Dear Friends,

I have just been sitting looking at a blank computer screen. A few years ago it would have been a blank piece of paper. John Wright had just phoned me to remind me that my letter for the magazine was due. Easter and Pentecost had come and gone. The next festival to look forward to is Harvest but that is not until October. "So what do I have to say?" I asked myself and the answer came back rather unusually for me - nothing! Then I looked at the lectionary. This is a book that goes through the Christian year with suggested Bible readings for each day. It is split into seasons; Christmas, Lent. Easter etc. We are currently in the period the Church calls Ordinary time, hence the green coverings in church at the moment. As I thought about it, I began to realise that most of our life is lived in ordinary time. High days and Holidays are something to look forward to.

I was in London on holiday last week, and saw a poster outside Holy Trinity, Brompton which said "Jesus came to give life... life in all its fullness" (John 10:10). As I remembered that poster I suddenly realised the significance of those words. The fullness of life was not just for high days and holidays but for all those ordinary days as well! Those ordinary times in life, when we get a bit down, a bit fed up and it's important at times like these to recall some of the other words of Jesus, for instance one of my favourites is from Matthew 11 verse 28 where Jesus says "If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest", or as another translation puts it "I will refresh you". It is interesting to note that rest or refreshment here is a gift from Jesus. " I will give you rest". In other words Jesus is not saying come to me and I will hide you from the world with all its cares and problems but come to me and I will give you the rest and refreshment you will need to cope with all that life has in store for you each and every day.

Recently I visited a couple who were about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Neither of them were regular church goers but they both said to me that every morning when they wake up and see a new day they give thanks to God. Not a bad way to start the day. Bishop David at a recent confirmation service encouraged everyone to begin the day by saying good morning to God, so as we go through the day, we can continue in prayer and share with Him all the good things that happen as well as the times we need refreshment and rest. Bishop David also encouraged us to end the day by saying good night to God and thanking him for being with us through the day. I suppose what I want to say in this month's letter to you is remember that Jesus is always there with us, even in the ordinary times of life as well as the high days and holidays. He is there because he promised us he would be. He said in Matthew 28 verse 20 "I will be with you always, even until the end of this age".

Your friend and Vicar,