From the Revd Martin Jewitt
Sir, - Michael Palin will no doubt be representing millions of
(perhaps older) people in his appreciation of "havens, shelters,
places of protection, places that it doesn't cost a penny to enter,
and which won't cost you a penny to stay all day" (Features, 22 May).
And we can rejoice in such beautiful architectural heritage,
without which our islands would be the poorer.
But how many of those millions would be prepared to contribute
realistically to the real cost? How many church councils find
themselves crippled by maintenance costs? Which parish hasn't at
some time experienced the trauma of sudden, and costly, outbreaks
of dry rot? Or, like our local church, a spate of vandalism which
will cost thousands to put right? These experiences can turn a
church building into the opposite of the peaceful retreat that Mr
Palin so vividly describes.
There will always be a measure of unreality in the experience of
the peace of a parish church outside service times, unless the real
reason for that peace is acknowledged: that this building stands as
a sign of God present in that community, making himself known
through the gospel that is proclaimed in that building and beyond.
A building without God will become dry bones.
MARTIN JEWITT
12 Abbott Road, Folkestone
Kent CT20 1NG
From the Revd Neil Patterson
Sir, - I was pleased to read the thoughtful reflections of
Michael Palin on churches, as his great-grandfather Edward Palin
was my predecessor. It was unfortunate, therefore, that the zeal of
your picture editors outran their accuracy, captioning pictures of
two different churches as St Mary's, Linton, neither of which was
the one where Edward Palin served (there is another St Mary's,
Linton, in Ely diocese).
Readers may be pleased to hear that Michael Palin continues to
support his great-grandfather's parish, and we have been looking
forward to welcoming him for a sell-out fund-raising talk in the
church, and to hearing about his family in the parish.
NEIL PATTERSON
The Rectory
Weston-under-Penyard
Ross-on-Wye HR9 7QA