We all experience our lives through different chapters and seasons. Things are constantly changing and evolving into new things.

We also experience loss through seasons, perhaps the death of a loved one, or the finishing of something. These chapters and seasons add together, to mould us and shape who we are as people.

I’ve now lived in Farnham a whole year and I’ve experienced a whole year of seasons that this part of the world has to offer. This has been a start of a whole new chapter in my life, a brand-new adventure of living down south.

As a proud northerner, the biggest change for me has been the significantly better weather. I had to buy more shorts after moving, as before I only had one pair. I’ve also been struck by the natural beauty in the surrounding area. I never want to take for granted the beautiful part of the world that we live in.

As well as moving geographically, I have also taken up a new job as the Rector of the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale. This role has come with a significant amount of responsibility, and I’ve learnt a lot over the last year about the practical running of church buildings.

These too go through seasons of change. The most notable in our parish has been the work done on the tower at St John’s. A monumental project that took a significant amount of fundraising.

Upon completing this project, it made me think about what’s next in the life of our parish and churches. What season and chapter is our parish about to go through?

I am reminded of Chapter 3 in the book of Ecclesiastes. The author writes how there is a time for everything, and beautifully describes the breadth of life’s most significant experiences. Change can often feel unsettling and unpredictable, and this passage recognises this discomfort.

Verse 11 particularly speaks to me, as it talks about God making everything beautiful in its time. It acknowledges that we cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end, and we are therefore called to have faith.

I pray that we can all find peace in the present, comfort in the rhythm of the seasons and trust in God’s unfathomable love.