Letter to the Parish

This month’s letter to the parish comes from Rev Helen: Well, it’s September, the sort of unofficial end of the summer. Soon the autumn will start, the leaves will change colour and fall and the winter will draw in. It’s back to school/college/university for many, enjoying that last holiday with the last bits of summer … More Letter to the Parish

La Mer – Charles Trenet (1913-2001), trans. Janet Raynor

For me, “La Mer” is a love song to the sea, shore and sky, which is why Tom and I decided to offer it during a service for Creationtide in September 2024. On the appointed day, I had to be elsewhere for family reasons, so our recording of this song is only available in the recorded version of the service that went out on Sunday 15 September … More La Mer – Charles Trenet (1913-2001), trans. Janet Raynor

Thou Visitest the Earth

This article was first published in the September 2021 issue of our parish magazine.
About a year ago, in the autumn of 2020 we had endured a full national lockdown, a summer of somewhat eased restrictions, and were entering a time of less-than-clear tiered restrictions. If memory serves, that meant that worshippers could attend services in person, but had to remain seated throughout, keep a mask on at all times, and absolutely no singing whatsoever … More Thou Visitest the Earth

Harvest 2024

I’ll be honest harvest is a festival that I have always struggled with especially as a child. I think it is very much a case of the festival has, at times, gotten behind what’s really happening in the world … More Harvest 2024

October letter to the parish

As we head towards autumn, we see the world around us change. The once green leaves of the summer months start to turn into hues of golds, browns and reds as they carpet the floor beneath our feet. The nights become longer, days become shorter and temperatures become lower. While some may feel that these events are somewhat saddening, I believe that this season can be see as one of reflection, renewal and celebration. Let me give you some examples … More October letter to the parish

The River of the Blood of Christ

So today is our last week of Creationtide and the theme is rivers, water and as soon as I say that I’m sure you will already have images in your head of streams, rivers you’ve seen, paintings, images or places you’ve visited there’s always a river or a water way. Usually quite gentle or sweet when you see these things all a bit idyllic and twee! That’s the view we have about water, it’s all a bit pretty and sweet those rivers that follow and give life to people through the water that comes from them … More The River of the Blood of Christ

December letter from our Primary School

St Margaret’s CE update… School enjoyed a lovely Harvest Service held in school (originally planned to be in church but torrential rainfall stopped that occurring!) in October. School would like to say a huge thank you to Reverend Sue, who came and delivered a lovely service. Our school community were extremely generous with donations for the Porch Box charity, which the church is supporting this year … More December letter from our Primary School

Thank You Lord

One of my favourite songs in the Sunday School Repertoire is Thank you Lord, by Mark & Helen Johnson of Out of the Ark Music. I tend to drop it into our weekly singing practices whenever I feel there is something to be grateful for – the sunshine, the rain, plentiful hot clean running water, my family, my friends, the food in the cupboards, for waking up reasonably healthy, for being born into a first-world country … More Thank You Lord