Prestbury Parish Magazine

Part of the mystery of our God is that God is a God of variety, while also being a God of unity. We cannot fathom God: yet at the same time, this holy mystery is something God wants us to explore, just as we are to explore every aspect of this wondrous creation God has given to us.

We have a great advantage as Christians in God’s self-revelation through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The end of the road Jesus set out on sees an event both terrible and joyous, appropriate emotions when considering the most significant moment in the history of creation.

Approaching that moment requires some preparation, hence the season of Lent, yet I would challenge that there is a need for such an attitude of exploration in our regular Christian life. Jesus said that, if we were to enter the kingdom of heaven, we would need to be like the children who were crowding around him.

He did not mean we are not supposed to grow and gain insight into our world, retaining a childish and unthinking view of the world. Indeed, I know very few children who are really satisfied with non-answers and evasions: if they trust you they may take your word that all will be explained later, but eventually they will want to know.

Rather Jesus was referring to a child’s innate need to ask questions: to explore, to push boundaries, to discover new aspects of a world that is so full of mystery and wonder; and as they explore, beginning to understand their world, so they play, extrapolating from what they have learnt; and through play they enter into that action that is so much at the centre of our God: creation.

Our God is a God of creation and life, and we best relate to that part of God’s life in us when we ourselves are creative. So, our God encourages us to ask difficult questions. Our God encourages us to grow and learn, because the world God made for us is complex and wonderful and we should not ignore such a gift. Our God encourages us to play, because in playing we are creative, like our God, and so can come to understand the divine mystery of God a little better.

Finally, the glorious wonder of all this is that just as we are each created in God’s image, the same yet infinitely different, so the nature of our creativity and playfulness may be just as diverse. Praise be to God! Amen.

We offer our congratulations to Fr Michael Cozens, Rector of our North Cheltenham Team Ministry, on his appointment as an Honorary Canon of Gloucester Cathedral.

The appointment of a canon is in recognition of ‘the valuable contribution that the canon has made and is making to the life of the diocese and its witness to the community.’ A canon is also called to be ‘a friend of the Cathedral and a counsellor of the Bishop.’

Fr Michael will be installed as a member of the College of Canons during a service in the Cathedral at 3pm on Sunday 2nd May, at which all are welcome. Further details will be given nearer the time.

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In December the Revd David Eady announced that he would be retiring from his post as House for Duty Associate Priest in the North Cheltenham Team Ministry. David’s last Sunday will be Sunday 28th February and there will be a special farewell service in St Lawrence’s church at 3pm followed by tea in the village hall in Swindon Village. Anyone is very welcome to attend!

David, with his wife Pat, came to Cheltenham ten years ago to serve as Priest-in-Charge of both St Lawrence, Swindon Village, and St Mary Magdalene, Elmstone Hardwicke with Uckington. He was appointed on a ‘house for duty basis’ having recently retired after many years of working in the social services sector. Before moving to Cheltenham, David had helped in the Benefice of Stratton, North Cerney, Baunton and Bagendon on a non-stipendiary basis.

Tony Jilbert and Mary Halliwell, Churchwardens of Swindon Village, have written the following as part of their tribute to David for the Swindon Village News:

‘Once he had settled in David was soon actively involved in village life and has served on the Village Hall committee as well as being on the Board of Governors at the school. He will always be remembered for his cool, calm approach for most instances that he has been presented with. These were never more evident than when we had the badger problem in the churchyard. He had not only to deal with the distressed families but also to deal with the press. Indeed he had one phone call from Australia about the situation.

‘During his time of service David also had to oversee the major renovation works of the church roof, which again involved many hours of administration and worry. He had to deal with all these issues as well as carry out his pastoral duties to both parishes, which again he will be remembered for. Whilst David has been in our midst he has encouraged the church to grow within our community and has been selfless in his duties. People tend to think of the church as a building but it is the people who make the church, the building is just the meeting place. David has shown on many occasions what it means to live a Christian life and to be of service to others, as Jesus taught.’

We join in sending David and Pat our very best wishes and in praying for God’s blessing on them as they begin their retirement.

