Having said goodbye to the Year 6 on their residential in the Lakes and travelling to York Minster (to witness the consecration of Rev’d Dr Jill Duff as Bishop of Lancaster), we stopped at St Mary’s Church in Kirby Lonsdale.
On the entrance to the church was a sign,
“Venite
The age-old word of welcome. There is room here for you.”

It was lovely to be welcomed from the heat of the midday sun into a peaceful and cool church with a message, ‘there is room in this place for you!’

The last 48 hours have been all about entering into spacious places. Our Year 6 pupils have experienced the beauty and spaciousness of ‘Tower Wood’ Bowness on Windermere. Practicing the discipline of being still and taking in the sounds, smells and sights of the Lake District landscape. Each child has been given the time and space to learn more about themselves and each other. No doubt the precious memories they have been given the space to create will stay with them for a very long time.

There is a particular lovely verse in Psalm 31:8. “You have set my feet in a spacious place.” Our lives are full of clutter and busyness and so it is nice to be able to create some space and take time to breathe, to contemplate “What is important in our lives?”

Do we give enough quality time to our family and friends? Do we make room in our lives for God? Do we know that God welcomes us and loves us if only we would make room, space in our hearts and lives for Him.

At Christ Church we like to ensure that everyone is welcome and there is room for everybody. So, today let’s all continue to enjoy the warm weather and find those spacious places knowing we are loved and welcomed by God.