NOVEMBER
"Lest We Forget"
I have forgotten my homework or my PE kit! I am sure it was said by many of us as an excuse to evade a reprimand at school. With modern technology, excuses do not hold up for school age children. Badsey has a History Man over 90 years of age who can quote facts and figures of Village life and its' residents from centuries long ago and I am sure you can think of someone in your village with historical knowledge too.
As the years pass by, for some, their memories can sometimes fade too quickly. For this reason every year in November, the Royal British Legion holds an Act of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the freedom we have today and remember those that gave their lives for others in two World Wars....'Lest we Forget".
Similarly, most Christian denominations have regular Holy Communion or Breaking of Bread services to remind us that Jesus Christ gave His life for us, "Lest we Forget".
SEPTEMBER
Hi everyone
One of the unexpected things I had to learn to do when I came to live here nearly 3 years ago, was how to prune an apple tree, as we have 3 in the vicarage garden here in Badsey – including a large Bramley in the back garden -definitely in need of some TLC. I asked around for some local advice, and watched some videos on Youtube (how did we ever learn stuff before it was invented if we had no one to ask?) but even knowing what needed to be done wasn’t enough. I quickly realised that making a good job of the pruning would need two of us; one up the ladder doing the actual work – and the other standing a distance away, seeing the whole tree as opposed to being up close in the tangle and confusion of the branches. You need a sense of proportion – an ability and willingness to stand back and see what matters – and what can be cut away.
And of course that goes for our lives, as much as it does for pruning a tree or a bush. It can be a useful thing to think about – to take stock and re-evaluate what is going on in our lives every now and then, so that we can hold onto a sense of what really matters – and what doesn’t. And when we can stop and think again, getting that better sense of proportion can throw up some surprising answers, and sometimes jolt us into a change of direction – large or smalI. Jesus had quite a bit to say about the dangers of getting things out of proportion, warning his followers about the people who became overly focussed on the small stuff and as a result lost sight of the bigger picture which could be summed up as “Love God, and love your neighbour as yourself – everything else is detail”
I was able to have a few days away on holiday last month – and it gave me some much-needed time and space to think over the last year; what has gone well? What needs a re-think? What about the year ahead? What could we do more that will enable people to feel welcomed and listened to? What are the things that I do that really matter – and can I do more of them?
How is your sense of proportion? Have you found yourself needing to step back and re-think your priorities, to change your ideas about what really matters for you – either because you chose to or because you had to make some changes? As the heat of Summer fades and our children or grandchildren return to school or college for a new year, this is as good a time as any to take up the invitation: take a step back, look at your life, ask what is good, what really matters to you above other things – regain that valuable sense of proportion, so that you can feel good about the answers that you come up with. If you are happy with them – all well and good. And if not, and you need someone to help you stand back and look clearly and honestly, I or anyone else in our churches would be happy to listen with you. God bless you in your exploring! Rev Jo Fielding
august 2026
Are you melting?
This has been a summer to remember for good reasons as well as the other sort. Now the long school holiday is here, will there be yet another heatwave? We have all struggled with the high temperatures and developed our own solutions indoors and out.
When we needed water, we turned on the tap –and it made me wonder just how do those without taps manage to survive? Of course, heatwaves, floods and disasters have occurred throughout history. – we just didn’t know what happened elsewhere in our world but now we do. Our TV screens show us, we see and hear how people are enduring in war zones, earthquake devastated cities, picturesque countryside, as well as huge stadiums with people cheering their football team on to win.
When my mother was widowed years ago, she never watched the news. What’s the point? There’s no-one to talk to about it, I just get upset, I can’t do anything about any of it! It is easy to switch off from seeing and hearing The News but it flashes onto our phones nevertheless.
We cannot change events across the world but we can make a difference in our small bit of it. The wife of a country parson began to do exactly that in 1876. Mary Sumner realised how hard it was for new mothers to feed and clothe their family so she invited a small group of mums to her home and showed them how to sew, to make clothes for the children. She showed them how to cook too, even with few ingredients. She told other parsons wives and they started doing similar small gatherings. Thus began the Mothers Union, now an international organisation which now welcomes all comers into their meetings.