The next Archdeacon of Cheltenham is the Revd Canon Robert Springett, who has been Rector of Wanstead in the Diocese of Chelmsford since 2001 and is Area Dean of Redbridge. He will be commissioned as Archdeacon at a service in Tewkesbury Abbey at 7.30pm on Friday 30th April and installed as a member of the College of Canons in the Cathedral on Sunday 2nd May. Please keep Robert, his wife and their two daughters in your prayers.

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We are pleased to announce that the new Ministry Team (formerly called the Ministry Leadership Team or MLT) has now been formed. The Team is made up of the following people:

* absent from photograph

Thank you to all those who submitted names for nomination (there were 49 names) and to all who have supported the calling out process with their prayers.

At the Christingle Service £306.85 was collected and has all been sent to The Children’s Society.

At the special Christmas services (Nine Lessons, Crib services and Midnight Masses) £1,156 was collected at St Mary’s and £213 at St Nicolas’. £456 was given to each of Winston’s Wish and Christian Aid Big Sing. The other third went to church funds.

In November the PCC agreed to give the Alice Glenister Foundation, The Bethlehem Project, Let the Children Live! and the Kenya Project £750 each.

Throughout the year other monies have been raised and reported in this magazine from time to time. These include bucket collections, Children’s Society boxes, CHADS and refreshment collections.

Thank you to all who have contributed.

Love For The Future is a series of short films on DVD produced by the Diocese of Bath and Wells for house-groups or individual study, using group discussion materials, bible study notes and pointers to other resources.

This course and supporting study material tackles many of the issues that we face as a society and as a planet, with particular emphasis on responding to the ecological crisis, but these are not just more films about climate change. They explore what we can find within ourselves to develop family and community life, respond to the environmental crises and achieve a sustainable world.

Drawing on insights from the church community, Love for the Future considers how different kinds of spirituality can help generate the approaches we need in order to face and influence the future, by allowing God to develop the values of respect, compassion, justice, simplicity, repentance and hope within us.

By the time you read this, there should be a choice of daytime and evening groups scheduled to take place weekly. Please support this Lent course by joining one of the groups, as part of our learning and growing together in Christ, as individuals, as parishes and as a Team.

A key part of PPY’s work is running alternative curriculum projects – practical educational projects for those who do not connect so well with the academic curriculum. It is great news that St George’s Centre have decided to build on the pilot CORE project run with The Rock in November and December. The engagement of the young people has been fantastic – demonstrated by an awesome Christmas Dinner which they put on for staff from their centre.

Nothing seems to stay the same for long in youth work. The renovation of Whaddon Youth Centre has forced both CORE and PYAG alternative curriculum projects which we run to move temporarily to the church room at St Nicolas’. We hope to move to The Rock by March (building work is ongoing to create a fabulous youth venue in the hall at St Peter’s).

Sharon is starting her maternity leave on 1st February so Ryan Martin will be stepping up to take over her responsibilities as Youth Inclusion Worker during the maternity leave. Sharon’s commitment, organisation and consistent support of the young people will be very much missed during this time. However, we are very lucky to have such a natural youth worker in Ryan to cover the role. We are currently in the process of recruiting to keep our complement of workers dedicated to the projects at two. We hope that by the time you read this we will have made an appointment.

A big ‘thank you’ is due to Tricia Wilson, Gill Wood and Jill Bradley for all their work in sorting out so many practicalities in relation to these changes.

CORE stands for ‘character’, ‘opportunity’, ‘relationship’ and ‘employability’ – please do pray that in all of our alternative curriculum work young people may develop in these areas.

You are invited to join the young people to worship together on Sunday 7th February from 6.30pm at St Nicolas’. It will be very informal – with a focus on worship rather than performance. For more information please contact Andy Macauly.

Young People leading worship during Sidmouth Weekend last October

The Prestbury Parish Magazine started life in January 1885, with these opening words from the editor: ‘Permit us to introduce our new Magazine to the Prestbury Public. Why should not Prestbury have its own organ of Parochial intelligence as well as neighbouring parishes? We are told that it has been tried before and did not succeed. Perhaps that makes us more anxious to try again. For if a thing is a good thing it ought to succeed.’ It obviously was a ‘good thing’ and is still thriving 125 years later. That first edition, of 150 copies, sold out quickly, and they had to print a second one, of fifty copies ‘to meet the wants of the public’.

