Sunshine and Blossom

A pleasantly paced day, and following the strong winds of last night it was good to have milder temperatures and a little sunshine. After a delicious Christian fellowship lunch at our local bistro (chicken in a mushroom sauce with rice followed by Bakewell tart and custard), I went out in search of a Blip and hopefully walked it all off. I noticed this lovely blossom backlit by a pale wall in the late afternoon sun, with strong shadows cast behind it. My extra is of some more new plant growth in the same garden. Small signs, but they are there if you look for them.

The Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist, which is in the next village of Tolleshunt Knights, held a special Orthodox Vespers service this evening for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Quite a lot of us from St Luke’s went along, and I found the service both beautiful and very effective in focussing the mind on prayer. The monks and nuns gave us the warmest welcome, they are always very hospitable to their guests and provided us with generous amounts of tea and biscuits in the refectory afterwards. I had never been to the monastery before, but I shall definitely return for their annual open day later in the year.