with All Saints Saxtead
A Letter from our Rector, Mark:
Celebrating Saxtead
What does it mean to celebrate a place? It is an interesting question whether you live in Saxtead or Framlingham.
Is it to celebrate the diversity of buildings, roads, facilities such as pub, Foxearth home, greens, old school and Church building? The road takes us back to Roman times, the Church to the middle ages, the windmill – and the pub and Victorian school all have played their part.
Is it to celebrate the fields and trees and buildings? – yes and we will do so in the events from an entertaining talk about the Church - and Roy Tricker is always worth listening to for history and humour with a dash of eccentricity. And we will do in the special harvest service at Saxtead on the 22nd.
History – faith – community past and present. Stories of families and individuals, coming together and disagreements hopefully finding resolution. Celebrating a place is an opportunity to think what makes a community, and what helps it to grow. The kindness and charity which formed the village Charities, people willing to take responsibility in meetings and Councils up to the present day. Loving your neighbour as Jesus and so many other religious leaders suggested. For in loving according to faith proclaimed in the Church Sunday by Sunday for as long as anyone has known is what expresses God’s love for us. Not all might agree with that, but in Celebrating the heritage and the present of Saxtead, I am glad it is not being overlooked but is part of the celebration – and that seems right and proper. Whether you agree with the faith or not – we can celebrate together and form deeper friendships and community over these days.
Best wishes, Mark
