On the 5th July it was the fifth Sunday after Trinity and the earlier of the two morning's services began at 8am whilst a hush still lay upon the town. The church, surrounded on all sides by green sward and mature trees, looked a picture. Thanks go towards those volunteers who adopt garden beds to dig and keep trim and to the Eco Group who also think beyond sheers and spades, forever adhering to a set of principles directed at nature in a wider sense.
At that time, there occurred the once month, what the pew sheet terms, 'Holy Communion - Order Two, Traditional'. This is always just right for those wanting a prayerful and reflective form of worship where the words of the Book of Common Prayer are in themselves a form of music and as well as solace. The readings for the day were: Romans 7. 15-25a and Matthew 11. 16-19 and 25-30. Reader Rosemary delivered the homily where the emphasis was put upon meekness and gentleness being the requirements of Jesus. He was the Jewish boy from Nazareth who had had a normal upbringing. He was a carpenter's son who understood his audience, using everyday things in his teaching. He sought out the overlooked and spoke to children and not just the educated and vain. "My burden is light," he proclaimed and in that context, "less is more". Today, we face all sorts of global disasters but Jesus urges us to seek his help in troubled times both by prayer and in listening. This is the way for us and he will provide a place at his table. "Less is more".
After the 10am All Together Eucharist, there followed our monthly Sunday Lunch in the Chapter House and once again and quite rightfully, there followed a Big Thank You to the ways in which our food arrives to us and in particular at that time, to the cooks and servers and all those volunteers who set things up and put them away. Mushroom soup, roast pork with all the trimmings and a wide choice of vegetables, followed by creamy strawberry cheesecake, 'aint' a bad way to treat yourself to some real 'home-cooking' with convivial company with an appetite. There will not be a Sunday Lunch in August because of a number of factors, one being Holiday Club taking up a lot of time and planning and where the kitchen will be in great demand. Therefore, the next Lunch comes in September.
Looking ahead in this season of High Summer, on Saturday, 11th July, between 10 and 12, there is our usual Coffee Shop in the Chapter House whilst in the church itself, it will be the Big Day for Chris and Agnes who will be getting married and we wish them and their families and friends God's Blessing. It's good to know that the world still turns amid global attention to Wimbledon, the World Cup, rugby and Test Cricket. On Sunday, 12th July, at 10am, there will be Parish Eucharist and Sunday School and at 6pm, our well established and more informal act of worship, namely Sunday@6 where the theme will be Holiness.
Some future dates will include: 19th July, 10am during the Parish Eucharist, speaker Teresha Clark Karahukayo's subject: Triumph Heart. Same day, 5:30pm, Taize Service- Cockayne Hatley.
26th July: 10am Parish Eucharist includes the Commissioning Service for the 2026 Mafambisa Team. Our Parish News publication is out for Summer 2026 so help yourself or find it online on our church website because all sorts of events are included not mentioned here. Have a good week.