March Newsletter

Dear Friends,

This Year we took friends along the road from Porth Navas to Mawnan. It is a narrow lane that skirts the waters edge through some delightful Helford scenery. The width of the road is not for the faint hearted as we discovered trying to pass a lady in her people's carrier who simply froze beside me in a rather tight passing place on the road! Sometimes roads can be difficult if we want to see the best views!
We went from there down to the church at Mawnan with its wonderful views out to sea and I saw again the old Cornish board across the lychgate which reads -Dus ynjy dhe Du.

This is an invitation to the visiting pilgrim to draw near to God. An invitation to find sanctuary and to pray. At journey's end to step aside and enjoy the presence of God. All good journeys through life include prayer of some kind. Lent is such a time in our calendar - part of a journey through the Christian year. Some people think of it as a time for denial and giving up something that we consider a little special treat in life. I see it more as a special marker on the journey - a moment to stop and reflect on the meaning of those events that lie at the very heart of our faith. Our journey leads us year by year to this same place. We stop like all good pilgrims. We catch our breath from the journey and take stock. We find fresh sanctuary as old truths take on new and fresh meaning. We meet with Our Lord on his journey and passion. It is a place to accept afresh his blessing. We can do this as we discover once again for ourselves the old truths and allow the Spirit of God to re-mint those truths so that they come afresh into our lives. Please accept this invitation of God, this Lent, so that each one of us might find his presence with us.

Your friend and priest,

Noel Michell.