The ancient parish church of St. Mary the Virgin has done its disappearing act again.  Throughout the long, cold winter it is clearly visible from my study window as I sit at my desk.  The old girl is currently propped up with scaffolding around two of her buttresses in order to receive some costly attention to her appearance and stability.  But church and scaffold have now disappeared from view as God renews the face of the earth and the green of the ancient trees blots out and hides the ancient fane. What beautiful chestnut trees they are, now they are in full leaf and blossom.  Some of the seven fingered leaves are enormous and quickly grew to full maturity thanks to the warmth of the sun on St. George's Day and the wetness of the weather on the May Day Bank Holiday.  The trees are full of blossom - they look like candles all alight giving glory and honour to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her own month of May.  In the fullness of time the blossom will wither to be replaced by spiky green shells containing brown conkers (a name which I believe derives from the ancient imperial Byzantine capital of Constantinople) and another generation of Kelvedon children will come along and collect the harvest of the conker trees prior to the leaves falling as the year turns and thus revealing, once more, the ancient parish church.

The new tree (a weeping cherry) in the vicarage garden is also doing very well. It was kindly given as a present to mark the first anniversary of my induction as vicar of the United Benefice.  The pink blossom is a pleasant contrast to the white blossom of the chestnut trees.  As the years of ministry pass by it will be good to witness the growth of this lovely addition to the new vicarage garden.

It is not often that I write a kind of "From my study window..." vicar's letter but having just read Ronald Blythe's weekly article "Word from Wormingford" in the CHURCH TIMES I have been moved so to do by Ronald's waxing lyrical about nightingales and bluebells.  In the article he mentions a visit to Nayland church to see the John Constable altarpiece "Christ Blessing the Elements".  I was fascinated to learn that the model for Christ at the Last Supper was none other than Golding Constable - the artist's brother (what an honour to Imitate Christ in such a way). I wonder if our Feering Constable painting - which now hangs in Dedham parish church where many tourists can see it - made use of the same model - Aubrey always used to refer to it as "The Risen Christ" - at Dedham (where three of our four churchwardens were recently sworn into office - Phyllis, Jean and Jenny  + John was sworn in at Thaxted parish church) the painting is known as "The Ascended Christ".  If anyone knows who actually modelled for the 1822 painting - then do let us know.

However, whoever it was who modelled for the painting, it is the same Lord who Blessed the Bread and Wine, who died for our salvation on Calvary's Hill, who was raised from the dead on the first Easter morn and who now reigns gloriously as King of kings in the heavenly places.  He is Lord of the Church and King of Creation - it is a joy to praise and worship him in either of our lovely parish churches of All Saints' and St. Mary the Virgin. He is Lord of creation.  Those who worship him here below eventually join with the Risen, Ascended Lord in that heaven which is perfect life and perfect love, stars and atoms and trees and flowers and men and angels - and all with Christ and Christ with God.  To Him be the glory - now and unto the ages of ages.
 
 

                                                  With Every Blessing,

                                                  FATHER DAVID