Dear Friends,
It is a great pleasure today for all of us at S. Michael’s Church to welcome members of the S. Michael’s Church School community— pupils, staff and families—as together we thank and praise God, and mark the 159th anniversary of the founding of our School.
It is in this gathering for Eucharist, once a week, that the special character of our School is fully expressed. In the same way, the Parish community is shaped as it gathers here Sunday by Sunday and day by day. I hope that in praying and singing together, in hearing God’s word and sharing at God’s table, we may share in one Spirit.
We are fortunate to have as our preacher this morning the Revd Dr Peter Carrell, Director of Education in the Diocese of Christchurch. This is his first official visit to S. Michael’s, and I hope that we may continue to welcome him here from time to time in the future.
A comment that I read recently is well worth our pondering on. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, said that ‘real spiritual education in schools (homes and churches too) happens when children are in an atmosphere where all kinds of things put them in touch with a vital, coherent picture of how a good life is lived. This gets more remote the more teachers are weighed down with administration and testing— and the more they themselves lack a coherent picture of how life is well lived.’ This is a big call for teachers, parents, clergy and all those who may be examples for children, but it is an essential one.
In my book, two marks of a ‘life well lived’ are thankfulness and generosity. When we are thankful for who and what we are, even if we don’t fit some of society’s supposed norms, then we shall have a groundedness and a security that allows us to be generous to others. We won’t have to cling to others, or to possessions and status, to have proper self-esteem. We shall be able to give of ourselves without feeling we are diminished. It can be hard to train ourselves in generosity, especially generosity of spirit. It is easier to begin with thankfulness, and to spend some time daily simply saying thank you to God for every gift we enjoy, including the gift that we ourselves are. A habit of thankfulness often bears fruit in a spirit of generosity, and true graciousness.
Next Sunday we shall distribute to parishioners material relating to our ongoing Christian Giving programme, asking us all to consider our gifts of time, finance and skill towards the mission of our parish. Sunday 8 August will be our Thanksgiving Sunday, when we shall remake our commitments to the work of the Church in this parish and beyond.
May God bless you all.Fr Peter Williams
Sunday School
Children of all ages are welcome to participate in our fortnightly sessions. Our programme is based on the Sunday’s readings and always includes an activity or craft. Details on flyer, or ring Marla (960 0753).
S. Michael’s Young Voices
This group of seventeen enthusiastic improving singers has already sung once here at Mass. We have room for three more (boys or girls). Rehearsals are on Wednesdays 3:15–3:45 pm.Details from Paul Ellis.
