Message from the Rector, St Mary’s Church
Welcome to the "New Millennium"

Well, we all managed to survive into this century. Did any of us feel any different when we woke up on 1st January? Probably not!

All round the world people celebrated....yet did they, and us, get the real message of the Millennium...or was it just a bad headache from over-indulgence? In Africa where 2000 years ago they knew nothing of Christianity they celebrated in one of the largest churches in the world. In Russia, where churches had been turned into museums and storage places, they celebrated in the Orthodox style of faith, crowded with worshippers. From South Africa to Latin America and on into China where Christianity is growing again despite fifty years of oppression, people have celebrated the birth of a child in an obscure village on the edge of the Roman Empire. We too here in Rolleston celebrated through many events over the whole Christmas and New Year period, you all made it a memorable occasion and a noisy one too! The Rectory garden also contributing to the noise of fireworks over the village.

The miracle is that the words of the child who grew up to be a wandering preacher for three years, without the benefit of telephone, fax or Email, have been remembered and have brought comfort to "all who travail and are heavy laden". His words have appealed through the centuries to the heart and compassion within humankind.

We can still hear the same message the Shepherds, Fishermen and the Women in Palestine did two thousand years ago. Those words will, if we hear and act upon them, carry us into the third millennium and beyond until his kingdom comes again.

Rev. Ian Whitehead

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