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 'Maureen's Musings'
October 2012
"Autumn days when the grass is jewelled,
And the silk inside a chestnut shell,
Jet planes meeting in the air to be refuelled,
All these things I love so well."
So begins one
of the popular children's hymns that is often sung in our schools
around this time of year. It has a good, catchy melody and has
become quite a strong favourite over the last 20 years or so.
As a child I never particularly looked forward to the start of
the school year and the end of the long summer holidays - but
then I was not the sort of child who was ever bored at home,
so school came along as an 'interruption' to the life I enjoyed
- and I would venture to suggest that school was never as fun
and imaginative as the evidence that I see in our own St Chad's
First School, here in Pattingham. So most of the youngsters that
I meet now, seem to really revel in the time they spend there
and the opportunities to learn and be with their friends.
There is another
opportunity to learn, now that autumn is upon us - but this one
is aimed more at the adults than at our younger generation. The
fellowship group at St Chad's is following 'Living Faith' a course
aimed at anyone who would like to develop in their Christian
life and understanding. To quote from the leaflet explaining
'Living Faith' - "in a world in which few people have time
for church, and lots of people find the Christian message irrelevant,
it's not surprising if many Christians feel a bit unsure of themselves
and would like the opportunity to learn more about the Christian
faith.
Faced with unspoken doubts about
... God ...
... the world ...
... our own experience ...
... the Bible ...
... what we're here for ...
... where it's all going ...
It's all too easy to avoid the big questions."
If that sums
up some of what you have been thinking and feeling, then why
not pop in to the Loft (the upper room in Church) and find out
if this could be for you? We will be meeting on alternate Wednesdays,
beginning on 26th September, but don't be put off if you have
missed the first session - I am sure you will find a warm welcome
and find it not too hard to join in. We will be starting with
a theme of Harvest and Creation (which seems appropriate in autum
days!) and asks why it is important to identify God as the creator
of the world, and indeed the universe. This is not to deny the
important discoveries of science and our understanding of the
role of evolution ... we will not be getting fixated on the 'how'
- more on the 'why' that lies behind the miracle of Nature and
Creation. We will also be reflecting on the way in which we can
continue to worship when harvests are poor and life throws unexpected,
unwelcome problems our way... Sessions in October will be held
on Wednesday 10th and 24th.
So to finish with the chorus of that song with which I began
these musings....
So I mustn't forget,
No, I mustn't forget,
To say a great big Thank you!
I mustn't forget.
May God bless your Autumn Days...
Maureen.
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