Reflection: Sunday 8th August and for the week ahead:Scripture:Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4.30-32)Reflection:In the past I only associated the word troll with Scandinavian folklore: dwarves living in caves. But it has come to have a sinister and threatening meaning, referring to people who make deliberately offensive or provocative online posts with the express aim of upsetting someone. Slander, bitterness, malice, wrath... St Paul, sees them all around him in his own society, and his answer is not just to refrain from spreading malice and slander, but instead to go out of our way to encourage each other and build each other up. We may not be able to silence the trolls, but being ‘kind and tender hearted’ is something we can all, aspire to. In this we are called to imitate God, who sees our imperfections and shortcomings, but still loves and accepts us. Revd Rosemary
Services Sunday 8th August 8am Holy Communion at St George's, Benenden led by Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie & Lyn Hayes 10am Holy Communion at St Nicholas, Sandhurst led by Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie & Lyn Hayes
Here's the link to the recording of our 10am Holy Communion service, Sunday 1st August :<a href="https://youtu.be/PGjxdcoHbzU">https://youtu.be/PGjxdcoHbzU</a><br>
Reflection: Sunday 1st August and for the week ahead:As your dawn renews the face of the earthbringing light and life to all creation,may we rejoice in this day you have made;as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,open our eyes to behold your presenceand strengthen our hands to do your will,that the world may rejoice and give you praise. (After Lancelot Andrews. 1555-1626)These words were written some 400 years ago by the scholar, translator and bishop Lancelot Andrews, but are as meaningful and relevant as ever for us today. Each new day is a gift for which to thank God, and an opportunity to put our faith into practice, ‘that the world may rejoice and give him praise’. As we open our eyes to another new day may we know the presence of God with us in all that we do, and strengthened by that knowledge fulfil with contagious joy the tasks that lie before us. Revd Rosemary
