
THE WATERSIDE CHURCHES - KAREN'S CORNER
THE WATERSIDE CHURCHES - KAREN'S CORNER
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‘Or should we call it Covid Corner…?’
Well, dear reader, the lurgy has struck the Vicarage again and Chris and I have tested positive for Covid.
Chris and I had both had a headache that we couldn’t get rid of and he was feeling as if he had a cold. Chris bought some LFT and I only tested myself because Chris was and I had begun to feel a bit overheated. I never thought that I would test positive.
Well, we did our tests and half an hour later the red lines on the test proved me wrong.
Since then we have both been feeling grotty and have decided to isolate until we get a negative test result. The last thing that we want to do is to spread the virus to anyone else, especially the vulnerable. Neither of us has the energy to do very much at the moment and the dogs are wondering what’s going on. They are not used to us both being at home at the same time!
Marnie and Willow have decided to play us off one another this afternoon. Chris had given them a biscuit then they had the audacity to look innocent and ask me for one when I joined him in the sitting room. Now they are lying in a Bonio induced stupor looking very pleased with themselves.
They have definitely taken advantage of the situation!
Chris and I are due to be going on holiday on 26th September. We had booked a few days away and had planned to travel to Ireland.
As Ireland is in the EU we needed new passports. Chris and I have always holidayed in this country and this was our first trip a little further afield. We applied for our passports in plenty of time and the ten week wait came and went.
I called the Passport Office and they had made a faux pas with our applications and they cannot guarantee that we will get our passports on time to go away, despite it being their fault. The likelihood is that we will lose our holiday and it’s total cost, not the outcome that we were hoping for.
Every day we wait for the postman to come down the street and the temptation is to accost him on the way down and rifle through his post bag! That would be very bad form so we wait patiently by the window until he comes to the door or gives our letterbox a swerve.
We are trying to formulate a plan B at the moment but there is a reluctance to give up on the idea of going away. There are worse things going on in the world and we are not giving up all hope as yet.
If it comes to it we will play the music of the Fureys and Daniel O’Donnell on a loop and buy some Guinness and soda farls !
Whilst we wait I have been thinking about what living in hope means for all of ua.
Biblical and Christian hope does not mean living in the clouds, dreaming of a better life. It is not merely a projection of what we would like to be or do. It leads us to discover seeds of a new world already present today, because of the identity of our God, because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This hope is, in addition, a source of energy to live differently, not according to the values of a society based on the thirst for possession and competition.
In the Bible, the divine promise does not ask us to sit down and wait passively for it to come about, as if by magic. Before speaking to Abraham about the fullness of life offered to him, God says, "Leave your country and your home for the land I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). To enter into God’s promise, Abraham is called to make of his life a pilgrimage, to undergo a new beginning.
Similarly, the good news of the resurrection is not a way of taking our minds off the tasks of life here and now, but a call to set out on the road. "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? … Go into the entire world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation… You will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:11; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).
For the first Christians, the clearest sign of this new world to come was the existence of communities made up of people of different backgrounds and languages. Because of Christ, these tiny communities sprang up everywhere in the Mediterranean world. Going beyond the divisions of all sorts that kept people apart from one another, these men and women lived as brothers and sisters, as God’s family, praying together and sharing their possessions according to the needs of each person (cf. Acts 2:42-47). They strived to have "one and the same love, [be] united in spirit and focused on the same thing" (Philippians 2:2). In that way they shone out like points of light in the world (cf. Philippians 2:15). From the very beginning, Christian hope kindled a fire on the earth.
I do hope that whatever your week brings, its is blessed.
Revd Karen
‘I like it hot but….’
The unseasonably hot weather seems to bring out a plethora of uniquely British sayings, “Ooh I like it hot but this is too hot for me’, ‘enjoy it while it lasts’ and ‘is it me or is it muggy?’. It’s definitely ‘ leg out of the duvet and fan on level 3’ at night. Let’s get that warm air blown about the bedroom!
I’m not complaining, I like a bit of heat and the sunshine is glorious. However, wearing clerical robes and a collar on a roasting hot day is challenging. I’m glad to get back into the car and whack the air con on for an icy blast.
Whilst this weather lasts please make sure that you keep hydrated and drink plenty of water. The last thing I would want is for anyone to flake out in the heat. Keeping flannels in the freezer and using them on your forehead and the back of your neck helps too.
My Nanna used to use a 4711 Cologne stick to keep cool in the warm weather. She used to rub it along her forehead and in her wrists. When I was small Nanna lived with us as she was unwell. I followed her around everywhere, the poor woman! I adored her and wanted to spend as much time with her as I could. I was her first Grandchild and she indulged my wanting to be with her.
She kept the 4711 in her handbag in the summer. After she died every time I opened her handbag the fragrance of the fresh cologne wafted out of it. I now use the 4711 cologne wipes for my hands between services and the smell of them reminds me of Nanna.
Smell can take us to places from our youth, to people we have loved and sometimes to places that we would rather forget.
Fragrance can be very emotive. I am sure that you may also have scents that are you back to a good, or a bad time. I am reminded of when Mary used a whole jar of the precious Nard on Jesus’ feet. John 12:13 says, ‘Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. What is nard, exactly? It is a perfume, an essential oil if you will, that is made from the roots of the spikenard plant.’
The smell must have been intoxicating as it wafted around the house. Nard was a precious and very expensive oil and Mary was lavish in her use of it and of her love for her Lord.
She used what she had to show Jesus just how much she loved him.
As someone who has synaesthesia smell is important to me and can also be tricky. My brain converts sights into shapes and smells. I have a very strong sense of smell and I can often smell something before Chris or anyone else can. Even a thought or an image in may head can conjure up a smell.
Sometimes they can be hilariously funny and sometimes they can leave me feeling nauseous, or anything in between!
A good perfume is one that is made up of a range of ‘notes’ that, when blended together in the right way, create a fragrance that is a joy to the wearer. The church is a bit like a fragrance; it is a group of people blended together and, hopefully, we create a fragrance that is pleasing! Sometimes we need a bit of something different or unusual to pull the ‘notes’ together, to perk it up and give it a certain ‘something’.
I wear a fragrance that has a ‘note’ of carrot flowers in it. Not something that I would have naturally thought would make a delightful perfume but it works! It takes all sorts to make a good perfume and it takes all sorts to make a church that lives out the Gospel in an authentic way, which is fruitful and sustainable. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, ‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma’.
Over the past week I have had the privilege to inter the ashes of the late Mrs Jeacock in Devoran and also of the late Mrs Coopper in St Feock churchyard. Their families travelled from across the country to be at the services and it has been a joy to get to know them and to finally meet them.
One family member had lived in Alnwick in Northumberland for a while. My Nanna came from Alnwick and we got chatting about the place. It turns out that he used to play golf with one of my relatives! It’s indeed a small world.
Saturday brings the next Men’s Breakfast and I will be donning my pinny to cook a full English breakfast. It is not too late to join us at 9am in the West room of the Perranwell Centre. It is always a morning full of chat and laughter as well as a hotly contested quiz. Paul is away this weekend and the honour of his table is at stake!
Last time our team of volunteers won the quiz, much to the chagrin of the breakfast guests!
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
A butterfly mind…’
Years ago, my then Vicar told me that I had a ‘butterfly mind’. We were having a meeting about something which has now been long forgotten but the phrase stuck in my mind. She has a point as my mind is often full of ideas and ‘to do’ lists.
When my mind flits between ideas and thoughts or something random pops into my head Chris calls that one of my ‘Sparkly’ moments. It is as if something sparkly catches my eye and my focus is turned, momentarily, towards it.
I’ve always had to write lists, and put my ideas and thoughts on paper so that I capture them before they flitter away. I have my greatest ‘Sparkly’ moments of inspiration whilst I am ironing or baking, for some reason. When kneading dough is a particularly fruitful time!
During a meeting preparation session last week I was reading through the Church Representation Rules and the role of the JCC ( our joint church council) Chris read me a paragraph from a book that he was reading that he thought made a good point and it set my butterfly mind fluttering off onto another track for a while.
Chris read this out loud to me, ‘Participation in the eucharist, much more is required, of PCC members and the congregation than to be mere spectators of something done for them by the Priest and the choir.
It involves preparation by everyone before the service.
It involves putting a special effort into singing, and concentration during the sermon, prayers and readings.
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your mind and soul and strength.’
When everyone takes part in a full and active way, then the worship is enriched and the congregation grows in worship.’ Taken from An ABC for the PCC by John Pitchford.
I thought long and hard about the congregations that sit in front of me during worship. What do I see when I look out from the pulpit or my stall? Are there Christian disciples who have come with open hearts to worship, to be prepared to hear what God has called me to say to them during my sermon? Are there worshippers who are ‘present in the present’, who are truly engaged in worship? Are we communing together, to receive the Holy Sacrament?
I believe that, as a Priest, it is my role to be thoroughly prepared, to offer myself wholly to our worship, by the grace of God. I would be disrespecting both God and the congregation if I did otherwise.
One of the beautiful things about our worship is that we gather in communion with one another. We are a church family, united together. God knows what is truly in our hearts when we come together and rejoices.
Communion celebrates the Gospel: Jesus was broken for us so that we can be fixed by Him. Celebrating communion marks the story of Jesus, how He gave Himself completely to give us a better life, a new start, and a fresh relationship with God (1 Peter 3:18). It's not about a ritual to revere, but a person to worship.
I was struck by the thought that we worship every Sunday but do we truly prepare our hearts or consider how important it is to engage with our worship?
A church congregation usually arrives shortly before the service to worship and I haven’t really spent enough time thinking about how they prepare to be in church on a Sunday morning. It’s something that I have been giving thought to this week and how important it is to be really ‘present in the present’ when we worship.
I know my own patterns of preparation: that I spend time preparing a sermon, praying and reflecting upon the upcoming service. I like to have a few minutes of quiet time to prepare myself before worship begins. I also pray just before the service begins. For me, there’s always room for being better at it, for improvement and to make more time for it.
We’ve become experts at multitasking. Our life is on speed dial, running from one activity to the next. And then there’s Sunday. The day of rest is anything but. We’ve got it all mapped out; what service we’re going to attend, church clothes neatly dangling on a hanger, and we may even know where we are going for lunch and who might join us.
In our hectic, achievement-oriented world, we’re moving all the time. We’re good at donning a new hat and shifting to the next thing on our schedule with little forethought. Even worship. But do we take time to think about what that means?
This is not just any routine appointment. We are preparing to communicate with the Great I AM. There is only one God. The maker of Heaven and earth. God is true, alive, and active in our lives. Scripture confirms that our Savior is standing in our midst when two or more are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20).
If we knew we would meet Him for dinner or even an aisle at Target, we would surely take time to prepare for the encounter. We would want to make a great first impression. That experience is awaiting us each day we join corporate worship with fellow believers. The Holy Spirit eagerly waits to rain down on anybody who has prepared their heart to recognise and receive Him.
Andrew Murray, teacher, and Christian pastor, once said, “Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with Him; it will take our attention from ourselves and give the Spirit room in our hearts.”
1. Quiet Your Mind
Carve out a special prayer nook for yourself―a place where you will meet God every day. Before you can prepare your heart, it’s essential to step away from the noise and empty your mind of earthly cares. Block out any distractions that will keep you from focusing on God. Jesus taught us that the best time to start our day is in the morning before the world unfolds.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35
As you enter this holy ground, relax, breathe deeply. Step into the present moment. Imagine you are entering a safe place with the One who provides, protects, and takes pleasure in spending time with you. Ease yourself into a total state of surrender. Expect to meet God in this space. It is during your quiet time that you will become more mindful of God. As you fix your gaze on Jesus, you will hear God.
“Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3.
2. Pray in Humility
Prayer seems like a given, but it’s not. Before we even think about meeting Jesus in the prayer closet, we need to be sure we’re ready. God can read our hearts, and He knows when our prayers are sincere or lip service (Psalm 44:41).
It is the humble heart crying out to God that opens the pathway to Heaven: “These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).
Humility is where we meet ourselves. When the mask is removed, we are face-to-face with who we really are.
God calls us to worship in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23). If we are going to worship God with our entire being, we need to be honest before the throne and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. He’s not our pal. He is the Messiah. When we accept that, we step down into our rightful position.
As we remember who God is, we need to take a serious look at our hearts. Kneeling before Him, ASK Him to reveal your heart. We all have sins that may block our ability to hear from God.
God’s word tells us that there is no one righteous. We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It’s impossible to meet God’s standard. So, as we stand before the redemptive floodlight that puts a spotlight on sin, we can also be assured we are washed clean.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
3. Praise Him
Knowing that all fall short when it comes to sin, we would be nowhere without Jesus. His great gift of salvation can be taken for granted when we think we’re doing it all “right” in His eyes. But we never really arrive.
Honest reflection about who Jesus is and what He has done for us personally opens our hearts for compassion and forgiveness towards others. With a clean heart, we magnify God and invite him in. Praise is powerful.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV) says that God inhabits the praise of His people. Jesus praised His father. If Jesus could praise during the suffering and persecution He endured, indeed, we can and should glorify God. He is worthy of our praise (Psalm 150:2).
“At that moment, the Holy Spirit made Jesus extremely joyful, so Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this is what was pleasing to you.'” Luke 10:21
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all the wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God in gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
4. Be Still
The Scriptures tell us we need to be still before God and wait patiently for Him to respond (Psalm 37:7). It is in the still moments that we hear from God. He is there to guide us and help us see where we have missed the mark (Job 6:24).
It is also in these quiet moments that God can reassure us He is in charge. Whatever storms we face, only Jesus can calm the storm (Mark 4:35-41).
It is only when our hearts genuinely rest upon the promises of God that we can confidently engage in worship. Then our heart is prepared to hear and accept God’s word. We trust Him.
In faith, we enter the stillness. It is in the silence of God’s presence that peace is profound. As we draw near God, we believe He exists, and He promises to reward those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
5. Sing
Sometimes simply being in the presence of God makes your heart want to sing. Have you ever belted out a chorus of How Great Thou Art? You probably have an arsenal of songs that make your heart leap. Singing praise songs is the path to worship, and with it, we find comfort and joy. As our hearts connect to God, we disconnect from the world and the stress that can imprison us. Singing allows us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4).
“Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!” In Psalm 47:6, the Bible encourages songs of praise.
What better way to start your worship? Rather than rush to the next worship service like an acrobat jumping through hoops, allow your preparation to become a spiritual encounter. Rejoice and reconnect with God privately. Empty yourself so that when it is time to worship, you will be filled.
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:1
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘ Giving God a good laugh’
There's an old Yiddish proverb, "We plan, God laughs" that expresses a degree of truth that when humans plan something to happen things turn out differently than hoped.
There is a quote with similar intent by Woody Allen, "if you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans.”
Last week I had planned a couple of quiet days to have a mini retreat/reading time. Well, I seem to have given God a good laugh because things didn’t work out that way. Priests are encouraged to take a retreat each year and I hadn’t, to date, had a retreat this year. A retreat is an opportunity to get away and to have some quiet time to pray/reflect/read or write.
God had other plans and instead, events overcame the time for retreat and I will have to plan another time for a retreat.
God had other plans for my life when I met Chris again 13 years ago. I was just on the verge of moving back to Harlow and starting a new job as a Pastoral Support manager in a secondary academy.
Chris and I had been in touch again (we had first met when we were 11 years old) and we agreed to go to the cinema together after I moved. We went to the cinema, did not stop talking (apart from during the film, that would have been impolite!) and it was as if we had never been apart.
We carried on going out and, after three outings, I told Chris that I was just getting used to living on my own again and wasn’t ready for another serious relationship. Well, unbeknownst to me, I had shattered his hopes! Full of quiet determination and with a plan to ‘woo’ me Chris didn’t give up on me.
On our first Valentine’s day Chris arrived with a huge bouquet of my favourite white lilies and roses. I was beginning to be swayed…. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Chris very much but that I felt that I needed to live alone. We carried on seeing each other and he was still the same funny, loving, kind and supportive chap I had known all of those years ago. I gave myself a stiff talking to and realised that I would be foolish not to give my heart to Chris. I realised that God had other plans for my life. In November of 2011 we were married.
There have been many times along the way that God has shown us that He has other plans for our lives. We never thought that we would move to Dorset for my Curacy or that we would have the opportunity to move to Cornwall for my first post. I think that we human being must give God a real laugh at times as he sees the plans that we feel would be best for our lives.
Sometimes God takes us by surprise and can soon our lives around when we least expect it.
The Bible begins with a surprise: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). I have never read any other book with such a grandiose beginning. Here, we are not beginning with the story of Aeneas, Frodo, or Harry Potter. We are beginning with the very beginning of everything. Within the first few words, we learn that God exists, that there was a beginning, and that God was before the beginning. We learn that God, surprisingly, decided to create the universe. God surprises us in what He does.
The Bible is full of more surprises. God calls a man named Abram from the city of Ur in Genesis 12. He tells him to leave home and go somewhere that God will show him. We are left asking ourselves: Who is this Abram? How did he come into the picture? Where is God taking him? We are not given God’s reasons. We don’t know the destination—at least, not yet. Genesis just tells us it was so. “Now the Lord said to Abram . . .” (Gen. 12:1). We can choose to keep reading, or we can put down the book in befuddlement. God surprises us in whom He calls.
God calls Moses, Aaron, and others up to Mount Sinai to sit down and eat with Him in Exodus 24. Wasn’t it enough that God would guide His people out of Egypt? Wasn’t it enough that He would give them His commandments and lead them to the promised land? Apparently it was not. God decided to invite the leaders of Israel to a dinner party: “They beheld God, and ate and drank.
(Ex. 24:11) God surprises us by seeking fellowship with us.
Consider another surprise. Elijah was discouraged and thought he would be better off dead in 1 Kings 19. He was running from Jezebel, who had promised to kill him. Instead of giving Elijah lodging with a widow for a time of recovery, as in 1 Kings 17, God sends an angel to give him cake. This cake was, apparently, some kind of super food. “And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights” (1 Kings 19:8). Not what we were expecting, right? God surprises us in the way He sustains us.
These are just several of the ways God surprises us. God surprises us especially, of course, in the redemption He secures for us in and through Jesus Christ. Few among the Jews recognised who Jesus was, and even when they did, it wasn’t until after the resurrection that they truly understood and appreciated how God had orchestrated history in His people’s behalf (John 16). It wasn’t until after the resurrection that passages like Isaiah 53 were truly appreciated and understood. Who would have thought that God would send His Son to die? Who would have thought that He would be a Saviour who emptied Himself for us in His first coming (Phil. 2:7), but who will come in judgment at His second coming (Rev. 22:12)? God surprises us in how He redeems us.
I am sure that there have been times in your own life when God has surprised you and your life has taken an unexpected turn. Nothing is wasted in God’s economy and sometimes it takes us a long time to be able to see the reason for God’s plans.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real. – Thomas Merton.
This morning I was looking for a piece of scripture that I could add to our Ministry Team Agenda for September. We take time to reflect and to study a piece of scripture together during our regular meetings.
For reasons only known to God my Bible fell open at this piece of scripture; not once but twice.
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:11
This passage from Luke 14 reminds me of what it’s like to travel on commercial flights. I haven’t flown in many a year and much of that is to do with all of the waiting, queueing and general hassle.
Little in life is more stratified according to layers of honour. While I’m waiting for the airport staff to call my seating group, I watch all the important people go first: First Class, Platinum Flyers, Gold Flyers, Silver Flyers and so forth and so on. Finally, they get to the rest of us, and I get to board the plane.
But, on the way to my tiny seat in economy class, I pass through first class, where I see all the movers and shakers enjoying their comfy lounge chair seats, sipping their complimentary beverages while scowling at me for delaying the plane’s departure. Can you imagine how embarrassed I would be if I tried to sit in an empty first class seat, only to be told in no uncertain terms that I was not welcome among the rich and famous flyers? I wouldn’t even dare!
Humility can sometimes be a little under-rated in Western cultures. It’s also widely misunderstood — maybe that’s why it’s underrated.
Our popular media culture is saturated with themes of conflict, combat, and conquest. Popular films feature cops chasing baddies; the military fighting terrorists; the lone avenger pursuing the evil-doers. We say we love peacemakers, but heroes are often warriors. Some of our tv celebrities can be a bit cheeky, self-important, and even a bit narcissistic.
Little wonder that humble people seem a bit strange to us, as if they’re following some syncopated life rhythm that few people around them quite “get.”
Humility is less a matter of self-restraint and more a matter of self-esteem. The greater your sense of self-worth, the easier it is to appreciate others, to praise them, and to encourage them.
