THE RECTOR WRITES
There are things they don’t train you for at theological college, nor warn you about before the dog-collar is soldered around your neck!
One such thing for me was the British Pie Awards held in St. Mary’s! Nothing I studied at college could have prepared me for the experience, except perhaps the late night pie and chips we consumed on a regular basis as students!
But, seriously, it was a great honour and privilege to be asked to bless the pies (though I actually blessed the makers!) and be a judge (“experts” we were called by one journalist!?) in the “hot and savoury” category… the largest category, and the most varied selection of pies!
And what a variety they were, ranging from over-seasoned curry pies, which killed the taste-buds, to tasteless steak pies which made you wonder whether the meat inside had ever actually been alive and wandered around a field. There were burnt pies and undercooked pies, plain ordinary pies and exotic pies… but one thing struck me within the variety of qualities… very few pies had both excellent pastry and an excellent filling. Most pies, bar a very few, disappointed.
Three things struck me about the day. Despite the negative comment of one visitor about how disgusting it was to use the church for the consuming of pork pies (!?), the overwhelming feeling was that the Church was just the right place to host such an event. After all, in the past, the Church hosted markets and such-like. The second thought was how good it was to be part of an event which focuses on the town and people of Melton… and for the Church to be playing a key role in that event… serving our community.
But my third thought was the one that left me with something quite profound to take away from the day. All of the pie-makers had done their best, and yet they were aspiring to produce the perfect pie, with a properly glazed and cooked crust, with no boil-out (see, I know the jargon now!), a filling that really filled the interior and had the right texture, amount of gravy etc. The pie I liked best was one which had the worst appearance inside… a most unlikely concoction of green olives, spicy sausage and other things I didn’t ask questions about!
And how like our Churches those pies were! People trying their best, and yet wanting what they do to be their very best for God… but sometimes falling short (and that wasn’t intended to be a “short pastry” joke!). None of us are perfect, and yet we are trying to get the outer and inner “man” in sync., so we can be more like Jesus. And all of us are very different, as are some aspects of our churches’ life which might not be to our liking, but, nonetheless, are of God and might just surprise us if we approach them with an open mind.
Well done to the organisers! The event is in the Church diary for the next couple of years, and I hope I’m invited back… after all, I am an “expert”!
Kevin Ashby
HOW DO YOU FANCY A CRUISE ON THE AEGEAN?
That’s what the Rector is planning for next year, 17th – 26th June, calling at such places as Athens, Cenchrea, Corinth, Piraeus, Philippi, Thessalonika, Istanbul, Pergamum, Sardis, Ephesus, Miletus & Patmos… many with a link with St. Paul or St. John. Contact the Rector for more details asap… as places will be limited.