The first magazine consisted of a cover and four pages of Prestbury information, with the 32-page The Gospeller as its nucleus. The second magazine, February 1885, whose cover is reproduced on the cover of this magazine, had more pages of our own parish news, including questions from readers and reports of parish events. In 1886, by popular request The Gospeller was replaced by the apparently more interesting Banner of Faith, and our own pages continued to bring news of what went on in the parish.

I do not know when illustrations were first added to the cover but there was a line drawing in a 1942 copy of the magazine.

I have quite a lot of magazines from the twenty years when Norman Kent was vicar, 1953-1973. The main part of the magazine was still a nationally available insert, The Sign, with our own outer cover and a few pages of Prestbury information. By now photographs were included, both in The Sign and on the cover. Many of you will recognise the cover on the right, which was the same every month for many years until the mid-sixties. This one is August 1955.

In 1966 the PCC set up a committee to review the magazine and in the June issue made four recommendations:

1. Not to bind in the Diocesan Gazette with the rest of the magazine;
2. To continue using ‘The Sign’ as an inset;
3. To adopt a new, variable cover design;
4. To raise the price to sixpence.

The curate, the Revd R M Sweeney, writes ‘The last two recommendations will take effect with the July issue. But we hope to give you a little more for your money by encouraging parishioners to write articles.’ And you are still writing articles in 2010!

In July 1966 the Magazine Committee presented the results of its ‘very conservative revision of the magazine’, which included moving the list of church officers and regular services to the back, and giving a more prominent position to the monthly calendar, ‘to encourage you to use the daily intercessions in your own prayers, even if you cannot be at any services in church on week-days.’

Fr Sweeney goes on to say: ‘A parish magazine should give news, and stimulate thought and interest. Properly run, it is also a means of evangelism, and proper running depends on everyone – editor, printer, contributors and distributors.’ That very much sums up how I feel about our Parish Magazine today, and I hope that you, the reader, gain as much pleasure from reading it as I do in producing it.

On the right is one of the five new photographs which appeared randomly on the cover of the magazine over the following few years. Again, many of you will remember both the magazine and the building: St Nicolas’ Church.

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Twelve people plus leaders experienced the Alpha Course at the end of last year and it was appreciated by everyone. One person commented: ‘I felt it was very worth while. It was good to meet other people and get to know them’, while another said: ‘I enjoyed the company of fellow explorers on the path of life’. The Alpha Celebration Supper – a chance for people to meet again and share their experiences – will take place on Wednesday 10th February.

The next Alpha Course will start in September. If you would like to know more about it please get in touch with Fr Daniel, Joanna McVeagh or Neil Jones (email:   ).

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For very obvious reasons our Epiphany supper this year was cancelled, but I felt I had to describe our very modest celebration, because I shall always remember it.

Incredibly, by lunchtime we had told everybody who had purchased a supper ticket that the meal was postponed and the service would be a said Eucharist. Even though we were fairly confident we had contacted all but one person my husband and I waded down a snowed up Finchcroft Lane at 6.15pm and I felt like singing ‘Good King Wenceslas’. Roger was clumping ahead, carrying a bag of mulled wine bottles and our little mini induction hob. I followed in his footsteps with my pressure cooker in one basket and a large bag of food in another. On reaching Noverton Lane I had moved on to ‘Snow had fallen snow on snow…’. We clumped on along the High Street and as we went up the passageway by the King’s Arms I had definitely progressed to the Three Kings: ‘Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder Star’. The sky was clear and the stars looked brilliant.

