Good evening everyone!  Hoping the weather has brought you some pleasure and comfort, even if it has been looking through a window.  Tomorrow, 5th April, brings us Palm Sunday, and the beginning of Holy Week.  On behalf of our Benefice Churches, I am pleased to offer an all-age worship service for this special day when we remember Jesus' arrival into Jerusalem, cheered by his followers but greeted with mistrust and suspicion by those who were wanting him gone.

If you have something to wave when we get to the 'We have a king who rides on a donkey' song - you can get into the spirit all the more for the occasion.  As we begin Holy Week, we hope you would like to follow us each day with reflections and prayers as a guide.  We await the glorious festival of Easter, this year on 12th April, when we can cry out:

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!!

God Bless.  Stay in and stay safe.

Here is the link:

https://youtu.be/Qld4a_xIC7c  

At the moment many of us feel like we are travelling an unfamiliar path.  We are not sure where we are going or how long the journey will last.  Yet, in all this God offers us his hand to guide us through the unknown, whatever happens.  Here is a prayer I find helpful from the book 'Rooted in God's Love'

I can't see very well, Lord.

I certainly am not familiar with this path

Are you sure you know where this leads?

This feels like a pretty rough trail to me, Lord.

Are you sure I can make it?

Be my guide, Lord.

I am afraid.  I would be lost without you.

Guide me, Lord.

Turn darkness into light.

Make the rough places smooth.

Do not forsake me.

Amen

As I see it - our changing bird population

As I write, it is late March and it seems that the whole of the UK is in 'lockdown'.  Many of us are looking to our gardens to help keep in touch with the natural world.  With around 23 million private gardens in the UK, covering an area about the size of Suffolk, our gardens are of increasing importance for wildlife.

Some startling facts have recently come to light, most concerning is that the chaffinch, once Britain's commonest bird, has in the last five years declined by 23%. Why is this, you may ask?

The answer is: 'No idea'.  But a lot of work is being carried out to try and find the reason for this collapse of the chaffinch population.  Greenfinch numbers are also well down.  One thing we all could do is to make sure that your bird feeders are kept clean.  However, both locally and nationally some of our familiar birds are doing well.  These include the great spotted and green spotted woodpeckers, collared doves, woodpigeons and jackdaws.  How often do you see these birds in your garden?

If you are confined to the house, why not make a list of the birds seen each day?  The most we have ever recorded is 19 species in a period of cold weather.

Talking of changing bird populations, we need more facts.  So, if you ever see any breeding house martins, swallows, coal tits or spotted fly catchers, around your house or outbuilding, please let me know.

I am often asked, what is the most common bird in Britain?  Most folk are surprised to know that it is the wren with over 11 million pairs.  How amazing is that?

The wren is followed by everyone's favourite, the robin with 7.35 million pairs - do you have robins breeding in your garden?  All our wildlife need a little TLC at the moment - Little Paxton remains great for wildlife.  And do not forget to feed - and provide water for our garden birds.

Thank you.

Trevor

Here is the first edition of Annette's 'Keeping in Touch' newsletter.  In these strange times we are unable to deliver our usual Quartet newsletter so we hope this will keep you going in the meantime.  The plan is for a weekly edition.  Below is also a short homily that Annette preached during her Sunday service.

Keeping in Touch - Edition 1

Thoughts on Ezekiel 37 v 1-29