Dear Friends,
I have moved the celebration of Ascension from Thursday to Sunday to give this feast its full significance. Forty days after Easter Jesus blesses his disciples, commissions them to take his love to the ends of the earth, and carries our humanity into the immedieate life of the Godhead. The disciples response is joy and worship as they await the gift of the Spirit he promises. In recent years, we have been encouraged to renew our response to this feast with what is now a worldwide wave of prayer inspired by Jesus' prayer: "Thy kingdom come"
https://www.thykingdomcome.global/
https://exeter.anglican.org/christian-faith/thy-kingdom-come-2022/
https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/thy-kingdom-come
This year I have not organised anything formal for our keeping of this time - but I encourage you to take some time to reflecton how you might give some time to praying for the triumph of God's love in our world, and in the lives those you know. This is now an annual event and it woudl be great to have a small group of people from across he Mission Community who might be willing to co-ordinate our response nest year - do let me know if this is something you'd be interested in.
Thank you to all who joined in and helped organise the Rogation Day walk last week - we were blessed by beautiful weather as in turn we prayed for blessing on our land, our farming community, and all who live or visit our parishes.
This weekend Parracombe are holding a festival of flowers - if you have a chance, do pop in to see the decorated church and the examples of local craft. Next weekend Platinum Jubilee celebrations there include a Sunday "Royal Bells and Platinum Puddings, and at Martinhoe there will also be a flower festival over the weekend.
We are also entering the season of weddings - please pray for all who are preparing to be married this summer. This weekend we also welcome a family for the baptism of their child - we give thanks for the newest member of the church in our midst on Sunday!
God bless
Samantha