The church was unlocked and as we switched on the lights Noel and Father Daniel appeared. I unpacked my bags, set the table with a Christmas cloth and a couple of plates of cheese straws, shortbread and a Stollen cake. I emptied half a bottle of wine into the pressure cooker and set up the little hob in the kitchen. Father Daniel decided to hold the service in the choir since there were only four of us. More people arrived, so I emptied the rest of the bottle of wine into the pressure cooker, and then another half bottle…

Our tiny congregation of by now twelve people filled the choir stalls, we had our priest and server, and the Wise Men had replaced the shepherds in the stable. At such close quarters the Altar nativity looked so serene. The reading described God’s great gift of Christ to mankind, the prayers thought of travellers and those caught in that harsh night’s snow. Father Daniel’s sermon explained the kind of king Herod was and the tense situation in Judea which made it vital that he knew nothing of the Holy Family’s whereabouts, hence God’s dream warning the Wise Men to avoid returning to Herod, who was not even a Jew and had no legal right to the throne he had claimed. In the darkened church it became one of those wonderfully timeless services. As we met in the aisle and greeted each other at the Peace, the men looked as though they were booted and breeched as trousers stayed tucked into Wellington boots; we ladies were muffled and hatted. The old life of St Mary’s was there with us. So many hundreds of Epiphany nights had been celebrated there before our little group clustered in that chancel in the darkness; pray to God that there may be many hundreds more, still to follow.

After the service we gathered round the table, ate all the cheese straws, some of the Stollen and shortbread, and strangely, three bottles of steamy hot mulled wine in plastic beakers! But please remember, the night was bitterly cold and nobody had driven in by car. Anyway, as one of our gathering pointed out, the wine had been heating so a lot of the alcohol had evaporated.

The postponed Epiphany Supper will now take place on Saturday 13th February at Prestbury Hall, Bouncers Lane. If you have a ticket and can no longer attend, please contact Lynda Hodges, Margaret Compton or Phil Dodd for a refund. Alternatively, if you would now like to buy a ticket – it is now possible to accommodate more people – please see the same people.

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There aren’t many churches which enjoy a massive influx of people – and most of those men – on a yearly basis. Although St Nicolas’ may not always seem to be in a good position geographically, it has pole position when it comes to the Gold Cup. In the past we have offered car parking, toilet facilities and an informal café and always see a jolly crowd of race-goers, some of whom come back every year. It has been that rare phenomenon, an effective fundraiser that also harbours a lot of goodwill.

Using it as a vehicle for some gentle faith-sharing, especially through listening, is a new venture. The aim this year is to provide not only a friendly welcome but also a listening ear to those who come to us, and to this end several of the clergy are giving their mornings to chat to race-goers. It is a ministry that requires a good deal of patience and sensitivity. Our ‘customers’ are not fundamentally seeking religious input: they have come for a break and to enjoy some racing. However, people are often more open when away from home, especially when on holiday, and it is a good opportunity for us to share something of Christ in a friendly, positive way.

So do keep our visitors and ‘chaplains’ in your prayers. Who knows? Perhaps some of them will put their money on the real winner, ‘who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross…’.

We are looking for volunteers to manage the car park at St Nicolas’ for the National Hunt Festival – a good fund-raising event as well as an opportunity for outreach to the racegoers. This year we are missing several of our regular helpers, have a rookie organiser and would welcome further volunteers, not just from St Nicolas’ congregation. We need about six people each morning from 10.00am to 1.30pm, no experience necessary, full training will be given. From 1.30 to 4.30pm we need a couple of ‘stewards’ just to patrol the car park periodically to deter undesirable elements. In previous years we have also patrolled for a while after 4.30, but as I live the wrong end of the parish we may have to abandon that if there are not enough volunteers. Luminous jackets provided! If you can give a hand please contact me.

Geoff Shaw

In March every year Prestbury life, particularly at St Nicolas’, is affected in some way by the Gold Cup week. While the intrepid ‘car-parkers’ brave the weather and make a lot of money a small band of others serve coffee, tea and biscuits to race-goers, coach drivers, Police and anyone else who feels the need. For about ten years I have been involved and for the past seven have organised this small but vital service. Last year I decided five mornings plus the buying and organising was too much and cut it down to four. This year I really must cut down further. PLEASE, I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP.

As a result of the snow, the icy pavements and a viral attack on the event’s organiser Jim Mackie, this event in January was in jeopardy up to the final moment. However, thanks to the efforts and determination of Jim and Diana, a very enjoyable evening of bridge took place. Thanks must go the catering team led by Lynda Hodges, who provided the usual high standard of supper, and also to Cyril Beer for standing in at the last minute to act as MC for the card playing and for preparing a warm and welcoming Prestbury Hall. Many thanks to everyone who helped with and supported this event.

