How The Church Works

 

As a new Church Warden at St Giles, Kilmington, Devon, and during an interregnum, i have  quickly come to realise...

How The  Church Works

Well, what the Vicar says surely goes

We all know that is so

Or is it a wife or hubby behind the throne 

A Mrs Prowdy type who rules alone

Sure the Wardens have a weighty say

And as for the PCC 

They like to think that they hold sway

The curate if you have one, has influence,

Readers, Associates, retired clergy all make sense,

And the honorary treasurer and fabric committee have mighty clout,

And don't under estimate the tea ladies 

There is no doubt.

We give way when the Bish or Arch appear,

Guidance from the Diocese comes loud and clear-

Your common share please we remind you once again,

 and that safeguarding training is still required, please don't offend.

Holy dusters, sidespeople, flower team, children & youth workers, intercessors, admin, bell ringers, Friends of the Church, choir and organist, parish visitors, sorry if I've missed you, all play their part,

 Isn't the church  amazing -births deaths marriages, baptisms confirmations,

they're only just a start!

And we might think the Holy Spirit just guides us and we don't need to worry one  iota 

But the truth of it as we know works by a little thing, and that is called the rota. 

The Spirit of Revere

 

Paul Revere was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, engaging in a midnight ride in 1775 to alert nearby minutemen of the approach of British troops prior to the battles of Lexington and Concord.

The Spirit of Revere

Paul Revere is a name you'll hear

on Boston's Freedom Trail 

Where he was born, lived and died,

Not forgetting his daring Midnight Ride, 

He's a figure history hails

And in our day who are the heroic ones

Who will ride and warn of danger come 

Who'll signal, speak and sound alarm

Point the way to what could come

To a better'England',

To the kingdom of the Holy one.

The Hummers

 

Thank you Nancy. On visit to Maine, USA, Aug 2026, first sighting of a hummer.

Join in when with the  hummm and echo the phrase after

The Hummers

The world's smallest bird: 

Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas, over 330 species. A flock of hummingbirds can be referred to as a bouquet, a glittering, a hover, a shimmer, or a tune. The Bee Hummingbird of Cuba is the smallest bird on Earth, measuring just over 2 inches long and weighing less than one standard plastic bottle cap, about 1.95 grams.

Hummm.... Interesting

The Hummers: Birdwatchers and local nature groups in Maine frequently refer to hummingbirds as "hummers". The state experiences an influx of Ruby-throated hummingbirds every spring, prompting local headlines and community posts about the return of the "hummers".

Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate distances ranging from 500 to over 1,800 miles each way, depending on where their summer breeding and winter feeding grounds are located

Hummm.....Fascinating 

Incredible wing speed: Their wings beat between 60 and 80 times per second, which generates the signature humming sound that gives them their name.

Hummm.....Incredible

They are the only birds that can fly backward. Thanks to a unique ball-and-socket shoulder joint, their wings can rotate 180 degrees, allowing them to fly backward, forward, sideways, and even upside down.

Hummm.......That's cool

They have an ultra-fast heartbeat: A hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute during high activity.

Hummm.....Amazing

Extreme metabolisms: Their metabolism is roughly 100 times faster than an elephant's, requiring them to eat constantly.

 They typically visit hundreds of flowers daily and must consume half to multiple times their body weight in sugar and nectar every single day.

Hummm.....You are kidding 

Blazing dive speeds: During courtship dives, males can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.

Hummm....Awesome!

Tiny nests and eggs: They build walnut-sized nests using plant down bound together with sticky spider silk, laying eggs roughly the size of a navy bean or coffee bean.

Hummm........So clever

A grooved, straw-like tongue: Their tongues split at the tip and rapidly unroll—up to 18 times a second—to lap up nectar like a tiny twin-grooved straw.

Hummm....Get away

Energy-saving torpor: To survive cold nights or food shortages, they enter a hibernation-like state called torpor, slowing their heart rate down from hundreds of beats per minute to just 50.

Hummm.......Can't imagine.

Exceptional memory: They possess a large hippocampus and can remember the exact location, nectar quality, and refill rate of every single flower or feeder they visit

Hummm......Mind-blowing, who made them?

Steam

 

For my brother in law Phil, a train enthusiast

Steam

Standing, waiting on a bridge or station

Waiting for steam to come by,

Get that number, snap that moment

These are the giants that changed our world 

Still chugging by.

Along Dartmouth Estuary, Ffestiniog, West Highland Glenfinnian Viaduct.

Take the Flying Scotsman,  visit the famous Mallard,

Get to stand on the footplate, blow the whistle, 

You might just be in luck.

Now not just steam, The Orient Express of course would be very special, 

and any chance to step aboard the Euro Star, 

TGV, Rocky Mountaineer, Blue or Bullet train, Swiss Mountain railway, 

Trans Siberian, or just the good old GWR.

For the anoraks join the club, volunteer at a local narrow gauge, write a book, follow Portillo on the tele, lay out a track at home, pretend it's for your grandchild,

In the garden, in the loft, invite your buddies round with their models, wear the cap if you are really keen,

But a word of warning, there's many a railway widow  that says with  feeling, they're great to go on, but i wish you didnt have the gene.

... I've nearly arrived, the 3.02 from Waterloo, delayed, signal failure, leaves on line, bus transfer due to upgrade,  late change of platform, oh and the lift doesn't work....

Of course It  make sense if you have time and  might be greener  to  

get off the roads,  and on a train, 

try a sleeper, take a bike, do some work if you really have to, or have a chat, 

read a book, take a nap,

And yes, simply let the train take the strain.