A word from Canon Sue
A prayer from Canon Sue
Lord of infinite greatness, you have ordered and adorned in equal perfection all that you have made; you have set in glorious array the eternal heavens, and yet paint the flower that only lasts a day. Give us courage to accept what we cannot change in your name and grace to do what we can in this time. to the honour of your name.
Lord of infinite greatness, you have ordered and adorned in equal perfection all that you have made; you have set in glorious array the eternal heavens, and yet paint the flower that only lasts a day. Give us courage to accept what we cannot change in your name and grace to do what we can in this time. to the honour of your name.
I had been Vicar of Pensnett for a long while when I first spoke with Archdeacon Nikki about the possibility of becoming spiritually responsible for all the peoples of Belbroughton and Fairfield, Blakedown, Broome and Churchill. At that time, I talked of doing four years with you all, enough time to give some stability, to address some key issues and to further the Kingdom of God here.
Well, the wonderful faithful Reader living in Fairfield but known to all, Pauline Jones, reminds us often that
”Tell God your plans and he laughs”.
I was not to know that my otherwise fit and healthy but 12 years older than me husband would need more of me before the 4 years would be up. I should have course realised that
my 90-year-old Mom in Pedmore would need more of my support as she ages...but I really
didn’t plan on being sick for 4.5 months plus, at the current state of things.
Furthermore, I did not reckon that caring for 5 villages, that I could easily do in my very early 50’s would be more
of a challenge 15 plus years on.....
I do though want to say to you all that though I am retiring because of the outlined issues, I have loved being here for you. I have been blessed to live with a beautiful garden in one
village that is as all the villages are, a great joy to be.
Covid 19 has brought the best out of everyone.
Community thrives here.
The community spirit has been awesome; kindnesses and gentleness, patience and such are all fruits of the Holy Spirit. And whether people come to church or not, whether they believe in God, or not, all Christians and our good Lord know that all such are of God. As is said in the Marriage Service, from the First Letter of John, “God is love, and those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.”
I have delighted in marrying couples in each of the churches, similarly baptising babies in all the churches; and it has been my privilege to try to help grieving families experience that love that is from God at the difficult time of funerals and burials.
Visiting the sick, giving Home Communion to those who no longer can get to Church under normal circumstances, these
have been the joys of being here for you. Meeting hard working villagers running community resources, our splendid Headteachers and staff at the schools and the lovely children, it has been so much joy and I thank you all and wish you well and give you God’s blessing.
And it is the memories of those joys and sorrows, the living alongside joy and hope, grief and courage, resourcefulness and commitment, together with all the happy memories of school children in all the village schools, that I shall take with me after my final service on Easter Sunday in
Belbroughton Church.
The thousands of emails, the day and late phone calls, the
PCC meetings and trickier issues, those memories will fade quickly.
Thank you all so very much for being who you are and doing all you do. Thank you for allowing me to come, O so briefly, alongside you. The circumstances are such that I’m unable
to visit all to say goodbye and to give you personally my prayers and blessings for your futures. This, and my final service are the only opportunity. But my thanks to you all and my good wishes to you all are no less sincere. God bless you all.
Prayers and Blessings,
Canon Sue
Well, the wonderful faithful Reader living in Fairfield but known to all, Pauline Jones, reminds us often that
”Tell God your plans and he laughs”.
I was not to know that my otherwise fit and healthy but 12 years older than me husband would need more of me before the 4 years would be up. I should have course realised that
my 90-year-old Mom in Pedmore would need more of my support as she ages...but I really
didn’t plan on being sick for 4.5 months plus, at the current state of things.
Furthermore, I did not reckon that caring for 5 villages, that I could easily do in my very early 50’s would be more
of a challenge 15 plus years on.....
I do though want to say to you all that though I am retiring because of the outlined issues, I have loved being here for you. I have been blessed to live with a beautiful garden in one
village that is as all the villages are, a great joy to be.
Covid 19 has brought the best out of everyone.
Community thrives here.
The community spirit has been awesome; kindnesses and gentleness, patience and such are all fruits of the Holy Spirit. And whether people come to church or not, whether they believe in God, or not, all Christians and our good Lord know that all such are of God. As is said in the Marriage Service, from the First Letter of John, “God is love, and those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.”
I have delighted in marrying couples in each of the churches, similarly baptising babies in all the churches; and it has been my privilege to try to help grieving families experience that love that is from God at the difficult time of funerals and burials.
Visiting the sick, giving Home Communion to those who no longer can get to Church under normal circumstances, these
have been the joys of being here for you. Meeting hard working villagers running community resources, our splendid Headteachers and staff at the schools and the lovely children, it has been so much joy and I thank you all and wish you well and give you God’s blessing.
And it is the memories of those joys and sorrows, the living alongside joy and hope, grief and courage, resourcefulness and commitment, together with all the happy memories of school children in all the village schools, that I shall take with me after my final service on Easter Sunday in
Belbroughton Church.
The thousands of emails, the day and late phone calls, the
PCC meetings and trickier issues, those memories will fade quickly.
Thank you all so very much for being who you are and doing all you do. Thank you for allowing me to come, O so briefly, alongside you. The circumstances are such that I’m unable
to visit all to say goodbye and to give you personally my prayers and blessings for your futures. This, and my final service are the only opportunity. But my thanks to you all and my good wishes to you all are no less sincere. God bless you all.
Prayers and Blessings,
Canon Sue
