Benefice of St Mary’s Chard, Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook and Whitestaunton

 

Sunday Letter for 5th Sunday after Lent 21st March 2021

Hello everyone,

Spring is definitely my favourite season of the year. A season of hope and new beginnings, the days are getting longer - evenings lighter.

As I walk the dogs these days I seem to have more time to take in my surroundings. At the moment I don’t have to rush to be anywhere by a certain time, unless it’s pouring with rain, of course. Around me I experience the smell of freshly cut grass; the blossom is beginning to come out on the trees in Snowdon Park; the daffodils have been, and still are, a spectacular display. Recently many saplings have been planted in Chard, different varieties tucked up in their tubes until they get stronger. I can see that the fields are changing from their muddy brown of Winter to the bright greens of Spring. In the distance I can just about see some lambs. The bird song early in the morning is wonderful, especially where there is little sound of traffic. I count my blessings that I live in such a wonderful area and try not to take the wildlife for granted.

Some of you may have seen in the local press an article about Wilder Churches. Somerset Wildlife and Diocese of Bath and Wells are aiming to support communities to encourage and to protect biodiversity in churchyards. We will be encouraged to create areas for wildlife if there aren’t any at present and to protect those that we have already. Watch this space!

Jesus compared himself to a grain of wheat planted in the ground. The seed doesn’t literally die when it lies in its wintry grave. But changes come over it, so that it’s no longer recognisable as a seed. Then, in Spring, it emerges in a new form altogether, as a green blade, and eventually an ear of wheat, to be harvested and provide food for the people, and the seed-corn to ensure a prosperous future.

But to do this the seed must die: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,                                          Wheat that in dark earth, many days has lain;                                      Love lives again, that with the dead has been;                                                      Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

 

Enjoy this wonderful season and take care,

 

Ruth

 

 

The other sign of hope is that we are going to hold two services on Easter Sunday. At St Mary’s, Chard at 10.00 am and at Combe St Nicholas at 10.30 am.

Georgina and I felt strongly that, as we missed being together last Easter, that we want to give people the opportunity to be together on our most important Sunday of the year.  Both services will be a Holy Communion service.

One of the services will be livestreamed for those who feel they are not ready to return to church just yet.

We are slowly moving towards the light at the end of the tunnel, and we hope that we will see you all before long.

In the meantime, as Ruth says, Spring is here, and the promise of new life is all around us.  God be praised.

Ann