In late March, in fact, immediately prior to my birthday and a lovely family lunch at the Oak in Staplow, we received an early morning ring on the doorbell.
Paul the postman stood there with a grin on his face and said, “You have a letter from the King which requires a signature. No, it wasn’t a demand for the BBC licence fee, but a celebratory card from His Majesty on our sixtieth wedding anniversary. My mind flashed, turned over and asked, “Where have those years gone?
But gone they have, and today is the first day of the rest of our lives.
That day we still had a few sheep and hens to consider before getting on with other jobs. Marie was baking for the share lunch at Western Way Chapel, and for the funeral of Jill Bond of Redmarley. Kevin my neighbour was helping me move and clean an old plough and cultivator before we loaded them onto the trailer, ready for Howard Pughs auction of vintage tractors and equipment. Finally, I had to prepare material for more videos on my YouTube channel and, of course, this two hundred and ninth View from the Pew.
God has blessed us both with good health to date, and so the sixty years together has seen both of us actively raising children, lambs, and chicks. This, in addition to full time working, and arranging social events whilst helping others who have done the same. Church activities have always been integral to our life together and has taken us to the USA, and all around Britain where we have been able to share ministry with hundreds of people.
Whilst we have been busy, technology and time has changed Britain’s manufacturing industry. It is now so much smaller than it was. Fewer jobs need folk who have both practical and mental skills, and there are more ‘sit-down’ jobs. Then there are those folk who are required only to follow the ‘system’s instructions.’ These are just some of the reasons why it has become harder for many workers to build up self-esteem and get fulfilment from their paid employment.
I am however pleased to see that, at last, our ruling elites are questioning if our education system is producing young people with both the knowledge, and skill sets adequate for the challenges of a globalised world. They are also questioning our universities by asking if we have an appropriate balance between pure research, practical research, science, mathematics, technology, humanities and the arts? I hope they ask for the cost benefit analysis of what taxpayers get out for what goes into education.
However, in advance of anything the educational establishment may be thinking, evidence is already showing that young people themselves are deciding to eschew university offers. They are instead, taking paid work with training in industry and the professions. They have already figured out for example, that one Architect’s designs can be used for dozens of houses, and so are acquiring the skill sets for one of the dozens of other jobs which are needed to build those houses.
My third cheery thought is that a large number of clergy and laity appear on YouTube. They have analysed the causes of the sixty-year ethical and moral decline in Christendom and are organising alternative churches. They are doing this even when it that means they leave behind those existing leaders whose minds have drifted away from the verities detailed throughout the Bible.
I will end by saying, that I usually try to find a link between this final paragraph and something in the body of the text. On this occasion however I have failed to see any connection whatsoever between what is above this line and what is below it. But see if you can as I relate the true account of an exchange involving Jim Cowley a choirmaster I used to sing under.
During our first rehearsal of the Mozart Mass in C Minor, Jim said to the choir. “Forget all you know about nineteenth century slurring when you sing this.”
A back-row Bass asked,
“Jim. Do tell us what nineteenth century slurring is, so that we will then know what it is we have to forget.”
View from the Pew 