from the Rectory …………
Church Open
You may have noticed a new sign on the railings outside
East Harling Church – it says ‘Church Open’. We are part
of ‘Norfolk Open Churches 2014’
(norfolkopenchurches.com) run by the Church of
England, and locally, the Norwich Diocese, to encourage
people to visit parish churches across the county.
A beautifully illustrated free booklet is available to guide
you (there are a few copies in church, or order online) on
a journey of exploration. With it you can discover the wealth of art and
architecture that have been the heritage of this county for many centuries.
Wherever you look in Norfolk you’ll see a church tower, beckoning you across
the wide-open spaces of the countryside. From tiny Saxon parish churches to the
great cathedral of Norwich there is much to see and enjoy. Norfolk churches
have a character all of their own and this county is justly famous for its churches
and their towers, many over a thousand years old.
This year, April to September, East Harling Church is open between 10am and
4pm weekdays and most weekends. Our new banner advertises our eagerness to
welcome visitors: to offer a tourist destination as well as the sanctuary of a place
that is open and available for quiet reflection and prayer. We are lucky that our
church is big enough to accommodate both. Most parish churches now have to
cater for the needs of visitors as well as
parishioners and we have church-sitters who
provide a warm welcome to all.
We hope our ‘Church Open’ sign says rather more
than just the plain words imply. Churches are
unique places. A building that has held the hopes
and prayers of countless generations offers you a
place in which to bring all of yourself to all of God.
Don’t let familiarity blind you to what sits on your
very doorstep – your church is open to you.
Sarah