The Vicarage Blackmore Essex
CM4 0RN
Dear Friend(s)
19 Christmas 79
An annual letter which aims to
keep one's friends up to date with news has to be drafted with rather more
preparation than the usual answer to a letter received. Over the years the
parish journal has been a source of material. Last January the former quarterly
magazine gave way to a bi-monthly news-letter which I have entitled
"Interaction". The hope is that it may promote an interaction between
parishioners in general and those professedly and practically involved in the
living Church. The Bible makes it clear that the Church, like Israel of old, is
called to a priestly function, to represent God to the people and the people to
God.
The early part of the year
brought its sadness. Ted Marriage, a gentleman farmer who lived in the big
house, Jericho Priory, next to the church and a member of our congregation
died. The east and south walls of the parish church face into the Priory garden
and we shall miss the generous interest of Ted Marriage in the use of his
grounds for church and parish occasions. A pillar of our church was Margaret
Eastmond, who died early in February. She served the church in many ways and
has left a big gap.
If we have suffered losses we
have also had our gains. The pastoral ministry of the church has resulted in an
increase in our worshipping community. John and Joan Fleetwood, retiring from a
nearby parish are proving a delightful and helpful addition to our number. John
makes the third retired parson in Blackmore but he is younger and is able to
give me needed help from time to time. Peter Hunt, my Lay Reader, is always a
source of help and counsel.
During the year, Brentwood,
our nearest town of size was twinned with Roth in the Ruhr. In September a
civic delegation from Roth was entertained in Brentwood and Blackmore was
chosen as the most interesting satellite village to show to the visitors. The
delegation and their hosts came one Saturday and were shown our Village Hall,
the School, Community Centre and Library, the Craft Centre, our ancient pub,
The Bull and last but not least, our Priory Church of St. Laurence. All of
which seemed to impress the visitors. The Roth Lutheran Minister sent a lovely
colour photo of his church on his return and an invitation to visit him so
perhaps I may be able to join our delegation when it goes to Germany next
Spring.
A first time occurrence was a
ten day visit by the Suffrogan Bishop to our Deanery of Ongar. The Bishop of
Barking spent a day in each parish. His coming to Blackmore was appreciated. We
showed him all we could in the time available and he seemed gratified to
observe evidence of God's blessing on the work and witness of the local church.
The Anglican and Baptist
Churches are coming to the end of another year wherein there has been warm
fellowship and close cooperation in Christian outreach. Each department of our
Youth Work continues encouragingly. The summer camps went well. Joint services
on two Sunday evenings in each month are maintained. Bible study, prayer and
women's meetings are well attended. Yet not as well as they should be or as
Pastor Francis and I could wish. A Missionary Week-end at the end of October
aroused interest and, we hope, will lead to a deepening of the Church's concern
for the spiritual and material needs of our neighbours in this and other lands.
Nine different societies were featured in the exhibition in the parish church.
A missionary play entitled "The Other Man's Skin" written and
produced by a member of our congregation, Lilian Haward, carried a real
message.
Encouraging pastoral
opportunities occur when preparing those concerned for baptism, either adults
or the parents of babes who are to be baptised. Also young people who are to be
married. I think four of the brides married in the past year made their first
entry into the parish church when I baptised them as babes. It is moving to
receive a child into the congregation, watch her grow through childhood, into
womanhood and then join her in Christian marriage to the man of her choice.
Bereavement and funerals also are used of God to bring some to a new experience
of God in Christ and into the fellowship of the church.
Pockets of development within
the parish result in more houses and more people. Otherwise it is "All
systems go" as the Americans put it. The School, the Village Hall, which
is quite a complex these days, the Community Centre and Library and the Craft
Centre are all fully functioning. The Blackmore Players maintain their three
productions each year, the W.I., our two Old Folks clubs and the Stondon
Singers continue to serve and please. The Village Fayre and Medieval Street
Market was rained off, alas, but the Parish Harvest Supper was a great success.
So was the "Holiday Play School" during the school holidays. About
180 children were catered for. The possible siting of a third London Airport at
nearby Willingale has caused great stir and opposition. Also there has been a
change at the Post Office. The Paul Family, mother, father and three school age
sons came some seventeen years ago and proved a most helpful part of our
community. Service with a smile sums them up. The boys grew and are now married
and Ernest and Betty have sold out and retired. They have gone for the winter
to their eldest son and his family in Australia. David and Pauline Rackham who
have lived in Blackmore for some years have taken over the Post Office and are
carrying on the good work.
Over the end of June and
beginning of July I took a holiday on the Continent. The first five days were
spent in Bordeaux with David and Annette Whisker who left Blackmore last year
to take up work for the Lord in France They proved kind hosts and gave me a
happy and spiritually profitable stay. I found Bordeaux interesting and am
looking forward to another visit. Next I went to Paris for another five days. I
last saw Paris in 1925, as a young commercial traveller, visiting my employers
there. The principal places of interest appeared unchanged although the city
has grown tremendously. During the day I saw the sights and in the evenings, a
young friend who works at the British Embassy, Alistair Kerr, was my kind and
informative host. From Paris I went to Cognalee near Namur in Belgium to stay
with Guy Delvigne and his sister Jacqueline, in the Presbytery. I have known
Guy for twenty years. He is a priest with the care of two churches and loves
the Lord. Scouting is a great interest of his and he does a fine work among
Scouts. Namur is an interesting town, pleasantly situated at the confluence of two
rivers. I saw a little of Brussels and would like to spend more time there on
another occasion. This first visit left me grateful for an experience of warm
Christian fellowship and, perhaps, something of surprise that we found common
ground in so many areas of faith and worship.
I find that I have recorded
the news that I believe will interest my friends new and old, far and wide, so
I bring to a close my twenty third Christmas Letter from Blackmore Vicarage. In
numbering the years I recall that I was in my fiftieth year when I was ordained
into the Ministry and on Trinity Sunday next year I shall reach the 25th
anniversary of my ordination. Such recollections make me freshly aware of God's
leading in my life and of his wonderful sufficiency in every situation. The
words of the Psalmist spring to mind –
"Bless the Lord, 0 my
soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, 0 my soul,
and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all
your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with
steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so
that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103, 1-5
Grateful for your interest and
your friendship I send you my affectionate greetings and best wishes for
Christmas and the New Year.
Montague H. Knott
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