Dear Friends,

I have just driven over the bridge into the village after a dreadful journey down the M1. It was pouring with rain and the motorway was full of lorries – just the best sort of drive! However, as I approached the village, the sun burst through the clouds and Turvey House looked just like a crock of gold at the bottom of the rainbow. It was a truly beautiful sight and was also quite appropriate. I have just come back from baby sitting with my grandson and we have been playing with his Noah’s Ark. We made all the animals go in two by two, just as God told Noah before he sent the huge flood. After the flood had subsided, God set ‘a bow in the clouds’ as a covenant, a promise, that he would never again flood the earth and attempt to destroy all creatures.

I am also reminded of the rainbow when I look at our new service books in Church. We started with purple in Advent, then red for Christmas, now we are using a gold coloured book and on February 9^th we shall go green. Where will it all end? Well, for the most part it will end there, apart from the occasional special services for things like Mothering Sunday and possibly Rogation. I must say, the regular congregation have been marvellous and have accepted the different books with varying degrees of enthusiasm and interest. I have also had one negative comment – and I am grateful to the person concerned for being open enough to tell me how they felt.

Why do we need all the changes? What was wrong with our old Book of Common Prayer, which we actually still use for the majority of our services? In the year 2000, our new Common Worship book was published. It had been many years in preparation. Our ‘rainbow’ service books use material from this new book. There is a wealth of wonderful liturgy which relates directly to the seasons of the Church’s year and which helps us to understand better the life of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is also written in a language which is more understandable to many of today’s worshippers.

In the preface to the book we read,

‘The services provided here are rich and varied. …They encourage an imaginative engagement in worship, opening the way for people in the varied circumstance of their lives to experience the love of God in Jesus Christ in the life and the power of the Holy Spirit…The publication of these services is a challenge to us…to worship God better.’

Now, that is all very well, but you may say we were all brought up on the Book of Common Prayer and it hasn’t hindered our understanding or worship so far. Many people also consider that they worship better with something they know and love. Certainly, to read out the words of the old traditional services is hugely enjoyable. I love the rhythm and poetry of the words – but if I am honest, I sometimes find myself being carried away by the beauty of the language and not by the beauty of the worship! I also love the rich imagery of the new services and I am glad that here in Turvey we can use and enjoy both, side by side.

Like the Book of Common Prayer, Common Worship can be considered rather unwieldy and difficult to get round, hence our ‘rainbow’ booklets which make it easier for regulars and visitors to take a full part in the service.

I do promise, however, that I will not flood the Church with more and still more variations! When our green book appears, we shall have a full set of services for all seasons and can begin to know and enjoy them as we enjoy the more traditional liturgies. I think, in time, we may regard our new service book as the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Yours in Christ

Jo Spray

All genuine refugees and asylum seekers – and those who seek to help them

Those who will be taking our services this month

Our village school and playgroup – for the children and staff

Jo Spray

Thank you to every one who helped with and supported January's highly successful and enjoyable coffee morning at The Rectory, which raised over £600 towards Church Funds.

Mothers' Union. The next meeting will be "Favourite Hymns" on Thursday 20^th February starting at 2:00 p.m. in the Manor Room.

Our Church, Our village. Alan Richardson will give a slide presentation and talk entitled "Our Church, Our Village" in Church, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday 7^th February, 2003. All proceeds to FAST.