Kings Norton Parish
Part of the Church of England
The Parish Church of St Nicolas, Kings Norton, incorporating Hawkesley Church LEP
The Parish Magazine : February 2025
From The Editor
You can, if you wish, buy a digital version of the Parish Magazine by clicking here. The printed edition is still available for £1.50 at the Parish Office and in St Nicolas' Church. We have no plans to phase it out. You can even have it delivered to your door. Click here to find out how.
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To whet your appetite, here are this month's Editorial and a glimpse of some of the articles which await you in the current issue. Older copies, published more than three months ago, are available free of charge here.
You are not living in the same body you were living in 10 years ago. The neurons in your brain probably last a lifetime and some of your muscles may last up to 10 years; but, because of the constant cycle of cell death and regeneration, other parts of us are replaced much more often. Skin cells, for example, are renewed every 2 to 4 weeks and the lining of your gut is refreshed every few days. The ‘founding myth of creation’ to which Larry Wright refers on p.4 cannot, therefore, be taken to mean that creation is a finished or a finite process. Together with all life on this planet, we are part of a constant process of RE-creation which only ends when we die.
What is true of our physical bodies seems to apply, in a different sense, to our minds and our spirits too. To be fully alive and healthy, they need regular recreation. (How did you pronounce that word when you read it? There are two possibilities). One of the themes running through this edition is that of taking time out from our responsibilities to make space for restoration, renewal and creativity. Reading, music, study, travel, cooking, sport, art, gardening, immersion in nature and a host of other ‘recreational’ activities are not luxuries. We need them in order to thrive and grow. I hope you’ll find inspiration here to try something new.
By the way, that ‘creation myth’, the ancient story which tells us that we are made in the image of God with a purpose and a destiny, has been finding new, receptive audiences in some unexpected places. If you’re unaware of the recent resurgence of interest in the Christian faith amongst some of the world’s leading thinkers, former committed atheists among them, have a look at page 15.