with All Saints Saxtead
A Letter from our Rector, Mark: February - from Christmas to Lent! At the beginning of this month we have the lovely Christingle Service - please note it is a family service with Sing Praise! and with Saxtead joining us so the service will be at 11am not 9.30. It marks the feast of the Presentation when Jesus as a baby was taken to the Temple and is traditionally the last bit of the Christmas celebration. The Christingle service lightens up our February and we hope there will be lots of us to enjoy it. The 26th February is Ash Wednesday and we are into Lent. Happily but by accident St Michael’s and Saxtead’s plans for Lent all coincide with the Bishop’s Lent appeal and by the end of the month there will be more information. But the PCCs had agreed that the book for Lent should be the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book: “Saying Yes to Life”, a delightful and thought-provoking exploration of the biblical story of creation in which God himself said “Yes” to life. This comes recommended by the Archbishop as well as the Bishops and we will use it for Lent Study Groups and for private reading. The Diocese has developed a number of challenges and resources and the it is the subject of the Bishops’ Lent Appeal this year - more will follow on this. How we care for the environment is perhaps the most important world political and humanitarian topic and it is good that we have a resource to help us think about it in the light of our faith. We need to be challenged to think about what is truly happening and what our part in finding solutions is. The story of God’s care and loving creation in Genesis 1 seems a good place to begin. Mark.
FRIDAY 17th January 7-8pm and SATURDAY JANUARY 18TH 9.00 – 12.30
Read more on Exhibition of plans & ideas for the NEW St Michael's Community Rooms
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
A Letter from our Rector, Mark:
Time for God
A Letter from our Rector, Mark:
A Letter from our Rector, Mark