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In the Collect for Epiphany 2 we called upon Almighty God to ‘transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory’.

As a Jungian Analyst with a longstanding interest in the inter-relationship between depth psychology and religious belief, I found myself reflecting upon a ‘group’ letter in the January Magazine from All Saints’ in which the signatories explain their difficulties with accepting women’s priestly ministry. I presume the letter was prompted both by the current wider debate about the scope of the authority of women Bishops and by the fact that All Saints’ – and therefore the North Cheltenham Team – has a new woman Deacon and a woman who is in her final year of preparation for Ordination to the Priesthood.

It is an act of courage to open up one’s heartfelt beliefs to the scrutiny of others and as such should be applauded. It is only through such honest revelations that a wider discussion can take place and, in my view, that is the place where real change can take place. In other words, the energy, ‘the life’ – our lives, the life of the Church – is in the debate. Here is the place where we can consider, for ourselves, what the prospect of change brings up for us. And importantly, what this might mean for others. So in the same spirit I offer some other thoughts, both professional and then personal.

My view is that depth psychology can be very helpful in extending the template of our thinking into the entirety of our being. For example – what are the feelings aroused by the prospect of change: whether anger, sadness, repulsion, exclusion, elation and so forth? What memories and associations are triggered: from our past, our family histories, significant others?

Giving space to consider such things can help us identify the often hitherto hidden factors behind our responses to external or internal stimuli and, by bringing them into consciousness, take us further into becoming whoever we are called to be. There can often be parts of us which we repress or would prefer not to know about. For example, some of our feelings and thoughts may not be acceptable to us in other frames of mind. Perhaps our usual ‘stance’ was fashioned in times and conditions which are no longer relevant.

Jung cautions us that what may have been essential for our survival in one phase of life might become the very thing that holds us back later in life. This is perhaps analogous to the teaching of St Paul, who informs us in Corinthians 13:11-12 that ‘now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face…’ and so on. Here we are reminded to pay continuing attention to our spiritual journeys as well as to how our attitudes affect our perceptions.

Part of what interests me in the discussions about the authority of women Bishops is the interplay between our individual desires, the norms of our culture and those of the collective or wider community. For example, there are times to be ‘joiners’ and times to be ‘loners’; at certain stages on our own journey either ‘pole’ may be essential as we work out where we are in relation to these external factors which may affect us deeply.

Perhaps the important thing is to question what is behind our attitude or stance at any particular time and to think about what that says about ourselves. Often it is being ‘stuck’ or feeling unable to move that is painfully problematic.

Whilst we may see this more easily in others, for example, in those who might still grip to the pain of the loss of long departed loved ones rather than grieve, it may not be so easy to identify such things in ourselves. But often, whenever we find ourselves wanting to say ‘no – I don’t want that’ and find ourselves very out of step with others, at a cultural or collective level, we owe it to ourselves and others to scrutinise our inner motives. It is important to recognise that all positions are valid, but the vital aspect for our personal growth is that we have truly engaged in our self examination. This is never easy in isolation and is where being part of a church family can be helpful. On the collective or community level, we also have a responsibility to not get in the way of what could be an important growing point for others.

Concerning the letter from the All Saints’ ‘group’, I have two personal worries. Firstly, the claim that the Anglican Church, lacking the authority of Rome, has no power to decide differently on the ordination of women Bishops; and secondly, that the current debate is an issue of equality. On the first I have difficulty in separating the concepts of authority and ministry in the context of ‘Church’. The Anglican Church has differed from Rome in many issues over our history but the Spirit continues to move. If this is not the case, then what are we all doing every Sunday, or when we renew our baptismal vows, celebrate our wedding anniversaries or daily in our own devotions?

Authority and authenticity have a common root, and so who is the ‘author’ if we are not Christ’s Church? Furthermore, it has now been seventeen years since the General Synod voted in favour of the ordination of women, and the importance and relevance of women’s ministry has gathered widespread support and validation from those who have experienced it. The current debates are part of the Church’s own process of discernment, which is part of that ‘authority’.