A well-developed sense of humility shines through in our behaviour toward others. They feel affirmed, appreciated, encouraged, validated, and psychically nourished. Most of us are powerfully drawn to people who treat us that way, like bees to flowers.
The esteemed psychologist William James reminded us,“The deepest craving in all human beings is the desire to be appreciated.”
Jesus envisioned a similar situation, one that fit his own cultural milieu. Suppose, he said, you attend a wedding feast and sit in a seat at the head table. How will you feel when you are unceremoniously booted from your seat of honour? To be safe, Jesus advised, “take the lowest place at the foot of the table” (14:10). Then, you might very well be promoted to a better seat.
What point was Jesus trying to make? He summed it up in verse 11: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Jesus was thinking of more than a wedding here. He was using the wedding analogy to communicate something about the kingdom of God. It would be a topsy-turvy kingdom, one in which the “first class flyers” would be sent to “economy class” while the lowly would be lifted up.
You could hear Jesus’ statement as a word of rebuke, especially if you tend to seek your own position and glory. Yet, you could also hear this as a word of invitation to a better and freer way of living.
Jesus is saying, ‘Just think about how you might feel and act if you were no longer preoccupied with your own position and reputation. How much richer your life would be if you were free to serve others rather than seek their praise’. To be sure, the wisdom of Jesus contradicts the ethos of our culture, whether we thinking about sports, politics, business, or even the church. Yet if we seek to live as citizens of the kingdom of God, we will be so devoted to God’s glory that we’ll forget about our own.
Last Sunday, during our Celtic Service of Worship I surprised our lovely Barbara and John Sellers. They had recently celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary and I planned a short blessing of their marriage, which they knew nothing about! The congregation ALL knew what was going to happen. It was a joy to celebrate their 60 years of marriage and to give thanks for their married life and for all of their dedicated service to our churches and community. Barbara plays the organ in Devoran for us and John serves as well as organises the reading rota. Both have served the churches of St Feock and Devoran for many many years. I appreciate all of their time, their faith and their support.
Before our service I popped into to see the ‘Sunday Stars’, which is always a delight. They were enjoying their meal together and told me all about their session. This group is growing and deepening their understanding and their faith, which is such a blessing.
As I look out of my study window I can see a strange yellow glowing light in the sky… we have a bit of sunshine here after all of the rain and Storm Betty! I hope that you are able to get out and to enjoy some of the warmth and sunny weather whilst it is with us.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘We are family…’
May I firstly say a huge thank you to everyone from across our three churches and communities who made last Saturday’s BBQ Sausage Sizzle such a fantastic event. A special thank you to Paul Stuart who arrived early to set up and to those who took over in the kitchen to wash up and to clear away.
I would also like to thank our chef for the morning, Chris. He donned his apron and cooked up a storm, despite the dodgy weather.
This was an event that Chris and I hosted and we wanted there to be no barriers to people coming along by charging for food and drink. As usual, the generosity of those who came along donated £249.00 to the benefice, which was beyond anything we could have hoped for.
47 people came together to share hospitality and the atmosphere was wonderful. The church hall in Perranarworthal was full of chatter and laughter as the 1950’s sound track played in the background. Many of those who attended spoke about the great atmosphere in the hall. The event had a real ‘buzz’ about it and there was a true sense of church family coming together to enjoy each others’ company.
Chris said, ‘There was an exciting atmosphere, full of fellowship, love and laughter. Everyone was welcome and there was a feeling of ‘family’. We are all in this together, with shared goals and aims. I enjoyed cooking on the BBQ and hospitality is important to both of us. This is exactly what we had hoped for when we came here. The pop group Sister Sledge sang, ‘We are family’. The lyrics say, ‘Can they be that close, just let me state for the record, we’re giving love in a family dose’. That just about sums it up.’
Our friends Marion, Michael and their son Eli surprised Chris and I by coming along. They are on holiday in Cornwall at the moment and did not tell us they would be there. It was such a wonderful surprise and everyone made them all so very welcome.
Marion sends her thanks to everyone and she was overwhelmed by the welcome shown to them and they thoroughly enjoyed being with us all.
The event was everything that Chris and I had prayed that it would be and we hope that everyone enjoyed to as much as we did. Although, I think that Chris may not be looking at another sausage for quite a while!
With everything life throws at us it can be hard to stay grateful for what matters the most in our faith and discipleship: our relationship with God, our faith and our church family. When relationships are strained (or even when things are going great!), the Bible can help us to remember the importance of maintaining those strong family bonds and unity.
1 John 4:20
"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”
Psalm 133:1
"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Galatians 6:2
"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”
1 Peter 4:8-11
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
Moving forward can be the scariest part of finding and focusing on your passion. You can do all the work to discover it, even uncover your strengths, and recognise the obstacles that get in your way. But often, even when we logically know all that and we feel the Holy Spirit within us, the thought of moving forward paralyses us.
Be willing to say yes and try – God likes to lead us in unexpected areas, but trust that if He does, He will have prepared you for them.
Grant yourself grace – we’re all works in progress, trying to live in the way God made us to live. We’re human, though, and won’t always get it right (I promise you that He gets it right). When the time comes that you realise you’ve got it wrong, back up and pray some more, read scripture more, and be patient as you fine-tune your hearing.
Always remember that what you do is for God – how blessed we are when we find the things that give us purpose. It’s not as easy to get to that place as we’d like. When we do, after a while it can become old hat and we may lose the reason we’re there in the first place. That’s when things begin to get tedious. Take the time to re-focus on Jesus.
I totally understand why moving forward can be so difficult, it can be make us feel very vulnerable. If we keep your eyes on the Lord, we will get to where we want to go!
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘Are you tomato sauce or mustard?’
It never takes much for Chris to be persuaded to fire up the BBQ and start cooking. I recently purchased a new electric BBQ for him and he has been out in the garden giving it a whirl. One of the reasons that we bought the BBQ was that it is portable and can be taken to church events.
On 5th August at 10.30am at Perranarworthal church hall he will be hosting a benefice wide sausage sizzle brunch. Sausages in baps will be on the menu with all of the ‘fixings’, as they say in the USA. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available and it is an opportunity for us all to get together. Chris will be cooking outside the hall and food can be taken into the hall where refreshments will be served.
There will be no charge for this event and any donations will be given to the Waterside Churches. All are welcome to come along from any of our communities and it would be good to see you. The new BBQ is a little bit too ‘tecky’ for me and I have been charged with caramelising the onions!
At our JCC meeting last week we have a preliminary discussion about returning to the Common Cup after the Covid pandemic. At the moment I intinct wafers for communicants. None of our churches has, to date, returned to the Common Cup.
After the JCC meeting I called our Archdeacon for his advice. Communicants intincting their own wafers is not acceptable and individual ‘thimble’ cups are also not an option. The decision will be made in consultation with congregations and the very last thing that I wish is for communicants to be uncomfortable or not to take the wine at all. If you have any opinions or wish to have a chat about this topic do please give me a call.
I am reminded of the very last ‘Vicar School’ Holy Communion service that we held at our last residential before Ordination. It was a very hot July weekend and there were 350 of us gathered at High Leigh to celebrate. I was part of the Sacristy team but not responsible for charging the 6 chalices. Whoever had charged the chalices had been rather generous, to say the least!
After the service we were asked to consume the remainder of the consecrated wine. Some of us were driving but I was being collected by Chris.
A few of the team (including me) consumed what was left in the 6 chalices, which was port wine. It was a challenge but everything was going well until I stepped out into the sunshine and the combination of heat and the wine hit me…
We had to do some shopping in Sainsbury’s on the way back home from the residential weekend. I got to the till, forgetting that I still had my college lanyard around my neck. The assistant saw my lanyard and asked me what I did at college. A simple question you may think dear reader, but oh no…. I replied, ‘I’m training to be a Pricker…’ Well, she laughed and Chris sniggered. I asked why he was laughing and he repeated my reply to me. I denied it, saying that I said ‘Vicar, not Pricker’ (apparently slurring slightly..Oh the shame). I looked the assistant square in the eye and asked her if that was what I had said. She looked back at me, nodding, and said, ‘ohhh, yes…’
At that precise moment dear reader I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me. Chris folded me back into the car and took me home for a little afternoon nap. Every Vicar I have ever met has a similar story. There is a serious side to this of course. One has to be very careful about what one consumes if one is driving after a holy communion service.
Sharing Holy Communion at a college residential was always very moving. 350 Ordinands and staff sharing the bread and wine together was very special. We often had a guest president and preacher. The last service before he retired of the ex Bishop of London, Richard Chartres was one of those special times. I was asked to lead the procession at the start of the service, carrying the cross. Well, it was a low ceiling and a very tall cross…. At least one ceiling tile was punctured by the pointed top of the cross.
We had some wonderful tutors at St Mellitus College. James Harding now heads up St Mellitus in Plymouth, The ex Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and his wife Jane and Bishop Graham Tomlin amongst them.
My personal favourite was Michael Leyden, who now heads up a theological college in the north of England. He was a deeply spiritual and holy man who was a fantastic lecturer. At one residential weekend we sat together and had a long discussion about the need to be who God truly wants us to be in our ministry and the importance of being genuine and authentic.
Michael’s ‘take’ on this was that God has called us exactly as we are, not what we are expected to be or who others wish us to be. It was a conversation that has always stuck in my mind. If you have the time and are looking for some good theological books to read ‘Silence and Honeycakes’ by Rowan Williams is excellent and anything by Jane Williams is a great read.
Sunday 30th July at 10am brings our joint Waterside Churches service of Holy Communion, which is being held at St Feock church. It marks two years since I joined you all in our brand new benefice. It is a service in which we are able to join together from across our three churches, to worship and to be in communion with one another. I believe that it is important for us all to come together in this way as we build up the Waterside Churches. I look forward to seeing you there.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘Friends, family and a bit of glamping…’
Chris and I have just had two weeks off, part of it going ‘upcountry’ to see family and friends and then we had a few days in the rural Devon countryside.
During our first week I wasn’t quite prepared for the M25 motorway again, if truth be told. After two years in Cornwall hitting the M25 was quite a shock to the system!
I’d forgotten about the speed, the huge trucks, the tailgating and the undertaking….Chris was driving so I could close my eyes and say a fervent prayer to God to keep us safe and sound as we headed around to the M11.
We started our holiday with a bit of a road trip upcountry. Our first stop was in Dorset to see some of our family, which was a real joy.
We then headed up to Harlow to see Chris’ parents. We were both born and raised in Harlow, although it is a very different place now to the one that we grew up in. Many an hour was spent chatting and catching up with my in laws and it was good to spend some time with them.
We managed to squeeze a visit to our favourite Indian restaurant in whilst we were there. Neither of us are fans of a hot curry but I am partial to a good Biryani. The ‘Garden of India’ is owned by a dear friend with whom we have the most fabulous theological discussions. Mo is a Muslim, a fierce defender of his local community and someone who looks after those who live in it.
Mo led prayers at the last session of the Alpha course I led 6 years ago, which we held in his restaurant during an evening service; poppadoms and prayers, Naan and psalms! Last week Mo had reserved ‘our table’ and over the BEST Biryani we had a good catch up.
Being back in Harlow was a little strange… it was like we had never been away but it felt as if were visitors and not ‘locals’.
To be honest, after the hustle and noise of Harlow it was almost a relief to be heading back to Dorset to spend time with my ex Training Incumbent and his family. I spent my title post with David, who has become a very good friend to us and was an excellent TI.
As a newly minted Curate he nicknamed me ‘Skywalker’ (as I was his ‘Paduan’, someone who is learning) and I called him ‘Master’ (as in a Star Wars Jedi). When we arrived at his Vicarage he opened the door and boomed ‘There you are Skywalker!’ before ushering us inside for lunch.
Over a glass of whisky we chewed over the past two years and the current state of the church, amongst other things.
We visited parishioners and admired the newly reordered Iwerne Minster church. The trip brought back very fond memories of my time in the Iwerne Valley and I’d forgotten just how beautiful rural Dorset, and it’s people, are.
The second week of our holiday took us, and the dogs, to Clawford Lakes in Devon. We stayed in a ‘cocoon’, which was a revelation! It was a huge canvas covered glamping tent (I use the term loosely…). It took glamping to a whole new level with a deck overlooking a lake and a ‘proper’ bathroom and kitchen. No blow up beds or camping stoves in sight, it was all very civilised and
Chris and I used to go camping quite a lot years ago but after a disaster with a mini tornado (that’s a whole other story…) at a campsite in Wadebridge we stopped going. One can never quite get over the trauma of seeing one’s underwear blown into hedgerows….
This ‘cocoon’ had a rigid metal frame and was not going to get blown halfway down a field…
We all had a wonderfully relaxing time in the most peaceful location. It was also the most dog friendly place and the girls were spoiled with very posh beds and lots of treats.
Now, I’m not one for sitting down much and find it quite tricky to truly switch off. A few days of enforced relaxation was just the ticket. I also don’t get much time to read for pleasure these days. I managed to polish of three novels whilst I was away, which was a real treat.
The ‘cocoon’ came with a fire pit and BBQ and one evening I Iit the fire pit and cooked up some sausages. We sat gazing over the lake as we all enjoyed sausage baps. There is something very meditative about sitting around a fire and watching the flames. It managed to send the dogs off to sleep (after their sausages!).
Every evening an owl started screeching and hunting at dusk and although we could hear it we never saw it. At midnight on our first night the owl was very close by and was screeching loudly. It woke the dogs up, they barked loudly and I was rudely jolted awake. I woke up with such a fright that I almost fell out of the bed! It was a close call but it did stop the dogs barking.
Our two weeks off together have been a real blessing, an opportunity to rest and relax. Whilst we were away we read the news that +Philip is going to be leaving the diocese and will become the next Bishop of Winchester. It was quite a surprise as we had been told that he was heading off on a sabbatical in the autumn, not moving. We live in interesting and challenging times in the church and I am sure that there will be some who will feel unsettled by further change.
I followed the commentary from the General Synod that was held whilst I was away but tried to leave it one side as I wanted to switch off from ministry and to be ‘present in the present’. I’ll be catching up on all that went on when I get back to my desk.
Whatever your week holds, I pray that it is blessed.
Revd Karen
‘Drawing the line in the sand…’
Karen’s corner is looking a bit different this week. After my sermon on Sunday I was asked by parishioners to publish it. The sermon was all about drawing aline in the sand, of standing with Jesus, as He stands with us. I have attached the sermon, as requested. It was an emotional one to write and to give.
My sermon comes at time when I celebrate (today, Tuesday 27th June) the 4th Anniversary of my Priesting in Salisbury Cathedral. It is also two years ago that I said goodbye to parishioners in my Curacy placement in Dorset.
The Anniversary of Ordination holds very special and abiding memories for a Priest and it is a bit like a wedding anniversary in some ways!
I was Ordained Deacon on 1st July 2018 and Priested on 27th June 2019. My Curacy was spent in rural Dorset in five churches with The Revd David John as my TI. We got on from the first minute that we met each other and we are going to spend the night with his family next week.
Before David was ordained he was a senior police office in London. He has a great sense of humour, was incredibly supportive and generous with his time and energy. We became good friends and I still appreciate his wise counsel and advice. Like me, David had a long career prior to ordination and brought our life experiences to ministry.
I was blessed to work with him and Chris and I are still close to him and his lovely family.
The day of my priesting was a scorching hot one. Wearing a cassock, surplice and stole for hours was difficult for us all (there were 8 of us to be Priested that day) and we sat in the Cathedral trying to cool off before the service.
I had been on a silent retreat at Sarum college, opposite the Cathedral for four days and had not seen Chris. I can’t tell you how lovely it was to be able to give him a hug just before the service started. Friends and family came from Dorset and Essex to be with us and it was a day of tears, laughter and joy. It was amazing to be supported by so many people I loved on that special day.
Once Priested, I could give my blessing. As the great West door of the cathedral opened at the end of the service, Chris came forward and knelt before me, to receive my first blessing. It was a moment that I will never forget, tears flowed on both sides.
Later on today Chris and I will open a bottle of something fizzy and celebrate. No doubt we will share precious memories of that day too. Neither of us knew what would be in store for us in the future, it was in God’s hands and remains so. There have been great blessings and equally great challenges.
We are off on annual leave from the end of this week, an opportunity to visit family and friends and to get away with the dogs and to spend time together.
Annual leave is always a time for reflection as well as relaxation. It’s a time to switch off from ministry for two weeks but also a time to gather my thoughts and to look ahead.
Anywho, dear reader, here is the sermon that I said that I would publish (which feels incredibly grandiose and not like me at all!)….
‘In today’s reading Jesus draws a line between acknowledging Him before others and denying him before others.
He holds before us a set of values, a way of being, a truth that we either acknowledge or deny.
We can’t straddle that line, one foot here and one foot there… There is no middle ground.
I had a very different sermon written at the start of this week than I do this morning.
Sometimes, I write a sermon and it wakes me up in the middle of the night and I have a chat with The Boss about it.
This one woke me up in the middle of the night and God reminded me that it is almost exactly five years since I was Ordained in Salisbury Cathedral.
The anniversary of Ordination is a bit like your wedding anniversary but for Vicars! Its an important day and it is always remembered and thanks given.
God gave me a nudge to think back to when I drew a line in the sand…. Reminding me about my Ordination Retreat (four days of prayer, legalities, oaths, worship and silence). You have no contact with your loved ones and you don’t see them until after the Ordination service. I’d never been away from Chris for that length of time before. In the silence you are alone with God to reflect upon the new life that lays ahead, one of acknowledging Jesus before anyone or anything else.
I lay in bed, remembering when there was ‘pre-ordination’ life and ‘post ordination’ life.
It’s a funny thing but life before Ordination is so very different that it becomes a memory. Not much of what went on before that day remains.
Of course, I was called by God to be a loving wife to Chris before Ordination and that call remains. Married life changes though and it can be hard for a clergy spouse to live such a public life.
Ordination training (Vicar School) deliberately dissembles everything about you, it turns you inside out, makes you look at who you are and what you are about for three years. Training shows you the line in the sand and it puts you back together again in a different way.
Being Ordained means that you turn your life over to the service of God and of others. There is no ‘off’ switch. It means that you dedicate your life to being a ‘Parson’, an old English word meaning ‘person of God’. I don’t become a different person on my day off or when I am on holiday.
Setting boundaries and knowing when limits are reached can be a struggle at times.
I was so nervous the night before the service. Not about being Ordained but that I was wearing a cassock and there were processions, places to stand and steps to negotiate. It was a red hot day and there was no way of cooling down and I was melting!
It was the first time that I had ever worn my clerical collar under my cassock. Before the service ordinands are not allowed to wear a collar in public.
The Bishop was going to wash my feet and I was anxious that he would get to my hot feet and recoil!
I took oaths, I made promises before God, before my then Bishop, before other clergy and before my family and friends who had travelled to be with me.
In the Jewish tradition there’s a collection of teachings. In it one of the rabbis says this, ‘It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but neither are you free to desist from it’.
I heard those words as an invitation to truthfulness, authenticity, honesty and integrity. They held a vision of the work before me. I trust this words will lead me to a life worthy of Jesus, to be able to serve with my whole heart and soul.
During the service the Bishop lays hands of you and other clergy join in, until you are completely surrounded, hands laid on. I could feel the tears falling into my surplice, it was utterly overwhelming.
I knew that life would never be the same again. The line in the sand had been drawn. Years of discernment process and training had ended and life as a Parson had begun.
That evening, when our family and friends had left I walked to the gate of the garden of our Curate’s house, overlooking the fields with the sheep in them.
In the quiet of the evening it really hit me that I was not Mrs Wilson, I was Revd Wilson. The enormity of my Ordination and the reality of what lay ahead was joyous, it was a privilege, an honour and a
but it also felt like a huge responsibility.
I knew that God was in all of this but that now people would see me differently. I had stepped over a line in the sand.
I watched the sheep grazing and was reminded of Jesus as our great shepherd.
It was also now my job to be a shepherd of His people too.
I knew where Jesus had taken a stand; who and what he stood for. The Beatitudes tell us. His temptation in the wilderness tells us, his took a stand in the synagogue after his temptation.
Looking back over five years of ordained ministry I still stand where I did on July 2nd 2018; to serve others, to be a witness to the gospel, to stand for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalised.
It isn’t always easy, just like it isn’t easy to be a Christian today.
The Anglican church has it’s serious issues and it can be hard to be the loving faces, hands and feet of a church who some in society perceive as damaging, painful to be a part of and who feel excluded from.
The line in the sand can be a difficult one to stand behind. The gospel is not a fluffy, cuddly, ‘it’s just about love’ one. It can be tough, gritty, hard work and demands our whole lives.During my time as a Priest I have been roundly abused in the street, ignored (sometimes people are unable to meet my eye if I am wearing my collar) and my ministry challenged in various ways. Wearing a clerical collar can bring emotions out in others that bubble up to the surface.
