from St Peter

Life doesn’t always turn out as planned.  Charlie and I had intended that I should spend some quiet time ‘on retreat’ followed by a holiday together in beautiful Devon.  In the event, I was taken ill and admitted to Torbay Hospital, which was something of a shock to say the least. 

The love and support I have received from so many in the parish has been wonderful and I thank all those who sent ‘get well’ wishes through cards, notes, and flowers.  Your care and concern and your prayers have been so appreciated by both Charlie and me.

I must also record the excellent treatment I received from all the staff at Torbay Hospital.  We are so fortunate to have our Health Service and the dedicated people who work in it. 

I was lucky in being given a single room (because it was thought I might have an infection).  However, one night I awoke during the early hours, feeling very alone.  I was cold, uncomfortable, in a lot of pain, and frightened.  For some reason (perhaps it was the fact that 3.00 am seems to be a time when all your thoughts are intensified) I was recalling the words of a prayer which I often pray at funerals – ‘We remember, Lord, the slenderness of the thread which separates life from death, and the suddenness with which it can be broken’. 

Reaching out for the Gideon Bible in the bedside locker, I looked under the heading ‘When you are sick’ – and the first suggested text was in St Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12.  Paul recounts how he was given a painful physical ailment, which he asked God three times to take away.  God didn’t heal Paul, but instead told him: ‘ My grace is all you need, for my power is strongest when you are weak.’ 

I have to say that I found no comfort in that at all – I did want to get better, and I didn’t like feeling vulnerable - and because I have always believed you should be completely honest with God, I told him so and asked him to give me a better text!!  My thoughts wandered around the story of Jesus calming the storm, which did help, but suddenly I remembered the stained glass East Window in St Peter’s.  The bottom right hand window depicts Jesus walking on  water and the text beneath the window bears the words of Jesus:  ‘Be not afraid.  It is I’.  That was exactly what I needed to hear.  The fear left and peace came to me – proving, of course, that God’s grace is always sufficient, and that his power is indeed strongest when we are weak, especially if we are honest with him.

It is very sad that because of the reredos behind the altar, those words ‘Be not afraid.  It is I.’ are not visible.  I only knew they were there because I had once climbed onto a chair and read them. 

There must be many people who visit St Peter’s to find peace for whom those words would speak the comfort they need and it is for this reason that we are hoping to have the reredos lowered.  The lovely carving of the reredos will still be visible, but most importantly, the full beauty of the East Window, with the full texts under each biblical story will be revealed. 

This will help to bring together our plan to refurbish the Sanctuary area.  If you have been to St Peter’s recently, you will notice the beautiful new kneelers by the altar rail, which Dorothy Buckley has written about in her separate article, and I join my thanks to hers for those who have made it all possible.

We have also been immensely blessed by two very generous offers, one to purchase new carpet, and another of £5,000 to fund half the cost of lowering the reredos.  Our fund raising efforts are now focused on raising the remainder.   The first of these events will be at our Patronal Festival, on 4^th July.  After the 10.30 am service there will be a barbecue lunch in The Rectory Garden – do come!  (Details are featured separately in the magazine.)

Many thanks again for all your concern over my health.  I’m pleased to say I am feeling much better.  I am, though, especially mindful that there are a number of people in the parish who are suffering greatly with ill health, and we hold them in our prayers. 

May we all be enfolded in God’s love, healing and peace.

Margaret Marsh