United Benefice of Thornhill & Whitley Lower
Serving our local communities
Thought for the week by Rev Debbie Nash Rector of the United Benefice of Thornhill and Whitley. 3rd November 2023
Autumn can feel dreary and sad as we watch the plants die off, the mists take hold, and the nights begin to draw in. The trees give their last hurrah of glorious colour before shedding their leaves in the gusty winds. It is wetter and colder; dare we put the heating on yet? My sandals are now put away until next summer and my sturdy boots are standing ready by the door. It’s easy to feel down in Autumn, as our world seems to shrink behind our closed curtains.
Yet autumn has its own treasures to offer us. The darkness is not all bad. Without dark we would never really appreciate the light. As so much of nature prepares for the long winter sleep, we are reminded of how important it is to get proper rest. We all need rejuvenating, to make time to create little moments of light for ourselves and others.
This time encourages us to consider the cycle of life and our part in it. All Souls at the end of October and the season of Remembrance grant us the space to reflect deeply. We are thankful for all those we have loved and see no more. We are indebted to those who paid the ultimate price to secure our freedom. We embrace the concepts of sacrifice and redemption as we watch the created world die off around us. This is not bad for the old must make way for the new. Without autumn there would be no spring. Without the darkness we would have no need for light. Without death we would have no need for hope or new possibilities.
I wonder what needs to die off in us so that we too may experience new possibilities and new life in the spring. Before the Christmas juggernaut takes over can I encourage you to embrace rest and self-care and allow autumn to do its job in you. Give thanks and be blessed.
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Thoughts for September 2021 by David Currie
READ HERE and LISTEN HERE
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Thought for Lent 2021 by David Currie
Read here or Listen
Pastoral Letter from our Rector for Christmas 2020 Here
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Letters from Warmer Climes from Rev Robert Bailey in Madeira
Second Letter with Christmas Greetings 22nd December
Third Letter from Sunny Climes - in Lockdown
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Thought for the Month October 2020 written this month by David Currie
Click here for written version and here for MP3 audio
Pastoral Letter to Laity from Bishop Nick July 2020
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Pastoral Letter from Rev Debbie
March 2020
My dear friends
Hello. It’s been a long time since we were in touch with each other and I thought it would be helpful to contact you all in these uncertain days.......... Click Here to read.
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