Overview of Church LIfe
Here at St. John with St. Mary our members get involved in many diverse activities, supporting the community and one another not only spiritually but in a wide range of practical activities.
Local children can play in a safe environment at our range of regular family events.
Vulnerable adults are helped to cope with the stresses of everyday life through our outreach work, whilst everyone is welcome to pursue personal meditation through bible reading and quiet reflection.
For the parish statement on our Safeguarding Policy click here.
Our Rule of Life
Living our Wild and Precious Lives
During Advent 2016 and Lent 2017 we spent time reflecting on Mary Oliver’s Poem A Summer Day which ends with the line ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’. From these reflections, we developed a parish Rule of Life. A Rule or Rhythm of Life has long been an aspect of the Christian way of living. Gail Foster (local poet) has written a poem that captures something of our hope to share this vision of our life together.
What Will You Do?
What will you do, the poet said, with this
One wild and precious life you have today
Within the womb the Baptist leaps for bliss
Upon the cross He gives his life away
What will we do indeed, for heaven’s sake
We motley crew of children, priests, and fools
We offer fairy cakes and prayers, and break
Communal bread according to the rules
What did he do? He died, and rose again
Was unconventional, and wild, and brave
He gave his precious life that other men
Might rise in easy conscience from the grave
And you, sat there all cosy in your pew
What will you do with what he gave for you?
© Gail Foster 11th June 2017
https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
Here at St John's we are striving to be an Eco- Church:
“The birth of our Living Churchyard project. We hope to have a circular Mediation area with benches in the south west corner of the churchyard. Watch this space! “
