This June saw the twenty fifth anniversary of my priesting. The actual date of this celebration was 25th June when I presided at a service of Holy Communion at my home parish of St. John the Evangelist, Seaham Harbour in the diocese of Durham.  It was lovely to go back to the church where I grew up, sang in the choir as a boy and received my calling to the sacred ministry.  I have actually been in Holy Orders now for twenty six years as it is the custom in the Church of England to serve a year as a Deacon before being ordained Priest.  It is also the custom in the Established Church to spend a few days on retreat prior to ordination as Priest or Deacon.  My own Deaconing Retreat was led by the Honourable Hugh Dickinson, who went on to become Dean of Salisbury.  I well remember that one of the things he said all those years ago was - ìMake time in your ministry to watch the grass growî.  At the time it seemed strange advice to give to men who had spent several years being cooped up in Theological College and who were now raring to get stuck into the demands of the parochial ministry.  Now, after the passage of over a quarter of a century in Holy Orders, I see what good advice it actually was.
 

After a very hectic and sometimes exhausting six months ministering in the United Benefice of Kelvedon and Feering, I know full well how we all need times of peace and quiet in order just simply to ìwatch the grass growî and thus find rest and refreshment for body, mind and soul.  Many parishioners rush off to London each day - in the early morning and at the end of the working day - Kelvedon station is a very busy place.  I am sure that those who commute to work know all about the hustle and bustle of a busy world.  Such knowledge and experience shows all the more reason why we need to make time in our busy lives for re-creation and re-generation.
 

Our Lord, as in all things, gives us the perfect example.  In the Gospels when Jesus emerges from the hidden years at Nazareth He begins His public ministiy by going to the River Jordan to be baptised by his cousin -John the Baptist.  Instead of embarking immediately thereafter on a mission of preaching and healing He retreats instead into the wilderness in order to be all the more prepared for the many demands of His public ministry.  After He had chosen the twelve disciples and the ministry was in full swing Jesus said to them -ìCome with me, by yourselves to some lonely place where you can rest quietlyî (Mark 6:31). We all need times when we can ìrest quietlyî and simply ìwatch the grass growî.  Sunday can be one such time - the Day of Rest - a Sabbath - a day set aside for worship, family and leisure; a day that is somehow special and hopefully different from all the other days.  Summer holidays offer another such time.  Just as the week ideally has at least one day when we can relax and be more reflective - so the year has one month when things slow down and the pace is not so rushed.  The month of August offers us a splendid opportunity to recharge the batteries and thus be all the more better equipped for the inevitable demands which the autumn and winter seasons bring with them. May we all use these special quiet times to renew ourselves in order to serve God and neighbour all the better and simply enjoy and appreciate watching the grass grow.
 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS,
With every Blessing,
FATHER DAVID