October 2012

Dear Friends,

 

During the Olympics and Paralympics and, before that, the Jubilee, everyone commented on what a positive feel there was about the country, with a great deal of deeply felt patriotism on show. And, so many felt, how good it would be if those attitudes could be carried forward instead of the usual carping criticism which seems to blight national life.

 

And then comes a tragedy like the murder of two young policewomen in Manchester, and Britain seems to be not simply a self-critical place but one where the criticism is amply justified.

 

I must leave a deeper analysis of these contrasts to those better qualified. But let me just set against that terrible event a morning when I was the recipient of great kindness from strangers. As many of you know, I was knocked down in Liverpool and had my head cut quite badly. I don't think anyone blames the person concerned, who was clearly mentally disturbed. But, as soon as it happened, a couple of shop owners came across and restrained the man. The staff of a nearby Starbucks sat me down and offered me a (free!) drink. Another man gave me a bar of excellent chocolate from his shelves. And both the police and the emergency services were both kind and helpful. The incident wasted most of my morning, but it left me with a very good impression of Liverpool and its people. Christian charity, in its broadest sense, is alive and well (and my permission to visit places on my own has been withdrawn!).

 

You've heard of bad hair days. Well, how about this for a bad wedding day? The first bride was about 50 minutes late, probably due to the fact that she wasn't very well and the car hire firm was particularly inefficient. It was getting very tight for the second ceremony, but we just made it. However, thunder and lightning descended, directly above the church. Lighting struck the tower, which David Hunton swears he could feel wobbling. The organ was fused, so a quick transfer to the piano was necessary, and the lights came and went. Both couples will not forget their big day for a long time, and neither will choir, organist and vicar. All in a day's work, I suppose.

 

As we discovered when we held our 135th anniversary service, the Lady Elfrida Fitzwilliam was the only member of the family ever to be married in Holy Trinity. This is because she married a local notable, the Earl of Wharncliffe, of Wortley Hall. A story about her relates that she was interested in fossils and people working a small colliery near her house used to pass on 'finds' to her. One of those she knew in this way was a young man from Wentworth who was upset at having been told to vacate his house. “Don't worry,” she said, “I'll sort that out.” Which she promptly did, by having a word with the then agent, Colonel Langdon. A bit of real noblesse oblige.

 

Our parish church is used very frequently for marriages and, over a full year, both churches have a fair number of funerals. Each year we take advantage of the Christian festivals of All Saints and All Souls to recall those close to us who have died, whether it is recently or many years back. This year also we are repeating a very successful enterprise of a while back and having a 'marriage celebration day'. Both remind us of why these major stages in all our lives usually take place in church.  It is because marriage is part of the purposes of God for men and women, and many people (an increasing number once again, I would judge) seek His blessing on their union. That blessing is perfectly adequate given once, but, being human, it does no harm to remind ourselves of it now and again. In our service there will be opportunity for those who wish it to repeat their marriage vows. Not everyone will want to do this, and many cannot because their partner has died. But that does not stop us giving thanks for what has been. Exactly the same, of course, is true of the second occasion, when we can remember before God those we have loved and lost. Here again we recall a truth which stands whether or not we realise it ourselves, which is, that God does not forget the souls of the departed. They are as precious to Him as they were to us.

 

Lastly, as most of you will know, Walter Parry has had quite a lot of illness recently. So Joe Cooper will be helping him as Assistant Sexton, continuing the good work Walter and Martin have done, planting roses, maintaining flower beds, generally tidying and also digging the plots when ashes have to be buried. We are very grateful to Walter (who is not retiring as Sexton) and hope that he will regain more strength before long. And many thanks to Joe for agreeing to help.

 

With best wishes,

 

Richard