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Thoughts for the month....
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Harry the Caterpillar makes a discovery...
Throughout this long hot summer, life has been a little hard. His cabbage leaf is not as juicy, and nearby leaves have become dry.
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So on one of the Fiestas in Spain he decided to go and visit his close friend Book Worm. He lived in a much cooler place - an air conditioned library. He preferred short books, unlike some which are very thick.
One day recently he came across a new thin book – A field Guide to English Clergy. * The title sounds boring, what can make an English clergyman interesting. He was soon proved wrong! The various courses (Sections) covered Eccentrics, Nutty Professors, Bon Viveurs, Prodigal Sons and Rogues. Well, that looks like a banquet of delights!
In one section their was a potted history of the Revd Hugh Grimes, who was Chaplain of Vienna. He has been called “Schindler in a Surplice”. He arrived in Vienna in 1934 and realised that the Jewish community were very vulnerable He and his congregation befriended the Jewish Community and even offered them Baptism with a certificate, so that they could escape the Nazis who invaded Austria in 1934, In July 1938 he baptised 332 men, women and children. In order that this secret operation could run smoothly he enlisted a navel attaché at the Embassy. Grimes even appointed Fred Richter as his Verger, who was later sent to Auschwitz where he died. Grimes was called back to England and was replaced by the Revd Fred Collard, who continued Grimes´work. He was arrested and interrogated and having been beaten, he too was returned to England. Only in 2013 were these heroic men recognised and a plaque was installed in Christ Church, Vienna.
Harry was impressed by Book Worms knowledge and story, and as he walked slowly back to his cabbage leaf wondered how many more stories lie hidden about the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe during World War 2.
*A Field Guide to the English Clergy – The Revd F. Butler- Gallie (2018)
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Let’s prepare ourselves for a Southern Hemisphere-type Spring!
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It’s easy to view this time of year as Autumn - preparing ourselves for a sleepy winter - but let’s prepare ourselves for a Southern Hemisphere-type Spring.
A time for us to re-start our outreach in various ways - to embrace opportunities to introduce Jesus to the people around us. We can use our programme of activities to encourage people to come to church and to see our Christian love in action.
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So let’s forget the browns, reds and golds of Autumn, however comforting they may seem and instead look to the vivid greens and brilliant colours, along with the rebirth of Spring and to see real growth in our congregations and worshiping community.
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Tend your Spiritual Garden
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For the garden of your daily living:
Plant 3 rows of peas
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
Plant 4 rows of Squash
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
Plant 4 rows of lettuce
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another
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No garden is complete without turnips
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
To conclude our garden we must have thyme
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.
Anon
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