We are called to stand firm behind our line in the sand and to stand with Jesus.
As I reflect upon the anniversary of ordination I stand behind the line that Jesus drew.
As long as I am with you I stand next to you, not in front of you or behind you but with you.
At my licensing service in 2021 I promised to serve you, to stand with you behind that line as we work together to build a community of faithful disciples.
And that is still my promise to you, to be your shepherd, to be a Parson, to serve you, with all of my heart and soul. Amen’
Whatever the next two weeks brings you, I pray that it is blessed. Do take care of yourselves until I return and you will remain in my prayers as we travel around Dorset, Essex and Devon.
Revd Karen
‘I needed three kettles and a Carmen Miranda impression…’
I held the inaugural ‘More Tea Vicar’ event in Devoran this morning. 25 people came along and I needed to put on three kettles and not just the one…
Conversation flowed along with the tea and coffee and we took a trip down memory lane…
Some folk remembered ‘the Corona man’ picking up their orders for fizzy pop. Some remembered a ‘muffin man’ from their childhood in London, some recalled the coal merchant with his horse and cart, the Salvation Army playing on a Saturday evening in town and the rag and bone man.
Today I wore a very summery dress, not my usual black. It brought positive comments, which was lovely as I am not the greatest follower of fashion or the ‘in’ colours of the season. I was worried that I might look like a summer fruit salad…. Someone commented that it reminded them of Carmen Miranda, another trip down memory lane for some. Well, before I knew it I had launched into my impression of Carmen Miranda (minus the fruit bowl on her head). Something I hadn’t done for many a year. Much laughter ensued and it brought back happy memories of making my parents laugh. I was a very quiet child but, once comfortable with people, I warmed up. I am still pretty much the same now to be honest. Some things get left behind a bit when one is Ordained and I hadn’t thought of my ‘there’s an awful lot of coffee in Brazil’ impression for years.
We talked about old fashioned sweet shops (which my parents had one of) with the rows and rows of sweets in glass jars, sherbet fountains and the ‘penny sweet’ counter.
All memories of a time gone by. Fondly held memories of childhood that stuck in our minds. Memories that were recalled with happiness but not with a longing or hope to who back to those days. There was an acknowledgement that times have changed.
Earlier this week a colleague talked to me about how things had changed since the pandemic. Three years have past and we are all three years older, we have been socially isolated for months on end and we long for life to be ‘normal’ again.
My colleague believes that life will never be exactly the same again and I have thought long and hard about this. I think that she has a point… our church congregations are three years older, priests have retired during the pandemic and the new deanery plan has brought changer and will continue to bring change.
Change can be a difficult thing to adapt to and some people find it easier than others. When we long for things to be the same as they were and we see that they can’t, or won’t, be the same, it can be difficult. Change can be a challenge.
Jesus brought change wherever he went during his ministry and there were some who didn’t like his challenge to think and act differently. We read all through the gospels that Jesus had ‘push back’ against his message. Some groups argued with him, some tried to catch him out, some wanted him stoned and some wanted him dead.
His challengers found the message that Jesus was bringing difficult. In their difficulty they lashed out at him, abused him and finally had him put to death. They longed for their way of life and their faith to remain the same and that is understandable in many ways.
I am reminded of Corinthians 13: ‘4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’
This reading tells us what love is but it also tells us what love isn’t. It can be hard, when you are hurting and when things are challenging to be loving, to keep no record of wrongs and to be kind.
I have been writing this weeks ‘Karen’s Corner’ in spurts as it has been an afternoon of phone calls. There have been funerals discussed and two Christenings. The death of a loved one and the birth of a new baby all bring huge changes in life.
Our human lives are often in a state of change and we are called to adapt. These are times when we can lean into God and to pray for His help and guidance. Jesus shows us how to handle challenge and change; with acceptance, with bravery and with faith that God is at work in all of it.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed. If you are looking for a Carmen Miranda impressionist for your event, I’m your woman…
Revd Karen
A fete Accompli…’
The sun shone (after a mizzly morning) on Devoran Church’s summer fete on Saturday afternoon. It was lovely to hear Devoran School playing their recorders for us as we browsed the stalls and enjoyed tea and cake.
Many thanks to all of the volunteers who made it such a successful event where over £600 was raised for church funds. We took along the dogs who thoroughly enjoyed all of the fuss and it was good to see so many people enjoying the stalls, games and refreshments.
I am writing this on Sunday afternoon after getting back from presiding at two services of Holy Communion. Chris led the service at Perranarworthal and then enjoyed a lunch at The Cornish Arms with parishioners afterwards. They all enjoyed a delicious carvery and each other’s company. I, dear reader, came home and had mackerel on toast and got on with some work….
I am joking, I feel blessed that Chris has been made to feel so welcome and that people don’t feel that ‘the Vicar must come too’.
Chris and I joke that we are a ‘BOGOF’ ( buy one get one free). However, we both have our different ministries as well as times when we lead services and work together. It is a joy to be able to minister together and Chris has a very different role as a clergy spouse. I appreciate that it isn’t always easy to be married to a Vicar and we were married for years before I was ordained. Chris has known me as an educationalist and Safeguarding Officer as well as a Vicar. He has adapted to so many changes and challenges over the years and I am grateful for his ability to take things in his stride.
It’s a good job that we enjoy each other’s company and that we make a good team. In lots of ways we are very different people; Chris is very laid back and more of an extrovert. I am an introvert and could find something to be worried about in an empty room! We balance each other out and we share the same sense of humour. I often say that it is good that Chris has a sense of humour as he has to live with me….
People often have misconceptions about what being a Vicar is all about. I was stopped in Sainsbury’s the other day by a man who told me that it was unusual to see a Vicar wearing green ( I had on a Kermit green summer dress, it matches my skin tone…). His wife commented that it was nice to meet a Vicar who was ‘normal’. I didn’t go into what exactly she meant and I do know plenty of ‘normal’ Vicars! I hope that, in many ways, I am that kind of ‘normal’ Vicar. There was a very intense clergy discussion on Twitter last week (started by an Vicar and an author) who criticised an Ordinand who had dyed her hair red. She said that ordained woman should be ‘immaculate’. There followed a plethora of Ordained women tweeting about their dyed hair, painted nails, make up and unusual footwear, amongst other things. The idea that somehow, being Ordained should make you something that you are not, that being ‘immaculate’ is the only way that God longs for his Priests to be.
God calls all kinds of people, not only women, to be Priests. He doesn’t discriminate because they dye their hair or wear some funky shoes. He calls us just as we are. I don’t think that God expects or wants us to change and I certainly don’t think that He wants us to loose our individuality.
Jesus chose to spend time with all kinds of people during his ministry. He chose to eat with tax collectors, sinners as well as disciples. He accepted everyone just as they were. We never read that he asked people to follow him and then to change who they were. He did not criticise people for spending time with him and then moving on.
I am very glad that He called this Priest who wears boots with bees all over them, who sometimes sports pink highlights and who paints her toenails in five different shades….Of course there are times when I have thought about whether what I wear or how I look is appropriate. I have never thought that I need to be ‘immaculate’ because that wouldn’t be ‘me’ and God has called me to be the genuine, authentic me.
God loves each and every one of us, just as we are. Phew, I say, what a relief! None of us perfect and we have Jesus’ perfect example of how to love one another in Him.
I say that we can learn a lot from animals about love. I have two dogs and they are a perfect example of unconditional love. They are loyal, they don’t criticise and they don’t expect either one of us to be perfect.
I was sitting in my armchair, minding my own business on Friday evening. I had just sat down with a brew and suddenly, out of nowhere, our bulldog pup (I say pup, she is 6 months old and weighs nearly three stone…) jumps up onto my armchair from behind and cracked me in the back of the head with hers in her effort to gain purchase. She balanced on the back of the armchair, threw her paws around my neck and proceeded to thoroughly wash (lick) the back of my head, interspersed with whiskery kisses to my face. I am not a fan of being licked by any dog but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by asking her to stop.
Marnie did a very thorough job of the washing and looked very pleased with herself as she pushed her face into mine.
I tried not to gag, I really tried. Chris was too busy laughing to be of any real help and I looked far from ‘immaculate’ when she had finished. For Marnie, it was an act of love, for me it was torture!
There are many ways to show love and I am not recommending that you lick the back of anybody’s head to show your love and devotion to them. Jesus accepted everyone and that is a good place to start. He shows us that mature faith is all about accepting people; however they speak, however they dress, however different they are to us. One tweet that struck me during the ‘immaculate Vicar’ Twitter conversation asked the author if we weren’t all a bit more grown up than to be doing others down by being superficial. I agree, aren’t we all bit beyond all this nonsense?
Well my friends, I am off to paint my toe nails in two shades of Percy Pig pink and get out my sky blue crocs with flowers on them for my day off tomorrow.
Whatever your week holds, be your most genuine self because you are loved beyond measure by God and may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
'GOING WILD'
The month of May is ‘no mow May’. This is easy for Chris as he cannot abide gardening! It has been tougher for me however as I have, to date, always liked a neat and today garden.
‘No mow May’ has been a revelation! I have grown to love the sight of the daisies, buttercups and all sorts of plants (I am avoiding calling them weeds!) that have shot up in the back garden. The dogs have loved exploring the new meadow like garden and the wildlife has too. Early each morning we head out into the garden, the dogs snuffle around and Chris and I watch Mr and Mrs Blackbird flying to a from their nest which is hidden in a bush in the corner. We know there are tiny baby blackbirds in the nest because we now hear them calling whenever their parents fly back with beaks full of food.
Their calls have got louder and louder as this week has gone on and their parents are working very hard to keep them fed.
I have enjoyed having the garden taken over by nature so much that I am now working out how I can strim the garden and leave swathes of this new meadow. I would be loathe to cut it all back and may well ‘let it bloom in June’.
There is a beauty in the wildflowers, a more natural look than my usual beds of shrubs and annuals. I stood and listened as a bee went into a foxglove flower, it’s ‘buzz’ reverberating around the inside of the flower. It had been busy because it was already wearing pollen trousers.
Chris and I have both found a peace in the wilding of the garden. Nature has a way of calming us in our busy and drought lives and we have certainly noticed this.
Marnie, our Bulldog pup, ran to us yesterday afternoon, with a petal attached to one of her eyes, looking as if she was wearing a lilac contact lens! She had obviously been investigating the wildlife and picked up more than she bargained for. A swift bit of first aiding was called for and Chris removed the offending petal. I don’t know how she had managed to get a petal to lie flat on her eyeball, it was quite a feat.
We have had some glorious weather over the past week and I hope that it remains for the Point and Penpol Regatta this weekend. Our churches in Devoran and St Feock will be closed on 4th June so that congregation members can attend the service on the quay at 10.30 with Bishop Philip preaching.
St Piran’s will be holding a service of Holy Communion at 10am with a guest speaker from our Methodist friends.
Sunday 4th June is Trinity Sunday. As its name suggests, Trinity Sunday is a time to focus on the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the teaching that there is one God in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It has become a bit of a tradition for Curates to be asked to preach upon the Trinity as it is notoriously difficult! Somehow, with two churches being closed and a guest preacher at St Piran’s I have managed not to be preaching upon the Trinity this year….
The Trinity offers us a precious gift of relationship, a grounded connection with God, self, others and the world. This Easter Season invited us to be in relationship with Jesus; it awakened us to a way of living, loving and relating. We are invited to be like the Trinity-living in absolute relatedness.
During the recent pandemic, I realised more and more that we are all together in a web of mutual interdependence. When we recognise this on a spiritual level, we call it love.
We know it is through Love, we come to know God. As Christians we believe that God is revealed to us as a Trinity-three persons who are who they are because of how they love one another. It is in God’s nature to love, to reach out to all.
So, dear reader, the lawnmower sits in the garage like an elephant in the room…do I mow or not? I am pondering a bit off a strim and leaving nature to do it’s thing and not try to manipulate it. We are stewards of the earth and wildlife and nature is struggling enough without me trying to interfere and decree what grows in the garden. ‘No mow May’ has galvanised me to try and attract more nature and wildlife into our garden.
We have a ‘Green Champion’ at Devoran Church in the shape of Clare Chipman who is working with the Diocese on our green credentials. Thanks to Clare we are kept up to date on the projects and strategies that will help us to be better stewards of what God has given to us.
I do wish you could all share in my view at this moment… I am sitting at my desk and opposite me is a sofa. Willow (the Pug) is lying across the top of it and Marnie (Bulldog pup) is lying blow her, on the cushions. Both are stretched out, snoring like warthogs! It is a scene of absolute peace (for them, as their snoring may well be a call to any passing elephants or blue whales…!)
Whatever your week holds, I hope it too is peaceful and blessed.
Revd. Karen
Last week was a busy one for our volunteers.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make our events successful and for reaching out into our communities and drawing people into our church buildings.
On Saturday Devoran held its Christmas Coffee Morning. Much baking had been done and there were prizes galore in the Grand Raffle. The event brought people into the parish centre for a wonderful morning. Christmas definitely felt as if it was on the way! Over £700 was raised, a fabulous effort.
On Sunday Tim Rogers and his very ‘crafty’ team welcomed 14 children to the Perranarworthal Church hall for an afternoon of Christmas Craft. The children stuck in with scissors, glue and tissue paper to create some beautiful craftwork to take home. A great afternoon was had by all. Thank you to Tim, Chris and the team for all of their hard work.
None of these events can take place without the hard work and commitment of our volunteers who have such a huge heart for spreading the Good News.
On Sunday things slowed down a bit as we came together for our Celtic Service of Worship in Devoran. This reflective service turned our hearts and minds towards Advent. Please keep checking our new dedicated Advent page on the website for updates. I will be updating there page regularly and it will provide resources to help us to pray, reflect, learn and share over the Advent Season.
I’ve been thinking a lot in the advent season this year that there’s someone who is absolutely central to the coming of God into the world that we kind of see, but we don’t really hear, and it’s Mary; her voice, her wisdom, her theological insight, her praise, her reaction to the events. All of this is recorded for us. God purposefully positioned a young woman with a front-row seat for his coming into this world in Jesus. I feel we’ve got a lot to learn from Mary’s voice.
I don’t know if you know that traditionally Luke’s gospel has been held to draw heavily on Mary’s perspective. She’s the primary source of his information. And that’s why Luke is able to give us such an intimate account of how the birth of Jesus came to be in his gospel. Mary’s voice and perspective has been preserved for us.
Imagine being a young woman – no more than a teenager - in a poor, forgotten, occupied corner of a world empire.
That is who Mary was.
And Mary is the one who God chose to be the mother of Jesus.
Mary is the one who got to be the fulfilment of the promise to Eve that her seed – a woman’s seed - would crush the serpent’s head. (Gen 3:15)
Mary is the one who got to witness the fulfilment of the promise to Isaiah
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
An ordinary, young, poor, oppressed woman gets to play a significant, breakthrough role in the redemption of the world. Evil will be crushed and defeated through her seed. Her body will play a part in showing the world that Jesus really is Immanuel – God with us.
This tells us something really powerful about our God. By positioning Mary in this way God shows us what kind of person is a gospel witness, teacher and example. It is no mistake that a woman gets to be a part of his plans, and that her voice, her questions, her fears, her actions and her obedience matter.
When Mary is told that she will bear this child she asks a reasonable question – “how can this be since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Mary is a real person – a person with a voice and an understanding of human biology and a person with questions and fears.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)
Mary’s response is breathtaking: “I am the Lord’s servant may your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38)
This is how God works in our world. The power of the Holy Spirit and the obedience and faith of ordinary people.
In this advent season let’s be encouraged by the simple but astonishing faith of a young woman. Why not meditate on Mary’s response, on her humility and her willingness to participate in God’s plan. We are being asked to think about the truth that nothing is impossible with God.
PRAYER
“May it be to me as you have said.” Thank you Father, for Mary’s faithfulness and willingness to be the mother of Jesus. Thank you for her example to us of Christian obedience. Help me to be faithful to you in every arena of my life – intellectually, vocationally, with my finances, my family, my body and my whole heart. I am your servant Lord – may your word to me be fulfilled today.” For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
Next Sunday we will be lighting the first candle on our Advent wreaths. Please keep checking the website for our special Advent pages. My hope and prayer is that we us this time to spend time in prayer and to reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Wherever we are across our communities we can be joined together as we journey together through Advent, paying attention to ‘waiting in hope’.
I am taking some time off this week (from Monday 21st November until Saturday 26th November). I will be taking a few days to do some reading and spend time in prayer. It has been a difficult few months and I haven’t been able to shake off a cough. My cold has had more comebacks than Elvis did!
Chris and I will be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary on 26th. Apparently, we should be giving each other gifts of steel. I don’t know that we shall be giving one another cutlery or knives, neither are particularly romantic! However, like the properties of steel, we offer one another great strength and support. Unlike steel, Chris’ support never corrodes and I am always grateful for his humour, love and guidance. 11 years ago we lived in Essex, I worked in a secondary academy and we had no idea of God’s plans for us on that chilly November afternoon!
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
The Vicar is sounding the Advent Claxon… Prepare yourselves!
In two weeks’ time we will be lighting the first candle on the Advent wreath in our churches and the season of Advent will have begun.
How did this happen? Surely it was only last week that we were on the beach slathered in sun tan lotion! Well dear reader, the season of Advent is almost upon us. I am very firmly in the camp of Advent being a season, not just the time that we count down to the BIG DAY. Advent is a precious time of preparation that we should dive into and enjoy wallowing in. It is rich in tradition and gives us permission to spend ‘time out’ in.
I know that, in reality, it is the time that we rush around doing our Christmas shopping, we bake mince pies and freeze them, we stuff the turkey, we write cards, we send cards, we plan, we wrap and we fill stockings… and our time is FULL.
What I want to say this week is that we need to take time to immerse ourselves fully into the Advent season. It’s important for our faith, it’s important for us to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas. I know, I know, you may be saying that your Vicar has lost the plot, doesn’t she know that the build up to Christmas is soooo busy? I get it, it’s pretty busy around here too and we all have things to do. However, I’m asking to stop and to think about the following for a few minutes.
What I would like us all to do is to share the season of Advent together. The last few months have been difficult for many of us. I would like to invite you to come together with me and to really focus in on the true meaning of the Advent season.
I’d like us to journey through the weeks of Advent together; learning (more about the Advent Course coming soon, watch this space and the website), worshipping together and praying together. The most important part of this journey is being together; in love, in fellowship and with a common purpose.
I’d like for us to put differences aside and to focus on the most important aspect of Advent, the coming of Jesus into the world to heal, to redeem and to save. Know that I have said this before and I apologise for repeating myself but it really is all about love. We profess that we are Christians so let’s allow the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us and focus on our commonality.
Nothing else is more important.
The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The origin of "advent" is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates "coming" or "arrival". Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again.
There are beautiful and rich traditions behind the celebration of Advent.
May you find time to slow down this Christmas season, say "no" to the things that distract you from Jesus and say "yes" to the gift that God wants you to experience.
But the season of Advent deserves our attention. It’s a gift before the rest of the gifts start flowing, an invitation to slow down and prepare ourselves for the Savior, whose birth we will soon be remembering and celebrating once again.
Making Advent meaningful is all about what happens before it even begins. Here are some things you can do right now to help ensure that the weeks leading up to Christmas are sacred and joyful for you and your loved ones:
1. Be prepared. Set the date of 27th November in your diary. Set aside time to spend on reflection, to read scripture and to pray.
I know, this probably seems impossible. And let’s face it, it’s hard to go there when the Christmas shopping hasn’t been finished. If we set a date in our diary to focus upon, to be intentional about Advent, it will make it easier to set some time aside. Make it a priority which will give you more energy to devote to what Advent is supposed to be about—prayer, being present and peacefully preparing for the great feast of Christmas.
2. Pick no more than three Advent traditions this year and stick to them.
It’s tempting to want to do it all, but that’s a recipe for crazy-making. Decide which three activities are best for you and your family this year and commit to them. Gather the supplies you need. It’s no fun running around at the last-minute trying to find candles for your Advent wreath—or looking for them two weeks after Advent has begun. Whatever the traditions are going to be, get a head start on them.
3. Commit to spiritual reading this Advent.
Even if reading time for you these days amounts to little more than noticing the ingredients on your mince meat recipe, you can probably still find 10 minutes before going to bed, or first thing in the morning for an Advent reflection, a passage of Scripture or a spiritual memoir.
