September's Pinch of Salt

Love and Marriage - from September's Parish Grapevine
Jo Richards introduces important themes in the Genesis story in this month’s introduction to the Old Testament. Coincidentally I came across this sculpture from the Ratner Museum of Adam and Eve at one and hopelessly in love and rooted in the tree of life.
It celebrates relationships—as does the story of God’s creation of Adam and Eve—and I know that many couples celebrate their relationships in September (as Jeanette and I do) with this month being one of the most popular times for weddings.
The spirit of Genesis is captured in the wedding service with the actions of the service (exchange of rings symbolising their embrace, the joining of hands and the wrapping of those hands by the priest’s stole.) It is captured in the words of the prayer: “God our Father, from the beginning you have blessed creation with abundant life. Pour out your blessings upon … and … that they may be joined in mutual love and companionship”.
There was a rift in the relationship between Adam and Eve as they argued about who was to blame for what went wrong in the Garden of Eden. The consequence of that was that they each went about their own work. Heavy manual work for Adam and painful childbirth for Eve. Relationships have been difficult ever since! The stories of Genesis are written up to be typical.
Christian marriage recognises that and sees that the work and love of God is to help people find their better side (in the Adam/Eve story one was formed from the side of the other) in another to love and be loved. This is a sign of God’s mercy and love and shows that the gates of Paradise are open. It’s a long road to travel from our egocentric way of life and we are often slow to change our way of thinking. We have to make love because love doesn’t come naturally.
Recognising the differences between us, and the difficulties of our relationships and the inclination to want our own way, we need to hold hands and link arms to resist the pressures which might make us live separate lives. Only by wrapping ourselves in one another do we ever once again become one flesh.
David Herbert

Cheese and Wine

Friday night may have been very wet, but that didn't put anyone off coming to a Cheese and Wine Evening held in Lillian Nicholas's garden. (Fortunately there was a marquee handy - and there was a lot more than cheese and wine!) With a raffle over £600 was raised for Duddon's Churchyard Fund - a fund important to the villagers of Duddon and Clotton but not so easy for a towny like me to understand. A great evening - thank you Lillian and all those who leant their lamps and helped in other ways.

Great evening

A great evening last night with the Collectable Swing Band - complete with a trumpeter who looked the image of the previous Bishop of Chester - Michael Baughen. (Is this not Tony Tucker aka Michael Baughen?)
£746.80 raised to protect our stained glass windows from nuclear attack.
Thanks Sue for the idea and Peter and Val for organising the concert.

Songs of Praise

Songs of Praise seemed very popular on Sunday night (31/8). Led in very relaxed fashion by Richard, the normal numbers were trebled for the service of readings and favourite hymns.


Hymns included:

Angel voices ever singing
Colours of Day
In heavenly love abiding
Jesus, good above all other
God is love, let heaven adore him
Do not be afraid
How great thou art
Let all the world in every corner sing.

Now we have to decide how often we should hold these services. Should they be on every 5th Sunday of the month? Should we have them every other month - including a couple at St Peter's?
What hymns would you want to sing?