On the 6th September it was Education Sunday when as well as our usual 10am Parish Eucharist, we saw Sunday School return which was certainly a pleasure to see. The readings for the day were Genesis 50. 15-21, Romans 14. 1-12, Matthew 18. 21-35. Reverend Liz delivered the homily, mindful of the words of St Paul: "Living well together." We should give thanks for our ever ongoing gift of education, the process of which is of course about learning. God's blessing was requested to be upon all the stages and ages of formal education. This needs encouragement throughout and which involves the very teachings of Jesus in our everyday lives as we journey onwards through our learning, looking forward to excitement, diversity and what will be enduring throughout the levels ahead. For all of us, every day is a school day.
On this Friday, 18th September, those who may be out and about in the town of Biggleswade, may see the continuing busy setting up in the church grounds and inside also, in readiness for the next day. This Saturday, the long-awaited 19th September, is the annual Country Fayre. A lot of planning, prayer, labour and patience always goes into this major event for Biggleswade and beyond. It starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. There will be plenty of stalls selling plenty of things, the proceeds from which will go towards our two chosen charities for this year. Details have already be given. Refreshments are available and also entertainments which demonrate the many talents around us. Inside, teas will be available in the event of wet weather. All very British. You have to be an optimist as well as a realist. We are pepared. Do see the exhibition in the main body of the church: "Keeping Calm in a Crisis". What can be more appropriate as that! Something for us all.
On the nest day, Sunday, 20th September, there will be 10am Parish Eucharist as well as Sunday School, the latter of which mainly takes place in the Chapter House. Then, at 11:45am, our Team South Africa 2026, will give a presentation of their recent experiences - another grand example of 'learning' being a two-way process. That evening, at 5:30pm, there will be a Taize Service at that delightful country church at Cockayne Hatley.
Looking further ahead, on Sunday, 4th October, there will be two services of Harvest Thanksgiving; the 8am traditional Said Communion and the 10am All Together Eucharist. Then, on Saturday, 17th October, between 10:30am to 3pm, in the church at St Andrew's, there will be another Quiet Day to share with Reverend Barbara. The theme will be the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis.
A final couple of notices: On the day of our Country Fayre, 19th September, at the centre of our diocese, at 2pm, there will be the Installation of Andrew, as Bishop of St Albans, in the Abbey Church.
If you go online and onto the website of St Andrew's, Biggleswade, to read last week's events, you can see a very encouraging message from Mr Duncan Gauld, our Diocesan Director of Education, wishing everyone a warm welcome for the new academic year. Encouragement. That's what we need.