The sun is shining; the birds are singing; the bees are humming and all is right with our little part of the world. (Of course, in other parts of the Anglican Communion, there are rumblings akin to a volcano preparing to erupt, as General Synod and the world’s bishops at Lambeth machinate over tricky questions and seek ways around the threats of schism. This seems a long way from sunny, leafy Hockliffe, and part of me can’t help feeling that schism is what the Church of England does best. Indeed, isn’t that how it came into existence itself?),

I digress: Writing as I am on just about the only truly summery day we’ve had this year, it’s hard to believe that you’ll be reading this when autumn looms and it won’t be light at 4 in the morning. By then, we will be looking forward to Harvest services and only a breath away from putting the tinsel on the Christmas tree. So here is early notice – that Hockliffe’s Harvest Service will be on 5 October at 9.30. We are also starting to plan a special service for Back to Church Sunday on 28 September.

Late in June, Stella Kingham died. It was a day she herself had anticipated with equanimity, and it had been my very great privilege to help her plan her funeral service, down to the last detail. It seems a little incongruous to say so, but we laughed a lot, and had a great afternoon doing this. In recent years, she had suffered a good deal of pain and discomfort, and wanted nothing more than to join her beloved husband Bill. Her faith was very strong, carrying her through tough times, and bringing her great joy in good times. Her vision was that while we were carrying out her wishes at her funeral, she would be having a great re-union party with Bill. I do hope she was, and that now she will rest peacefully in ‘the garden full of flowers where everyone is content and no-one squabbles’, as she described her idea of heaven.

At the end of July, Harry Thomas Orbell was baptised. We welcome him to the family of Christ.