View From The Vicarage

If the 1950s ever come back, the church will be ready. It’s amazing how long legal processes can take sometimes but after several years of behaving as if I was the vicar of Henshaw and Beltingham, now I legally am! Or will be once we’ve done the paperwork in a licencing service very much like the one two years ago. Come and enjoy a bit of good singing and ceremony and find out what the church thinks vicars are for.

All are welcome – Holy Cross Church, Haltwhistle, Tuesday 3rd September at 7pm.

There have been a couple of pictures of interesting cloud shapes in local news recently. I wonder if clouds ever look down on us and say, ‘hey look, that one is shaped like an idiot.’ They may wonder at how each one of us is unique but just because you are unique doesn’t mean you are useful. Of course, thinking about that you may start to worry, but don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help. Stringing together little quotes like this is fun, but really, it’s good to know what you look like from heaven’s viewpoint, to have a thankful heart for the way you are made, and a peace in the storms of life.

When I saw what was being written about in the various church columns, I wondered if anyone might think the church has lost its way – film clubs, dramatic societies, music concerts and election of officials – isn’t the church supposed to be about God, prayer, bible reading, worship services and caring for people? But compartmentalising religion in that way makes it almost irrelevant to everyday life. Truth is, prayer and walking with God and each other is supposed to be something woven into all of life. Spiritual life is not separate from the other stuff we enjoy, but the foundation of it. You should tune in and try it.