From Our Rector
Father Martyn Griffiths is Rector of St Mary's church, and of our sister church of St Nicholas, Remenham. He is a former vicar of Preston and Canon of Blackburn Cathedral. Fr Martyn and his wife Anne moved to Henley in 2005.
Each month, Fr Martyn writes a letter for our Parish Magazine. Here is the current article.
November 2009
From the Rectory
As the nights get longer and the days get colder, the lady of the house has taken to preferring porridge for breakfast. Now I don't know about you, but as far as I'm concerned, at that time in the morning, particularly when it's still dark, the simpler the better when it comes to the culinary arts. So imagine my relief when simple instructions were there on the side of the packet - take so much milk, mix in so many oats and stick in the microwave for 3 mintes, then stir and microwave again for another 3 mintues. Should have been simplicity itself (even though I hear the gastronomes among you graoning at the use of the microwave). But not so!
First of all I realised at this unthinkably early time on Monday morning that our measuring jug had been broken and a replacement hadn't yet been purchased. Also, in order to get grammes on the scales, buttons had to be pushed and it was necessary to try to read the little symbols which were about the size of an undergrown gnat on the scale. Eventually, however, having guessed the amount of milk, all was ready and the first cooking session began. Your guess of what happened next is probably more accurate than my estimation of what 350ml of milk looks like. Result - a goo with which I could have successfully completed the current building works planned for St Mary's. It was consumed in silence!
A new measuring jug was purchased and the realisation that only about half the amount of milk that was needed had actually been used in version 1. This time, however, there was a movement comparable to the eruption of Krakatoa, and a very nasty mess had to be cleared up inside the oven. The resultant porridge however was appreciated as an improvement upon version 1.
You may well be asking what all this has to do with the Rector's letter. I suppose you caould take it as a parable of life - follow the Maker's instructions! Which it is! But there's also something about being "fit for purpose" there as well.
God did not make us all the same - an obviously true statement. But we all not only look different; we cannot all be brilliant at finances, or pastoral work, or selling things or making things or deisnging things or work in the creative arts. However, we do all have very specific gifts and God really does want us to "fulfil" ourselves and our potential in our lives.
During November the church remembers particularly the departed in its prayers. Our memories of those who have gone before us are all usually to do, not with what people looked like, but what they were like as people. It's all those other talents and abilities which form our memories of people we have known and loved.
So when or if you do this month, along with the church, give thanks for those God-given talents and attributes you remember in the lives of the departed - and perhaps spare a moment to wonder how you are going to be remembered!
With my love and prayers - and hope!
Fr Martyn