Welcome to the wonderful month that is June….sunshine, flowers in full bloom, insects of all varieties including the bees flying around them, young birds fledging and with the parents maybe starting off a second brood. The trees all looking glorious with their full canopies of leaves.
To add to all of these pleasures we have, on the 21June, the summer solstice. The sun’s rising on this day will be watched by the many Druids at Stonehenge and will then be directly overhead from late morning. It means that we have shortest night with the longest day of light, giving us even more time to enjoy these delights of God’s great creation.
It is no wonder looking at what we have got around us, and knowing that the earth is God’s, and he is everywhere, means that our place of worship can be wherever we are on his planet, be it at home, with friends, in church or cathedral, or simply walking outdoors in his glorious natural beauty. We can pray, be with him, be thankful for what we have been given, anywhere.
We have a ‘super’ full moon on the 14 June at 12.41pm.The reason for this being that in its slightly elliptical orbit, on this occasion it will be at its closest to earth and therefore appear some 14 per cent larger than usual. It is called the Rose Moon. The Rose, because of a combination of the strawberry season and also at this time of year in the morning it picks up the colour of the rising sun.
There is Midsummer Day on the 24 June, which also became St John the Baptist’s day for the church of the time, to conveniently place it alongside the Pagan festival and bring it to the Christian calendar.
The June Pilgrimage Walk will be on Wednesday the 8 June starting at 10.30am from St Michaels Milverton and walking to Halse and the New Inn for a break and refreshment before returning to Milverton by around 3pm. A really nice pilgrimage walk of 3 miles each way, making the most of the countryside and weather in midsummer, with the opportunity for a good rest period during a convivial gathering and chat over a light snack or lunch.
Please do give me a call if you are coming or have any questions.
Steve Wort
Email stevenwort@hotmail.co.uk mobile on 07557 958013 or call 01823 400232
