St John's In The Fields

The first Sunday morning we walked down to St Ia Parish Church, where the Cross, the Vicar, the Warden, the Choir, the incense and the music director all processed in at the stroke of 9:45. I was pleased to see again the Vicar, robed and kindly, with sincerity guiding us all to Christ. At the end of the service he removed his robes and stood at the entrance to shake hands and wish us all well. My daughter and I stepped forward and it became our turn to be wished well.

"Good to see you here again," he smiled, "and I thank you for your email message." Since the virus, my husband and I had 'followed' St Ia on our devices and watched their services on Zoom. The Vicar said he was about to "dash up the hill to St John's in the Fields", for what he called Wild Church.

Wild Church? I queried, but recognizing this term from the dark days of 2020 I said, "I'm glad you still do that!"

"Oh yes, we will always do that." 

That is a church service out of doors in the vicarage garden with a sound system, coffee truck, chairs, shade, and activity tables every Sunday at 11:30 am. And the Vicar wears jeans.

"You should come next week!" he said.

The week progressed and wonderful times were had until half of the 'we' returned home. But I hadn't forgotten Wild Church and ascended the hill called Stennack, arriving at the stroke of 11:30 am.

I loved it. From the beginning it was the most welcoming, cheerful setting you can imagine. Children and young parents, middle aged and elder folk dotted the grass, some in chairs, some running about. I spied the coffee truck and was given a cup. "Where shall I pay?" I asked, digging for change. "Oh no, no one pays," said the youth behind the counter, and I found a chair in the shade. It was a very bright morning.

Together we played a 'find someone with the same birth month as yourself' game, then 'find someone with the same color of socks as yourself', and 'find someone with your same favorite color!' Everyone of all ages got up out of chairs and began calling out the appropriate item, until we found each other. People recognized an American accent in their midst, and welcomed the newcomer warmly. 

Throughout the music and the sermon, there were activity centers with children doing crafts that centered on the sermon from Revelation. Nobody minded children's voices during a sermon. It was the sweetest thing.

St John's In The Fields

It's amazing to travel thousands of miles and find people with that recognizable Light in their eyes and kindness in their speech. The darkness of 2020 burdened us all for a time, and may yet again. But not all of the results of it have been bad. Church services on the lawn, for example. And I shall certainly dash again up the hill called Stennack, and find myself very much at home in "Wild Church".

See you along the Way!

the SconeLady