember?Well, we think about the people who died in these wars.We think about them with thankfulness, because they sacrificed everything they had to make sure that we could be free in this country today. All that we take for granted, they didn’t have a chance of experiencing or having. In addition we think about those whom we have known and loved, but see no longer; those who have shaped our lives for good. Remembrance, though isn’t just about the past. We also remember the past by the telling of a story. So that particular story becomes real and alive now and encourages us for the future.We remember the story of what God has done in our lives as we tell the story once again of the Last Supper, where Jesus broke bread and blessed the wine.And his sacrifice is recalled in the very words of Jesus- ‘Do this in remembrance of me’.So remembrance is part of the very core of what we stand for as Christians, because part of remembering is a celebration ………..of all the things we now enjoy and treasure – gifts of freedom, justice, peace and truth.So the past that we now remember allows us to value ever more deeply all that we have in the present time in which we live. We pray for peace. And lest we forget the promise of peace we continue to share our history as we pray for peace in our world. So………………….Some notable words…….. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John F Kennedy “Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.”- Mary Roach It is good to remember – it means we can – hopefully – learn from the past, but also that we can give thanks for what others have done for us.So a prayer for this Remembrance season– O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know. Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world, and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm. As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Revd Elizabeth Wall Associate Minister
HARVEST THANKSGIVINGOctober…………………...“The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” and the season of harvest. And it is truly a season of abundance after the lovely summer of sunshine.Harvest is from the Anglo-Saxon word hærfest, "Autumn". It then came to refer to the season for reaping and gathering grain and other grown products. The full moon nearest the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. So in ancient traditions Harvest Festivals were traditionally held on or near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon. An early Harvest Festival used to be celebrated at the beginning of the Harvest season on 1 August and was called Lammas, meaning 'loaf Mass'. Farmers made loaves of bread from the fresh wheat crop. These were given to the local church as the Communion bread during a special service thanking God for the harvest.As a child, growing up in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and St Barnabas Church in Linthorpe, we held the traditional ‘Harvest Festival’ when we took our baskets of offerings to the altar in a special service. It was always difficult to find a suitable container – it seemed we never had such a thing to give away in our household!And rather than Harvest Festival, it was ‘Harvest Thanksgiving’ as a reminder that there is someone or something to thank for the provision we have. We know that not all are as fortunate. Since Lichfield Food Bank began through The Trussell Trust, both churches have been generous in supporting the cause. There are many living near us who are struggling.Harvest is an unusual word! Have you noticed that the word ‘HARVEST’ can be altered to a word that means exactly the opposite? It can be altered to an anagram meaning the‘complete lack of essential resources for life’.H A R V E S TSet aside the ‘H’ of Harvest [‘ARVEST]; bring the last two letters to the front , and there is‘STARVE’It’s ironic that within that lovely, warm meaning of the noun ‘HARVEST’ – ‘gathered in supplies’ – is a verb meaning the complete opposite.HARVEST implies health…lots of good things …giftsLets keep that word ‘STARVE’ hidden within ‘HARVEST’ always at the back of our minds ……warning us of the delicate balance between a ‘good’ harvest and a ‘bad’ one. And that a ‘good’ harvest may not always be taken for granted.Collect for HarvestCreator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples.At our Harvest Services (5th October at St Stephen’s, Fradley and 12th October at All Saints, Alrewas), we will be donating goods to Lichfield Food Bank. We invite any donations of tinned or dried goods, toiletries and cash.Thank you!Revd Elizabeth Wall Associate Minister
