Photo of the month

Photo: This photo was sent in by Jake and Jane. This friendly visitor comes to the garden year after year.

Photo: This photo was taken by Lisa Hyams-Prince. How lucky is she to have these regular visitors to her garden—I think she spoils them though.

Hello all! It’s wonderful to be writing to you and to have begun to get to know some of you already. This is my first time writing the “Church Chat” section, and I’m not sure that I’ll measure up to the wisdom of Rockin’ Robin, or what to say after the lovely words of poetry from Andy, the resident poet! April is one of the most beautiful months of the year, when the weather is warm (mostly!) andthe blossoms begin to unfurl, and young animals and birds can be spied on country walks. It’s a time of new life after a ‘still’ period in nature. I’m sure you’re just as sick as me of hearing about lockdown, but, thank God, it looks like the end is finally in sight. Lots of Christians fast or give up something during Lent, the 40 days before Easter. Often, when we can finally break our fast, we enjoy what we eat so much more than we normally would. The time spent without makes the experience so much sweeter. I think it will be similar when we can finally visit our family and friends, go shopping, to the cinema, go to Church, and go about life outside of lockdown once more! We will enjoy it all the more for having missed it for so long. We also know that as a community, we have had the courage and compassion to draw together and help one another. We’ve learned that we can get through this! Life won’t be the same as before. Many of us have lost loved ones, or jobs, or the confidence to do the things we used to do all of the time. We won’t be jumping for joy right away because we need time to heal first. That’s okay. We won’t be doing it alone. If you are struggling, you can reach out to a friend or family member, call samaritans, get in contact with the church, or simply try talking to God and asking for some help.

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God isn’t there to judge you or anyone else. God will listen. You don’t always have to know the “right words” or be really wellspoken, or put your hands together in a certain way. God loves us just as we are, so we can approach God in a way that makes us feel comfortable enough to open up and “be real” with God. After all, Christians believe that God was most fully present on earth in Jesus Christ; a poor person of colour, from a little village in the Holy Land. Jesus wasn’t well educated, or rich or powerful in the usual ways. He called God “papa”, because their relationship was deep and real.

Perhaps we don’t always realise how deeply and fully and widely and wholly God loves us, with all of our rough edges, too. That’s okay. Allowing ourselves to be loved and held is hard. It’s work in progress, like we are; it’s a journey. Let’s walk some of it together. - Jaimee YOU ARE WELCOME TO: St Andrew’s Church: - 3pm Sundays - weekly Eucharist. North Weald Sunday Morning Church: - 10am Sundays - informal worship service, in Thorowgood House, near St Andrew’s Church Wednesday 7.30: Bible Study over zoom. Please call or text Jaimee to get involved. 07761440450.