The Welland-Fosse Benefice: Prayers and Notices.

 Sunday 17 May 2020:  Easter VI

• Please remember in your prayers those who are sick: Bishop John and his wife and Janette Saunders (all with Coronavirus), Barry Broughton and Derek Barker.
• Pray too for the souls of the departed, including Peter Taylor.
• We pray also for all those who put their lives in danger to serve others suffering from Coronavirus.
• Why not join us via Zoom for Morning Prayer each day at 8.30am – or Compline on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm? Our prayers have never been more vital!  If you wish to join, download Zoom on your computer and obtain the Daily Prayer App on your mobile phone and email Simon Aley (sialey@aol.com) who will send you an invitation to the group.
• From TODAY, 17 May, Sunday worship will move from 8.30am to 10am, presenting a short 20 minute service with brief address. Join us in the usual way via Simon’s email address.

MEDITATION

Today is Rogation Sunday and so today’s meditation is an extract from a Rogation Service meditation where questions are asked about the holiness of farming and how God might respond. All to easily we can forget in lockdown that farming continues every day and we can celebrate in this sacramental activity and remember all those 

“So, God is like a farmer sowing seed. Does that mean that a farmer sowing his seed is like you, Father? Is it a holy thing to be a farmer? Is the production of food sacramental? Do you call men and women to this work as you call priests and preachers to their work? And if the soil can stand for men and women does it need loving care? does it have soil rights? is it a sin to destroy it and take away its life? does it carry a shadow of the reflection of your image?

….

My child, it is indeed a holy thing to farm my good earth and to produce food for my people. I call men and women to this work with such a strong calling that they put up with many pains and problems in order to follow their calling. And the soil has its holiness too: The holiness of my creation which I have declared good: The holiness of the life it supports.”

…

But you have done well to use the land and produce nourishing food. I am pleased that, at least in your land, no-one need go hungry. Everyday millions of people say to me, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’, and farmers are part of my answer to that prayer. My prayer is that the soil and seed might be good for tomorrow’s farmers too. My prayer is that farmers will find a way to feed the world that they can sustain for generations to come. My son, is it permissible for God to make a prayer? Can I ask my people to live so that I am able to give their children their daily bread? Source:  Arthur Rank Centre

 

See wellandfosse.org for much more information, including contact details for

The Very Rev Christopher Armstrong and the churchwardens