All Saints' Church, Nettleham

All Saints' Church in Nettleham, Lincolnshire, is an attractive parish church with some surviving Saxon features, among its many, later additions. Curiously, the main altar has been removed and replaced by a lighter table, close to the congregation. The Reformers of the time of King Edward VI would be delighted. There seems to be some preserved medieval paintwork and the hard pews have been replaced by modern, comfortable chairs, but without compromising the building’s ancient feel.

I was struck by a couple of carved faces. One belonged to an external waterspout which had been brought inside for reasons unclear. On account of its mouth being the source of a downpipe, the face appears to be screaming, and is somewhat disturbing. And is that a hand beaneath, throttling? 

The other is built into a wall and is the exact opposite of the former: the face is serene and tranquil, with a gentle smile, a facial feature of which most medieval carvers and painters were apparently incapable, or unwilling, to depict. No so, here.

Both faces describe the two reactions which the return of Christ will produce upon the earth: pleasure, relief and satisfaction for those who believed in Him, and horror, fear and tragedy in those who rejected Him:

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. Zechariah 12:10

…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:13-14, New King James Version

Come, Lord Jesus!