From the Vicarage

Midsummer

In the church calendar, June 24th is the birthday of St. John the Baptist, as well as being Midsummer Day.
St. John is one of the most striking characters in the Bible, linking the prophets of the Old Testament with the fulfilment of their prophecies in the New Testament. A man full of boldness and humility, John was not afraid to tell people to stop being greedy or envious, but he was also quick to say that Jesus would be far greater than he himself was, giving way and preparing a path for Jesus. From the time of his birth, John’s parents brought him up to know and to love God, worshipping him and trusting in him. Like most youngsters, he probably showed a strong streak of independence from the ideas of previous generations, but he also showed that he was not rejecting those ideas, only fulfilling them in a new way.

At St. Augustine’s we work diligently to bring children to baptism, as Jesus told us to do, continuing their faith-education in Sunday School and ensuring that they all have the opportunity to be confirmed. Unfortunately, at present, that is where our resources seem to run out, and we have little to offer youngsters who have been nurtured in the Christian faith and would like to continue learning and worshipping in ways which are relevant to their age-group.

A team of about six people is needed to prepare, publicise and present afternoons for young people or families. These could be quite different kinds of services from the Sunday morning Eucharistic Thanksgiving which Christians who are more mature in their faith value and attend regularly, but they need the input and inspiration of willing volunteers. Ideas can range from Pancakes for Lent, Bonfires at Easter, Parades for Pentecost or Christingles at Christmas. If you are happy to undergo a CRB check you can join the team.

With every blessing,

Ann

The above is the lead article from the parish magazine for June 2007.
If you wish to receive the full magazine it is available for a subscription of £3 per year from Mrs Mavis Bradley on 01322 338654 or email parishmag at sladegreen dot org

Index of the previous magazine articles