“The world’s favourite season is the Spring; all things seem possible in May!”

(Edwin Way Teale, 1899-1980, American naturalist & photographer)

The Merry month of May has a unique ethos, topped and tailed by two bank holidays, and always beginning on a different day of the week from any other month in the year.  Another bit of useless information … January of the following year always begins and ends on the same day of the week as May of the previous year!  It is named from Maia, the Greek/Roman goddess of fertility.  It is the month of new life and new possibilities.

We have a new Churchwarden (see page 22) and PCC, we’re preparing for the arrival of our new curate, Karlene, and something like spring or summer seems to be a bit more “in the air”!

We also have a new event in the village on Saturday 18th May – a “Peace Symposium” organised jointly between St. Mary’s church and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK (see page 6).  This will take place in the church hall from 5-7pm and will explore the issues of peace from Muslim and Christian perspectives.  Do come along and be part of the debate; there will be opportunity to ask questions.

It’s a common view today that religion is a dangerous thing!  From my reading of the Christian angle, I have to say that the character of God seen in Jesus is never violent or tribal.  Such a God never decrees religious supremacy, ethnic cleansing, sexism or homophobia and those of us who follow him must not condone them either.  One of the oft-repeated sayings of Jesus after his resurrection is “Peace be with you”.

All of us have the opportunity of being peacemakers in our relationships and community.  How well are you doing in this respect?  The Christian difference is not just in the quality of that peace, but that we also have found peace with God which makes “all things seem possible”.

with love, Martin   

“God’s in his heaven – all’s right with the world!”

(Robert Browning, 1812-1889, English poet & playwright)