What a year it’s been! My first year as a curate at St. George’s has flown by! My first Sunday assisting as a deacon at the Eucharist service followed by a beautiful celebratory cake and now the following June preparing to be ordained as a priest. Between those two layers of time I have enjoyed a very rich filling!
I have been warmly welcomed into the worshipping community and into people’s homes, sharing plenty of tea and biscuits. I have enjoyed getting to know the toddlers and their families, eating lots of birthday cake and filling bug boxes for the churchyard. I’ve had fun working with the new EcoChurch group as we’ve supported the church and wider community to grow in their love and care for all of God’s creation. We hope to receive our bronze award very soon. This is not the finish line. It is just the beginning. The church community are reaching out even further afield as we work on our Toilet Twinning project. I haven’t mentioned food. There’s plenty of that too as we enjoy jammy scones around our meeting table!
I have knitted remembrance poppies and harvest cherries with the lovely ladies of the Knit and Natter group. We’ve had lots of conversations, cakes, biscuits and tea. So much nattering that I’ve had to unpick my knitting when I got home and redo it to get it back on track! I’ve played with Tony’s trains as the St. George’s Ladies enjoyed a meal in the garden. I’ve enjoyed more fun and food with the young people at High Tide and some very special worship time. The young people played a leading role when we hosted High Tide at St. George’s. They were amazing and I was so proud of them.
I’ve loved meeting the local community whether as they relaxed on the benches in the churchyard or as they filled the church at the Christingle service; eating sweets as we made Christingles. It’s been fun talking with the Sunday School little people as they explain to the adults what they’ve been learning about Jesus and showing their beautiful craft creations. As well as crowns and crosses, there have been plenty of cakes and cookies too!
Our Easter pilgrimage to Walsingham was a first-time experience for me. Staying at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham meant that we could immerse ourselves in the prayerful and reflective time. It was also a time of deepening relationships through worshipping, sharing delicious meals and enjoying social time together. It has been a deep privilege to be alongside people at baptisms, confirmations and funerals. Walking with them as the Lord has held them.
As I’m rounding off this first year, Chris and I spent a very sunny Pentecost Saturday with some of our young people at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex. They enjoyed the Leap of Faith jump (I’m not sure that my faith was ready for that leap!), scrummy international food and amazing Christian bands and singers. The best bit was joining in praising the Lord with Christians from all different denominations around the country and further afield.
I couldn’t have lived and enjoyed this year without the guidance, wisdom, deep faith and love from Father Colin; and of course, his legendary pizzas!
It seems to me that food and togetherness has been the rich filling of this year’s cake. It reminds me of the feeding of the 5,000. The disciples didn’t believe that five loaves and two fish would be enough food to go around the large crowd that had gathered to listen to Jesus. But it was through Jesus’ love and example that there was plenty to share. All were well-fed. Jesus continues to feed us through the rich filling of our lives together at St. George’s and into the wider community. Thank you all for feeding me in my first year among you. As I am ordained priest, I know that Jesus will continue to feed us and be the rich filling in our lives.
Revd Liz Quinn