If you need more prompting and encouragement, consider signing up for some inspirational messages that will come straight to your computer or smartphone, such as the C of E ‘Follow The Star’. Our Advent book this year id ‘Unexpected Jesus’ by Anna Robbins. It will form the basis of our Advent Course.
4. Create a prayer space in your home.
The season of prayerful waiting is a perfect time to set up a prayer space. Pick a corner of a room or little nook somewhere. I know someone who set one up in a wardrobe (don’t ask, they had many children)… Even if all you have is a window sill, or the surface of a table or a shelf, creating a focus for prayer and reflection will help draw your heart and mind to the themes of Advent. Icons, sacred images, a Bible, prayer cards, a book of reflections, small statues and candles are some of the items you can place in your prayer space.
5. Just say no.
Advent is richer when it’s not overbooked. Get your calendar out and mark the commitments you already have—the required office party, the kids’ Christmas concert, etc. Save a few nights for special Advent observances or outings—caroling, visiting a care home or an elderly neighbour.. And give yourself permission to say no to everything else—all the extras that can distract you from your commitment to live a more meaningful Advent. It’s hard to turn down good things, but every no means a yes to what matters most.
I have a confession. It has been really hard to turn my face towards Advent and to think about how I can make ‘real’ space for it this year. There have been so many other distractions that have taken my time and energies lately. I have had to ‘give my head a wobble’ as we would say in Essex. Sitting down at my desk to write this Karen’s Corner has given me some perspective. Before I write each Karen’s Corner I have a ‘nod with God’. Today’s chat with God brought the realisation that there is nothing more that I want than to spend some time with you, focussing on what is important during Advent.
Everything else needs to wait.
My priority is, and always will be, walking beside you as your Vicar. I’d like us to walk together; prayerfully, in hope, with love and in fellowship through Advent, towards the blessed Saviour’s birth. The walking together in ‘love’ is the most important part of the season that we are about to share. ‘The greatest of these is love’ scripture tells us.
I really look forward to spending the Advent season with you. I will be putting things to one side and saying ‘no’ to things so that I can focus upon our journey together because I love spending time with you.
One thing that Chris has said that I am saying ‘no’ to tonight is cooking (the Vicar does a small dance of joy) the rare treat of a pizza delivery is on the way and a ‘Mighty Meat Feast’ and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ on the telly box waits for no man…
So before I tuck into some pepperoni and plastic cheese deliciousness, this comes with my love for you. Now, excuse me whilst I put on some elasticated waisted trousers and dive into my take away…
Yours in Christ
Karen
The clocks went back last week, and the evenings are drawing in.
This means that my head torch comes out as I try and navigate my way round the villages in the dark. My night vision is notoriously poor and I must look like a mole squinting into the gloom! I can’t say that I like the dark very much and I much prefer the longer summer evenings. I like to see clearly where things or people are coming towards me.
Chris and I were shopping in Tesco last week and we had gone our separate ways to find items. He approached me from behind as he returned as I was browsing the shelves. He tapped me on the shoulder to let me know he was back. Well, dear reader, I am sure that the whole store heard my scream as he did so. I was startled, the fight or flight response well and truly kicked in. I stumbled backwards and almost up ended a shelf of digestive biscuits. As I said, I like to see what’s coming at me! Chris found the whole scene hilarious and I wished for the ground to swallow me up. I managed to laugh about it once I had got my breath back and continue with our shopping with some little shred of dignity.
As I reflected upon our shopping trip afterwards I thought about the nature of surprise, shock and seeing clearly what is coming. One of the many wonderful things about being a Christian is clarity. We have scripture that lays out very clearly Jesus’ mission in our world. We can be sure that there are no surprises or shocks. We are left in no doubt as to why Jesus came amongst us.
The word gospel means “good news,” and that is surely the ¬under¬statement of the cosmos. The news is so good, so outrageously wonderful, that the world finds it difficult to believe. A cure has been discovered for the common sin. Death itself now has an alternative—and the alternative will be so good that on the day we experience it our minds could never contain the joy involved.
But it ¬only gets better.
¬Jesus also mentioned a secondary goal. He said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). He said that a false shepherd simply uses the sheep; a true shepherd loves them enough to give his life for them. “I have come not ¬only to rescue you,” he was saying, “but to help you see all the wonderful possibilities that life can hold for you. I want you to squeeze every single drop of joy out of this life. And if I ¬didn’t come to show you, you would never know how.”
This Sunday each of our churches will be holding their Remembrance Day services. Please check the website for the details of each of the services. Remembrance Sunday is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.
Many of our parishioners have served in the armed forces over the years and play an important role in the organisation of our services. We will all gather together at the war memorials in our communities and churches to observe the two minutes silence at 11am. You are warmly invited to join us for our services of Remembrance and to gather with us to remember those who fell during conflicts from our own villages.
I will be leading our service in Perranarworthal, Mrs Nina Davey will be leading at St Feock church and Mrs Jane Darlington LLM and The Revd Canon Martin Boxall will be leading in Devoran.
This week we will be laying to rest the late Mr Anthony Filmer in the churchyard in Devoran after a funeral service. The service will be held on Thursday 10th November at 2pm at St John and St Petroc church in Devoran. Our prayers are with Anthony’s family and friends as they mourn his loss.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
As I write this we are entering NOVEMBER! Where is this year going?
Advent begins later on this month and the countdown to Christmas really ramps up in the Vicarage.
Last Sunday we gathered together at St Feock for our joint All Souls’ service, to remember those we no longer see and to commend them back to God. Lists of names of those to be remembered were read out by representatives from each of the churches and candles were lit. We gathered together, as one body, to offer one another comfort, prayer and love. Many names of those beloved family members and friends were read out, including members of the Wilson and Ewington families (Ewington was my maiden name).
A name that was on the list was that of Ebony Speller. Ebony was a student in my first year group where I was year group leader. Last week Ebony took her own life. She was a complex, loving, funny and generous young woman of 25. For reasons that are known only to her, she felt that her life was not worth living. I had known her for 14 years and she still kept in touch with me. She was a joy to know and she had kept me on why toes for the 5 years that she was in my year group!
The issue of mental health in young people was discussed by her friends, their families and I over the last week. They reached out to me and wanted to ask for prayer, for comfort and just to talk. Many of them had seen Ebony the day before she died and had no idea of her intentions. ‘If only we had known..’ Was a common refrain.
With the issues of mental health being at the forefront of my mind this week…I am always concerned that when the clocks go back. The nights draw in and curtains are closed earlier in the day. Those who are vulnerable often spend more time at home, alone. Not many of us choose to be to and about in the darker winter months and we choose not to answer the front door when it is dark. It is important to check on those who are vulnerable and alone as winter can be an even more isolating time. I am aware that there is a lot of care and consideration of those who are alone given by our parishioners and local community, which is wonderful. If you, or someone you know, is socially isolated or feeling lonely and would appreciate a chat please do get in touch.
Last Friday brought ‘Music Night’ to St Feock Church. We were entertained by local musicians and by Bert Biscoe and his poetry. It was a great night, supporting both the Hidden Help charity and the church. Bex and Keith from the HAIRE Project had worked very hard to organise the event and I hope that it is the first of many.
This Friday brings Will Keating and John Dowling back to St Piran’s Church with their atmospheric candlelit concert. If you haven’t got your tickets yet, don’t miss out! Details can be found on the website. The Oggymen are next up. Thursday 24th November. They gave us a wonderful evening on their last visit. We all sang along and there is never a dry eye in the house when ‘Cornwall My Home’ is sung. Well, this Vicar cannot hear the song without welling up!
I am hoping that we can arrange a bit of Carol Singing in Carnon Downs before Christmas. Carol Singing is such a fabulous Christmas tradition and it is a chance to get together and remind ourselves of the old favourites! Do keep an eye out for further details of this event and if you enjoy singing some Carols do join us. It doesn’t matter whether you are not Aled jones or Katherine Jenkins, all noise is joyous to God! Thank goodness for that, I would say that I am enthusiastic singer but not a particularly confident one.
As I mentioned in an earlier ‘Karen’s Corner’ Christmas planning starts early in the Vicarage. I now have a shiny new Christmas Planner sitting on my desk, which pleases me greatly. The spare room is being used to store the Christmas shopping and Chris has taken to rolling his eyes at my preparations. He likens them to a military operation, which is not far from the truth. I confess that I have already watched a few of the Hallmark Christmas films… If it were down to me the Christmas tree would be up and we would be cracking open the mulled wine…
Whatever your week hold, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
8 tracks, a book and a luxury….
The radio show ‘Desert Island Discs’ has always fascinated me. What if I went onto the show, what would I choose…? Not that the show would be particularly interested in what my choices were I’m sure.
However, I was thinking about it as I prepared for our services on Bible Sunday. If you are a castaway on Desert Island Discs you are asked to choose 8 tracks, a book and a luxury. It will come as no surprise, dear reader, that my book choice would be the Bible.
It is the one book that I read on a daily basis; it’s the starting point of any sermon and informs my prayers. It is the most important source of authority for Christians all over the world. It is a life guide.
The Bible is given pride of place on our lecterns and is read during every one of our services of worship. It contains the words and actions of Jesus Christ and allows us to access the foundations of our faith and bears witness to the revelation of Jesus being our Saviour.
Bible Sunday reminds us of all of this. Each year we share a special prayer and I bless the church Bible and place it upon the altar. It is at the heart of all of our worship and our ives as Christians.
Of course you wouldn’t expect anything less of me that to commend that we all read the scriptures every day. However, in these times of uncertainty, anxiety and financial hardship, reading the Bible every day can help to anchor us in our faith. The Word reminds us that God is with us every day and He is the only true certainty in our lives. We can rely upon Him, we can lean into him when we feel adrift, we can be certain of his love and guidance. It’s all there in the Bible. It is our foundation and our inspiration.
When all around us seems to be shifting, when nothing seems to the same from one day to the next, the Bible is our one sure foundation. The Good News of Jesus Christ never shifts, never changes and reminds us that we are beloved children of God.
A lecturer at theological college told us that you can tell a Christian who is deeply rooted in scripture by the state of their Bible. If it is pristine it is owned by someone who doesn’t read it much! If it is dog eared, covered in tabs and notes it is owned by someone who immerses themselves in scripture and really ‘uses’ their Bible. That’s a generalisation, we got that, but the lecturer had a point. Bibles aren’t supposed to sit on a shelf, they are to be really used.
Our lecturer went on to say that reading the entire Bible every year was ‘good for the soul’. I try to follow a Bible reading scheme each year but, I confess, I don’t always succeed.
Back to Desert Island Discs… choosing my book would be the easy bit. What would I have as my luxury? I don’t suppose that I would be allowed to take Chris or the dog… I think that it would have to be a good bed with my own pillows.
The 8 tracks that castaways can choose don’t all have to be music apparently. I would have a recording of a chat and the laughter that my Dad and I shared I think. I don’t have any recording of his voice and it is the one thing that I miss about him most.
On Sunday we are holding our joint churches All Souls Service at 10am in St Feock church. It is an opportunity for us to get together and to remember and to commend back to God those whom we have loved and who are no longer with us, whether the loss is recent or long ago. If you would like to add the name of someone who has died to our list to be read out at the service do contact me or your Church Warden/s.
This year we are joining together across all three communities to remember those who we no longer see. It is an important opportunity to gather together, to share our grief, to support one another and to remember those we have loved. I think that the most important word of this past sentence is ‘share’.
Unfortunately, most of us will have suffered bereavement and to be able to share with others that intense sense of loss and grief will, I pray be a comfort. It is also a chance to share with others your own experience, to talk and to uphold others.
You are warmly invited to come along to this service. If you would like any further information about it, do contact me on 01872 276 357.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
Words really do matter…
One hundred years ago, on 18 October 1922, the British Broadcasting Company was formed by a group of leading wireless manufacturers. By the end of the year their first Director General, Lord Reith, was appointed. He famously said that the BBC was there ‘to inform, educate and entertain’ and down the decades it has done just that.
Chris and I were moved by the last in the truly wonderful ‘Frozen Planet II’ series hosted by Sir David Attenborough. He communicates so clearly the dreadful impact that humanity is having upon our planet. It has been a truly remarkable series. I may never go to the frozen parts of our world, but I am better informed and in awe of our planet through watching his programmes.
If you think back to your own TV watching and radio listening, which part of its history and output have you valued the most? The 10 o’clock News, the Archers, the Coronation, Morecombe and Wise, Dr Who, the shipping forecast or maybe it’s the pips!
As I reel off those programmes, I realise how much the BBC has become woven into my own life and that of our nation. We always watched the late Queen’s speech on Christmas Day without fail at home. Christmas Day wouldn’t have been the same without it. I loved to sit and listen to the stories read on Jackanory. Match of the Day was my Dad’s favourite and the theme tune still makes my eyes sting as I recall us watching it together.
I’m also struck by the central ideas of Lord Reith’s founding vision that words matter; that the spoken word has an integrity which can speak to our world and change history.
The 23rd October is Bible Sunday, and we are gathered around many words and are reminded that, above all else, God’s word speaks into our world and changes history. This is most clearly seen, as his promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
In our Gospel, the teaching on God’s word takes us to a different level as we are confronted with the word made flesh. Jesus stands, reads from Isaiah, and tells the people that these words are fulfilled in him. In many ways it seems that this is what his hearers expected, having heard accounts of his prophetic ministry elsewhere. Now they hoped to reap the benefits of this ‘local boy made good’.
Their expectations, however, are upended as Jesus proclaims that he has not come to offer divine favours to his hometown but rather to proclaim God’s radical inclusion of all in his plans for the salvation of the world. This jubilee to end all jubilees, offers salvation for the poor, the captive, the blind and the oppressed- and that goes far beyond the confines of one village.
Earlier I wrote about the founding of the BBC and like the Church of England it has, over the last one hundred years, become a national treasure. The similarities do not end there. We too are invited to be broadcasters, transmitting clearly through words and pictures the fulfilment of God’s promises in Christ.
We may not be entertainers or broadcasters but we each have our own unique way of communicating The Good News and, with the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we have a message to broadcast and a commission to touch others’ hearts with that good news of the gospel.
There are times when we don’t need words at all. I’m not suggesting that you channel your inner Marcel Marceau and mime the good news! It could be simply sitting in silence with someone who is in distress, offering a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, praying with someone or sharing some of your time. All are reflecting the love of Christ out to others.
St Francis of Assisi wrote, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” Scripture reminds us that words can be powerful and are to be used for the good of those around us:
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 ESV
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
“Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Proverbs 12:25
Before I finish writing I must just say a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who made last Saturday’s tabletop sale in Perranwell so successful. Over £800 was raised for the church; fabulous! It was a great opportunity for outreach and community engagement. The sale was visited by church family and the wider community, all mingling to pick up a great bargain and to chat over tea and a slice of cake in the heart of the village.
I won’t sign off this week with a Test Card, as the BBC used to at the end of the evening. If you remember, there was a young girl in front of a blackboard, playing noughts and crosses with a rather scary looking clown doll!
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘I suppose you’ve got a list for that…’
It may be a tad early for some of you to be thinking about Christmas. It is never too early in my mind and it is my favourite time of the year, both from a ministry point of view and personally. I have always loved Christmas and I am a bit of a sucker for a schmaltzy Christmas film on a dark winter’s afternoon.
I take planning for Christmas very seriously and I start very early. As you can imagine Advent and Christmas are very busy times in our household. I like a long ‘run up’ and I believe that it is important for us to have an Advent Course so that we can understand scripture more deeply and appreciate the enormity of the gift that God gives us at Christmas, his precious Son. More details of our benefice course are on the way.
The Christmas Planner comes out and sits on my desk until New Year’s Day. Christmas shopping starts early, and items are squirrelled away in our spare room until they are required during the festive season. I have started planning our Christmas week meals so that I can accommodate when we are going to be at work/leading services.
‘Chestnuts!’ said I out loud one evening last week as we sat drinking tea. ‘And the same to you Madam’ replied Chris. ‘No, we will need chestnuts’ said I. ‘I suppose you’ve got a list that they will go on?’ said Chris as he rolled his eyes at me. Oh yes, dear reader, there is a list for everything Advent and Christmas related…
The festive season does not happen by luck alone. All joking aside, Christmas is not about lists or making sure that I have vacuum packed chestnuts (please don’t judge, I haven’t got time to peel chestnuts to go with the Brussels and pancetta). Christmas is about hope.
I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about it but there are two kinds of hope. The most common way we use the word today is to mean a desire or a wish.“I hope the pandemic ends soon.” “I hope my family stays healthy.”
The other kind of hope is different. This kind of hope is something in the future you can count on with certainty. It’s an event or blessing that will absolutely happen. For example, the hope of heaven. The promise those who trust in Christ will have eternal life.
What do you count on in your life? In other words, what do you put your hope in? Your family? Your career? Your physical health and vitality? Your bank account? All those things are good, but they’re temporal. Wishing for them to be the foundation of our lives is not a good plan because they don’t last.
What lasts? Things that are eternal. Biblical hope is a guarantee from God concerning a future outcome for your good. It’s anchored in who Jesus is.
All over the world people acknowledge the birth of Jesus, born in a lowly manger, at a specific location on earth, at a specific moment in human history. (We don’t know the actual date, but we know it was in Bethlehem—as it was foretold centuries before in the Old Testament.)
That little baby was God Incarnate, the Son of God, who came to earth to show us what love looks like. He came to be the very physical revelation of the invisible God and the creator of all. He came also to take the penalty of sin and to give us a way to reconcile with God and have eternal life.
How do we know this? The Gospel tells us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says that their faith in Christ Jesus springs “from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel” (Ephesians 1:5-6).
What is this hope “stored up in heaven”? The absolute certainty of eternal life with Christ for those who believe in Him.
What amazing hope is that!
The Apostle Paul wrote: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:15-20).
This is an eternal foundation! This is our true hope! This is the hope of Christmas, and of all time.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
I have spoken about the diversity of ministry before in Karen’s Corner. Last week I conducted a service of thanksgiving for the late Lt. Col. Johnnie Dallow. He was a much loved husband, father, grandfather, comrade and friend. Heartfelt tributes were paid to a man who is very much missed. It was a privilege to conduct the service and to meet Johnnie’s comrades from Burma 41.
Two days later I conducted a joyous marriage blessing for Juliet and Peter. They had been married for 50 years and their happiness and excitement was infectious. They read a beautiful poem to the congregation and Peter kissed his lovely bride to applause from the congregation. It is inspirational to speak to a couple who have been married for so long and who wanted to celebrate with a church service.
The diversity of ministry gives me plenty of food for thought, reflection and prayer. I always take time before and after services to pray for families and for God to be right in the middle of each service. If my diary allows, I take some time after services to make a brew, give thanks to God and to reflect upon what has been.
Talking of food, Devoran held their harvest festival and lunch last Sunday. I joined the congregation for lunch after leading the service at St Piran’s. The volunteers had laid on a gorgeous feast and it was good to share lunch with young families who had been at the W4All service. It is always wonderful to have children and young people with us.
Here’s a heads up for a couple of events at St Piran’s church that you won’t want to miss. On the evening of 4th November Will Keating and John Dowling will be holding a candlelit concert in the church. Tickets from Cornwall Tourist Offices or click on the link: https://uk.patronbase.com/_CornishRivieraBoxOffice/Seats/NumSeats?prod_id=W07A&perf_id=1§ion_id=3&action=&seat_type_id=S
On the evening of 24th November The Oggymen return to St Piran’s church for a concert. Tickets for the Oggymen are available from Paul Stuart (CW of St Piran’s church; Tel 07929022143) and tickets for Will and John are available via Will’s website or from the tourist office in Truro. Those who came along to previous concerts will know just how good these events are.
The next ‘Men’s Breakfast’ will be on Saturday 29th October at 9am in the West Room of the Perranwell centre in Perranwell. Sign up sheets will be available in all of our churches. Enjoy a cooked full English breakfast with toast, tea and coffee. There is no charge for the breakfast, just come along and enjoy having brekkie cooked for you and join in with the chat. Our breakfasts are held every three months and are a highlight of the Wilson calendar. Chris hosts and I man the stove. We are always joined by our great volunteers who pitch in to make sure that everyone is kept fed and watered throughout the morning. It’s always a morning full of chat, fellowship and laughter.
On 30th October we will gather as a group of churches at 10am at St. Feock church for our All- Souls’ service. This service is an opportunity to remember, to give thanks and to pray for loved ones who have died and whom we miss.
All are welcome and if you know anyone who would appreciate coming along do invite them. Our Churchwardens are compiling the list of names of those who are to be remembered, do please get in touch with them or myself if you would like your loved one’s name added to the list.
