Ramblings from The Rectory 

August is the time that children love the best, or at least most of them anyway. Certainly as my husband would agree, it is a time beloved by teachers as well. No school for a whole month! There is of course still the thorny problem of the travel industry putting up prices just as the children break up from school, they would say it’s a matter of supply and demand, but however you look at it, it is still mightily unfair to those who cannot take holidays at any other time of year.

Life in the time of Jesus was hard for the local, ordinary people, oppressed by the Romans, harshly ruled by the authorities and generally left feeling unloved, unwanted and picked on by almost everyone!

Jesus spent his whole life arguing the case for the downtrodden, the poor, the sick and those who were persecuted by the invading armies of the Roman Empire. He intervened when it was necessary, even though He was jeered, booed and made himself generally very unpopular, not by the locals, the ordinary people, but by those in authority, those in charge, those who raised taxes, those who made the new laws usually to their own advantage, and not necessarily what the locals really needed or wanted.

I guess if He were around today He would have something to say about the injustice of the travel industry as well as the many, many other problems our world has today. The disagreement in The West Bank would no doubt perplex Him, but probably not surprise Him, after all they were falling out with each other when Jesus was alive! An argument that has been going on for over 2000 years is one that really needs to be sorted out.

One of my jobs as your vicar is to preside over weddings and part of my wedding preparation with the bride and groom is to talk about what happens when they have a disagreement. My final piece of advice is always to make up before the day ends, and never wake up the following morning still seething and worrying.  Wouldn’t our world be wonderful if everyone could follow that advice?

With every blessing

Rev Maggie

If you are thinking of getting married or would like a child Christened/Baptised please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Weddings have to take place during daylight hours but can be held any day of the week, including Sundays!

Baptisms do not have to be held during a church service or even on a Sunday!

I can be contacted by phone at The Rectory on 01949 81183 or by email maggie.woodward511@btinternet.com