Daily ScriptureAs we work together with him (God) we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. <sup> </sup>For he says,‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)Daily ReflectionSeize the day! That is in effect what the Apostle Paul is telling the congregation that he is writing to. Are we seizing the day? Are we making the most of our time that we have been allotted here on Earth? The England squad certainly did seize their day yesterday, and made the very most of their allotted time! It is eventually all we can do, whether we win in life’s penalty shoot-out, or lose by a whisker; but no one should be able to say of us, when our time comes, that we didn’t try!Salvation is such a big, incomprehensible word. But the truth is, that we are being saved, by being freed from our misconceptions, our hatred for others and ourselves, our need for control, our greed and lovelessness, by God every day. Salvation is not a once in a lifetime event, but something that God is willing to work out in our lives every day, if only we will say ‘Yes’ to him! Revd Ylva
Alternative Collect for today, the 6th Sunday after Trinity:Creator God,you made us all in your image:may we discern you in all that we see,and serve you in all that we do;through Jesus Christ our Lord.Daily Reflection:More than two centuries ago the poet William Blake wrote:‘To see a world in a grain of sand,And a heaven in a wild flower,Hold infinity in the palm of your handAnd eternity in an hour.’It’s in the very nature of the poet and the artist to be acutely aware of the world around them, to ‘discern’ meaning in all that they see and experience. We all inhabit a world full of beauty, mystery and astonishing complexity, but all too often are blinded by familiarity or busyness to the wonder of creation.This simple prayer carries a profound message for all of us. Try making it your own, taking it literally, mindfully, and be prepared to see the world, and yourself, in a new light. Revd Rosemary
Sunday 11th July8 am Holy Communion led by Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie10am Holy Communion led by Lyn Hayes & Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie
Daily ScriptureIn my distress I cry to the Lord, that he may answer me: “Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” (Psalm 120 v 1-2)Daily ReflectionPsalm 120 is the first of the Song of Ascents, 15 Psalms that would have been sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts of Passover, Pentecost & Tabernacles. Jerusalem was the highest city in Palestine, so all who travelled there spent much of their time ascending. We know Jesus travelled with his family to Jerusalem for the feasts from an early age. The ascents for the pilgrim were not only literal but also a metaphor for life, life lived upward toward God—advancing from one level of maturity to another. Psalm 120 begins with a pilgrim crying out to the Lord from his or her distress. The journey begins with a choice. Who will I listen to? Who will I follow? Just as these pilgrims did not make the journey to Jerusalem only once, we too must come back to these questions: Who will I listen to? Who will I follow? Who will I cry out to in my distress? Lyn Hayes ALM