Thoughts in the vicarage are turning towards our Christmas services and if you are a budding thespian please do get in touch. I am looking for volunteers to play roles in our ‘live’ Nativity play in Devoran on Christmas Eve. If you feel that you have an inner Melchior, Caspar or Balthazar do let me know. We are going to bring the nativity story to life for our children and young families. I have lined Chris up to play our music and to reprise our angelic host again this year. We do need shepherds (tea towels for headgear will be provided!), an Inn Keeper who can declare that there is no room at the inn and an angelic Gabriel. Don’t be shy, let the inner Judi Dench or John Gielgud out and join us.
There will be news of services and events coming up in the lead up to Advent and Christmas, do keep an eye on updates on our website for further details. Please don’t forget that we have a Prayer page for requests for prayer. If you, or someone you know would like to be prayed for please do fill in the request page on the website.
This week brings the funeral of Chris’ cousin, Shani, on 6th October. I would be grateful for prayers for our family. Shani was just shy of her 60th birthday and died after living with MND for 8 years. She was my unofficial matron of honour at our wedding almost 11 years ago. I didn’t have any brides-maids, so she arrived at my door on my wedding day with her daughter Abi, armed with croissants and Buck’s Fizz, ready to help me to get dressed and to celebrate. I will never forget her kindness and the laughter we shared. Chris had forgotten his wedding shirt and popped home to collect it. Shani stood guard at the front door and passed Chris the shirt through a small gap so that he couldn’t see me in my wedding dress before the service.
Shani’s husband, Steve was a station commander in the Fire Service. He came to collect me from the hairdressers on the morning of our wedding. As he drove down the street to collect me he suddenly turned on the unmarked Fire Service 4x4 blue lights and sirens! All heads turned to look at me, blushing the same colour as the post box that I was standing next to! He found it all highly amusing as I scrambled into the car.
Steve, Shani and Abi were a tight knit little family unit who dealt with Shani’s diagnosis and illness with fortitude, strength, bravery and with dignity.
Chris and I will be spending time on Thursday morning praying for Steve and Abi as they prepare to say their final goodbyes to beloved Shani.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘New places, coffee with a view and don’t flush!’
Chris, the dog and I went away for a few days to St Ives whilst we were on annual leave. It’s good to be back amongst you by the way…
The view from where we were staying looked out over the sea and had access to a lovely beach. The dog had her paws walked off, she threw herself into every rock pool and enjoyed the odd breakfast sausage.
We walked for miles and watched the sunsets in the evenings. We had never been to Porthminster beach before and what an Art Deco find it was! It was like stepping back in time. Looking at the surrounding buildings I could imagine that I was in an episode of Poirot (a firm favourite). All I needed was a bathing hut and a knitted swimsuit!
We were blessed with wonderful weather and we walked for miles.
We went up onto the roof terrace of the Penn Olva hotel and enjoyed the panoramic views of St Ives bay, across to the lighthouse. I sat sipping a cappuccino watching the visitors taking out pleasure boats. For some reason many of them motored around in circles, I know not why. I told Chris that if I was at the helm I would be out there, exploring and using my time to see the coast from a different perspective, not going round in circles. It fascinated me that there was an enormous bay stretching out before them and they were puttering about in small circles. Perhaps it was a metaphor for life…
I listened to an interview with an American actor who was speaking about his Christian faith. He said that we have a tendency to plan our lives according to our earthly dreams and imaginations. He decided that he was going to listen to God’s plans which, by God’s very nature, were so much more expansive and greater than our human ones. Think big and then think bigger was his philosophy for life.
I think that perhaps, at times, we all get trapped into puttering around in circles, not daring to open up the engine, have an adventure and take a risk or two. Perhaps just now doesn’t feel like the time to be taking risks as we face a difficult winter ahead. Sometimes trusting in God completely can go against our human natures, to keep ourselves safe. It can feel a bit like stepping off a cliff edge and hoping that He will catch us. ‘Let go and let God..’ can seem like a big ask.
Whilst we were away our accommodation had a plumbing malfunction. One morning the sink backed up, as did the lavatories when we flushed. No amount of asking the good Lord to intervene helped our drainage dilemma. The maintenance men arrived; they rodded, they disappeared down holes, they flushed and they sucked air in over their teeth…
In the end we had to move accommodation and a hasty packing away and unpacking again ensued. The view of the sea changed slightly but still beautiful never the less. I thank the Lord that he gave me a good sense of organisation and a skill for packing bags.
By this time in the proceedings I had a heavy cold and was feeling less than chipper. Instead of eating ice cream I was sucking Strepsils and spraying my throat with all manner of antiseptic numbing unguents. Since coming home I have lost my voice (I couldn’t help see a smile sneak across Chris’ lips…!). I now have a tendency to sound a bit like Minnie Mouse on helium and cough like a barking seal…
My mother used to call it ‘being run down’. That makes me sound like a car that is on the way to the scrap yard but I get what she meant by that phrase.
Our two weeks passed by in a flash. The books that I had planned to read didn’t get read. I spent much of the time just enjoying the view, staring out to sea, thinking and pondering. I was reminded of the poem by William Henry Davis, ‘Leisure’.
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
However, we enjoyed spending time together, exploring new places and not having a ‘plan’ for the days. The dog came with us and had the time of her life. It was her first holiday and I couldn’t face putting her into kennels. She decided that as we were living on one level she would sleep with us (she is not allowed upstairs in the vicarage). I woke up one morning to find her tucked up under the duvet, her head on my pillow, her whiskers tickling my face as she snored…
Whatever your week brings, whether it is standing and staring or watching the squirrels burying their nuts for winter, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
It has been a week like no other…
This has truly been a week like no other that I, nor many others, have lived through before.
It began with the news that we had a new Prime Minister. The news showed pictures of her meeting the Queen at Balmoral as she was invited to form a Government in her name. The Queen indeed looked frail but her sense of duty was there for all to see and she was carrying out that duty with a welcoming smile for Liz Truss.
Two short days later the Queen had died. Somehow, it almost didn’t seem possible. Our Sovereign lady the Queen, who had been a constant in all of our lives for 70 years was gone.
Her Son, the new King Charles III said that her life ‘was one well lived’. She had lived her life dedicated to all of the peoples that she served. The one word that she used over and over was ‘service’. She had committed her whole life to the service of others, upheld by her abiding Christian faith.
Suddenly I had a sense of being ‘unanchored’. So much of life has changed immeasurably over the past few years. I reflected upon my Ordination service. I sore an oath of allegiance to The Queen, her heirs and her successors as the Supreme Governor of The Church of England.
Personally, it was an honour to make that pledge. Now it is time to honour that oath to her son, the new King. Over the past few days we have witnessed the traditions and legal procedures that have proclaimed a new King, a new era.
Amongst all of that tradition, the meetings, the signing of ancient documents and public walkabouts there is a man who is grieving his mother. His whole family are mourning the loss of the matriarch of their family; a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
Sometimes I have found it hard to watch the new King Charles having to follow protocols in the public eye. I hope and pray that he, and his family, are allowed time and space to mourn and to spend time in peace and quiet.
I am sure that the death of the late Queen, of blessed memory, has brought up feelings of loss and grief for many who have been bereaved. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you.
On Friday evening we held a special service of prayer in St Piran’s church. It was attended by many who wanted to offer their own prayers and to give thanks for a life that was dedicated to service.
Members from across all three churches took part in the service, united in our gratitude and prayers.
This will be last Karen’s Corner for two weeks. Chris and I are are on annual leave from Monday. It has been a very busy and sometimes difficult time. We are looking forward to spending some time together, with the parish pug, reflecting and taking a bit of time away. I would be grateful for your prayers for both Chris and I as we take this time out in this beautiful part of the world and to consider prayerfully what shape the next few months may look like.
Whilst I am away you are never far from my thoughts and prayers. Church families are just that, family. Wherever I am and whatever I am doing the love and concern for family is never fully out of one’s mind. Whatever the next two weeks hold for you I pray that they are blessed.
Yours in Christ and with love
Karen
Do you remember….?
As many of you know, Chris works for Tesco. Christmas starts as early as August when the stock rooms are piled high with tubs of the ubiquitous chocolates. For Chris the festive season begins early (too early in his opinion!) and being married to a Vicar compounds the issue! I start preparations for Christmas in our churches in September. I adore everything about Christmas and so the poor chap doesn’t stand a chance…
Over the weekend Chris and I took a trip down memory lane, remembering our childhood Christmases. We were talking about the cost of living crisis and how different Christmas might look for those who will struggle with large fuel bills and the rise in the cost of food. After a while our chat turned to our own childhood Christmases.
When we were teenagers, my parents owned an old fashioned sweet shop (envisage 200 jars and boxes of sweets and chocolates lining the shelves and counters) and Chris’ Mum worked for them. That’s how we met (long story, for another time!). Our families had traditions at Christmas, as I am sure that some of yours did. On Christmas Eve the ‘snack table’ would be laid out by our Mums. This was a side table or a sideboard. On it were the Christmas treats that had been bought, hidden away until the laying up of the table.
We remembered all of the family favourites; The (metal) tin of Quality Street, peanuts, sugared almonds, Newberry Fruits, sugared slices of orange and lemon, a ‘glove box’ of dates, chocolate Brazil nuts, satsumas, marzipan fruits and Twiglets (a personal favourite). There was also the bowl of nuts and a nutcracker. It was usually the Dads who did battle with the walnuts and the bits of shell snapped and flew across the room, endangering the eyes of all who lay in their path.
The tree lights twinkled (multi coloured flower shaped ones), Nannas and Aunties gathered for a ‘Snowball’ or a Babycham (with a cherry of course) and Christmas was under way.
Happy memories that evoke a sense of peace and security.
The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus liked food. More than any other gospel, Luke talk about the meals that Jesus was invited to and where he took the opportunity to teach those gathered around the table.
Sharing a meal has always drawn people together and Jesus used a gathering to teach people about the kingdom of God. He was never afraid to invoke a touch of indigestion by tackling the ‘crunchier’ of topics. Jesus was never afraid of confrontation and to call out hypocrisy or false teachings. He never avoided calling out those in power or those who were excluding others. His mission was to tell others about what the kingdom of God is really like and how we can have a right relationship with God. It must have made uncomfortable listening for some and made him enemies.
He was never afraid to eat with the marginalised or the outcast.
It isn’t just at Christmas this year that people in our communities are going to find very tough going. The cost of living crisis has been on my mind a lot lately. A real sense of fear and dread has been building. I have been praying, thinking and reading about what other churches are planning to help in the upcoming winter months.
If you have any thoughts or ideas I would be very glad to hear them. As Christians we have a duty to care for all of our brothers and sisters and we need to find the right way to go about doing that. If you are worried, please do not keep your worries to yourself, share them and we will do our best to try and find ways of easing your burden of concern.
Whatever your week brings, may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
A church was a ‘corner’ and a request….
I am listening to BBC Radio 2’s ‘Good morning Sunday’ with the Revd Kate Bottley as I write this. She asked her listeners if there were words or phrases that they used to get wrong when they were children. Lots of funny responses came in to the show and it got me thinking. Many of the words and phrases had ‘stuck’ and had become the familiar term or phrase used by a family, they had become part of its ‘short hand’.
This piece that I write each week is called ‘Karen’s Corner’. When I was small, for some reason only known to me, I called each church I saw a ‘corner’. I had been taught the word ‘church’ and yet I called a church a ‘corner’. So this piece should really be called ‘Karen’s church’!
As a child Chris called cows ‘ooh-coughs’ and a screwdriver was called a ‘doo-dabber’. In our house a screwdriver is still called a ‘doo-dabber’.
I have no idea why I called a church a ‘corner’. It may have been something to do with our parish church being tucked away into the corner at the end of a tiny lane. The workings of a child’s mind is a mysterious thing…
The church in which I worshipped as a child was my ‘corner’ of peace and I was convinced that God lived there. I couldn’t see Him but I knew he was there. I loved being there and even from a very young age I knew that I wanted this place to be where I ‘lived’, to be close to God and to share the good news of the story of Jesus.
Forward 50 years… I had a lovely message from my ex-Incumbent (from my church in Harlow) this morning. It reminded me of her utter faith in my calling. She asked me to lead my first Service of the Word whilst she was on holiday. I was going through the discernment process with the Diocese of Chelmsford at the time and this was such a privilege for me.
After the service I had to go away into a ‘corner’ of the church ( or a corner of the corner!) and have a quiet weep, to thank God for his grace. I felt totally ‘at home’ leading the service and I was overwhelmed by that feeling. It was further confirmation that this was where God was calling me to be.
We all need our ‘corner’; a place where we go for some peace and to be alone. It may be a quiet corner of the garden, by the water or in a comfy chair with a good book and a brew (or is that just me?!). It’s important to have a ‘corner’; a space where we can escape our busy lives, our worries and our whirring minds.
Sometimes we need to go away into a corner when we are upset or cross. Chris reminded me that a very wise Priest once told him that it was healthy to be able to ‘vent’ at God. To be able to let out our anger with God when we need to, it’s part of a healthy relationship with Him. It’s perfectly OK to go away and to vent, cry, shout or complain to God. I always think that he would much prefer our honesty to our silence.
David was often venting at God when he wrote his psalms. He was unafraid to let God know when he was angry with Him. The psalms of Lament often begin with a crying out to God. Some of the psalms show a bitter resentment of life’s unfairness, of God’s silence and of protest. They mirror the human soul and reflect the full gamut of emotions. As you read them you feel the full range of the emotions of the writers.
If you find it hard to put into words how you are feeling, then I would suggest reading the psalms. I find that they express human feelings in a way that sometimes we can’t always do.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed.
I have come to the conclusion that I no longer cope with extremely hot weather like I used to…
I do not waft my way through through a heatwave dressed in diaphanous linen looking as cool as a cucumber. Oh no, I look like a boiled beetroot or one of Salvador Dali’s ‘melting’ paintings. Or, if you have seen the film ‘Frozen’ I look like Olaf the snowman as he sits in front of the fire…
Now don’t get me wrong, I love the summer and a bit of heat. As long as I am in the sea or sitting in the shade with a cool drink I am fine. When I was younger I could lay in the sun for hours and barely break a sweat. Now I slap on the factor 50, wear a sunhat, sunglasses and look for the shade. The message of safety in the sun hasn’t passed me by.
When I was young all that seemed to be sold by chemists was a very dodgy bottle of ‘carrot oil’ or Ambre Solaire sun oil that literally fried us as we tried to get a tan.
Vestments worn over ‘everyday’ clothing for services can be tricky to say the least and has been a ‘hot’ topic of conversation amongst colleagues and Funeral Directors. I joke with Chris about hot days being a two or three clerical shirt day. The witch in The Wizard of Oz said, after she had water thrown over her, ‘I’m melting, I’m melting!’ I now have some sympathy for her condition!
As I write this a drought has been declared and restrictions come into force later on in the week. It is also raining….but not enough to really help the situation.
The heat is difficult for our wildlife and farmers. I have been reading about sparks coming from combine harvesters as they hit stones and causing field fires. It is a perilous time for our land and for nature. Each day there are more wildfires reported on the news.
As Christians, it is our duty to care for God’s creation and it is certainly a topic that is uppermost in my mind. If you have any ideas about how we, as a group of churches, can play our part do let me know. Clare Chipman, our PCC secretary for Devoran, has kindly agreed to be our green ‘champion’ and attends meetings with the diocese about creation care.
On Thursday afternoon a fundraising event followed a lovely wedding. The sun shone, Bride and Groom were wreathed in smiles and were supported by many family members and friends.
After the wedding we gathered at The Perranwell Centre for a delicious cream tea (jam first, obviously!) followed by an hour of great music from Andy. He sang lots of ‘swing’ favourites from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald. I took to the floor with Owen, who proceeded to ‘twirl’ me at the end of our dance! Thank you to all of the volunteers who worked so hard on such a hot afternoon. A wonderful afternoon was had by all.
Last Friday the family and friends of the late Dennis Smitheram gathered for his funeral. Dennis was a much loved Husband, Father and Grandfather. He had lived in the house that he had built for over 50 years in Perranwell village. Dennis was a keen singer and had sung with Nankersey choir for 30 years. Members of the choir gathered to sing and it was a joy to hear them.
I have been thinking about being a ‘visible’ presence in our communities. I must confess that it hasn’t been so easy to be ‘visible’ in this heat. I like to get out and about on foot and I have found the extreme heat exhausting to be honest, I wilt. I’m a bit of a traditionalist and wear my clerical collar when I am ‘on duty’. This heat wave has made me want to sit in my office, collar off, fan on with my feet in a bowl of iced water! Im sure that many of you have felt likewise.
The last couple of weeks have brought both funerals and weddings for our churches. They are services which bring our volunteers and myself to be ‘visible’ presences to people in times of celebration and mourning.
I have had some beautiful ‘thank you’ cards and emails from families after these services. The common thread running through them is the kindness and love shown by our churches. Reflecting the love of Christ to everyone we meet is what being ‘a visible presence’ is all about.
There is a lot of work done behind the scenes before any occasional service. Our church officers and volunteers go above and beyond to help to make each service run smoothly and support our families. When I am out and about folk often stop and talk about one of these services. Again, the common thread is about how loving and ‘personal’ they were.
These conversations always remind me of the parable that Jesus told about seeds. We won’t know where the tiny seeds of loving care will land or take root perhaps for weeks or months after these services. I pray that the love of God will touch the hearts and minds of those who come along to our church and that faith will grow.
There are also many prayers said for each family too. Each of our wedding and funeral families are prayed for before, and after, these services.
There is a ‘Prayer Page’ on our website. If you, or someone you know, would like to be prayed for, please do fill out the prayer request on the website.
If you do see your Vicar who is looking rather like a boiled beetroot out and about on your travels, feel free to spray her with iced water or offer her a bucket of water to stand in….
Whatever this week brings, I hope that you are able to keep cool and that it is blessed.
Revd Karen
Bobbing along, bobbing along….
Chris and I took a small boat out onto the water from Mylor Harbour last Monday . We packed a picnic, our life jackets and the dog (also with her life jacket) into the car and headed off for a bit of an adventure.
Those of you who know me well enough by now know how much I love the water. Armed with a map and instructions we headed out from Mylor and made our way up to Malpas. I was more than a little thrilled at the chance to see my ‘patch’ from the sea.
The dog settled herself in the bottom of the boat, lulled to sleep by the motor and the gentle rocking and with Chris as ‘crew’ I navigated our way along the coastline.
The sea was calm and I thought about Jesus’ decision to take to a boat and cross the lake in order to get some rest after teaching the crowds that were following him.
There is something so calming about watching the sun glinting on the water, the motion of the boat and the sound of the waves gently lapping. I can quite see why Jesus thought that this was the best way to recharge his batteries and to still his mind.
Standing in the back of the boat, tiller in hand, I could let the peace of being out on the water wash over me. It gave me an opportunity to thank God for the day that we were sharing and to have some quiet time to talk to God.
We chugged our way past Loe Beach, Trelissick and on towards the King Harry ferry. We watched the wildlife and took in the beauty of our surroundings.
It’s not often that I completely ‘switch off’. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not good at it. I am a work in progress where relaxation is concerned. Having to focus on which way round the buoys to navigate, watching for other boats and the ferry forced me to focus on being present in the present.
Jesus asked us to be present in the present; to keep a watch for His coming. Being so distracted that we take our eye off the ball and miss his Him, we do at our peril. It is something that I have to work on and something that I often pray about.
Our boat journey brought us to Malpas and we dropped anchor there. Out came the picnic, for us and the dog! We sat and drank coffee watching the herons, just bobbing about on the water. One of my favourite books is ‘Wind In The Willows’ and it all felt very like the picnic laden boat trips on the river of Ratty and Mole (I’ll leave you to decide who was who!).
Water features heavily in the Gospels. Jesus walked along the shoreline, walked on water, was baptised with water and turned water into wine. After his baptism in the Jordan God said, “You are my Son, the beloved. With you I am well pleased”. Jesus was alert and ‘present’ to God in that moment to be able to hear God telling him that he was his Son and that he was well pleased with him. A profound moment between heavenly Father and Son, one of affirmation and love.
This week has been one where I have been focussing upon meeting with bereaved families and writing funeral liturgy, eulogies and speaking to Funeral Directors. Again, it is very much about being present in the present and offering comfort, love and support to those who are preparing to say their final farewells to a loved one. It is such a difficult time for bereaved families and finding the words that God wants me to say requires being in the moment and listening.
I am reminded of the piece of music that we played at my own Dad’s funeral, ‘A closer walk with thee’ sung by Ella Fitzgerald. The lyrics ask for a closer walk with Jesus, to be upheld and supported by Him in our lives. ‘A daily walk close with thee, let it be, dear Lord let it be’. ‘If I falter, Lord who cares? None but thee dear Lord, none but thee’.
