Dear friends,
Normally I would write to you with a reflection for the church season, but today my writing to you has a different focus with special attention being given to our families who have loved one’s mortal remains interred in the parish church of St Leonards, Mundford.
As you will know that in past years Mundford’s churchyard has been kept beautifully with the grass cutting having been contracted out from a generous grant from our local parish council. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the contract came to a sudden end just before the Easter weekend, and since then generous volunteers have given much time and devotion to trying to keep on top of the grass in the churchyard, but it is an enormous task to which we have been struggling.
I am aware of the distress the state of the churchyard has caused for our families who visit loved one’s graves on a regular or irregular basis, to which as your parish priest and on behalf of St Leonards PCC, we offer our heartfelt and sincere apologies for any distress that has been felt.
I wanted to assure you that the situation is not one of neglect or disrespect to our families and those whom they have loved who have passed, or to the memories of those who are laid to rest within the churchyard. But we are struggling and doing our very best during this temporary period.
We want to assure our families of our love for you and your loved ones and are working to a solution that will see St Leonards churchyard to its former condition as soon as we can. As for now if any of our families who can offer some time and support to help us in the meantime in keeping the churchyard cut regularly with a focus around personal family graves, we would be truly grateful to you, as the parish church and churchyard belongs to the community in which it is set, which is good and right and is our shared responsibility.
Grief I know from my own experience of grieving the loss of loved ones is something that never truly leaves us, and is something that over time we learn to try and live with each day, knowing that we are changed by it.
Our loved ones remain for-ever dear in our hearts and memories, and each person we have loved and lost has been instrumental in shaping the people that we are today, and we know that the places where our loved ones are laid to rest also has great significance in enabling us to grieve and feel close to them.
Please forgive us if we have caused any distress to you in recent weeks due to our current situation, and please do support us as we get back on our feet again and attempt to restore St Leonards churchyard to its former beautiful condition.
With every love and blessing,
Your parish priest, Zoe
Revd. Zoe Ferguson (Priest in Charge Mundford Group Benefice & Assistant Priest to Hilborough & Oxborough groups) Day off Monday.
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