The Rector Writes – October 2015
Sally’s Scribbles
It is great to be back with you after a summer break; I have missed you. Abbie had a wonderful summer, full of smiles and laughter as well as lots of hard work and new achievements. It was good to get away, but restful would be an exaggeration. It has been a long summer in various ways and perhaps not the recuperation I had hoped for.
I’m aware it has also been a very long summer in the life of St. Nick’s resulting in the amazing production of The Tree of War. It would be difficult to add to all that has been said of it, but it would be wrong to say nothing. It was a great pleasure to have some colleagues from college come and see the production. It’s always nice to bask in the reflected glory of an incredible achievement I had very little to do with, though greatly admire.
It takes an enormous amount of grace, patience and commitment to attempt something as ambitious as The Tree of War. I am incredibly proud to be part of a community which comes together to enable and allow these things to happen. It is a great credit to you all.
It is easy to think that with the enormity of The Tree of War that nothing else could possibly be happening but, as you know, this is far from true. It is wonderful to see the variety of things that are flourishing in the life of St Nick’s at the moment. Rainbows are back, Exploring Theology is continuing to meet with much enthusiasm and excitement, the afternoon group following the Pilgrim Course continues to be a joy and appropriately challenging, Burnage Food Bank is now distributing through St Nick’s, we have a number of people preparing for confirmation and there is of course much more besides in terms of worship and fellowship. It is an incredible privilege to be part of this place and to see the ways in which God is working in and through this community.
There is, of course, a risk of losing ourselves in the busyness. I am conscious that a lot of effort and energy has been committed in various ways over the past few months and as a community we are tired. I hope that the coming weeks will provide rest and peace and an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for all that has been achieved and to look forward with hope and expectation of all that is to come.
I am back at college, back to lectures and essays, and soon back to residentials as well. I am sure in no time at all it will feel like I have never been away. This term brings Christian Doctrine and no doubt many a headache as we start to grapple with concepts such as understanding God as Trinity. The term will fly by and advent will soon be upon us. My hope and prayer for you, and for myself, in a world which is racing by is that there will be rest and cherished moments of peace, stillness and encounter in the presence of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Sally