not so silent

•  Trad .  Ar   lan  y  mor o  Singer:  Sir Bryn  Terfel .  I have just listened to this piece of music. It did a number of things. As the hair stood up on the back of my head I was reminded of how I  need something of the otherness of life, call is spirituality, but something beyond myself.  Beside the sea red roses growing Beside  the sea white lilies showing Beside the sea their beauty telling My true love sleeps within her dwelling Beside the sea the stones lie scattered Where tender words in love were uttered While all around there grew the lily And  sweetest branches of rosemary Beside the sea blue pebbles lying Beside  the sea gold flowers glowing Beside the sea are all things fairest Beside the sea is found my dearest Full the sea of sand and billows Full  the egg of whites and yellows Full the woods of leaf and flower Full my heart of love for ever. Fair the sun at new day’s dawning Fair  the rainbow’s colours shining Fair the summer, fair as heaven Fairer yet the face of  Eli

17 years ago today we came to St Mary’s Pype Hayes to be their servant in Christ. My first parish as parish priest, vicar, servant, apprentice father and husband. It was the place we were called by God to bring our passion, make our mistakes and share our lives. We did not have a plan but we agreed not to move until our daughter left education, she had been in a number of schools due to our commitment to following our call as a family. When we came to look at the parish our daughter of 9 years refused to get out of the car saying “I’m not getting out at this tip” she was right we were surrounded by derelict houses used by drug dealers and vandals. Our vicarage was recommended by the local glaziers to have plastic windows fitted due to constant vandalism. My son was quietly calm about our move and the loss of his friends, he made his move into his new school with sense of confidence I have always admired. During the early years Erin and I regularly lay awake in bed listening to groups o