Vicar's Letter
JUNE 2026
Thomas O’Malley is still learning what to make of the steady stream of callers to the vicarage. If the house suddenly fills with people he disappears entirely, only re-emerging when the last visitor has gone. But when individuals call round, he is becoming more gracious. He will often peek around the door to inspect people carefully, accept a fuss as though granting a royal favour, and occasionally even choose to stay in the room voluntarily.
I think human beings can sometimes be a little bit like that too. Not everyone finds larger gatherings easy. Illness, age, anxiety, caring responsibilities, exhaustion, or simply the practical realities of life can make it harder to come through the church door, even when people would very much like to remain connected.
One of the things I treasure most in parish life is being invited into people’s homes. Sometimes those visits are centred around communion: two people in armchairs, a short prayer, bread and wine shared, and a cup of tea afterwards. Sometimes family, neighbours, or friends gather too, and an ordinary sitting room becomes a tiny congregation filled with conversation, laughter, memories, and grace.
Those moments remind me that community is usually built through kindness, presence, and the simple habit of showing up for one another.
June is a month when gardens fill with colour and people begin gathering outdoors again, across garden fences and around tables. In a world that can sometimes feel hurried and disconnected, perhaps one of the holiest things we can do is simply to gather — in churches, in kitchens, in gardens, at bedsides — reminding one another that nobody is forgotten, and that we belong to each other still.
The older I get, the more I suspect that much of life’s real goodness is found not in grand occasions, but in small companionable circles: tea poured, prayers shared, chairs drawn close, and the reassuring knowledge that none of us walks alone.
Rev Angie x
If you, or someone you know, would value a visit at home or in hospital, whether for communion, prayer, or simply a chat over a cup of tea, please do get in touch: "); or 01981 345044
Rev Angie x
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