Mary Sumner knew that God loved her and she wanted to serve him. She saw a need in her small part of God’s world and, with God’s guidance, did something about it.
This is how! Her prayer each day was this:-
All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee, and every life I touch, do thou by thy spirit quicken, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I live.
Being thankful for all the blessings we enjoy here in UK, let’s use this prayer as we start today, adding Amen (so be it).
May God bless us as we make this small beginning here in our benefice of East Vale and Avon.
Rev Mary Godin
July 2026
Paper bag party time
Hello!
Did you enjoy team games at school or avoid them whenever possible? Maybe you still love them and play whenever possible. As a child, I was often ill at home – and even when I was at school, I was very small for my age – and rubbish at PE, which meant that I was usually last to get picked for team games. Years later I am still not super keen on anything involving running around on a court or a sports field – but the experience –combined with a bunch of other stuff that I value – has also meant that I try to make sure that everyone can feel invited and included as much as possible in church, and events across each week.
Sometimes we get it badly wrong –sometimes despite the best of intentions – or because we make assumptions that turn out to be way off the mark. But now and again, we try something new – and it works brilliantly. When I first started visiting our schools, one of them had a tradition of holding a service of Holy Communion occasionally, but I noticed that when we did, none of the children and only one staff member wanted to receive anything, Instead, everyone sat through the service without much enthusiasm, and seemed uncomfortable with what was going on. It did not feel good! So I wondered: could we do this better? What could we do to enable everyone – adults and children – feel happy to be there, and to understand what we were doing, and feel absolutely included and even enjoy it?
Then I remembered something from a summer festival communion service, and went shopping…. On the day, the sat in multi-year groups where they talked about what they thought was going on in a painting we looked at, and explored the links between that and the story of Jesus using a child’s picnic lunch to feed a massive crowd. We sang some of their favourite songs. And then after hearing about the last party meal that Jesus shared with his friends, the oldest child in each group opened a bright coloured paper bag to find a bottle of water, some little cups, and exactly a pack of of iced biscuits, one for each child or adult in the group – and we ate the biscuits and drank our water all together. I could see and hear how much everyone was enjoying it – smiles all round, empty biscuit packs in the bags and “When can we do this again?”
Church services – weddings, baptisms, Sunday services can feel really uncomfortable for anyone who isn’t used to them. Strange books, unfamiliar music, weird words, invitations to stand or sit at random times. Readings from words written in another language over a thousand years ago. For some people, this is all deeply familiar and comforting – but for others, it can feel very strange – like we don’t belong here. But my job as your vicar – and the job of anyone else in our churches – is to find ways of making everyone feel included and welcome. Why? Because Jesus spent his whole life doing exactly that. He told stories about God’s love, he shared meals with anyone who invited him, and spent time with the people who were ignored by others. He knew that God’s love is offered to everyone. This is not always an easy thing to remember – especially when we think about some of the terrible things that happen around us. But hard or easy, it is still true – and Jesus left very clear instructions that his followers should keep right on with that invitation to anyone who needs to hear it or see it. I hope you hear and feel that welcome if you are at anything that we do – whether it is a mid-week coffee morning, after-school club like Story Explorers, a wedding or a Sunday service. We are all welcome.
Rev Jo Fielding.
June 2026
June brings warm days and our gardens are a buzz with bees and butterflies as the flowers are in full bloom. It is a time when we gardeners can take our time enjoying things but as our summers get warmer it may be a time that we spend watering our gardens more. We are urged to be more aware of the world and its natural resources. Water is very important not only for our gardens and crops but for some areas of the world it means survival. We take it for granted that we have clean water coming from our taps, but we know that isn’t the case elsewhere in the world.
When I lived in Zambia you could smell the rain before it came. We went months without rain, but it was SO welcome when the rains did come. It was so very hard the rainwater filled the 6ft storm drains in minutes, and the thunder and lightning were spectacular and scary at times. The parched orange earth sprouted with new flora which was often spectacular and heavy with scent attracting the insects.
I follow a photographer from Derbyshire on social media, and she posts some wonderful scenes from my home county. Recently she posted a picture of a wood with a stream running through it and she recorded the sounds along with that scene. You could hear the blackbirds singing and the sound of the stream passing over the waters bed, it was so calming, and reminded me of the 23rd Psalm, ‘He makes me lie down in green pastures and He leads me by still waters.’
