I am luckier than most, because I get to know the spiritual life of our communities and villages. I have a brief word with those who have dropped in to our churches for a moment's peace or solace. I hear of the answer to a desperate prayer made to a God whose existence is doubted. I hear the stories of those amazing moments of knowing the beauty, the fragility and the sheer wonder of the universe we inhabit.

Often, people say, 'I don't come to church - but I have my own beliefs, you know, and I pray to God'. This makes me glad, because if God was restricted to the things the church and the Vicar can find time for, he might not get very far! Knowing that he is out there in the lanes and houses, the workplaces and the schools, showing himself to all kinds of people, is very good news indeed.

So, where does the church fit in with the spiritual life of our communities? I would describe it as the unregarded heartbeat of prayer which God gives to each place. We don't normally think about our hearts until they go wrong - and then we realise the constant service they have given us, year by year. Our churches provide us with a place of holiness, where anyone can come for prayer or quiet thought. They provide daily prayer for many things - and if you would like prayers to be said for you (by name or anonymously), you have only to ask. Our churches provide focus for the great moments of life - birth, marriage, illness, death. Unseen, they provide a chance to learn together about spiritual life; reflection on the way our community can be a better place; a strong strand in the web that makes us a village and not just a collection of houses.

Hearts need looking after if they are to work well. So, to all of you who pray in the quiet of your own place, I ask you to pray for us - that we can be a healthy heart and a blessing to our communities.