Rector's Letter.

Weekend of 4th / 5th July 2020:
Fourth Sunday after Trinity

Dear Friends,

As I was reminded by someone this week, this Saturday, the first in July, is traditionally the one on which we celebrate God’s goodness to us with our Summer Celebration in Chilcompton.  Sadly, this year, this is not to be, but we non the less have much to be thankful for in our parishes. We can be thankful for the new and deeper relationships that have grown between ourselves and our neighbours as we have served, and been served, by those we live alongside.

We can be thankful for those community spirited individuals who have worked tirelessly to organise and maintain the Covid response that has cared for the most vulnerable amongst us. I am thinking here of the magnificent Parish Councils who work tirelessly on our behalf with very little acknowledgement: I have been truly amazed at the amount of email traffic they deal with every week, and how they graciously solve so many problems before some of us even notice them. 

I am thinking also of the volunteers and shop assistants at The Co-op and The Redan, who have supplied our larders and no doubt dealt with our frustration when we couldn’t find what we wanted; of our Postie Paul, and our refuse collectors, and also the wonderful staff at our school who continue to care for our children and families so professionally and with care that goes beyond the call of duty.

Finally, my grateful thoughts are also with the very many of you who have stepped up to offer both pastoral care and practical support within our worshipping community; those who make an extra phone call, those who have spent hours working behind the scenes with the IT, those who have gone the extra mile to encourage, help and support others. 

A survey in this week’s press reports that whilst many of us have felt anxious and somewhat fatigued, we are overwhelmingly grateful for their neighbourly actions and find ourselves more prayerful and thankful than we were before Lockdown.  Perhaps a good way to celebrate God’s goodness to us this year, would be to express our thanks to some of these people; to say thank you with a note or email, or a quick conversation and a smile. How might you show your gratitude today?  

I am now engaged with the PCCs in discussing what form our worship might safely take over the summer months. The challenges of Covid-19 are not yet behind us and so rest assured Zoom Morning Prayer will remain part of that picture for the foreseeable future. Please join us this Sunday, and if you are a younger member and would enjoy a challenge, you will need to bring along some kitchen scales for our activity!

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Every blessing,

Esther