This weekend we celebrate Trinity Sunday and enter the green season of the church year: the “green growing season” as I have called it before. In my sermon I am reflecting on a beautiful hymn:

“I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity”

It has its roots in the ancient church of these isles and is attributed to St Patrick. The people of those times knew the fragility of life and the reality of their dependence on something beyond themselves: whether that be weather patterns, fertility of the land, or the God of Jesus Christ who St Patrick preached. The hymn talks of binding faith in the Trinity to us as a protection and security. Having lived through a year that reminds us that for all the sophistication of our technology we still have fragility and dependence in common with our forebears, perhaps the hymn offers us a reminder that binding our faith in the Trinity to us is a gift for us now too.

Our Annual Parochial Church meetings have given a chance to look at the strengths and fragilities of each of our churches after a difficult year, and the adapting that is necessary in some places to help us shape a sustainable future. When we remember our faith is in God the Holy Trinity, we are offered the presence of God as the stability and steadfastness we crave, and the guide and power of change we need, so as we enter the green growing season, let’s bind to ourselves a trust in God’s presence through all seasons.

The Diocesan Vision has a threefold pattern to guide our growing too. In coming weeks I am going to use in in these letters to encourage us to think together about the habits that shape our life of faith.

Growing in Prayer

Growing in Discipleship

Growing in Serving our communities with joy

· Looking back over the last year – how have you grown in any of these?

· What do you need to grow in these habits now?

· Which of these are you most drawn to as a habit you value and could help others grow in the future?

I am glad that we have been able to draft a new monthly Sunday service pattern, which I attach with this letter too. I look forward to returning more fully to our life of in-person worship in the coming months as well as continuing to send this mailing out each week – it is good to be able to be in weekly contact this way too.

God bless

Samantha