We had getting on for 30 people in church for our harvest festival; many thanks to all who made this possible! The very dry weather is making this a difficult time for farmers; we hold them all in our prayers and give thanks for the work they do to feed us.The picture shows our font decorated with locally-grown grapes.
I am in the middle of the round of Christmas carol services. By Christmas Day I will have led 6 services as well as attending another with friends. But this goes with being a vicar. Carols take all forms, ancient and modern, simple and complicated in their message. Some have very little to do with the stories in the Bible about Christmas. But they are sung, often by those who would not consider themselves to be religious. Music can move us in ways that words alone fail to do. The Holy Spirit has ways of reaching to people that they, I, do not expect. I do not worry too much about the words in carols, I am happy simply that, as they are sung, the Spirit moves.