We are assured of God’s closeness each day, whatever life brings.
“Guide me gently safely to they kingdom’s shore’ the song goes. Funeral ministry helps those who are grieving to be reassured that God is with them, guiding them every step of the way, walking beside them.
He will never abandon us, ever. God promised that, through the death of His Son, He has guided their own loved one into his Kingdom, to the glory that is eternal life.
Last Sunday we were joined by Archdeacon Paul at our joint service of worship at St Piran’s church. He read Banns, swore our two Churchwardens in and preached a very moving sermon. It was a blessing to have him with us.
Afterwards we shared refreshments and parishioners had baked some delicious cakes for us to enjoy. Our Archdeacon went home with a doggy bag which he posted onto Twitter the next day, as he was enjoying his lunch!
A big thank you to everyone who baked treats.
It was wonderful to see so many people gathered, enjoying each others’ company, sharing chat and laughter. It was a great morning and there was a lovely atmosphere both in church and in our hall afterwards.
It is good to gather for combined worship every fifth Sunday, to come together as a group of churches. A joint service is a way that we can come together as a group of churches; to worship together, to pray together, to support one another and to get to know each other better.
I’ve ministered in three different benefices and each one shared worship on a fifth Sunday, perhaps three or four times a year. It is often the only time that our congregations intentionally come together and share worship. I believe that it is important for us to have these opportunities, especially as we are a fairly new benefice.
An important practice that every Priest is encouraged to do is to take time for a retreat. This is to ensure that we have time to step back a little, to spend time in prayer and bible study, to reflect and to spend time with God.
I plan to spend some time on retreat from Monday 8th August - Wednesday 10th August. I will be holding a wedding rehearsal, as planned on the Tuesday evening.
I’m now asking you for some for some help from volunteers. On 3rd September the HAIRE project is holding a ‘Picnic in the Park’ at Retallack Playing Field in Feock. We are hosting a stand offering cold drinks and snacks. It is a wonderful opportunity to spread the word about our churches, to offer children some craft to do and to talk about our youth ministry.
If you have any time that you could offer to help out I would be very grateful. I am hoping that we can work short shifts on the stand. Please contact me on 01872 276 357.
Whatever your week holds, may the waters be calm and know that the hand on the tiller is God’s.
Every blessing
Revd Karen
‘Let them eat cake….!’ (a Purrfect Day)
At Sunday’s Holy Communion Service at St Piran’s church we welcomed back our Archdeacon Paul. It was good to have him amongst us again as he swore in our Churchwardens, Paul and David. He also read the Banns for one of our wedding couples.
The Bride was present , with her Mum, at the service. She was wearing the most fabulous ‘pasty’ shaped earrings! Mum did say that she wasn’t going to wear these on her Big Day however. I disagree, I think that she should!
AD Paul gave us the most heartfelt and moving sermon, talking about his own recent experience of having cancer. It certainly moved parishioners. We were grateful for a sermon which came from the heart and spoke so eloquently of his experiences. It was good to see AD Paul looking so well.
After the service we shared lots of home baked cakes and goodies. It was so lovely to see so many folk from across all three of our parishes chatting, laughing and enjoying fellowship. I couldn’t have asked for more from the anniversary of my first service in The Waterside Churches. Thank you to everyone who brought along cake to share, it is very much appreciated.
A whole year has passed since I joined you, a year since God called me to be your Vicar. I said at my licensing service that it was a privilege to be your Vicar and that sentiment still stands.
A year ago I didn’t know many of you. I had met some parishioners during my interviews but most of you were still strangers.
A year on and this morning brought a very different scene. Over the past year Chris and I have got to know so many of you, which is such a blessing to both of us. You now know me well enough for us to be able to share jokes and to laugh, to share your good and bad times, to pray with you and to enjoy a brew and a slice of cake together!
I have the privilege of sharing your lives, your worship, your joys and your sorrows. It’s always good to pick up the phone and to hear, ‘I just rang you for a chat’.
As I drove away from church my heart was full. I thanked God for all that our time together had brought. As I looked around the church hall I could see folk chatting, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Three churches joined together as a benefice, being together and growing together.
Saturday brought our fourth Men’s Breakfast. Chris hosted and I was back at the stoves, ably assisted by Mandy, Veronica, Trish and Robert. Our number had grown again and 20 sat down for a Full English Breakfast. The quiz was very competitive and Tim was a hidden weapon on one of our tables! Once again, there was lots of laughter and chat as breakfast was devoured.
More good news is that Lorraine, our Safeguarding representative for St Piran’s can now train those who need their C0 and C1 safeguarding training. Lorraine is a diligent and thorough safeguarding officer and it is a tribute to her hard work that she can fill this role for us.
I conducted a memorial service last week for a much loved Aunt. Afterwards, one of the congregation spoke to me. He started, “I hope you don’t mind me saying…” Oh dear, thought I, what’s coming next?! He went on, “you are very ‘human’ for a Vicar and you could laugh with us”. Phew! I have heard that comment a few times lately, ‘you are very human for a Vicar’. I’m not sure what people think we are if not human but I do acknowledge and understand what they mean. A ‘collar’ can be a great conversation starter or it may put people off.
When Chris initially tells people what I ‘do’ he sometimes gets an odd reaction. People are sometimes afraid to make jokes or, if they let out a swear word, they apologise, because he is a Vicar’s spouse. When they get to know him more they also tell him that he is ‘very human’, for a Vicar’s husband!
Being ‘human’ I think equates to being approachable, of being able to see the funny side, of being the face of the church in a way that is not too distant. I hope and pray that we draw alongside people in a way that they can relate their own lives to.
Speaking of being human, I managed to eat a cat treat this week, much to the hilarity of Chris and our CW Paul. It’s a long story and perhaps best not to dwell on my unusual snack… It wasn’t my finest moment and it tasted vile. I have heard every single feline based comment and joke about it from Chris and Paul, at my expense of course!
The ‘Dreamie’ treat wasn’t nearly as tasty as the cake we enjoyed on Sunday. I cannot see what cats find so attractive in them and I shan’t be repeating the experience!
Before I sign off this week, I want to mark this one year anniversary of my being with you to talk about Chris. I haven’t mentioned to him that I am going to do this and he will be embarrassed when he reads this. I wouldn’t be able to be a Vicar without his support. He is my quiet, unassuming confidant who always has my back. He has alway been unwavering in his support and goes above and beyond to help me. Chris is fiercely loyal. I am always aware that there are sacrifices to be made as a Clergy Spouse and he hears and sees the whole of this Vicar’s life. He celebrates when I do and feels the hurts when I do. We live a very public life in so many ways and I am conscious that Chris lives this life because he of my ministry. I will always be so grateful that God brought Chris into my life and for his love, kindness and humour.
Thank you for making Chris feel so welcome here, it’s wonderful to see him flourishing in Cornwall.
Whatever your week brings, may it be blessed. Heartfelt thanks for the past year and here’s to the next one!
Revd Karen
Can you play with a beach ball in church….?
Well, yes you can if you are Devoran School!
Devoran School came to the church on Tuesday for their end of year celebration services. The children came in three groups and yes, we played with a beach ball! Each student who caught the ball told us something that they had done in the last year that they were proud of.
It was a joy to have the church full of children, to celebrate all that they had achieved and to thank God for what has been and what is to come. The children had achieved so much and they showed us some wonderful work.
And talking of children….Messy Church held its second session in Devoran Village Hall on Sunday. The volunteers put so much hard work into preparing each session and would appreciate any help that can be offered. The group would like to have a few more volunteers to help set up, clear away and to prepare the sessions. If you could help please contact Anne Ramsden on 01872 864049.
Our work with children and young people is vital to the life of the church and it can only continue if we have enough volunteers to maintain our ministries.
The children and their families are the future of our churches and we need ensure that we are nurturing new faith. Please do consider whether you can help in any way.
St Piran’s church held the Christening of Taron Harrison on Sunday. It is always good to welcome a new member of the family of Christ. I love conducting a Christening. It’s such a joyful occasion; full of hope. We are there, right at the beginning of a child’s journey with Christ.
I had an interesting conversation about our BCP (Book of Common Prayer) Holy Communion Service which is held in St Piran’s Church on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 8.30am. It is a service which I describe as ‘balm for the soul’. It is a ‘said’ service (no hymns) and which starts a Sunday morning off in just the most perfect way. The language is traditional and we come together at the Lord’s Table to share Holy Communion.
If you haven’t been along to this service I would highly recommend it. All are welcome and there is plenty of help available from other worshippers if you are new to the service book. David and John volunteer to ‘set up’ for me and I am always grateful for their gentlemanly and calm assistance.
A ‘BCP Week’ is one in which I write two sermons. The Lectionary for the BCP and Common Worship services are different and so I get to study two different pieces of scripture in the same week. I’m prone to get carried away as I dive into the Scripture and by the end of my sermon writing there are Bible commentaries all over my desk and it is covered in Post it notes!
Please do keep the following parishioners in your prayers:
Cariad Dallow as she prepares for the funeral of her late husband John.
Sarah and Sophie Winfield as they prepare for the funeral of Nigel, which takes place this week.
Also for the family of the late Dennis Smitheram as they prepare for his funeral on 4th August in Perranarworthal.
The family of the late Sally Bruce will gather this week at St Feock church for her memorial service.
It is always a privilege and an honour to be asked to conduct funeral ministry and to support a grieving family. The loss of a beloved family member is such a difficult time. Each family appreciates knowing that they are being upheld in prayer by our churches.
May your week be blessed
Revd Karen
I’m definitely not cool…!
Years ago, the students that were in my year group would call anything or anyone who was in fashion or on trend as ‘cool’. As their Head of Year, I couldn’t be classified as being ‘cool’. During this current heatwave I definitely wouldn’t be described as cool! Layers of clothing and ‘clericals’ don’t make for keeping cool in the heat.
It’s a job for anyone to remain cool in this weather and this week is only going to get hotter. Please may I ask you to make sure that you heed the warnings and keep hydrated and don’t go out during the hottest part of the day. If you are struggling in any way and need help please do not hesitate to call me. Please do not take any risks with your health or wellbeing whilst its is so incredibly hot.
To coin a phrase that my students used to say, there have been some very ‘cool’ things happening in our churches over the past week. There are also plenty of exciting new events coming up in the coming weeks too.
On Saturday I Baptised a delightful baby, who was joined by 38 grown ups and 20 of his young friends and family. The children took wands of Rosemary and ‘reminded’ the adults of their own Baptisms by sprinkling them with the Holy water! They all had great fun and were delighted to be invited to give their family a good dousing. It was such a joy to have St Piran’s full of children, laughter and very obliging grown ups.
Last Sunday evening our CTUTC open air service saw Revd Simon getting his knees out! It was such a warm evening that he donned shorts for the service. We were joined by over 30 other worshippers in the sunshine. I wasn’t quite so brave and decided that my knees were not fit for human scrutiny!
It is always a blessing to hear about those who feel God’s calling upon their lives and to encourage their ministry. More of our parishioners are exploring their vocations and listening to where God is calling them, which is good news. The Holy Spirit is definitely moving in this place.
On Sunday afternoon our Celtic Service of worship reflected upon what it means to be ‘a feather on the breath of God’; ready to listen to God’s calling on our lives and prepared to be blown gently along by God.
Messy Church takes place again next Sunday afternoon (4pm) in Devoran Village Hall. If you would like to join in the fun, craft, worship and afternoon tea do come along.
Plans for the Waterside Churches Summer Bible Club are well under way. Please pre-register your child’s place on the website or contact Mrs Chris Ryan on 01872 864203. The Club starts on 4th August and runs to the 6th (at the Perranwell Centre), ending with a BBQ for children and their families.
On Sunday 7th August there is a special Summer Club service of celebration. Do come along to support our young people and hear about what they did at the club. The theme is the story of Noah (more water!).
On Tuesday we will be welcoming the students of Devoran school into church for their end of year celebration service. It will be wonderful to welcome the school back into church. We will be giving thanks for all that the past year has brought and celebrating the end of term. I am going to tell the story from Luke’s Gospel about the man who is trying to give a party but nobody can come. It’s not a celebration unless you share it with others!
We gathered in St Feock last Tuesday to say goodbye, to remember and to celebrate the life of the late Mrs Barbara Eveleigh. Her Grandson read and played the recorder beautifully in tribute to his much loved Grandmother.
On Friday the family of the late Mr Ken Tiddy came to St Piran’s church to inter his ashes. I had the privilege of conducting his funeral in February. We gathered in the sunshine to lay him to rest in the graveyard.
Whatever your week brings, I pray that you are ‘cool’. Do keep safe and I read that keeping flannels in the freezer and using them as cold compresses helps. A colleague of mine straps ice packs wrapped in tea towels around her middle, under her warm cassock! I may give it a try….
Every blessing
Revd Karen
Karen's Latest Musings
A Priest friend (from Harlow) posted a picture onto his Instagram page this week of a blue sky and some beautiful, wispy clouds. The clouds looked like downy feathers. He quoted Hildegard of Bingen about being a feather on the breath of God.
Hildegard was an extraordinarily gifted woman born in 1100, in Bermersheim, Germany was given to the church at the age of eight. The tenth child of Hildebert of Bermersheim and Mechthild of Merxheim, she was promised as a tithe to the church from her birth. She was later to become an abbess.
‘Today she is best known for her music. Yet her compositions form only a small part of her story. She was a polymath: a visionary, a theologian, a preacher; and early scientist and physician; a prodigious letter writer who numbered kings, emperors and popes among her correspondents. She was an artist, not only in the musical and literary sense but in painting and, it would seem, architecture. She even invented her own coded language.’
“Listen ; there was once a king sitting on his throne. Around him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself, but because the air bore it along. Thus am I ‘a feather on the breath of God’”
God calls each of us to be His feather – responding to where He calls us. To be responsive to His nudges. To be open to His grace.
If we imagine that we are each a feather on the breath of God, where do you feel that God is gently blowing you, leading you?
For a Priest like me, it is always a joy and a huge blessing to see where God is gently leading others in their own answer to his calling. It may be a gentle nudge to begin writing our prayers (intercessions) and to leading prayers in church. It may be that you feel that God is calling you to give us a ‘talk’ and to expound the Word of God. It may be that you feel that God is giving you nudges towards Lay or Ordained Ministry.
The image of a feather on the breath of God is one of lightness, of freedom to be blown. The feather allows itself to be blown and to see where the breath of God will take it.
In our hectic world it can be difficult to allow ourselves to be blown gently and to see where God is taking us. We like to have some control; our lives are busy and there is often precious little time for such freedom.
To float where and when He wills and only at His bidding takes some learning. This feather tries too often to have energy of her own, and direct her own path/trajectory.. instead of resting on the loving breath of God and letting it all depend on Him. ‘Let go and let God…’ is one of Chris’ favourite sayings. God sees and knows our true potential. I wonder what amazing potential we would reach if we did ‘Let go and let God’?
Part of my ministry is to encourage, to release and to encourage the flourishing of others potential; to their calling from God. If you feel that God is nudging/calling/pulling/pushing or indeed blowing you on his breath, please get in touch for a chat.
As I write this the weather has taken a turn. The heat is wonderful if you are swimming in the sea or sitting under the shade of a tree with a cool drink (wishful thinking…?). As the weather gets even hotter this week please do take care of yourself. Please keep hydrated, rest when you need to and keep out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. I am trying to invent imaginative ways to air cool my woollen cassock and ‘clericals’. I am a ‘hot mortal’ at the best of times and wearing layers of vestments can be tricky. If you find your Vicar flagging and looking like a boiled beetroot at any time during this coming week please feel free to apply a bucket of cold water to the aforementioned Cleric….
Whatever your week brings, keep cool, take care of yourself and may it be blessed.
Revd Karen
‘Now where has that time gone…?’
Social media feeds are full of ‘New Revs’ during Petertide. Joyful pictures of the newly Ordained celebrating with their friends, families and church families fill my social media feeds and they bring back very happy memories.
I celebrated the anniversary of my Priesting last Friday and Chris took me out for a lovely meal. We shared memories of the day and wondered where the time has gone! Becoming a Priest; making vows and promises, being supported by other Priests is such a privilege. It is truly humbling and made me feel that I had somehow ‘come home’ and that being a Priest was what God had planned for my life.
Ordination to the Priesthood is such a special day. It comes at the end of a four day Ordination Retreat, away from loved ones and spent, on the whole, in silence. I was in Sarum College, opposite Salisbury cathedral and Chris was at home in Okeford Fitzpaine.
I am a real ‘home bird’ and it was difficult to be away from Chris at such a time.
We met again just before the service, in the Cathedral. I had never been so glad to see him and there is a photograph that shows my relief!
It is also a year since Chris and I moved to Cornwall. Where has that time gone? It seems to have passed by in a flash! Thank you to everyone who has made us feel so welcome. I am always very conscious of the sacrifice that all Clergy spouses make to support the vocation of their wives and husbands.
For Chris it has meant two moves of County and two new roles in Tesco, where he works.
Chris has always been an incredible support to me. He is a wonderful ‘ear’, a confidant and a guide as well as someone who makes me laugh. He also gets to see the highs and the lows of my ministry. He is also protective of me and ensures that I take time off when I need it. It is not always easy to be a Clergy spouse as they get to see and hear when Clerics take the flak, which seems to be inevitable in ministry.
I never underestimate the impact that this has upon him. When there is any tension, pain or hurt he feels it too, because he loves me.
We have always been a great team and I couldn’t do what I do if he wasn’t beside me. I am truly blessed in this way.
Chris is also growing in his own ministry, which is another great blessing. He led the W4All service in Devoran. The W4All team are wonderful and together they produce a family friendly service once a month. There were 8 children of all ages in church last Sunday, which is fabulous news.
Our offering of services and outreach to children is growing in the benefice and is enthusiastically supported by our volunteers in Devoran and Perranarworthal.
I led the service in St Piran’s church and we were joined by Revd Celia, a Methodist Minister. Celia preached for us and there was plenty of laughter shared as she gave her own personal testimony.
We had forty in the congregation and it is a true blessing that we have Methodists amongst our number. We are truly the body of Christ, joined together in worship and praise. It is so good to see the numbers who are worshipping on a Sunday morning increasing.
Nina led our service in St Feock church on Sunday morning. Our organist, George, has just come to the end of his A Levels and will, God willing, be heading off to University in September. Please keep George in your prayers as he waits for his exam results. It is an exciting time for George as he contemplates a new era in his education journey. Sadly for us, he will be leaving and will no longer be playing the organ for us whilst at Uni. George plays magnificently and he will be a real loss. Over the past year I have had the joy of watching George grow in confidence, both in his playing and personally. You couldn’t ask for a lovelier young man and I will miss his quiet, gentle personality on a Sunday morning.
On July 31st we will be holding our joint benefice service of worship at St Piran’s church at 10am. Our Archdeacon, the Venerable Paul Bryer will be preaching. It is also another anniversary. It will be a year since my first Sunday service with you. We will be celebrating with tea/coffee and cake afterwards (what else would there be, this is church after all!). Do join us, all welcome. If you would like to join us but getting there is an issue do let me know and we can arrange transport for you.
Whatever this week holds for you, I pray that it is blessed.
Revd Karen
Four Services and a wedding…
Last week was a very busy one in The Waterside Churches. It all got a bit Messy in Devoran on Sunday afternoon as The Carnon Valley Messy Church relaunched after the pandemic.
I have so much news to share with you. If I were you I’d grab a cup of tea or coffee, a biccie and your diary now before you read on…
Anne, Jane and the team welcomed children and their parents to enjoy an afternoon packed with activities, craft, worship and a Bible story. A fabulous feast followed and Doug played the accordion. What more could any child want from a Sunday afternoon?! It was so good to see Messy Church in our community and to be able to offer another strand to our ministry to young people.
If you feel that you could offer any support to this monthly group please do let Anne Ramsden (Church Warden in Devoran) know. More volunteers would be very welcome.
On Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of conducting the wedding of Olivia and Henry in St Feock Church. It was a joy filled occasion and the church was filled with the most beautiful summer flowers. Seeing two people who love each other joined in holy matrimony is one of the greatest joys of being a Priest.
Our churches held four services of worship on Sunday morning. The BCP Holy Communion Service on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 8.30am in St Piran’s is a blessing. It is a service which is supported by a loyal congregation and one to which anyone is welcome. It is a service which I have grown to love and appreciate in my own ministry. Its's balm for the soul.
Unfortunately, the shadow of Covid-19 is still with us and we have had a few cases in all of our villages. Our parishioners are a wonderful bunch and help and support was offered to those who were poorly very quickly and safely. During phone calls to those who were poorly I learned of others who had tested positive, so please remain vigilant and keep yourselves safe. Covid hasn’t gone away and we still need to look after one another.