Secondly, it seems a pity to reduce the extensive theological debates over many years to one of ‘equality’. I am sure that many in our midst are well qualified to summarise this but I wonder, at a psychological level, what has been avoided all this time to make this necessary at this stage? Understanding this could be essential to finding a way to enable a useful and productive discussion to take place in the present.

In summary I wish to encourage debate about the wider issues of women’s ministry in the Church because they are absolutely relevant to the issues facing us as a team ministry. But equally, these same issues may be enlightening, if not imperative, to where we are in our own spiritual and personal journeys and this needs to be acknowledged and worked with. It is an opportunity. Given that we are all at different places it is unrealistic to assume that absolute consensus would ever be reached on any issue. And importantly, if we are all to continue to grow in whatever way then ‘one size fits all’ could never be the case.

So my hope is to find a way forward that allows for and facilitates growth in us all. But, in so far as we have a responsibility towards each other, we should think very carefully before either preventing change that may lead to growth in others or by leaving in the hope of avoiding a challenge that might actually be a spur to the growth that we truly need. It is the season of Epiphany, of Christ’s revelation to us all; maybe we could put this time to good use.

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Diane and I spent a four-night retreat at Lee Abbey in Devon during November. The house is set in a verdant bowl approached through a stony barren valley out of Lynton. It looks west down to a beach and high cliff headlands beyond, protected on the inland side by a wooded escarpment, and shouldered from the sea by a short landscaped ridge topped by three crosses in a clear saddle. It is a beautiful area to walk, so I took some of the thoughts from the retreat sessions with me as I walked one day into Lynmouth, and a second day down the coast westwards. I would like to take you on that second walk which I took after morning coffee, returning for afternoon tea before the evening candlelit supper.

The session in the morning had looked at four passages in John’s gospel. For my walk I took an OS map so I would not get lost, plus a bible in the same pocket, not something I have done before. As the weather was blowing hard against me I decided on a triangular walk, up a wooded valley diagonally inland away from the house, along a ridge running to the coast, and back to the Abbey. The wide track was easy and rose gently into the wood where I sat on a bench looking down over the bay and looked again at the first reading (John 3:1-13). I could look back at the security of the wonderful family home I had left with the three crosses dramatically in relief with a grey sea beyond. I went off the track onto a muddier path which was nevertheless clear and after crossing one stream I passed under the zip wire where groups test their team support. A side steam ran below me as I went deeper into the wood and up the narrowing valley, finding an abandoned stone hut where I stopped for my second reading (John 6:35-42). I soon met a larger track which led up to a solid farm and stone barns nestled near the top of the valley, where I sat on closed summer cream-tea tables to read John 9:1-7, before striking up the hillside into exposed paddocks to find a turning off the path. On my map were just red dotted lines but my experience of map interpretation gave me faith that there would be an obvious point to decide on my next step. The path ran up the windward side of a wall so I was buffeted to the side but happily there was no rain. Gates and signposts gave me encouragement until I reached a stile with a sign on to an ancient track to my left. I sat on the top rail, hunkered into the hedge, to read my last reference (John 14:1-10).

I turned straight into the gale and could not see the way out of the field. I had a wall to my left with slippery mud and tufty tripping grass underfoot, but could not look up for long as the wind whipped my hood away. Very easily I was spun off course, until I noticed a clear narrow track through the grass going straight ahead. By focussing on the guiding pattern I could forget the obstacles, and soon saw the gate ahead of me. At that point the wheel track turned away and I had to make the last bit on my own. The gate led me into a sunken road where I could lie on my back, have some refreshments and watch the clouds rushing by with their changing shapes. It was strange looking at an even higher layer which was so still. Life does rush by if you let it.