There are many references to water in our bible. From Noah and the flood to Moses’ story of being found by the River Nile and then the crossing of the Red Sea. In the first Psalm there is reference to ‘Streams of Living Waters’. In the story of Jesus at the well when the Samaritan woman came to fetch water, He refers to himself as the Water of Life. When Nicodemus wants answers to his question of ‘how can an old man be born again’, Jesus answers ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’. Water was offered to travellers in Jesus’ world to cleanse before entering a house. Jesus was often by the large lakes of waters when events like feeding the crowd with fish and bread, or when the disciples got into trouble in their boat and Jesus came to their rescue. There are references to washing away our sins. Jesus stood in the Jordan to be baptised with water in the Jordan (there is a wonderful window in St Leonard’s church showing this) and water is used at every baptism. We use the phrase springing to life when someone changes their ways.
Water is still as important to us now as it was in past times. It is such a wonderous world and from insects to humans we are interdependent on each other, and we all need water to survive.
Each season is worth rejoicing but as you water (hopefully) sparingly this June take some time to reflect on the water you are using, and how important it is both physically and spiritually to our lives and this world we live in.
Margaret Pye – LLM with East Vale and Avon Benefice
May letter From the Vicar.
Dear Neighbours,
May is a busy month as we get out & about, enjoying what we hope will be warmer weather & sunnier days in early summer. The May Bank Holiday starts off in style with maypole dancing & celebrations in Offenham, & sets the tone for lots more summer events over the next few weeks, including weddings at several of our beautiful old churches in the Vale over the season.
How do you feel about hearing church bells ringing? For some (especially those who live very close to a church) they are an unwelcome interruption to a peaceful rest in the garden! For others, the sound of bells floating on the air tells us of a wedding celebration, or reminds us that a service is happening. Did you know there is a special day for church bells? You might hear church bells pealing out over the Bank Holiday weekend as visiting bell ringers come to try out their skills on our bells - (although all 6 of our churches have bells, St Michael’s South Littleton has only 3, & the tower at St Nicholas N. Littleton is now too unsafe to allow its bells to be rung). Sunday 17th May is Bell Sunday - remembering St Dunstan, an early forger of bells. It’s the day when our focus falls on our bells, but also our chance to say a big thank you to our ringers who turn up each week to practise, & who ring the bells before our Sunday services, or for a wedding, or who toll for a funeral. For the years before social media or watches, bells & church clocks linked to a chiming bell were often the only way that ordinary people in villages or towns could know what the time was, or when something special was going on in the community. If you like the sound of the bells, & would be interested in having a go, our 4 active bell towers always welcome newcomers, so please do get in touch or just turn up on a practice night in your local village.
What else is going on this month? The 10th May sees our annual Rogation service – taking place at the Heritage Trust orchard & barn at Cleeve Prior at 11am. Come along meet Archdeacon Mark who will be with me; the first part is held in the gorgeous & peaceful community orchard. Rogation services go back a long way- but the service remains a really important one for us as a rural community, as we gather together to think about where our food comes from, to be thankful for all the people who take care of the l&, & to ask for God’s blessing on our farmers/food producers, on the l&, & on our community. On the 24th May we join together at Bretforton church to celebrate the Church’s birthday -the startling arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, breathing life, confidence & God’s peace into believers from that day to this. Definitely something worth celebrating!
Most of our congregations are holding their Annual Meetings (APCMs) during May -a time when we elect church officers/PCC members who work to ensure the smooth running of our churches & care for your church buildings/churchyard throughout the year. I am so thankful to all those who help keep the doors open, the bills paid, & the warm welcome given to everyone who walks in on a Sunday morning at our churches – & if you would like to find out more about what is going on in your local church, please do come along to your APCM.
But even if you are not a regular church goer, please be assured that your church & your vicar are here for you whenever you need us. We offer support, a friendly face at any of our community events, & you can talk to us if you want to ask about a special service like a funeral, wedding or christening. Your church really is here for you. Jo Fielding Revjo.eastvale@gmail.com Tel 07561823135
Cogitations from Cleeve April 2026
Everything is growing!! Those extra hours of daylight, extra hours of warmth and gentle breezes all contribute to active spring life. As you watched the tips of trees gradually becoming greener, what were the clouds doing?
