‘Sweet are the uses of diversity’, as Shakespeare might have said. Jaques, the speaker in ‘As you like it’, found, in the life he was leading in rural surroundings, sermons in stones, and good in everything. He was talking about good coming out of adversity, against all the odds. If we cherish a sentimental view of rustic life, it will not be quite the kind of life a farmer’s daughter will have been accustomed to, with death and discomfort as regular visitors – as one such person described it to me. As the days went by, she witnessed the wringing of chicken’s necks and the delivery of still-born lambs. The raw life of a farm-house is not just about cuddly kittens and leaping lambs.
Diversity has to be laced with common sense. Few of us would wish to see rats, fleas, lice and ticks becoming protected species. And the importing of mink and grey squirrels has taught us to be cautious about re-wilding. Australians will probably call to mind rabbits and camels.
Without going into rural exile along with Shakespeare’s Rosalind and her entourage, we do well to consider what she has to teach us. It is hardly surprising that there is a panoply of understandings of the nature of a Creator and Redeemer. Rosalind can help us. We are dealing with matters beyond our limited vision; we all have difficulty in doing justice to the idea of an ultimate being. A sense of proportion will prove valuable. We heed what we find in the prophetic Scriptures. We welcome the divine self-disclosure in the person of Jesus. We can do with a touch of Rosalind’s robust common sense as seen in her declaration, ‘Down on your knees and thank heaven, fasting, for a good man’s love.’
The insights of poets, painters and musicians have a share in enriching the human medley. but pride of place must go to the Scriptures. Christianity is not mere guess-work, tentative speculation. It is revelation and for that we have to consider the New Testament and its message. Romans 10.9 is relevant.
AT KINGS NORTON
Outstanding are two items to captivate visitors to the website of Kings Norton parish church, Birmingham, where Larry Wright leads the team, with Eliakim Ikechukwu as his associate rector. Stunning photographs of KN people bring the website alive and the stylish 44-page magazine is as good as any in terms of lay-out. A recent issue contained an article on German-speaking communities in the UK.
SESQUICENTENARY
St Stephen’s church, Selly Park, Birmingham is celebrating its 150th anniversary. It has had a major refurbishment and now has a two-storey centre. Joined with it is St Wulstan’s, dating from the 1960s. Leading the team is Chris Hobbs.
Wulstan or Wulfstan was a notable preacher in the Anglo-Saxon period. ‘Dear men,’ began his best known sermon, ‘know it is the truth that this world is in haste. It approaches its end.’ He became Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York.
GLASS LINK
Work has begun on a glass link project to join St Germain’s church, Edgbaston with its hall and provided office space etc. Leading the team is Vicar Sarah Hayes with Associate Minister Yemi Oladunjoe. The church offers an emotional well-being support service.
TEA DANCE
A bi-monthly tea dance has a place in the programme at St Paul’s, Hamstead, Birmingham. On offer are waltz, foxtrot, cha-cha-cha and rumba etc. Even the Vicar, Siobhan Briggs, has been known to take part.
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