Dear Friends

Like all organisations, St Nicholas holds an Annual General Meeting. It is an opportunity to share with you something of the life of the Church, our vision for the future and our gratitude for the past. You will be emailed a copy of the annual report which includes our parish accounts, I do hope you will take time to read it. Our annual meeting takes place after mass on Sunday 19th April. The annual meeting is also an opportunity to elect members of our Parochial Church Council (PCC) and our Church Wardens. The PCC is the body which works with the incumbent to maintain the life of the church and to support its growth. This group meets 9 times a year, on a Thursday evening from 8pm till approximately 9.45pm. If you would like to join the PCC please sign the form at the back of church and have somebody nominate and second you.

Next year will be an active one for St Nicholas as we embark on our development project and we begin our debt counselling course and continue many other projects which are designed to help and support others. A huge thank you to all those who are involved, to Andrew and Jackie our clergy, to our current PCC and our Church Wardens Nick and Suzette, and all those who give so freely of their time and talents. We should not and we cannot operate without you.

Fr Simon

Dear Friends,

I found myself near to tears reading the story of the little seven year old boy – Carwyn Scott-Howell – from Wales who fell to his death this weekend in a French ski resort after getting separated from his family. The day has been fine and sunny and the family were having one of their best ever holidays and then out of the blue this terrible accident happened. The family will never be the same again; my heart – and indeed my prayers – goes out to them all. It is a reminder to us all that none of us knows what lies around the corner; a reminder to all of us never to be too complacent and take for granted the good things in our lives. And a reminder also to live life as fully as we can in the here and now and in the present.

I read a newspaper column a few years ago and the writer – whose name escapes me (it might well have been Julie Burchill) – was writing about the notion of “Saving things for best”…..in other words keeping the best wine tucked away for a special occasion, never wearing your best suit or outfit unless the event is really important, only wearing your best shoes for special occasions, keeping the crystal glasses tucked away..etc..etc….… I’m sure you get the picture. The writer railed against this notion; who knows, she argued, what lies around the corner? “Live each day as fully as you can. Every day is a day to celebrate” And there is something in this. We can’t and shouldn’t party every day as though the world was ending tomorrow and endlessly throw caution to the wind but there is something about enjoying life and leading a full and meaningful life that I believe God invites us to participate in. We rejoice, not just in the Good News of the resurrection but in the here and now. It was the late, saintly, Pope John Paul II who said “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song”. May we all live a full life of love and hallelujah’s!

With every blessing,

Fr Andrew