The Vicar's Letter (written by Reverend Coralie McCluskey, Vicar of St Mary's Church in Eaton Bray) has been appearing in the villages Focus magazine since March 2011
Skip navigation

 

» Site Navigation

Vicar's Letter

August/September 2012

Reverend Coralie McCluskey, vicar of the Church of St Mary The Virgin, Eaton Bray with Edlesborough.

The weather is an important factor when planning events especially during the summer months. Fortunately the British are able to cope admirably with whatever the sky hurls at them. Many carnivals, fetes, agricultural shows and picnics, as well as a host of other things have been a washout this year but it has not dampened the local spirit. The carnival on Edlesborough Green was a great community event despite some torrential rain. Congratulations must go to the organising committee, those who ran stalls and the many who turned up for this annual afternoon of fun and fund raising.

As you the read this the holiday season will be in full swing and the Olympics well and truly up and running. The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in southwest Greece. The Games were part of a religious festival and are thought to have inspired the modern Olympic Games (begun in 1896). The ancient Games were held in honour of Zeus, king of the gods, and were staged every four years at Olympia, a valley near a city called Elis. People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part. The city-states of Greece were often at war and this made travel between them dangerous. So messengers sent out from Elis announced a 'sacred truce' (peace) lasting one month before the Games began. This meant people could travel to Olympia in safety. The Olympic Games were more important than wars because they were a religious festival.

Talking of religion the Bible is full of images that relate to those qualities that are necessary both for the Christian and the Olympian. My favourite compares the Christian life to running a race. Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you might win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one�.(1 Cor.9:24-end).

If the Olympics are not your thing there will be many other events going on in the villages to while away your time, holidays at home can be as exciting as those in other parts of the country or across the world. At St Mary's we will be running two Messy Church sessions on the 31st July and 23rd August from 2-4pm before we launch on 2nd September a monthly service. Parents and young children are all welcome. Please check the church web site for more information. The regular TOTS session on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month will still be running from 2-3pm.

I pray that all who are going away will have a relaxing and refreshing time and if you are staying at home enjoy the freedom and a break from the work routine.

Coralie

Letter Archives

2012

Other Years

About the Vicar's Letter

The Vicar's Letter has been appearing in the villages Focus magazine since August 2002.

The Rev. Peter Graham also used to publish The Vicar's Letter in the parish magazine of 1964. Please see the area for these.