Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 3rd May - The Fifth Sunday of Easter - and for the week ahead:Scripture: First Letter of Peter, verses 4 and 5'Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious In God’s sight. Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.'Reflection:You have only to look at our own parish churches of St George and St Nicholas to see that like most ancient churches they are not built of identical, factory-made bricks, set in neat, regular rows, but are constructed from assorted chunks of natural stone. Some of the stones are large, others are quite small, all shapes and sizes, but the skillful stone masons have fitted them together into solid structures that have lasted for centuries.St Peter calls his readers to become ‘like living stones’. We are all different, all shapes and sizes, varying in character and appearance, background and gifts. Some fit in easily, others are more awkward. But God, the Master Builder, finds a place for every ‘stone’, large, small, rugged or smooth, as he builds us into a community in which each of us has an essential part. Revd Rosemary
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 19th April - The Third Sunday of Easter - and for the week ahead:Scripture:'While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ He asked them, ‘What things?’' (Luke 24:15-19) Reflection:In this story, news of Jesus’ resurrection has spread, but not everyone has seen him for themselves, and so are struggling to believe. Here, Jesus joins some of his followers as they walk, and explains everything to them before they actually believe what’s happened. I wonder how we would answer the question that Jesus poses here, “what things?”. How would we describe what happened to Jesus? Maybe we would be better to share what impact He has had on our lives by being a part of it. If you were asked “what things has Jesus done for you?” or “what things are made better by Jesus being part of your life?” how would you answer this week? Victoria Bray
