From the Parish Priest

Where are you going this summer?

Spain
France
Italy
Greece
or perhaps to America?

I still find it amazing that more people from this country go on holiday to the United States than to any other single country. Certainly asking around at Hulbert School in a recent assembly confirmed that statistic. It may not have been a scientifically accurate poll, but more hands went up for visiting Disneyland than did for going to Europe or for staying in the UK. Perhaps there was a bit of “hope” expressed in the raised hands, but it did follow the trend often stated in the newspapers.

Where is God going this summer?

One of the difficult things to teach children is that God doesn’t go on holiday as soon as the schools break up for their summer vacation. God, of course, is everywhere, but his Church, or more particularly St. George’s Church, remains open and worshipping throughout the summer.

This summer, as in the past few years, the Sunday morning Parish Eucharists are being designed for the whole family, regardless of age. There won’t be a Sunday School meeting in the hall and all the children will worship with their parents in the Church. This presents two challenges.

One is for the service to be interesting and stimulating for the children as well as being spiritual and dignified for the whole congregation.

Two is for each part of the congregation to welcome other parts and for the community of St. George’s Church to celebrate the opportunity to worship together as one family.

The theme for 2008 will be The Lord’s Prayer. A lot of people studied this prayer during Lent, but many didn’t. August will be a time to look again at this most important prayer and in some cases to learn it afresh. The special Parish Eucharists begin on July 27th.

I hope you will make a point of worshipping at St. George’s during the summer, and so encourage all our members, of whatever age, to realise that God doesn’t go away.

Fr. Mike