The last field of the outward leg was a slight hollow like the palm of a hand, and although I was still going into wind it was strangely calm as the wind was shot over me. There was an abrupt turn to the right as I headed to the coast. The path ran on the leeward side of a row of bent stunted trees offering shelter from the whistling wind, which broke through the gaps blowing the grass flat into a soft carpet. As I reached a brow I could see the field of Lee Abbey far away and the crosses tiny but definite in their silhouettes. I knew I was on a Roman road leading to a fort on the coast which would first take me passed a cluster of prehistoric burial mounds. It always fascinates me to think about those people who have gone before, finding inspiration from the same landscapes, and no doubt wondering why we are here and what life is about. I was just starting to hum ‘How great thou art’ when I was pulled up by a deer staring back at me from the edge of the hedgerow. We looked at each other for several minutes, until I detoured into the field past all the barrows, checking back on the subtle figure which blended so well but was distinct once searched for. Briefly on the modern road I passed a 700-year-old church where by family tradition I searched out a gravestone naming Mary Ann, before the last half mile of high walled track leading to the high headland fort. It had a commanding view of the surrounding land but had a critical flaw, no near permanent water unlike Lee Abbey visible below. I clambered down the seaward walls touching stones laid two thousand years ago which made me wonder if any of the soldiers had served in Palestine, or even been early Christians, merging into the local scene like their encampment.

A scramble down through heather and gorse brought me onto a firm broad contour path leading back to base. I bowled along dipping into gullies to cross tumbling rivulets or rounding corners to pick up a fresh glimpse of the coastline. I sensed I was nearly home when a small path led off the road with a sign: ‘Enter his Gates with Praise: Coastal Path’. I paused, wondering whether to keep to the obvious road or strike off, down hill and back on myself. I took the unknown, which wound round and down nearly to sea level before climbing back to the road as it entered the pasture with the welcoming house above. In a short while I was at the main door but before resting I threw my coat with its heavy book and map onto a chair, feeling enlightened to climb up to the crosses where I leaned against the wind with arms out stretched. A wonderful end, before a cup of tea with friends.

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"Blessed are you, merciful God! Let all your works praise you for ever. And now, Lord, I turn my face to you. Command that I be released from the earth, and not listen to such reproaches any more. You know, O Master, that I am innocent… and that I have not disgraced my name or the name of my father in the land of my exile… Why should I still live? But if it is not pleasing to you, O Lord, to take my life, hear me in my disgrace."

Tobit 3:11b-15 (abridged), NRSV

We are looking at a prayer, the words of someone in great distress. We would probably guess that this is a character in the Old Testament, one of the patriarchs perhaps, or a king, or a prophet. In fact we are dealing with a story from the Apocrypha, in the book of Tobit, and the speaker is a young woman.

Sarah is truly in an unhappy position. Her family want to see her happily married and have found good matches for her: seven times she has gone through a marriage ceremony, and seven times her bridegroom has mysteriously died on the wedding night. Nobody is to know that this is the work of the wicked demon Asmodeus. People are talking, and now Sarah’s own maid has begun to taunt her as a worthless killer of husbands. Sarah is driven to the point of despair, and goes to her father’s upper room to hang herself; at the last moment, the thought of her father’s grief and shame holds her back, and she turns instead to prayer.

Sarah’s prayer, from perhaps two hundred years before Christ, is still a model for today. Even in this extremity, her first words are praise. Adoration is an important part of prayer; in turning our attention to the God who is listening we are saved from being immersed in a bog of self-pity. Then, like someone approaching a doctor or an advisor, she names her need: she is still looking for death. Long before Jesus taught his disciples to pray to the Father, Sarah has total confidence in the compassion of an all-seeing God. Once she has begun, all her sense of injustice, her concern for her father, the impossibility of living like this, pour out – only part of her prayer is printed here. Finally, we can almost hear her draw breath; she says again she has no reason to live, but nevertheless gives the decision back to God, asking only for compassion and understanding.

Meanwhile, in far-away Nineveh, an old man is praying too. In exile from Jerusalem, Tobit still obeys the Law in letter and spirit, at great cost to himself; he is poor, blind, mocked by society. Like Sarah, his prayer begins with the praise of God, he holds nothing back of his grief and bitterness, he asks for the release of death. But the book of Tobit is a story of answered prayer: ‘at that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God’ (chapter 3 verse 16). As the story unfolds, we shall see that their two stories are one, and both Sarah and Tobit receive a happier outcome to all their troubles than they could ever have dared to hope.

Take half an hour to read the whole book of Tobit. Beneath the Arabian Nights style flourishes of the plot you will find a heart-warming story of courage and loyalty, and of the God who cares for his people.

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