FROM REVEREND ROBIN   

I am writing this after another wonderful occasion at Delphi Bridge where 4 people, young and not quite as young were baptised in the river.

Having done this once before in July and the overwhelmingly positive response that came from it, we decided that another one would be in order before the weather changed.

The river baptisms will return next year though so don’t worry if you didn’t get round to it this time!

After the first one in July an interesting thing happened. The photos of the day made their way to BBC Radio Cornwall who made contact with me and asked if I would like to be interviewed. I thought this would be a wonderful way to spread the great things that are happening in our villages with the wider County and share a sadly all to rare, good news story about the Church.

The interview took place over the phone and to say I was nervous was an understatement, Emmy asked if I was ok afterwards as apparently red faced and sweating, I looked like I was about to have a heart attack! But the story went out and thankfully I didn’t say anything heretical or blasphemous which is always a bonus.

However, shortly after, I was contacted by the Church Times who wanted another interview. A little more reluctantly I agreed as this would not just go to the people of Cornwall but to all the churchy folk across the country, showing that the little rural village churches are not just closing down empty, or to be forgotten about by the big city dwellers, but are doing great things in their specific context. And then I got a phone call, not from the Bishop asking what on earth I was doing but by BBC Radio 4 no less!

Initially, I didn’t respond as I felt things were getting a bit silly now. As a simple country parson, I suddenly had nightmares about dancing on Strictly, but I asked around and my initial thought process was mirrored by the responses.

The Rural Church is not something that is to be ignored. We may not have a congregation of hundreds, we may not always be financially secure, yes, we may have one rector to seven churches but we are alive and well. We matter! And actually, when 80 people turn up to a baptism on the moors, as a percentage of overall population we far outnumber those big urban churches.

We are what we are and we should be proud of it. We will have to wait again until it airs before I can relax and be certain I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have but I think it was ok, and I am certain those who were also interviewed on the day spoke much better than I did.

I don’t think Songs of Praise will ever come to our little villages, but if they did, they would see a place of community, where to love our neighbours comes naturally, where the Church is loved by those who come on a Sunday and those who come for funerals and weddings. It is part of village life and I hope and pray that never changes.

God bless.        

REVD ROBIN THWAITES (NOT QUITE A CELEBRITY VICAR)