Rector’s Ramble for October by Reverend Ian Hepburn
‘Rector’s Ramble’ for OCTOBER from Turton Moorland Team Rector, Rev Ian Hepburn:
Dear Friends,
Autumn is our dog Snoopy’s favourite season by far. It combines his three most enjoyable activities: fallen leaves (which he can’t get enough of chasing); wind (especially when it happens to blow the falling leaves around for him to chase); and long shadows (which he hasn’t yet worked out are different from real objects that you can catch). So even an everyday walk in autumn is filled with the excitement of all these things!
For me, my favourite season is spring, filled with hope of the summer to come, of longer days, and adventures to be had. But what I enjoy most about Autumn is the spectacular colours of the leaves on the trees, and the apple harvest. Apples are far and away my favourite fruit, and unlike the barren fig trees I have tended and watered for years and never seen any decent fruit, apple trees faithfully get on with the job of growing fruit season after season, without any fanfare or fuss.
The church calendar in Autumn is filled with the fun of harvest and a whole kaleidoscope of colourful saints; from Francis, who stole his Dad’s finest cloth to help rebuild a dilapidated church, to Martin of Tours, who tore his cloak in two to give half to a freezing beggar out on the streets. And one of the best criteria for deciding who has made the grade as far as sainthood goes, is that they must inspire some joy in those around them! I’ve long since wished more comedians could beatified for services to the human race; Robin Williams, Michael Palin and John Cleese would top of my list.
I have a book called The Field Guide to the English Clergy which is full of ‘stories of diverse eccentrics, pirates, prelates and adventurers, all Anglican, some even practising’. If only there were an equivalent tome for all the madcap stories of the saints we remember and cherish over the year, who all had their quirks and eccentricities too!
What about you? Who’s your favourite saint? And what do you like best about Autumn? As we wander through it together, I hope you stumble over some wonderful moments of joy too.
Best wishes and blessings,
