It is interesting how issues of the day somehow manage to find their way into the pulpit. I expect that it is because speakers listen to the same radio and look at the same TV stations as the rest of us. They see, as do we; serious looking people talking of climate change and of how each of us has something called a carbon footprint that we must reduce. Failure to do so they tell us, means that we are personally depriving future generations of the pleasures and joy we currently feel in the beautiful countryside around us.
It is no surprise therefore, when the pulpit echo’s the concerns expressed by TV worthies and environmental pundits. What is surprising however, is when, as happened recently, the speaker asked God to support those who ‘were struggling,’ to make people like me aware of the need to protect the planet.
People of my age were brought up during the years when everything was scarce and so we do not urging to save this, or use less of that. Indeed, during our early married life my wife and I saved the week’s issue of the Daily Telegraph, and on the Saturday morning took them to the local chippie. (during our childhood years, old newspaper was put to an all together different use) In return we received two portions of fish and chips free of charge. This was barter of a wondrous kind, but I suspect that today’s environmentalists would not approve of re-cyling in this way as there are probably laws against it.
There are however, many other ways to save resources and an easy one comes to mind; One morning at the end of March my wife and I awoke, and realised that we had been married for forty four years. Neither of us had bought a card and so after breakfast and feeding the animals we popped over to ‘Labels’ at Ross for coffee and a bun. Whilst there we visited the stationery section and carefully read the card that we would have sent to each other had we sent one. By this simple action we, no-doubt, went a good way towards reducing our carbon footprint, and in so doing saved ourselves the cost of the coffee.
Others may know of even more inventive ways, such as the clergyman who re-cycles his sermons. Indeed I was fortunate on one occasion to hear the same sermon twice in one day. This meant that the second time round I did not really have to listen and so my brain, which burns massive numbers of calories when thinking, did not need as much energy as if the sermon had been fresh. Because I burnt fewer calories I needed less food and so, who knows how many chicken legs could be saved as a result of re-cycling sermons.
If, as the pundits say, the issue is serious, we should not shy away from making hard decisions. I have, for example, written to the people who send me circulars about saving the planet, and asked them to help me reduce my carbon footprint by taking me off their list. I hope that this will save another tree every month or so. Readers will have to decide for themselves what can be saved.
As time passed some wanted to know who the writer was and so my name has appeared ever since. Consequently, I would like to thank those many readers who have encouraged me during this past sixteen years and am grateful for their support and feedback. A frequent question from them is “How do you manage to keep coming up with the ideas?” That bit is easy I say, because I genuinely think I don’t know anything. That makes everything interesting and worth trying to get my head around it. It is the ‘getting my head around it’ which is demanding. But when I do, I am happy to share thoughts with readers and listeners.
My earlier mention of gratitude to Rector Pat and Graham Hale can be extended to my own son Tony who, along with David Farrants of Dymock and Mike Hencher of Newent encouraged me to write and film a series of videos on Christian Doctrine, the first of which was shot last month. The first video on Faith and subsequent ones are being hosted by westernwaychapel.org (click on messages and scroll down) They can also be found on YouTube by entering Peter Wells, Pauntley into Google Search. My son tells me this is the title of my channel, on which I hope to put further videos, and the archive of Views from the Pew, later in the year.
Little did our Tony, Dave and Mike know that being able to pull together my thoughts in this way was an answer to a prayer as to how I might witness during my last years. The traditional ‘pulpit’ reckons me too old, but YouTube, and Face book have no such reservations.
I am sure there are others of similar age whose knowledge is wide and have wisdom to boot. Therefore, as lots of youngsters have shallow roots in the soil of history having not spent much time with their grandparents, I encourage older readers to ‘Get on-line’ with a wise word. There are lots of foolish words out there, so a few wise ones would not come amiss.
But talking of technology and wise words, this letter in the Telegraph adds a cautionary note. Intercessionary prayers in the Parish Church had just begun when a mobile phone burst into life and a resonant bass voice filled the Nave:
“I’m sorry but I cannot accept any further requests, please try later.”
View from the Pew 