Lift Up Your Hearts

The winter of 1981 was very wet. There were forty rainy days in a row in the south east of England. This led to a correspondence in the Times, and someone from a girls school (I forget which) wrote in asking whether anyone could suggest a place to build an ark.

I wrote a note to the effect that the promise given in Genesis 9:15 meant that even the current wet spell would not necessitate an ark. It was published, my address given as Hailey House, Haileybury. It caused quite a stir in those long gone days before online comments were possible.

I was reminded of that little schoolboy triumph today when the sunshine and showers produced a rainbow whose end appeared to be in Goldings Wood.

For Christians the certitude that whatever happens the God of love is caring for the world, and that beyond the clouds the stars continue to shine allows us to live in joyful hope even in the midst of the suffering of the world. This is not fools' gold at the end of a rainbow, but the living experience of millions.

Lift up Your Hearts

We went scrumping in Goldings Wood today (with permission - is that possible?) today for holly to decorate the church. We have a Victorian Carol service tomorrow. (I know, I know, it is still only Advent 3…) We have masses of ivy in the garden here, but very little holly.

Holly in Goldings - taken a bit earlier in the Autumn when things were warmer!

The linkage of Holly with the passion of Christ is found in a number of ancient carols. It is thought that evergreen decorations were used in pre-christian times for midwinter festivals. The church has always been very good at appropriating symbolism. Placing Christian festivals on the same days as pagan ones forced people to choose: you could not celebrate both things.

This is called the Sans Day Carol. The Music is here.

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
and Mary bore Jesus, all wrapped up in silk:

And Mary bore Jesus our Saviour for to be,
and the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly
Holly! Holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And mary bore Jesus who died on the cross:

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
and Mary bore Jesus who died for us all:

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood is it red
Then trust we our Saviour who rose from the dead.

Autumn Colour

The woods were looking lovely the other day. Maybe this will inspire you to come up on Saturday for the AGM. Please excuse a picture post. The last few days have been busy.

Autumnal Fecundity

It is the last week before half term and the sloes are fruiting in abundance on the edge of the Heath and on the fringes of Goldings Wood. Christmas will be jolly if they make nice sloe gin. It is supposed to taste best if the fruit is pricked with a silver fork. Can any chemists (or cooks) say why?