The Vicar writes…
It does feel a bit strange writing my first Pastoral Letter knowing that it won’t “hit the doorsteps” of our subscribers for the Powick Parish Magazine/Voice of the Villages and for the households that used to get The Grapevine delivered each month. I can but hope that if you pick up a copy of this, you will read it and pass it on. If you are reading it online – via the church website, thank you for finding and reading it there. There is some interesting material there to peruse.
February can seem like a dismal time of year as we are in the midst of the dark days of winter. We also embark on our Lenten journey too later this month, with Ash Wednesday on the 22nd February. An “in person” and Zoom Lent Course and Collection for The Leprosy Mission will accompany our Lenten journey. See the Old Hills Headlines for more information. This year in particular we are faced with the added challenges of the economic and cost of living crises we are all facing in varying ways as well as the ongoing war in The Ukraine to occupy us.
On 2nd February, the church celebrates the festival of Candlemas which is considered to be one of the oldest Christian festivals. We will celebrate that at our Sunday 11am Worship at Powick on the 5th February. Candlemas celebrates the light that comes to banish the darkness. As with many Christian festivals, Candlemas takes place at a time when ancient pre-Christian ceremonies occurred. 2nd February marks the mid-point between the shortest day of the year and the spring equinox, as it falls halfway through winter. Some traditions say that the weather on Candlemas day predicts the weather for the rest of the winter as this old rhyme outlines:
If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,
The half of winter’s to come and mair.
If Candlemas day be wet and foul,
The half of winter’s gone at Yule.
There was an old custom that on this day, hedgehogs would come out of hibernation to judge the quality of the weather. When the first settlers travelled to America, they took this custom with them, except there were no hedgehogs. Instead, there were groundhogs. So, in the USA, 2nd February is known as ‘Groundhog Day’.
Candlemas takes its name from the Festival day – or mass – of the candles. It was the day when people brought all the candles to be used throughout the year to church to be blessed. Some people thought that candles provided protection against plague, illness and famine. They were asking God’s protection on their homes and families for the coming year. Clergy would bless the candles and give them to the people. In the middle of a cold, dark winter, the lights of Candlemas were placed in every window to remind people of the light of Christ shining in the darkness, bringing hope in the midst of uncertain times. I am concerned to read that some folk may be relying on candles to heat their homes because of the cost of heating. Maybe some of you are trying to use candle light during the Cashback offer from the National Grid and energy companies – in a hope to curtail use of energy and pressure on the National Grid. Take care if you are using candles in that manner.
There is a wonderful passage at the beginning of John’s Gospel where he writes about how Jesus came to be a light in the darkness of this world and to shine out as a sign of God’s presence among us. ‘The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.’ (John chapter 1 verse 9). You may recognise these words from the final reading in the First Communion of Christmas Service. Whether or not we associate light with anything or anyone in particular, we all need the hope of some light to come in our lives. Some are dealing with difficult and painful issues, like the illness of a loved one, a bereavement (sadly we are supporting a considerable number of families with funeral ministry too at the moment) health or mental health concerns or financial worries.
In the meantime, let us remember that there is light, there is hope and that God is with us even in the darkest moments. Wishing you God’s blessings for the month ahead.
Rev Gary