Dear friends,
This month our Diocese celebrates the enthronement of our new bishop, bishop Martin. So we share the expectation of the nation as we look to what a new term of service in leadership might bring. Bishop Martin will be encouraging our Diocese in the pledges made before his enthronement that we should look for growth in God just as we see growth in our countryside, in field hedgerow and garden, all witnessing to God's growth through this season. This growth reveals nature's creative energy, which comes to bloom with or without our aid, as with faith, God's call to all peoples, which continues with or without the Church's aid. Of course in our landscape of field and garden as well our landscape of faith, the fields of our hearts, we can encourage and nurture that growth by being alert to need and opportunity. Just as our landscape is managed for growth so is our faith through prayer which enables responsive actions to restore and nurture signs of growth.
Bansfield benefice seeks to open the doors of our churches, houses of prayer, to our villages wherever we can, and Sunday by Sunday villagers can rely on regular service patterns in the call to share our gatherings of prayer. But sometimes we need a little help to enter into the prayer life of our Church, for those who find it hard to still mind and body in focusing toward God, prayer labyrinth's have provided an active route toward such prayers of which the psalmist writes ‘Lord You will show me the path of life, You will fill me with joy in your presence’ that we may find that God centred stillness ‘be still and know that I am God’. I hope you will seek out our labyrinth mown in the grass of the glebe field next to Wickhambrook church, and accept the invitation to walk this path of prayer open to growth in God. I hope you will find encouragement in the years ahead to share such fullness of life as is God's purpose for creation. I hope you will accept opportunity for prayer wherever this may be offered, and share with us our vision for growth in God.
Rev'd Brin Singleton
Rector