Please keep Mr Rod Thoms and his wife Joyce in your prayers as Rod is in Treliske hospital at the moment.
The last few days have seen the love of Christ reflected by so many who have supported and helped those who are poorly and their families. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who swung into action and got done what needed to be done with love and care.
Chris and I are planning the next Waterside Churches Men’s Breakfast. It will be held on 30th July at the Perranwell Centre from 9am. Chris will be hosting and I will be at the hob again whipping up a full English cooked breakfast, If you think that you could come and help to set up and to serve breakfast we would be very grateful, please give me a call.
Do let Chris or I know if you would like to book a breakfast on 01872 276 357.
The Waterside Churches Summer Holiday Club team met last week to make final arrangements for the re-launch of the club. Children aged 5 and above are welcome to come along to the Perranwell Centre on 4th/5th and 6th of August. The theme is ‘Red Alert! Flood Warning: the story of Noah’ It promises to be a full few days of fun, craft, Bible Stories, games, bell ringing, singing and food. We finish on Saturday afternoon with a BBQ.
On Sunday 7th Sunday I will be leading a special Summer Club service to celebrate the children and the club. If you would like to book a place for your child do check the details on the website or call Mrs Chris Ryall.
On 31st July we will be holding a joint benefice service in St Piran’s church. Our Archdeacon, Paul, will be preaching. It will be a year since I joined you all (where has that time gone?!) and we will be sharing coffee and cake after the service at 10am. It will give us an opportunity to look back at all that we have done over the last year together and to look forward to what is to come. All welcome, do please join us.
Well, I hope that you enjoyed your cuppa and biscuit as you read about just some of the news and things that are happening in our churches. I hope that if you dunked your biscuit it remained intact (there’s nothing worse than your dunked biccie dropping into your brew!). Personally I’m not a ‘dunker’ as I can guarantee that I would end up with a soggy ‘Rich Tea’ mess…
I do however drink copious amounts of tea (I am a real Vicar cliche). Perhaps I'm a bit old fashioned but I like my tea made in a tea pot (with fancy tea cosy of course) and leaf tea, served in a china cup. I am a bit of a collector of china tea sets and love scouring antiques and charity shops for them.
If you fancy sharing a cup of something I am always very happy to share a pot. It’s much nicer to share chat over a brew than to drink alone, just let me know and I’ll have the kettle on.
I wonder what the Waterside Churches biscuit of choice is? For me, a Rich Tea can’t be beaten. Chris prefers a chocolate digestive, undunked. I am also partial to a Garibaldi (we used to call them a ‘fly cemetery’ at school).
Whatever you week holds I pray that it is blessed.
Revd Karen… off to put the kettle on again and warm the pot.
‘Love actually is all around…’ (to quote Hugh Grant)
The opening scene of the film ‘Love Actually’ shows the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport and the loving reunions between family and friends. Hugh Grant’s Voice-Over of the scene talks about love. His last line is “Love actually is, all around”.
Last weekend the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the diocese. On Friday evening he spoke about ‘Jesus shaped love’. As a very ‘visual’ person the image that popped into my head at that moment was of the outline of a man, akin to a jigsaw piece in the shape of Jesus.
Justin asked the churches in the diocese to take our worship outside, to be visible witnesses in our communities. All three churches held their services outdoors (despite the rather wintery weather!). Like the early Christians, we met to worship and praise god outside. Those early Christians did not have churches (they weren’t invented!) And often met outside or in their homes (if there was room). They defied the risks and persecution to be visible witnesses to God’s love.
The image of ‘Jesus shaped love’ gave me food for thought. In my mind I saw a Jesus shaped puzzle piece, which led me to think of a Jesus shaped ‘hole’ in an unfinished puzzle. Jesus represents love in its purest, greatest and unending form. What does a ‘Jesus shaped’ hole look like?
1 Corinthians 13 tells us, starting at verse four, ‘ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres’.
This is a marvellous piece of Scripture because it tells us what love is and also what it isn’t. We know and live this Christian love in our own lives though…don’t we? The church in Corinth seemed to have forgotten “Jesus shaped’ love.
This letter from Paul, was written to correct what he saw as the erroneous views in the Corinthian church. He had heard reports that things were not well in the church. Paul challenges believers to examine every area of their lives through the lens of the Gospel. Among the problems in this early church were claims of spiritual superiority over one another and Paul set out to demand higher ethical and moral standards.
Chapter 13 of the epistle begins with a very clear message to the Corinthians, ‘If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.’
To quote the singer Tina Turner, ‘What’s love got to do with it’. Paul tells us that love has everything to do with it. He makes it clear that we should be living witnesses and examples of this Jesus shaped love. We are nothing if we do not live our lives as Jesus examples to us. It’s all just hot air otherwise. If we don’t live out the love of Jesus, if we give into human pettiness and ego we may as well be a clanging cymbal; all sound and no true meaning.
Lascelles Abercrombie, in his poem ‘Hymn to love’ says, ‘For love doth use us for a sound of song, and love’s meaning our life wields, making our souls like syllables to throng his tunes of exaltation’ and ends with, ‘Yea, love, we are thine, the liturgy of thee, thy thoughts golden and glad name, the mortal conscience of immortal glee. Love’s zeal in love’s own glory. I am sure that Abercrombie must have been familiar with I Corinthians.
We are called to be Christians to sing a pure and true song of love, not to bang away on a cymbal or gong, dancing to our own tune for our own ends.
Paul tells us, ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’ When it comes down to Christina faith and witness in its simplest form, it is all about love; The Jesus shaped love that has been given to us by our saviour, Jesus Christ. A love that he asks us to example to everyone whom we meet.
Whatever your week holds, may it be full of love, both given and received.
Every blessing
Revd Karen
Crowns, community, cake and… more cake!
The Queen’s Platinum weekend was an historic occasion. None of us have ever seen one before and we won’t again. It was a packed weekend of celebrations and all three of our churches held special services.
Sunday 5th June was also Pentecost. We remember the day that God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples and, in turn, to us. Jesus promised that we would not be left alone and we received the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide, to comfort and to inspire us.
I wrote the Order of Service for 5th June to reflect the twin themes of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration that the Queen’s own faith brings to her life and work. Each community celebrated differently with one theme running through them all… cake!
It wouldn’t be a church ‘do’ without plenty of cake to go around. The local bakers pulled out all of the stops and there were some magnificent cakes and bakes to enjoy.
The Queen has seen so many changes during her 70 year reign. There have been huge leaps forward in medical treatments, man has gone to the moon and technology is unrecognisable. Fashions have come and go… twin sets, platform shoes, mini skirts, loon pants, kaftans and the drainpipe trouser have all been worn.
My Mum’s cousin was a chaplain at Windsor Castle and my Dad’s cousin was a Vicar in Suffolk. Generations later and I follow suit as a Vicar. The life and ministry of a Cleric has also changed over the last 70 years. It is more unusual to find one Vicar as the Incumbent of one church. My distant relatives would probably not recognise too much about my ministry today. For one thing, women were not allowed to become ordained priests in their day.
The one thing that hasn’t changed is the commitment to a Priest’s calling from God. It is a call to lay aside one’s life and dedicate it to God and to the community which they serve. Becoming a Priest takes at least seven years and their calling from God is discerned rigorously and thoroughly during that time.
It is not a process that is taken up lightly and is undertaken with humility and prayerfully. Training takes three years in most cases and Curacy follows.
Being a Vicar is not something that I would describe as a ‘job’, it is a life. It is a huge privilege and a blessing.
During the Platinum Jubilee various television programmes spoke about the Queen’s lifelong dedication to her faith, which has deepened and matured during her lifetime.
It is something which sustains her and in which she finds hope and comfort.
The Queen’s faith is her bedrock and her mainstay, a constant throughout her life.
My ministry is to install that kind of discipleship into those whom I serve by my own example. This kind of faith is all about priorities, putting God first; loving God because He loves each of us and loved us first.
It is all about love, it’s always all about love.
Whatever your week holds, may it be blessed and full of love.
Revd Karen
Normal service is resumed….
Normal service is resumed…the flip flops have been consigned to the wardrobe, the picnic bag is back in the cupboard and the wet suits are hung up…
I returned to ministry after two weeks of annual leave with Chris and Willow (the pug) this morning. We had a wonderful two weeks exploring the Duchy, swimming, body boarding, walking and relaxing. We stayed at home and went out and about from here. The weather wasn’t quite so glorious at times but that didn’t deter us from getting out and about. I have managed to get a bit of a tan although with the rain I’m not sure of it isn’t a bit of rust….
The sea is definitely warming up and it was lovely to see others enjoying a good swim, just as we did. We are still swimming in our winter wet suits, we haven’t been brave enough to go in without them as yet! Somehow we managed to go for two weeks without a single Cornish pasty passing our lips, not sure how that happened!
One of the lovely things about having a ‘staycation’ is that there is no unpacking to be done! It was good to be able to come home after a day out and be in our own home and to sleep in our own bed!
Whilst I was away ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ began. I do hope that you are joining me in praying for five people to come to know Jesus in their lives during this nine days of prayer.
Tonight brings our Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Service at St Piran’s Church in Perranarworthal at 7pm. We will be praying for others as well as for ourselves and our churches/communities. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to join our prayers together and to support one another in prayer.
There will be prayer stations around the church which will focus our minds on who and what we are praying for. All welcome, do come along and join us.
As promised, I prayed for you all whilst I was sitting on Mawgan Porth beach. It was a gloriously sunny and warm day and, along to the sound of the lapping waves I spent some time in prayer. I don’t usually pray whilst in a wet suit and sea shoes but I’m sure that God didn’t mind…
Praying outside is something that I do quite often, somehow being immersed in God’s marvellous creation focusses the mind.
Do keep checking the website for updates on Thy Kingdom Come as well as Jane’s posts on FaceBook (The Waterside Churches FB page).
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is almost upon us and a long weekend of celebrations begins. Again, do keep an eye on the website for details of events and services.
Sunday 5th June is Pentecost and we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. Our services will combine the Jubilee celebrations and Pentecost. There will be services in all three of our churches on Sunday morning at 10am.
There is a lot happening in our churches and communities over the next few weeks. The Archbishop of Canterbury will be visiting the diocese on 17th-19th June. I saw yesterday that ++Justin has mild pneumonia and has now contracted Covid-19. Please do keep his recovery in your prayers and I do hope that he will be recovered enough to join us in the diocese in June as planned.
I look forward to catching up with you all very soon as I get back into my stride after our holiday.
Every blessing
Revd Karen
KAREN'S 23RD MAY MESSAGE
Pick 5….
I may be on annual leave but I am taking this opportunity to remind you about ‘Thy Kingdom Come’.
I haven’t stepped away from the beach or kicked off the flip flops to stop and to do a bit of work.
I wrote this ‘Karen’s Corner in advance’ of the start of ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ on Thursday 26th May.
In the days between Ascension and Pentecost, it has been the habit of many Christians, for many centuries, to make the focus of our prayers the same as those first believers.
“Thy Kingdom Come’ encourages each of us to hold 5 specific people in mind in these days; so that the Gift of the Father would work through us for their sake, but also would touch their hearts.
The prayer is very simple, “Come Holy Spirit’. I would encourage you to spend a few moments thinking about 5 people who you would like to see come to know Jesus in their lives. Please pray for them.
There will be resources to help your prayers on the website and booklets in church. These resources have been prepared before hand and have been sent to Paul so that our website can be updated daily (thank you Paul). Please check the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ page daily for updates, readings and reflections.
There will be a service of prayer on 31st May at 7pm in St Piran’s Church in Perranarworthal to help us to focus our prayers. This will be a short service of worship and prayer, including the opportunity to use prayer stations. All welcome.
During ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ we are invited to discover new habits and ways of praying to God.
I hope that you will find a new spiritual rhythm to your prayers which will nourish you spiritually. We will be a part of a global wave of prayer during these days.
I hope that you will take this opportunity to join me and to pray for five people who you would like to come to know God in their lives and, God willing, get to know Him as we do.
I look forward to seeing you again next week after my holiday. Whatever your week holds, I pray that it is blessed.
Revd Karen
… on a beach somewhere in Cornwall…
… with a good book in hand….
…toes in the sand….
KAREN'S LATEST - 16th MAY
I’m here but not here….
I’m not here…
As you read this I will have put my clerical collars back in their box, the flat shoes are in the bottom of the wardrobe and my cassock is in the dry cleaners.
My wet suit is in the car, my flip flops are on and my ‘out of office’ message is on my computer.
Brothers and Sisters, the Vicar has left the building… well, not exactly but I am on annual leave for two weeks. We are staying at home but we won’t be working.
These next two weeks are an opportunity for Chris and I to spend some time together, get the wet suits out, get into the water and to rest for a while. It’s a time to spend in nature, to explore and to enjoy each other’s company.
Our daily routines change and a that is as good as a rest, as they say.
Monday 16th May would have been my beloved Dad’s birthday. He was not a ‘natural’ on holiday. He, like me, took a couple of days to unwind and to start relaxing. When I was a child he would lay my duvet on the back seat of the car and pop my pillow behind my head before we started our journey to wherever we were spending our holiday. It was his way of saying, ‘settle down, this could take some time…’ He would get into the driver’s seat, stick a Shirley Bassey tape in and off we would go, in the vain hope that we would reach our destination before midnight!
Our destination was often Cornwall or Devon. Back then, in the mists of time before the M25 and the SatNav, it was a VERY long journey. We would often see the sights of London more than once on our circuitous journey to Hayle. Mum was a dreadful map reader and I recall seeing the tourist sights of central London three times during one journey…
Someone once said, ‘It’s often the journey and not the destination that matters most’. I don’t who that was but he never travelled with my Mother.
There is a truth in that saying however. It is those travels in my Dad’s Ford Granada that I remember most. Happy memories that still make me laugh. He would give me the history of the famous sights that we were seeing. He loved history and I had to recite the history of The Monument each time we went to London.
Those holidays started a life-long love of Cornwall. I have some Cornish blood and often returned to Cornwall on holiday, it had a magnetic pull. Returning was like recharging my spiritual batteries, plugging myself back into the place where I felt truly at rest.
There was something that touched my soul. I felt at home, at peace and it was always a wrench that brought tears to my eyes when I had to get back in the car and head back to Essex.
I would sit on Mawgan Porth beach on the last day of each holiday and talk to God. I would ask Him if there was a way that I could come back to live here. I asked that same question for over 20 years.
Nothing is ever in our time, it’s always in God’s time. He knows when it is the right time for us, his beloved children.
Sometimes it’s hard to accept that. Our prayers aren’t always answered quickly or in the way that we want. God has a way of knowing what we need and not always what we want, when we want it.
Being on annual leave here in a place that means so much to me is a joy and one that I am grateful to God for. I will sit on Mawgan Porth beach at some point in the next two weeks and this time my conversation with God will be different. It will be to say ‘thank you’ and to ask him to continue to bless my life and ministry here in Cornwall.
There will be no Shirley Bassey belting out ‘Big Spender’ in the car and I won’t be sitting on a duvet on this holiday.
However, as Dame Shirley once sang, “Something in the way he knows, all I have to do is think of him. Something in the things he shows me’ (Something).
God does know and all we have to do is think of Him and have a conversation with Him and He will show us the way.
Whatever you are doing in the next two weeks, may it be blessed.KAREN'S LATEST - 16th MAYKAREN'S LATEST - 16th MAY
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KAREN'S LATEST
What day of the week is it and where am I going…?
The life of a Vicar is never dull, that’s for sure!
Last week someone told me that I couldn’t be in two places at once. I’m not That’s very true. Unless I was Hermione Grainger out of the Harry Potter novels who had a ‘Time Turner’ I can’t and I certainly wouldn’t want to be.
My diary is full, yes that’s true. However, as a very wise Vicar once told me, ‘it’s important to be present in the present’. A Vicar’s ministry is full of ‘mind swerves’ that’s for sure. One day last week I attended church business meetings, conducted an interment of ashes, arranged a Christening, visited parishioners and wrote invoices for weddings, amongst other things. Unless I am ‘present in the present’ I don’t allow God to work through any of these situations. Each one is of equal importance and it’s also important to be fully ‘present’.
Every evening I sit at my desk and check my colour coded diary (I know… but I do like a bit of organisation!) and plan my movements for the next day. I will admit that are those days when I ask myself, ‘what day is it and where am I going?!’
Underpinning all of my ministry is a robust prayer life. When I was Ordained I made a promise to my Bishop to pray the ‘daily office’ twice a day. There’s so much more than those twice daily prayers though.
I pray when I am in the car, when I sit on a beach, when I am in church and when I am shopping in Truro. I pray everywhere and throughout each day. I pray as if God is sitting/walking next to me. Sometimes I begin with ‘God, yep it’s me again, I just have another one that I want to give to you’. Sometimes it is a simple ‘Thank You!’
Other times words fail me and I just sit and offer what is on my heart to God, to leave it at His feet and simply to know that He knows. There are also times when I say, ‘Well God, that could have gone better or I could have done something different there, help me to do that next tim’.
Sometimes it’s just about sitting in the silence and listening to God and not saying anything at all. It can be when all you have are tears. Each tear can be a prayer and God sees and knows what’s caused each one that falls.
Before any service of worship it’s very important to pray. I pray with the choirs and those who are taking part in the service. Our prayers bring us into the presence of God, to offer our worship to Him and to ask for his blessing upon it. It’s a few minutes that still our minds and opens our hearts to what God will do in our worship.
From 26th May until 5th June (Ascension Day until Pentecost) we are called to pray as part of ‘Thy Kingdom Come’. During this time we are invited to discover new habits and ways of praying to God, that those we know might come to Jesus.
There will be a Service of Prayer at St Piran’s Church in Perranarworthal at 7pm Tuesday 31st May as part of ‘Thy Kingdom Come’.
Our website also has more information about this 9 days of prayer and I will be providing resources to help all of us to pray. If you would like to have a chat about prayer or would like me to pray with you or for you please give me a call.
As Christians, having prayer life which sustains us and gives us life is vital to our faith. So if you are a ‘prayer warrior’ or a newbie to praying do join in. If you would like me to pray for you or with you, just give me a call. God wants nothing more than for us to have a relationship with Him, to speak to Him. The glorious thing about that is that it doesn’t matter how we do it or when, just that we DO IT! There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to pray, it’s just about having a conversation with God, just like you do with anyone whom you love.
Every blessing
Revd Karen
Not loaves and fishes but cake and a Full English…
Jesus’ ministry often involved meals; a wedding feast, loaves and fishes that fed hundreds, fish over a fire on the beach and the last night that he spent with his disciples involved sharing a meal together.
This week I haven’t lit a fire and BBQ’d some fish as Jesus did in our Gospel reading. However, this last week has involved sharing food. Hospitality has always played an important part in my ministry and the example that Jesus gave in his ministry has always been an influence in my own.
On Friday our volunteers who had worked so hard over Holy Week and Easter gathered together at The Parish Centre in Devoran to share coffee and cake. It was my opportunity to host and to thank them in person for all of their efforts.
It was a joy to see people gathered around one long table, chatting and enjoying each others’ company.
On Saturday morning Chris hosted another ‘Men’s Breakfast’. 18 sat down to a full English breakfast, read the newspapers and again, enjoyed each others' company. I donned my pinny once more and manned the stoves. A huge thank you to Mandy and Trish whose help was invaluable.
After breakfast we had a fun quiz and those gathered guessed the theme tunes to some TV shows. David Simmons aced that part of the quiz and his knowledge of theme tunes had to be heard to be believed!
We have booked The Perranwell Centre on 30th July for another of these events. Do let Chris or I know if you would like to book a breakfast.
Staying with theme of hospitality, this week has been one of plate spinning. Keeping all of the plates spinning at the same time is a bit like some aspects of ministry. When the dog ate my Filofax (see last week’s Karen’s Corner for that minor disaster!) I realised just how much I rely on keeping notes in the right order; with deadlines that are colour coded. Ministry involves so many different threads that it reminds me of a meme that made me laugh, ‘My mind is like my internet browser. 19 tabs are open, three of them are frozen and I don’t know where the music is coming from…’
I have found a system that works for me but like all things that are linked to a human, it’s not fool-proof. I have found a peace with that fact and that it is OK. I would never profess to be perfect, nobody can. That takes me back to our gospel reading for last week. Jesus asks Peter to look after his sheep, his flock. He knew that Peter had denied him and had run away the night before he was crucified. Despite this human reaction He felt that Peter was just the right man to look after his flock. He knew that Peter loved Him and that his heart was for Jesus’ followers. I take great comfort in that.