How often do we look up, stop and watch the clouds? If all we do is a quick glance, it may seem that nothing is moving up there. But wait, there is movement, there is change – almost imperceptibly but yes, there is definite movement. For many people, both during Lent and Ramadan, there has been that time to stop, to wait, to watch what is happening in God’s world as well as in our own lives.
In fields and gardens, flowers, vegetables and weeds too, are sprouting - in our lives there are good things happening quietly, slowly – but also broken things are staying broken, families split apart as relationships sour and past difficulties seem insurmountable.
It happens across countries too – old hatreds continue to fester, newer hatreds grow and it all seems beyond any of us to change.
That was probably how the disciples of Jesus felt on that long ago Passover week. What had begun with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem amidst a joyful crowd had turned into any ugly near riot, an illegal trial. And cruel execution. It was the end………
No, No, No. Jesus had told them of his death – and of his rising again, but it was beyond them to grasp such an idea. They had to go through that desolation and despair of seeing their beloved Master destroyed. Yet…… there was life, a new life, Jesus met Mary Magdalene in the garden. The marks of his death were still there but it was her living Lord - Go, tell the other disciples, I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. And she did, and they told others…… and somebody told us, so we too can learn how to experience the love and power of the risen Christ in our lives today. We can read the accounts in the New Testament part of the bible, in the Gospels of Matthew and John. In the book called the Acts of the Apostles, we can read what happened next. Thanks to modern technology we can read it in different languages, wherever we are in God’s world.
And in God’s world today, good things ARE happening, women and men ARE learning how to live and work together for the common good. Families and communities ARE beginning to be reconciled. New life can come to each of us, gently, quietly, as we stop, look and listen to God at work in his world today through people who have discovered how to draw near to God and how to live for Him. We too are invited to work with God so that His Kingdom of Love and Peace comes. May God bless us and enable each of us to get on with it – together. Rev Mary Godin
March 2026
From the Vicar: “Save the Date”
March is the month when we can start to feel that Spring is really here. After the weeks of endless rain in January and February, the daffodils are out, and the birds are singing away in the trees and hedges each morning. This month the church calendar reminds us that we are still in the season of Lent- but we celebrate Mothering Sunday (15th March for those of you needing a reminder to send a card!) on our way towards Easter (5th April) We think of it as a day to remember the people who have mothered us, showing love and care – and it is a really good day to say thank you to them, in any way that we can.
But Mothering Sunday isn’t only about our own mothers – it is also a reminder for many of us that the work of mothering is done on a much larger scale within a community. When doors are opened, and a warm welcome and a safe space is offered to anyone who steps inside, then conversations can begin, and connections can be made. Friendships can grow stronger, and we can feel like we really belong here. Badsey church is a beautiful, much-loved building, and you can see the tower from nearly every direction – a real landmark. But as I tell everyone who comes to one of our special services, the church is more than just the walls and roof, more than the bells and the clock chiming the hours. The core of the church is its people: congregation, wardens, me and anyone else who wants to be there.
We have so much going on outside our Sunday morning services! Every day one of our wardens unlocks the door, and locks it again each evening. This means that anyone can pop into the church during the day, certain of finding a safe, calm, peaceful space where you can breathe, think, meditate, or pray. On Monday mornings in term time our lovely volunteers welcome carers with babies and toddlers for a play session, and a cuppa, ending with some singing. Wednesday mornings sees the St James Gardening group gathering for some weeding in the church yard and some morning tea afterwards. We also hold a coffee morning on the first Thursday of each month, very popular ever since it started last year. Still others are on hand for our services as welcomers, readers, tea-makers, cleaners, etc. Some do it because it feels like a natural way to put their faith into action – it’s what loving your neighbour can look like when you get out of bed on Monday morning. Some lend a hand because this is a way of building our community and keeping our village such a great place to live, or simply as a way to show kindness.
Whatever the reasons, we love what we do, and we are planning a very special summer celebration on Saturday July 4th. More details to follow later in the year - but any offers of help with this or more generally in future as a “Friend of Badsey Church” would be much appreciated – could you be an occasional cake maker, raffle/tombola prize collector, got bright ideas for stalls or future events? We would love to hear from you.
