Laziness breeds laziness.  Excuses breed excuses.  If you are a leader and choose to cut corners, you will find that your followers follow your behaviour.  If, as a leader, you are strict about rules – yet make excuses for when you yourself fall short – you will establish a culture of excuses.  That may sound gloomy; but what about the opposite?

Volunteers breed volunteers.  I am far more likely to put up my hand, saying “I’ll do that”, when I am confident that I know that others will do likewise in turn.  Who would want to be churchwarden, with all its consequent responsibilities?  Yet, knowing that there are other volunteers doing their bit – and still others who will put their shoulder to the wheel if the warden asks for assistance – then the  role becomes less onerous, and, indeed, pleasurable.  Who would want to be treasurer?  Even worse, who would dare to volunteer to be Safeguarding Officer?  The other day, I read a Safeguarding Policy which was over 180 pages long.  In the midst of all those words, there was only one sentence that truly stood out: ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’.  We all have our part to play in making this parish safe, welcoming and a breeding ground for faith.  Thank goodness we have people to take a lead, with buildings, money and safeguarding – but everyone has a part to play.

Edward Thomas wrote a poem called ‘Adlestrop’.  The last verse goes like this:

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

In the silence of a train stopping for a moment at Adlestrop station, Thomas hears one blackbird.  Yet, as he listens more closely, he realises that that bird evokes a response from other blackbirds nearby, and that in turn sets off “all the birds of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire”.  Our role as Christians is to live lives of kindness, generosity and holiness.  We do so with the hope that a chain reaction will happen, until all creation is singing to the glory of God.

PS: Say a prayer of gratitude this week for Church Wardens, Treasurers, Safeguarding Officers, and “all the birds” of All Saints and St Mary’s Fishponds.

Rev’d Bob

Services for Ascension Sunday – 17th May

10:00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am Holy Communion, All Saints

11:45am – All Saints APCM

5:00-7:00pm Generations – All Saints – Joint Youth BBQ and Pilgrimage Celebration

The Week Ahead

Mon 18th May

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 19th May

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 20th May

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

2:00pm – Bible Book Club, St Mary’s

Thu 21st May

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Sat 23rd May

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 24th May

8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints​​