A letter from the Vicarage – Rev’d Andy Stand

Hi Everyone,

How are we all doing? I trust you have all had (are having) a  good Summer, that you have coped with the heat and are now coping with the rain storms!

Some of you will have been waiting upon exam results (whether for yourself or someone you know and love) I hope those have gone well and that the needed grades have been attained and everyone is at least satisfied with the outcomes.

Listeners to Radio 2 in the mornings will be aware that recent Pause for Thoughts have been centred on the theme of ‘Postcards’.

I wonder have you been away at all this year and did you send any postcards?

Many of you will be aware that because of my recent surgery, Chris, James and I haven’t ventured too far, but instead did some touristy stuff around places that are local and that we just hadn’t really visited before: Tewkesbury and its Abbey; Malvern and its Priory (I was brought up regularly roaming the hills and Chris has led services in various of the Methodist churches in Malvern, but we hadn’t ever as a family visited to explore the town!)

I will confess that when we go away, I don’t really do postcards whereas Chris will normally send them to members of her family!- I expect that doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to those of you who know us well!

I wonder, if you do send postcards, what cards do you choose? Saucy joke ones – not that you’ll admit that to the vicar!; particular places and buildings or monuments and statues; or do you go for wider landscapes and scenery? Maybe that is what you enjoy doing on your holidays? Spending time out of doors (particularly given the weather we have enjoyed) at one with nature, enjoying God’s creation.

For the last few years, I have noted that, in the church calendar, September makes up the bulk of ‘Creation Season’ (which is designated to run from 1st September to the 4th October – St. Francis’ Day), a time to think about, reflect upon and give thanks for God’s creation and the environment in which we all live and move and have our being.

In line with this, this year, General Synod, has introduced a new Festival for the First Sunday in September. It is to be known as the Festival of Creation in Christ, through which we are “invited to join the growing ecumenical movement to celebrate the God who creates, sustains, reconciles and renews all things … to confess the ways we have claimed God’s world as our own, to hear again that all things were created through Christ and for Christ, and to receive the promise that God makes all things new.”

I wonder when you think of creation, what do you think of?

Do you think of God maintaining the trajectory of the planets, such that they continue to move in their orbits? Do you think of our planet, Earth, in all its variety and beauty? Do you marvel at memories of eclipses and partial eclipses? Or do you think of your own (or someone else’s) God given talents that enable creativity to flourish within you and within our communities?

As the season changes from Summer into Autumn, I encourage you to take note of that change and give thanks to God for the gift of creation (ours included) that surrounds and sustains us.

For all those of you who are beginning a new venture, or new stage of life this September, I wish you all the best.

Every blessing, Andy.