Dear friends,
It is an annual event in Oxford, which dates back almost 500 years, that early in the morning of May 1st hundreds of people gather at dawn to celebrate the arrival of spring and the new month. When I was a teenager I was there, getting up at 4.30am to travel into Oxford to meet up with friends where all the pubs and hostelries were already open. We would spend a sociable couple of hours watching the Morris dancing in the streets, chatting to strangers who became passing good friends, and gathering at the foot of Magdalen College Tower at 6am to hear the young choristers sing from the very top. The whole event was full of optimism, hope and possibility.
And perhaps that is the pervading sense of this month. Nature begins to flourish after the winter months, the May flowers blossom to show off their beauty, and the seedlings have grown strong enough to be planted outside. In schools and communities a May Queen is sought, the maypoles are dusted off and children practise the ancient dances. Such annual events lifts the spirit and makes us smile.
It is interesting to note that the word for the very month of ‘May’
indicates possibilities and opportunities: May you find peace and
contentment; May you enjoy the company of family; May we all know God’s blessings in our lives. There are a myriad of sentences which we could wish for one another which start with the word ‘may’ and which bestows good will to each other.
And this year we can look forward within this month to many possibilities and opportunities to deepen and enjoy our faith. We have the Big Day on Saturday 11th May when the whole Diocese will come together in the Cathedral to explore prayer. The day is called ‘Let Us Pray’ and will include workshops to experience different ways of praying. You can sign up at the back of church. On 12th May we will enjoy fellowship with our brothers and sisters in St Mary’s as we join for our joint service for Christian Aid – an opportunity to stand alongside those who still find life so very hard. On the 19th May we celebrate Pentecost as we rejoice in the coming of the Holy Spirit, without which we would struggle and flounder. And on the last Sunday of the month it is Trinity Sunday – our patronal festival – where we will once again gather for a BBQ in the Rectory garden. Such delights to look forward to.
So may we all find joy and wonder in this month; may we experience togetherness and support in and through one another… and may we all learn a little more of God’s goodness and blessing in these coming days.
with love Liz