As a Vicar there is always lots of time spent doing paperwork, organising and ensuring that one is on top of everything that needs to be done. There is joy to be found by stepping away for a while and having a good catch up with parishioners over a coffee. If you would like to join me for a cup of something please do give me a ring. I am always just on the end of the phone if you would like a chat. If I am unavailable do leave a message and I’ll get back to you (07591 240 640). I am a bit of a Vicary cliche in that there can never be too much tea!
Whoever you are sharing your hospitality with this week I pray that it is a blessed one.
Revd Karen
Karen's Latest Thoughts
The Best laid plans....
I had a plan for last week. I should know better by now that the best laid plans of mice and men etc etc....
My plan was to take a bit of time off after a busy Holy Week and Easter Day. However, things didn't quite pan out. Instead the week was busy, filled up with enquiries about weddings and memorial services, meetings and other things and before I knew it the weekend was upon me.
I did get some quiet time and finished reading a short novel, which is in itself a novelty for me. It was a real treat to sit down with a brew and to read for pleasure. I confess that it wasn't 'War and Peace' or anything highbrow but it was a ripping good story!
Amongst the busyness of the week God was doing His usual thing, he was moving in this place. Well I say place, I mean three places! Lots of people spoke to me about Holy Week and Easter Day and how they really felt that they had 'gone on a journey' through Holy Week with Jesus and the disciples. These conversations were a real answer to prayer and were a joy to have. There were plenty of other blessings as the week went on and there is so much that is positive happening in our three churches.
I conducted the funeral of the late Doug Angwin at St Piran's Church on Wednesday and the church was full of Doug and Sue's friends and family. Please do keep Sue in your prayers at this difficult time.
Thursday brought the monthly planning session for the Devoran Worship For All meeting. It's always good top join the team and to help plan the service and to chew over the lectionary.
At St Feock on Sunday it was lovely to have Bishop Philip and his family join us. +Philip baptised his great Nephew and we welcomed a new member into the family of Christ.
Last week also brought a bit of an organisational hiccup as Willow (our Pug) decided that she would go into my office and eat my Filofax! As some of you know, I am a quite a traditional kind of woman where it comes to keeping life and ministry in order. I like to see a page of notes and my diary, I always have. I use a fountain pen most of the time and my Filofax contains my life between it's covers. Whilst I was at the Coffee Stop in Perranwell she had committed this dastardly deed.
Willow had not only chewed it, she had scattered all of the many pages across the sitting room floor. My life literally flashed before my very eyes... No two pages were in order, some were eaten, others were torn into pieces. She looked at me, with a corner of a page sticking out of her mouth, caught mid chew. She has a way of looking at me with her big brown eyes which means that I can't stay cross with her.
The issue is resolved, life has returned to some paper order and Willow is none the worse for wear for her foray into filing. The first thing I did was to diarise some time off next Wednesday. On Monday, my usual day off I have a Zoom meeting with the College of evangelists at Lambeth palace to discuss our services on 19th June, when the Archbishop of Canterbury is visiting the Diocese. Keep an eye open for our plans on the website.
Have a blessed week
Revd Karen
Karen’s Corner - ‘He is risen and the Vicar went down…’
I began Easter Day at a time that even the birds were only just clearing their throats in preparation for the dawn chorus.
I went into the garden to cut a wand of Rosemary for the sunrise service and tripped over our fire pit. I went down in a very undignified manner…
On Good Friday I had managed to trap my toes in the car door as Chris pulled away from Penpol. Thank goodness for the extra large bottle of Arnica gel for bruising that I keep at home!
Anywho… Christ is Risen, Alleluia Alleluia! Easter Day was celebrated in all three of our churches with a Holy Communion Service. All of the churches looked beautiful, dressed in their floral finery and adorned with the special lilies of remembrance. We had visiting family members as well as those who had not been to a service of worship before, which was a real blessing. Children and young people were amongst the full congregations, again another blessing to us.
The Easter Trail in Perranwell attracted families who joined us for our Easter Event in St Piran’s Church hall on Holy Saturday. Great fun was had by all as we checked trail answers, listened to the Easter Story and made Easter gardens.
God had certainly answered our prayers with regards to young people as we have now reinstated links with the schools, our Youth Church group is under way and our Easter Events and services attracted young families. We will now be working to build on this and finding out where God is leading us. We are all aware of just how important, on so many levels, that children and young families are to our churches.
The Walk of Witness on Good Friday was very well attended by folk from various churches. Again, young families joined us for part of the walk and it was a real joy to see children walking (or being carried aloft) along the route.
It was privilege to lead the walk as the co-ordinator for Churches Together Up The Creek. We were met at Penpol Chapel with a wonderful spread of food, which was delicious!
The folk who walked commented that they were glad of the shorter route this year due to their advancing years and I will keep this in mind for next year.
Please do check the website for more pictures of Holy Week.
My prayers and hopes for Holy Week in the three churches was that it would be a journey that we would take together. Rather than jumping straight from the triumphal entry in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the celebration of Easter Day we would travel with Jesus, as his disciples through the whole week.
Services and events were planned to ensure that churches and communities had the opportunity to deepen their own discipleship in this holiest of weeks. How can we spread the God News of the Gospel if we don’t live it ourselves?
To enable this week to happen I would like to thank our fabulous group of volunteers who worked so hard throughout this week. Services and events were planned with love and care and everyone put so much energy into all that went on in our churches.
We started on Wednesday with a reflective and powerful Tenebrae Service, complete with the throwing of 30 pieces of silver.
St Piran’s held an Agape meal on Thursday evening with foot washing and Chris led our prayer by reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, the language which Jesus would have spoken.
All three churches were offered the opportunity to sit with Jesus at the foot of the cross on Good Friday and to reflect upon his crucifixion. Thank you to Jane and Janet for leading these moving services at Devoran and St Piran’s.
Holy Saturday brought our Easter Event at St Piran’s and David Harris lit us a wonderful Easter Fire. Were joined by families in church for a service of light afterwards.
Easter Sunday stared in the most wonderful way. Jane and I were joined by 27 folk on Devoran Quay for our Sunrise Service at 6am. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect morning; a full moon, a full tide, bird song and a clear sky. It was breath taking. Revd Canon Martin Boxall blessed us all and we returned to church for coffee and croissants.
New Paschal candles have been lit, we have witnessed the promise of the risen Christ who has overcome death and we have shouted our ‘Alleluias!’. We are an Easter people and ask that our God of glory to continue to fill our churches with faith and hope.
Right, I’m off to slather my bruises in Arnica gel and I wish you a blessed week.
Revd Karen
An Easter message from Karen
Preparing for Holy Week
As Easter quickly approaches, our minds can be filled filled with ideas of what we need to do…. Preparing our homes to have our families visit us, the Sunday roast, the chocolate eggs for the children etc.
Whereas none of this is ultimately bad for us, do we really take time to consider the depth the week leading up to Easter holds?
May I encourage you to take a step back and journey through Holy Week together, with prepared hearts that draw us to the cross.
Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter, starting on Palm Sunday. The point of this week is to provide each believer reflection on the events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.
This is a week to celebrate, grieve, and rejoice in the different events that occurred as Jesus prepared for the biggest sacrifice anyone has ever made.
We can prepare our hearts for this week by learning about each day and what scripture has to say about each event that occurs.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday begins our pilgrimage through Holy Week. This day celebrates when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem the week before his crucifixion. John 12 describes people laying palm branches down in front of Jesus as he entered.
“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!'” —John 12:12-13
To prepare our hearts for what scripture has to say, read the following:
• Matthew 21
• Mark 11
• Luke 19
• John 12
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday is a day when people reflect on the Passover Meal or Last Supper. This is the day when Jesus called his disciples together for one last meal in preparation of the events that would proceed in the days to come.
"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.' When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." — Matthew 26:26-30
Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning commandment. It refers to John 13:34 when Jesus says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Here are scripture readings to prepare ourselves for this day:
• Matthew 26
• Mark 14
• Luke 22
• John 13
Good Friday
Good Friday is recognised as the day Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. Our Good Friday services will highlight and remember the blessed day when Jesus died for all our sins.
This day is a key day in the Christian faith. Meditating on this day and remembering the reality of Jesus dying on the cross to take away our sins is of utmost importance.
Here are a few Gospel references to prepare for and remember this day
• Matthew 27
• Mark 15
• Luke 23
• John 19
Holy Saturday
This day is the day between Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here are a couple of Gospel references to prepare your heart:
• Matthew 27: 62-66
• Luke 23:55-56
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is the day that we join together to celebrate the risen Christ. It is a day to celebrate and rejoice that our King has risen from grave and beat eternal death forever! To celebrate this day let’s read what God has for us in Scripture and rest in the fact that Jesus paid the ultimate price for each of us so we can dwell with God forever in his glory.
• Luke 24: 2-3
• John 11: 25-26
• Acts 4:33
• 1 Peter 1:3
• Mark 15: 46-47
• Luke 24: 6-7
• Acts 3:15
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
• Mark 16:5-7
• Matthew 27:65-66
• Luke 23: 46-47
• Romans 6:8-11
• Mark 15:32
• Romans 8:34
• Colossians 1:13-14
• Ephesians 1:20
• 2 Corinthians 5:17
• Philippians 2:8
Preparing our hearts and minds for Holy Week is important. Holy Week evokes a whole raft of emotions in us as we journey together from Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to his desperate plea in the garden of Gethsemene, to the sorrow of his crucifixion, the silence of Holy Saturday and the celebration of Easter Day.
It is a time that leave us feeling exposed and fragile as Christians as we are faced with the horror of the crucifixion, of our own frailties as Christians. There is something important for us in making the journey through the whole of Holy Week and we do this together in our worship, prayer and personal reflection.
It’s easy to jump straight from Palm Sunday to Easter Day and to miss out on the ‘messy bits’ of the denial, betrayal and crucifixion. There is no doubt that these events are uncomfortable as we are faced with human frailty.
The Good News is that by preparing ourselves to be open to what God wants to do in our lives during this coming week, He does with a huge love for us. He knows us, inside and out. He knows what’s on our hearts and what we struggle with. We journey together as The Waterside Churches to the foot of the cross, knowing that God loves us unconditionally, without boundaries.
However we travel through this week, God walks beside us in joy.
I hope that I will see you at our services throughout Holy Week and that we can share worship, prayer and our love for Jesus Christ our Servant King, together.
Have a blessed week
Revd Karen
Karen's Latest blog
Over the last few weeks I have been reflecting on the ways that hope and despair have been seen butting up against each other. Joy in the midst of abject suffering; pain in the midst of real rejoicing.
In some strange way, hope and worry were also pictured in a meme I saw doing the rounds recently, featuring two doors: 'Exit Covid' and 'Enter War'. To see war in Europe after such a long period of peace and prosperity is shocking and heart breaking. And yet we have somehow become used to the experience of morning-to-evening footage of the same bad news, having just been through two years of it in the pandemic.
Last week we celebrated Mothering Sunday. The purest picture of the giving of life, and yet also one that captures real pain for the woman who is going through her labour. The bombing of a maternity hospital was surely the most devastating of the stories that came out of Ukraine in the last month; and the photos of some of those babies born safely, some of the most joyous and poignant.
During the last couple of weeks of some of the most dreadful escalation of the war, I must admit to tuning out of much of the news. I was feeling unwell with Covid and each news bulletin brought tears and the pictures from the news stories lingered in my mind.
And two weeks ago, a short interruption in the constant updates from Ukraine, with extraordinary news of an extraordinary mother being released from Iranian prison, reunited with her little girl after an ordeal of nearly six years. Even news reporters and diplomats were filmed weeping with joy.
In these turbulent times of war and injustice we can only remind ourselves during Lent that Jesus is with us on both sides of the cross and death – He is our resurrection hope. This doesn't deny the very real pain and suffering in the world – there is a reason why he is called both the Suffering Servant as well as the Prince of Peace, the lamb slain before the foundations of the world as well as the conquering Lion of Judah. But Christ is the Alpha and Omega, in whom everything is held together: death and life, human and divine, mourning and joy, time and eternity. We need to turn to him as our firm foundation, and remember the promise that despite the uncertainty of the world, there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have a blessed week
Revd Karen
LATEST BLOG FROM KAREN
I came across this piece of prose on Twitter this week. It was tweeted by The Bodmin Hermit. He lives in solitude in Cornwall along with his Greyhound Sophie. His tweets are often very beautiful in their simplicity.
This tweet was entitled,
'Where are you God?'
I am in the next seat.
My shoulder against yours.
You will not find me in the stupas,
nor shrine rooms,
nor synagogues,
nor cathedrals;
nor masses,
nor kirtans,
nor in eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me,
I am the breath inside your body.
This reminded me of the time that a very experienced and incredibly wise Priest told me that God was always closer to me than my very own breath, closer to me than the pillow that I lay my head upon at night.
I think that it can be easy to forget that God is so close to us each and every day. In the busyness of our lives we just 'get on' with what we feel that we need to be doing each and every day. As Christians, God is the very air that we breathe. He is always there, even if we forget that He is at times.
Having had Covid-19 for the past week has made me slow down. The cough that feels as if it is registering on the Richter Scale brings one to an abrupt stop at times! Chris also had Covid at the same time and we sounded like a couple of barking seals. We would sit outside in the morning sunshine with a coffee and take it in turns, it seemed, to have a good cough in the fresh air. Not going out or being in the churches felt very odd. The quiet times that I spend in prayer in the churches was done at home.
It was good to think that God was with me, as the tweet says; at my shoulder, in the next chair. There was quiet time to be reminded that God is the air that I breathe. He is all round and ever present. When we feel unwell or are having a tough time it can be hard to find God in the messy parts of our life. I made a conscious decision to really look for God in all that was happening.
God was there in the small things of last week: having time to notice that the blossom was in bud on the trees in the garden, that there was a Robin teaching his offspring to use the bird feeders, that we could laugh at the absurdity of a joint coughing session, the glorious sunshine, the joy in reading a new book. There were also the lovely emails and phone calls from parishioners asking after our health. Thank you to all of you who got in touch, your messages were very much appreciated.
One sadness of last week was not being with Revd Jonathan and Hilary as they said Goodbye to the Waterside Churches. It has been good to have them both with us and we wish them every blessing upon their new ministry and in their new home. I know that they were given a wonderful send off and that they appreciated their gifts and cards.
I look forward to being back out and about later this week now that I have had two negative LFT. I do get 'itchy feet' if I don't get out and have a good walk. Now that the weather is warming up I'm also looking forward to getting back into the water and having a swim in the sea.
Have a blessed week, stay safe and well.
Revd Karen
BLOG
Covid-19 cases are on the rise again in our area and some of our parishioners have contracted the virus over the last week. We have been in contact with them to ensure that they have all that they need and to 'check in' on them. They are all in my prayers and I wish them a very speedy recovery.
May I respectfully request that, if you do feel unwell and are showing symptoms of the virus please do not come to church or any of the events that are currently going on in our churches. Please do a LFT test and let myself or one of our Church Wardens know: we are here to support and help you as well as to pray for you. It is imperative that we keep each other safe and well as cases rise.
Chris has tested positive for the virus this week and has been feeling quite unwell. I appreciate that we are told that the Omicron variant of the virus is not as debilitating as the Delta variant. However, for those with underlying health conditions and our older parishioners it can still 'knock them for six'.
If you feel uncomfortable about mixing socially or coming to church because of the virus do let me know. I can keep in touch by phone or pay a visit (once Chris tests negative). I think that, at the moment, it is best if I keep my distance a little until Chris is well again. I do feel a weight of responsibility to ensure that you are all kept safe and well whilst still doing what I can to support you.
March 27th is Mothering Sunday and we will be marking this in our churches during our services of worship. Mothering Sunday can be difficult for some. For those whose Mums have died or who have had difficult relationships with their Mums it can be a 'crunchy' kind of day. If you find this day difficult do give me a call, I am very happy to pray for you and to have a chat. I too, find Mothering Sunday a bit 'crunchy'. My own Mum died four years ago and I have never had children of my own. It is a blessing to be able to conduct services of worship on Mothering Sunday and I love to see families gathered and Mother figures celebrated. However, I always ensure that I have some time during the day to reflect and to pray; for my own Mum and to just 'sit' with my own feelings in God's presence.
In order to sit and reflect and to pray I need time. As we all know, time can be difficult to find in our busy lives. We are all bombarded with news and we are still dealing with the pandemic and our own lives can be chock full of 'stuff'. It is important to take some time out, to spend some time allowing ourselves just to 'be'. Self care is vital and Lent calls us to be mindful of taking time to pray, to reflect, to read and to just 'be' in God's presence as we move towards Easter.
Our churches play an important part in this self care. They are places of tranquility, of peace and of comfort. St Feock, St John and St Petroc churches are open daily for private prayer and St Piran's is open each Wednesday morning. You are always very welcome to come in and just 'be'. Sometimes there are no words that need to be found, no prayers said, just silence. God is in that silence and hears you. He knows you better than you know yourself and knows what is on your heart and in your mind.
Please do stay well and safe. Take good care of yourselves and I am only at the end of the phone if you would like to talk. I am equally happy just to sit in silent companionship if that is what you need. My husband would say that I find silence difficult as I love to chat but I can do silence when needed!
Every blessing,
Revd Karen
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'The second week of my ministry in The Waterside Churches didn't end quite as I expected! I was 'pinged' by the NHS on Wednesday evening, which was unexpected. Chris wasn't 'pinged' and neither of us have any symptoms. We are testing very regularly and we are both 'negative', which is good. We are both extremely careful and still continue to wear masks, sanitise and don't go anywhere that is crowded. It has been a reminder that Covid-19 is still very much around and we all need to be very mindful about what we do.
I would like to thank all of the Church Wardens, Revd Jonathan and our team of volunteers who have been incredibly supportive and who stepped in at the last minute to lead and help at planned services.
Being in self isolation is not something that comes easily to me, I confess. I like to be out and about on foot and I had only just got into my stride with my rota of visiting churches and parishioners. I am an 'outdoors' person and find it difficult not to be able to just 'pop out' for a good walk. My trainers are looking a bit bereft in my wardrobe! Being at home has given me the opportunity to do some extra reading however.
By nature, I am an introvert and do enjoy times where I can sit quietly to pray and to read. Sitting in silence is something that I have grown to appreciate more since training as a Priest. I have always enjoyed reading and writing a journal as well as spending time in prayer and reflection. Working as a Priest allows time to plan into my working week times of prayer and for reading and study. Prior to Ordination my work in education meant an incredibly full diary and very often no breaks during the day, with lunch eaten on the hoof or at my desk. Finding a good life/work balance was difficult and one had to be incredibly resilient. I saw many a good teacher 'burn out' and give up teaching because of this. Over the years I learned many skills that enabled me to sustain this type of working life and continue to use those skills as a Priest.
Mondays are my rest day and I will return any calls or messages on a Tuesday, unless there is a dire emergency.
Chris and I are very sociable people and enjoy the company of others and I spend a lot of time as a Vicar with others, which is a joy and a blessing. I also recognise when I need to stop and have some quiet time too. Like many things in life, it is about finding a good balance.
Chris has been sent on an errand to collect some new 'work' shoes for me this morning as I am in isolation. The shoes that I chose come from a company called 'Heavenly Feet' which seemed quite appropriate. The style of shoes also have a name, 'Angel' which is something that made me chuckle and made Chris raise a wry eyebrow! I chose 'Heavenly Feet' because they are a company who provide vegan friendly footwear and have recyclable packaging with no plastic.
Since moving into our new house I have put up lots of bird feeders in the garden. I am sitting in my office with the doors open, looking at the increasing number of birds who have found the feeders. We have a family of blue tits, a newly fledged family of long tailed tits and a father blackbird who feeds his one fledgling at them. A newly fledged Robin also visits and he is gradually gaining his scarlet waistcoat. Squirrels race up and down the trees and try to help themselves from the peanut feeder. After reading the reports of how climate change is having such an impact upon our world it has led me to reflect upon how we can do more to protect God's beautiful creation in The Waterside Churches.
I look forward to getting out and about again and to meeting more of you once my period of isolation is over. Please do let me know if you would appreciate a pastoral visit or call.
Every blessing
Revd Karen
IN THE PARISHES
KAREN WILL BE IN THE PARISHES AS FOLLOWS:
Tuesdays: Devoran. 9.00 for morning prayer - noon. Based in the church office. Includes BCP and coffee stop.
Wednesdays: St. Feock. 9.00 for morning prayer - noon. Based in the Vicar's Vestry.
Thursdays: Perranarworthal 9.00 - noon. Based in the Vicar's Vestry. Includes Coffee Stop in The Perranwell Centre