Today we had our Family Eucharist, and Father Luke was with us as the celebrant. This Sunday the Gospel story was of the Disciples meeting the risen Jesus on the beach after they had been fishing and eating breakfast together. Father Luke told us something about this story, for example we are told they caught 153 fish, which seems oddly precise but that was the total number of fish known at that time, so it signifies a gathering in of all living creatures. Similarly he told us that in the gospels Jesus says 'do not be afraid' 365 times, once for each day of the year. Father Luke also talked about the roots of the word Alleluia using as an example the great sound made when Wales scores a try in Rugby at the Millennium stadium, Father Luke being Welsh himself was perhaps more in tune with this analogy than the majority of the congregation who are England supporters!!

There was coffee after the service.

All hands on deck, the Fete is back!! If you can give a hand, before or on the day please contact the Church Wardens!!

 Acts 9:1-6

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Saul, 

still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, 

went to the high priest 

and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, 

so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, 

he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, 

suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 

He fell to the ground 

and heard a voice saying to him, 

"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 

He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" 

The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 

But get up and enter the city, 

and you will be told what you are to do." 

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless 

because they heard the voice but saw no one. 

Saul got up from the ground, 

and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; 

so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 

For three days he was without sight, 

and neither ate nor drank.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples 

by the Sea of Tiberias; 

and he showed himself in this way. 

Gathered there together were Simon Peter, 

Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, 

the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." 

They said to him, "We will go with you." 

They went out and got into the boat, 

but that night they caught nothing. 

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; 

but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 

Jesus said to them, 

"Children, you have no fish, have you?" 

They answered him, "No." 

He said to them, 

"Cast the net to the right side of the boat, 

and you will find some." 

So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in 

because there were so many fish. 

That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 

"It is the Lord!" 

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, 

he put on some clothes, for he was naked, 

and jumped into the sea. 

But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, 

for they were not far from the land, 

only about a hundred yards off. 

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, 

with fish on it, and bread. 

Jesus said to them, 

"Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." 

So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, 

full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; 

and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 

Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." 

Now none of the disciples dared to ask him,

 "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. 

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, 

and did the same with the fish. 

This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples 

after he was raised from the dead. 

When they had finished breakfast, 

Jesus said to Simon Peter, 

"Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" 

He said to him, 

"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." 

#Jesus said to him, 

"Feed my lambs."

A second time he said to him,

 "Simon son of John, do you love me?" 

He said to him, 

"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." 

#Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 

He said to him the third time, 

"Simon son of John, do you love me?" 

Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, 

"Do you love me?" 

And he said to him, 

"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." 

Jesus said to him,

"Feed my sheep. 

Very truly, I tell you, 

when you were younger, 

you used to fasten your own belt 

and to go wherever you wished. 

But when you grow old, 

you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will fasten a belt around you 

and take you where you do not wish to go."

(He said this to indicate the kind of death 

by which he would glorify God.) 

After this he said to him, 

"Follow me."