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 One
thing that has delighted me in this parish is that over the
years the numbers coming forward to baptism has increased.
Last week 4 babies were booked in and so Diana Braithwaite
who writes out all the baptism forms and the Mother’s Union
members who bake cakes for the Sunday Morning baptism
services will be busy.
One of the primary tasks of the clergy is to prepare and
baptise children and children can range from a few weeks old
to well into their teens or older. The children coming
forward are a gift from God. We act a little bit like a
shepherd as Jesus told us to do, and we try to look after
our sheep and our lambs which God has given to us.
And on this Sunday which often called ‘Good Shepherd
Sunday’, we remember Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd and
also the role of the Church today.
In this parish you may be unaware that we have a marriage
preparation course which I believe is excellent. Having had
another 4 couples in the Trinity Room on Friday evening for
marriage preparation and including with them was one of
their children who slept through the whole experience, I
realise that bringing up children today is so difficult and
frankly it has always been so.
As parents we try to shepherd our children but we know from
recent news with the McCann’s and others, that whatever we
do it is not always easy to shield your children from harm.
In a moment I am going to hand over to Jean Newing who would
like to say a few words about Steven on this special day,
but before I do so, I would like to express my admiration as
to how Jean and her family have acted and they have
preserved Steven’s name which could have been forgotten and
it will be remembered in this Church for ever through the
votive stand they have given which appears on our new
website and also this beautiful ciborium which will hold
communion wafers safely each Sunday and will be permanent
reminder of him.
But we know that children are like lambs in many ways – they
are full of life and unpredictable and ready to explore
everything – they are difficult to shepherd and they often
go their own way. What ever you do as families, children
will always do their own thing.
My experience as a parent is that my boys have been into
nearly every scrape you can imagine – but have come through
it. The highlight was James coming into to the Rectory in
Washingborough in Lincolnshire, my last parish, smelling of
smoke and with his eye brows singed because he and friends
had a made a den in the next door field out of straw and
accidentally set it alight. Thankfully the field of corn was
just saved. James hopes to be a special constable – we must
pray for Norfolk Police.
But we have the joy of remembering these things and can
still remind our boys of their.
But this is not so with Jean and her family – they just
have memories and a few photographs some of which you can
see on the display in Church.
But I would like Jean to leave here thankful that through
this service we have been able to we remember Steven who
would be coming up to 50 and all the other children who have
never been found.
We have had a large response to this service from many
parents who have lost children.
All I can say is that most us at times do feel lost and need
of a Good Shepherd. Jesus was willing take on all comers
regardless of how difficult there were. The Church would not
have grown if all the sheep had be completely safe in their
actions and totally dependant on those above them. The
Church grew because of people taking risks and able to be
themselves.
In a world where children are becoming increasingly targets
by people for all sorts of reasons as parents we should be
aware.
The Church with the guiding hand of the Good Shepherd Jesus
is often there just to pick up the pieces.
I hope that Jean has thought that this Church has surrounded
her with love, done what we can to support her and her
family, and will always be there for her. Every parent may
probably leave this Church today saying ‘It could have been
our child’.
Blessing of the Ciborium
God of all goodness and grace as we remember Steven on this
day we pray that this gift of a Ciborium may be a permanent
reminder of him and grant that we may live the rest our
whole lives in you glory and in the knowledge that we shall
one day all be reunited with those we love.
Amen
The Reverend Adrian Bell, Rector. |
