22 May 2022
08:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Rogation Sunday, the 6th Sunday of Easter and so we had our Rogation Walk. Father John was with us, and as is our tradition at 10am on a glorious early summer day, we met in the church to sing 'Morning has broken' and for the notices and opening prayers. Then we set off to our first stop, the Barn at the end of the Lane where we gathered for our first reading, prayer and to sing the first verse of 'All things Bright and Beautiful'. Then it was back into the Church Yard and up to the gate from the extension of the Churchyard into Mr Spyby's field, where we found assembled, a lovely group of young cows all keen to hear the prayers and singing! So here we blessed the products of the earth, and sang our second verse.
Off then to one of the gardens of in Church Lane, where lives a very large number of fish! In an impressive arrangements of tanks we found an blessed these creatures and gave thanks for all the creatures of the deep. We moved on to the next door garden to give thanks for the trees and plants, each time singing a verse.
Then into the Glebe field, where in years before we have found horses, but not this year, but we were accompanied by some very well behaved dogs, whom we blessed as representatives of domesticated animals, and sang our last verse.
Passing through the snicket into the Vicarage Garden and back to Church, we had our final prayers, sang 'For the Beauty of the Earth' and father John gave us all a blessing as we then departed to enjoy the lovely weather.
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| Off we go! |
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| At the Barn |
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| Well behaved dogs came too! |
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| every one loves the cows |
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| The Priest and the Farmer swap notes |
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| Rightfully proud of the young stock |
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| Creatures of the deep |
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| Taking a longer view of the fish |
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| Singing in the Garden |
Blessing the dogs in the field
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| Back to Church |
Acts 16:9-15
A reading form the Acts of the Apostles.
During the night Paul had a vision:
there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying,
‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’
When he had seen the vision,
we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia,
being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
We set sail from Troas
and took a straight course to Samothrace,
the following day to Neapolis,
and from there to Philippi,
which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.
We remained in this city for some days.
On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river,
where we supposed there was a place of prayer;
and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.
A certain woman named Lydia,
a worshipper of God,
was listening to us;
she was from the city of Thyatira
and a dealer in purple cloth.
The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly
to what was said by Paul.
When she and her household were baptized,
she urged us, saying,
‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,
come and stay at my home.’
And she prevailed upon us.
John 14:23-39
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Those who love me will keep my word,
and my Father will love them,
and we will come to them and make our home with them.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
and the word that you hear is not mine,
but is from the Father who sent me.
‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled,
and do not let them be afraid.
You heard me say to you,
“I am going away, and I am coming to you.”
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father,
because the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it occurs,
so that when it does occur, you may believe.
