At our last meeting we had a fascinating presentation by Pippa and Rob Evans on the building of their straw house here in Chard.

Pippa had for a long time wanted to build a house and her first thought was to make it from wattle and daub, but she decided making the wattle and daub would be too messy and so decided that straw would be less messy.

When she met Rob, it was at their second meeting that she told him she wanted to do this, but it did not put him off, and as husband and wife they started building in 2021, after reading books by Barbara Jones on how this could be done. Then getting plans etc passed. They had no problem getting them passed and so they started with their foundations. Then the wooden frame for the straw. Insulation was very important right from the start including under the floor.

A local farmer gave them a place to keep the bales of straw, and many bales had to be restrung and made the right size. Building with the straw took three weeks. The walls were six bales high, but to fit they had to be strapped with lorry straps to compress them, so the last layer could be fitted tight within the framing. To keep the straw dry they had a six foot overhang on the front and back roof and 3 feet on the side roof.

The roof was covered in cedar shingles. Doors and windows were triple glazed in a wooden frame. The bales were sprayed with lime plaster both inside and out. Building was complete in 2022. They were very pleased with the insulation. Passive houses are rated ‘O’ Modern houses are rated as ‘10’. Their house is ‘2.5’.

Best wishes, Heather Elphick, Branch Leader

Prayer is such a fundamental part of being a Christian and we see this in the whole of Jesus’ life recorded throughout the New Testament. At the most challenging times, when he was in the garden in Gethsemane (Matthew 26.36-46) and at the time of his crucifixion ( Luke 23.46),  to happier times when he gave thanks to God for his revelation (Matthew 11.25) and at the feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14.13-21). But one of the most powerful passages that I have found about prayer is in John 17, as Jesus prays for his disciples.

Prayer is all about a conversation with God; it involves listening as well as speaking. So often we only pray to God when we are in the darkest places or want something, and more often than not we will suggest to Him what the solution is.

We have to trust God to decide what the best answer is for us in our current situation.

Jesus gave us that special prayer that most of us use at least once a week where we pray ‘Your will be done.’ We have to trust in God; that is what faith is all about; and as it says in Proverbs 3.5 ‘trust in the Lord with all you might and be not wise in your own sight.’

I believe that a regular prayer life is so important. Not only does this give each of us an opportunity to be still and to share with God our worries and concerns, but also to give thanks for all the amazing things that we have in our lives. It gives us the chance to start the day afresh and to be empowered to carry out the tasks that we need to do, or to end the day by giving thanks for the good things that have happened and to share the burdens that we may have been carrying.

If you are not already doing so, I would encourage each of you to try to set aside a little time each day for prayer, just quietly telling God what is in your thoughts. Why not give it a go, it really can make a power of difference both to your life and the world.

With every blessing

John

After a very successful series of concert at St Mary’s earlier this year Speranza have agreed to new dates for the remainder of the year. See below for the ‘Music for Summertime’ dates.  Don’t forget to join us for a community lunch beforehand in the church rooms. 

Let me begin by offering you all, the joy of the Easter Resurrection in all its fullness, hope, and peace.

Alleluia he is risen

I have been so encouraged this Lent by seeing God at work in our lives and community.

As a group we have been exploring in the Lent Course the words “Come and See” what they mean for us in our community here and for each other. As always, I find it such a deep privilege to hear your stories and to be part of them too.

The words from Scripture that have spoken into my heart are found in John Ch 12 as Jesus is making his way slowly but surely to Jerusalem. They have been part of our Sunday readings, part of the Lent Course, and part of the story I have heard.

John ch12 20-24 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”  Philip went to tell Andrew;  Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Two weeks ago, the Diocesan Synod met in a Church in Weston, there as we gathered at the beginning with worship, James shared his story with us all. He was nervous to begin with, but as he got into the narrative, he became bolder and his words flowed with a mixture of surprise, enthusiasm, and conviction. He had to begin to tell out his story for it to take on life, he had to find an inner courage to sit there

in front of so many folk and speak out what had happened in his life. And it was powerful, he spoke about years of addiction to alcohol, living on the street and thinking himself worthless in the world. But someone had spoken to him and suggested he come and see, Jesus, who spoke into his heart, lifted him from the pit of despair and gave him new life. He hasn’t touched alcohol for a year now, (which earned him applause for his determination)

He is keeping his eyes fixed on Jesus as his Saviour, that doesn’t mean the struggles have miraculously disappeared, it means he gets to walk the way with Jesus by his side, in and through the Spirit.

I though I would tell you his story today, because for me, in his face, his voice, the way he held himself, he has seen Jesus, he knows his Lord and he is living in the resurrection of Jesus Christ who dies for us all.

How absolutely amazing, and mind blowing is it, that 2000 and more years later, the one who died for us and rose to new life, can still call us and bring us into new life with him.

Let’s be the people of the Resurrection and call others to come and see who Jesus is, like the one who invited James to come and see. Let’s continue to hold and nurture each other in our Faith journeys as God continues to hold us in that Love which knows no bound.

Be blessed and challenged and comforted in your joy this Easter.

 Rev Georgina