Category: Saint George’s latest news

Deacon John Writes:

I hope that the following will give you food for thought, particularly if you are feeling low. The West Wind is really very wise! There is an old fable that says: The West Wind once said to a Birch Tree: “Why are you so sad?” The beautiful Birch replied: “Because I am so useless. I cannot bear fruit like the Cherry and Apple Trees. Even the potato and the dumpy turnip are useful. I shall be of no use until I am cut down, and made into furniture, and sold as a bedroom suite. If only I could bear lovely things like cherries or apples.”

The West Wind laughed, and said: “I have just heard the apple grumbling, the cherry wailing, the potato and the turnip complaining. They all have their complaints. Listen to me while I tell you about love and yourself. There’s a man who works in the city. Nearly every day he walks out here like someone who is carrying a heavy burden. When he reaches the edge of this wood he looks at you, the Birch Tree. He raises his eyes, and just the sight of you fills him with happiness.  He goes back to the city brightened and cheered up. He does this not because of what you do, but because of who you are.” With my love for you all

Fr Rory Writes:

On the first Friday of the month we will have a special service with the Sacrament of Healing with Mass and Veneration of the Blessed Sacrament at St George’s Church.  The Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation is always available on request, and I am usually available for an hour before Mass on Sundays and for half an hour on weekdays.

We are now going ahead with the Memorial Plaque for the Garden of Remembrance at St Wilfrid’s, and at this stage we have received names from the Parish Community that will be added to this plaque.  If you think that there are any outstanding names that should be included, please let us know.

Special Celebration Service:  at St John’s, Meads on 9th September at 2pm.  Open the Book (part of the Bible Society) is celebrating 20 years of ministry.  The service will include a presentation by Bob Hartman, author and illustrator of the wonderful Lion Storyteller Bible, and a storytelling by the St John’s Open the Book team.  Pupils from St John’s School will be sharing their experience of Open the Book and saying prayers.  There will be afternoon tea after the service.  Please come and share this special time with us, and discover more about Open the Book.

Outing:  We are organising an outing for all the parishioners of St. George’s and St. Wilfrid’s churches on Sunday 8th September 2019.  We will meet at St Mary the Virgin Church car park, in Ringmer, at 12 pm and walk towards the green, where we will spend some time picking up berries. After that, we will go back to the car park and head to St. George’s hall, where grown ups will make jam and children will decorate jars. Once the work is done, we will serve Afternoon Tea with delicious jam and scones for everybody (around 3:30 pm). There will be board games for both children and grown ups to play at the hall. Please, bring carrier bags and as many jars (small and medium sizes) you can. Those who may prefer to do just a little walk, could wait for us to come back from the green, at The Anchor pub, just opposite the church. We look forward to seeing you there!

St George’s Film Club:  The showing of the film  (1959) with Audrey Hepburn has been postponed from the  25^th August to the 1st of September.  There will be no film club on the 25th.   Film starts at 3 pm.

Churches Together Polegate Willingdon and Jevington: The annual service of “Songs of Praise” will be taking place at St George’s this year, on Sunday 8th September at 4.00pm.  Do come and enjoy this very uplifting occasion, followed by refreshments in the hall.

Deacon John Writes:

Fr Rory wrote a few weeks ago about two deaths that had occurred recently in our communities. The following are two articles which are about how we might cope with tragedies in our own families. I hope you find them helpful and give food for thought: The first is Sister Joan Chittister’s response to a reporter who asked her how she kept going after her family tragedy: “Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them? Mourning what we have lost in life only obscures the beauty of what remains.” Sr.Joan is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, author and speaker. She has served as co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.

On the same theme, the Right Reverend Monsignor Roderick Strange, a Visiting Professor at St Mary’s University, having previously been rector of the Pontifical Beda College in Rome, wrote: “We never get over the wounds we have received; our defeats are always defeats. However, if we allow ourselves to become completely absorbed in our own misfortune, if we cut ourselves off, then the defeat creates a crippling selfishness, and is death-dealing indeed. But if we resist the whirlpool of selfishness, and turn outwards, determined to show care and generosity and love where it is needed, if we keep our hearts open, then the transforming change can and will take place.”