Thank you so much, Jo Fielding Revjo.eastvale@gmail.com Tel 07561823135
February 2026
I am writing this at the beginning of January as we approach what is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year – 19th January. No idea who decided that and why! But the decorations have been put away for the year and the weather is dreadful, although I would have liked what the rest of the country seem to have at the moment – snow! So this time of year can be a bit of an anticlimax after the excitement of Christmas.
It is the time when we naturally look back on the year that is past as well as looking forward to whatever the new year has in store for us.
We look ahead and wonder what 2026 might hold for us. For those who have lost friends and relatives this past year, let us hope and pray that 2026 will be a better year and that you will cherish the memories you have.
It’s a time for those New Year’s resolutions again also! I can’t even remember the ones I made last year, let alone whether or not I kept them! Must do better this year! Each year we make our resolutions with every good intention but somehow, as the weeks and months go by, they fade into the recesses of our minds. Most of us fail year after year.
The good news about God is that he doesn’t mind if we fail. He helps us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off…and start all over again, as the song says. Each day we are given a new opportunity to do better than the day before, to be better people and to help to build a better world. Most of us don’t have a very wide sphere of influence but if we all try to make our corner of the world a better place, eventually all the corners will join up to form a big circle! If only we could get that message out right across the nations, what a wonderful world this would be. (I seem to be speaking in song lyrics this month!)
May God be with you all at the beginning of this New Year and may you know his blessing, his peace and his love in your hearts and homes. Let’s hope 2026 is a good year for us as individuals and for the nations worldwide.
Every blessing
Susan (retired priest in the benefice)
January 2026
People who have come to share a meal with us often notice the collection of cookery books in the dining room. I don’t use them as often as I used to, as it is often quicker just to look something up on the internet. But sometimes I will sit down with one of my books and plan a special meal. Some of them are older than me -they were bought by my aunt Alison who was a brilliant cook (and threw some legendary parties in 1960s Bristol). When I look through her recipes, I sometimes see notes scribbled in pencil where she had adjusted quantities or substituted ingredients, or spot a scrap of paper with the shopping list of ingredients doing duty as a page marker.
The newer books are mine -but I have continued with Alison’s habit of adding notes here and there. Next to some of the recipes, I can read my notes – often from years ago, when our children were little – or from when we were living in New Zealand. The notes remind me of which recipes worked brilliantly (or the occasional disaster), of special occasions celebrating a birthday, a graduation, or the first proper meal in a new home. There is a record of an amazing dessert made with apricots bought on our way home from a holiday- and that David’s parents were with us to share it. The notes I made help me remember those times – but also shaped how I felt – about whether I wanted to repeat the recipe, or not – or try again with variations.
The older I get, the less patience I have with New Year’s resolutions -but there is a practice that I have at the end of each day, and especially at the end of each year, reviewing and evaluating the past in order to help me do better in the future. I find it immensely helpful within my faith journey -but it works in a similar way if you have any faith or none. Within Christianity it is known as the Examen – and was developed by an ex-soldier, Ignatius of Loyola, who became a revered Christian teacher. One version is:
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
In the first few days of this New Year, my third here with you all in our Vale, I look back over the previous 12 months, aware of God’s presence with me, with us. My diary reminds me of what has taken place like weddings, funerals, christenings and special community events in our schools and village gatherings -and the day to day things like meetings, chats in the shop or walking along with someone. I take some time to look back over it all. Firstly I give thanks for all that it taught me. Then ask myself some questions. What went well? What would I do differently next time? What needs to stay the same? Where did I see God’s Spirit moving and at work? What gives me encouragement and hope for tomorrow? What do I want/need to carry with me into this next year?
The process takes a bit longer than a scribbled note in the margin of a recipe book – but when I do it with honesty and persistence, it has helped me see things about my past self, good bits and the parts I still need to work on – and shows me a better and more hopeful path ahead. You might like to try a version of it for yourself – and if you do, I’d love to hear how it went. God bless you in all that you hope and plan for in 2026.
Jo Fielding Revjo.eastvale@gmail.com Tel 07561823135