Dear Friends,
Dear Friends, March wind doth blow ....well maybe, but I'm enjoying this mild weather: sunshine (even without heat) makes such a difference to us.
There seems to be much going on around us and within us. The annual meeting gives an opportunity to hear what the whole church family has been doing, to reflect upon that and to see where we are going. Included will be an update on the Extension Project: the pot of money grows steadily and the project itself is developing in an interesting way. This is a long held dream that is set to become a reality, but needs the support of all of us. By God's grace and our endeavour we shall realise the dream and have a very useful and much needed extra room. The project necessarily takes new turns occasionally in order that we get this right, but I'm sure that it's right to explore all the ways that present themselves to us. Meanwhile, please continue to support our fund-raising efforts and to keep the ideas coming forward.
This month we also welcome Bishop Michael back to St. John's when he comes to dedicate two stained glass windows and a new bookcase, and this will be his last visit to us as our Bishop. There will be a Faith Tea afterwards in the Church Hall, and all are welcome to both service and tea.
Ash Wednesday falls early in March this year, and our ONE service will be in the evening this year; this of course also marks the beginning of Lent, a time of reflection for us as individuals and collectively as a church. There is much for us to reflect upon, both home and abroad which I commend to your prayers. Last year at St. John's we held Lent Lunches preceded by a bible study and these were well supported. This year I am delighted to say that we shall be sharing these with our brothers and sisters from neighbouring churches. There will be Lent Lunches in various venues (details in this magazine) and at each there will be a speaker who will speak for about 10 minutes within the hour set aside for the lunches.
At this present moment we all await the outcome of the discussions concerning Iraq, with very sharply opposing views being put forward about how the situation there is managed. A complex situation, and yet I believe that war must only be used if there is absolutely no other avenue to go down: I don't believe that that case has yet been made, and thus we must not go rushing in. Meanwhile I commend to your prayers those who bear this awful burden of decisions, the members of the armed forces and their families, and the ordinary people of Iraq, especially the children, for they will bear the brunt of any offensive upon the country. I also hold in my prayers the country and people of Afghanistan who are still waiting for the infrastructure of their country to be rebuilt after bombing, and where once again there is a danger that local warlords could rear up and rule again.
The enthronement of the Archbishop of Canterbury was a splendid affair, both historic and modern, and is the last stage of the process of appointing and consecrating Rowan Williams as the Archbishop of the Anglican Communion. Here is a man of humility and grace, humour and knowledge, compassion and gentleness, an author and a poet, a man of the people, both high and low. Quite a man therefore. I am greatly encouraged by what I have read and heard so far, though he will also challenge us as we seek to be a church of today.
Also within the Church, Canon Tom Wright has been appointed as Bishop designate of Durham. A surprise? To some of us certainly! Yet not a stranger, for many of us met him at Swanwick in 1998. A warm hearted man, again an author and academic, reputed to be a good pastor though he has not been a parish priest. A man of the north coming north. My prayer is that his clear academic and biblical knowledge will be woven through with God's love, compassion and acceptance of all people in this diocese.
Much to pray about, much to celebrate and much to look forward to in our Lenten journey.

My love and prayers,
Rev. Linda