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Rosey's Letter - January 2005 Dear Friends of Wraxall & Failand,
Every New Year’s Eve I get out my copy of Tennyson’s ‘In Memoriam’ (the original manuscript of which can be seen at Clevedon Clourt, just down the road from here.) Some of the verses may well be familiar to you:
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light; The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow; The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind.’
Lots of positive thoughts here about letting go of the old and embracing the new, and so I always find Tennyson’s thoughts inspiring as a new year begins.
I am glad that we shall be starting 2005 with a peal of bells from All Saints’, Wraxall, and I should like to express my appreciation of all the peals so enthusiastically rung by Bob Caton and his team throughout the year. The bells are a sort of ‘auditory landmark’, reminding people near and far that the church is there and that prayer is being offered, and it is a great joy, from the Elms, to hear the sound of ‘bells across the meadows’. We shall also begin the New Year with a Watch-night service – just a brief service, at 11.30, before the bells ring out and a few bottles are opened at midnight. Do come and join us, beginning the year as we mean to go on – asking God’s blessing as we commit the unknown days ahead into his hands.
For myself (always an optimist, at heart), I begin 2005 with hope: there are promising signs all around; there are many good people in our parish, at Wraxall and at Failand, both within and outside our regular Sunday congregations, who really want to see new and exciting developments, and are prepared to make them happen. We have made a start; for example, it really is heart-warming to see the friendship and happiness generated by the monthly lunches at Failand Village hall and at the Grove. And it’s good to see so many young families at our First Sunday Special services. Next month we shall be launching a new initiative – watch this space, and keep Shrove Tuesday (evening, 8th Feb.) free for the most interesting Pancake Party you’ve ever been to.
There will be challenges ahead, but I’m sure that there is much to look forward to – as well as, no doubt, a few surprises. May it be a good year for us all, filled with blessings, and the confidence of knowing that God goes with us.
‘So I went forth, and finding the hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And he led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.’
Happy New Year! With love,
Rosey
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