Dear Friends,

 

If you've noticed that Eileen, our churchwarden at Wraxall, has been looking rather pleased with life recently, it could be something to do with the fact that she has had a new kitchen fitted at home. A kitchen is, I think, the centre of a home – at the Rectory, it always seems to be the place where people want to gather, however inconvenient that may be for the person trying to get a meal together!

 

There are some in the parish who remember that, when I first came to be interviewed as a candidate for the post of Priest-in-charge, the first question I asked was 'Where's the kitchen?' Sadly, the answer then was that there wasn't one. Since I arrived, however, despite that great handicap, we've managed to provide food of one sort or another at many occasions, thanks in no small part to the ingenuity and hard work of Elizabeth Walton, who has overseen much of our catering, as well as the Entertainments Committee (who will once again be working hard at our Harvest Supper this month, at the U.R.C. Church – thanks to them.) 

 

But now, things are looking up. We hope, very soon, to have a new 'servery' at the back of church:

running water, at last, for all those cups of coffee and tea served after our services. It will be very discreet, tucked away when not in use behind tasteful wooden doors, so the appearance of the back of church will not be spoilt at all; in fact, it will be distinctly tidied up and improved. Even more exciting, the group planning the development of our new Cross Tree Centre have been looking at plans for the kitchen which will be such an important feature of the new building. We shan't be in the business of 'mass catering', but we shall be able to offer hospitality to the various groups and meetings which will take place, from a pleasant, efficient working environment.

 

All of this is part of the welcome we want to extend, as a church, to all those who come to us., for whatever reason. Hospitality is an essential part of the 'good news' that our Christian faith is all about. Jesus spent much of his time enjoying the hospitality of others, relaxing at a meal with other guests, enjoying the food and wine provided. And he taught his followers that they, too, were to be hospitable – to be welcoming to others, not just their friends, but outsiders and strangers as well.

 

In the days when I used to teach R.E., including other faiths, I was always impressed by the example of the Sikh religion. Did you know that every Sikh temple ('gurdwara') has a kitchen; and after every act of worship, food is served, including one dish, called prasad, which is a soft, bland mixture rather like semolina pudding, but delicately flavoured so that it taste good. The idea of this particular food is that it can be eaten by everyone – from babies to the elderly – so no-one is excluded from the hospitality which is offered, thanks to the gurdwara kitchen.

 

Obviously our new kitchen will need to be well-equipped, and as Julia Norton writes elsewhere in this month's magazine, we hope that many more people in the parish will want to contribute to the

fund to enable our new kitchen to become a reality. Please give as generously as you can, so that we can make our Cross Tree Centre a truly welcoming place for all – with a kitchen at its heart!

 

With love,

Rosey