Chaplain's Message

I wanted to share this little story of wisdom with you that I have stolen from ‘Roma Waterman” who runs an online group called Women at the Well – thank you Roma!

It starts with a story from Mark Buchanan's The Rest of God, retold from G.K. Chesterton, about a boy offered a choice: become gigantic, or become miniscule.

He chose gigantic. His head touched the clouds. Oceans became puddles. At first it was magnificent. And then it became dull.

He began to wonder: what if he had chosen small?

If he had, a backyard would have become a rainforest. A ladybird, an astonishing creature. Even a bowl of ice cream: a whole winter landscape to explore.

Smallness awakens glory.

One morning recently, driving through a valley as mist was settling low between the hills, the Holy Spirit spoke something quiet into the car: "My glory does not only settle on the mountaintops. It gathers in the valley. If you go low, you can sit in the middle of My glory."

Maybe you feel small right now. Hidden. Like what you are carrying is not much, or like the faithfulness of ordinary days does not amount to the kind of story worth telling.

Maybe you have been striving for presence, for depth, for clarity, and even when you reach the mountaintop, something still feels missing.

It’s important to remember the mist settles in the valley. That is where His glory gathers.

We do not have to shout or strive to be held by God. Sometimes the most sacred place is the quiet one, tucked low. It is okay to go small. It is okay to let the mist fall.

As I complete my time at St Philip’s as Chaplain and wonder who I am without the inspiration I have had for 35 years; it’s somehow really comforting to reflect on the words, “That it is okay to let the mist fall”.

It has been the most wonderful  journey, from the very early days of St Philip’s as a College to now – and I want to thank you for reading my messages, for some lovely feedback but just the opportunity to be a little bit part of your lives.

May you never lose your excitement of the “big” and the wonder of the “little” – and in its time, remember it’s okay to let the mist fall.

Thank you to God for trusting me with so many tasks over the years under the umbrella of Chaplain! Thank you to St Philip’s for filling my cup of love and creativity and so much more! And special love and blessing to our new Chaplain Rev Eseta Mateiviti – enjoy the wonderful journey ahead!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, turn his face towards you and be gracious unto you, and bring you peace now and always!

~ Sarah Pollitt 

College Chaplain