Carrying love forward
31 Oct 2025 • From our Vicar
Dear friends,
November can feel like a rather reflective month, can’t it? The clocks have gone back, the evenings draw in, and the kettle seems to whistle a little more often than usual. Out in the fields, the work slows: hedges are trimmed, muck heaps steam gently in the cold, and our Herefordshire hills take on their winter browns and greys.
It’s also the Church calendar’s season of remembering. We begin with All Saints’ Day, giving thanks for the great crowd of witnesses who’ve gone before us — the heroes of faith who have, as one wag put it, “made it into God’s Hall of Fame.” The very next day we mark All Souls’, when we remember the quieter saints — our own loved ones, friends, and neighbours who’ve slipped from our sight but not from our hearts. And then, of course, comes Remembrance Sunday, when the poppies bloom once more and we hold in mind those who gave their lives in war, and those still scarred by conflict today.
It’s a month that tugs at the heart. But I think it’s also one of the most beautiful times of the year. There’s a deep comfort in lighting a candle, sharing a memory, and giving thanks for all who’ve shaped us. Remembering isn’t just about looking back — it’s about carrying love forward.
And if you’re feeling a bit low as the nights draw in, remember this: even November has its gifts — log fires, woolly socks, the promise of Christmas puddings, and perhaps an excuse to start using the word “cosy” unashamedly.
So, let’s hold one another gently this month, in prayer, in memory, and in kindness.
With love and blessings,