Read the July / August 2012 edition online - Ollerton with Marthall

Letter from
the Vicar
July 2012
I would like to start my letter this
month by thanking all those involved
in the Jubilee weekend celebrations
and the Church Garden Party; a lot
of hard work went into it which, I am
sure, was appreciated a great deal. The
Church looked beautiful with very
attractive and appropriate fl owers;
the refreshments afterwards in the
Hall after the Church service and
the decorations to compliment
them; the special event of Sir Bobby
Charlton raising our new Union Jack
up the new fl agpole all contributed
to a special day on the Sunday. The
Monday was equally special with,
not only, an enjoyable (and dry)
Garden Party but also a variety
of entertainment as we carried on
celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of
the Queen with a children’s party
and disco, the Hog Roast and the
entertainment in the evening.
I was talking to someone about
the weekend and why it had been
special. The sense of something
being important and precious to the
whole community and being for the
whole community has come across
in what people have said. It was
lovely to see so many people- from
both inside the Parish and visitors-
enjoying themselves and having fun
together.
The talk about the event being
important and precious to the whole
community has made me refl ect
on how, sometimes, we forget how
important and precious things are
or how a lack of knowledge prevents
us from appreciating something
valuable.
A lot of people might think of
the Church in a similar way; it is
important , of course, to those who are
regular members of the congregation
and to those for whom their faith
and the Church has been and is
of importance in their lives but, for
whom, coming to the church building
is diffi cult. The Church, however,
is important to a lot more people,
if only, at signifi cant points in their
lives; baptisms and marriages being
just a few examples. Special times of
year and events happen at the church
such as Remembrance Day services,
the popular Christingle service
followed by a party. The Parish
system in the Church of England
means that everyone has access to a
priest and a church whether they are
a regular church goer or not. We may
not always be aware of the value of it
until we need it.
The Jubilee weekend was valued
because people realised it was
important and used their time and
talents so that the Community as
a whole could enjoy it. People were
generous in their time in many
different ways. Thank you for
generosity which is appreciated. I
would like you to think about the
importance of the church and church
community in this parish and whether
or not you, too, could support it by
using your own skills, time and gifts.
Lynette