The Epworth & Belton Group of Churches

Reflection for June 2026 - God at Work in Ordinary Days

June is one of those months that seems to invite us outdoors. The days are long, gardens are full of colour, and our villages come alive with summer events and celebrations. Across our churches, we enter the season of Sundays After Trinity, a time that encourages us to discover how faith is lived out in the ordinary patterns of daily life.

This month brings many occasions that gather people together. We look forward to summer weddings, where families and friends celebrate love and commitment. We anticipate the joy and community spirit of Epworth Music Day on 20th June, as music fills our town and people come together in friendship. We also mark Father’s Day on 21st June, giving thanks for fathers, grandfathers, and all those whose care, guidance, and encouragement have helped shape our lives.

Recently, while passing through our villages, I’ve noticed many front gardens overflowing with colourful flowers, shrubs and ornamental trees. What struck me was not simply the beauty of the blooms, but the fact that only a few weeks earlier those bushes had looked bare, green and unremarkable. Day by day, almost unnoticed, growth had taken place until suddenly those gardens were filled with colour and fragrance.

Faith often grows in the same way. We may not always see immediate results from our prayers, our worship, our acts of kindness, or our efforts to care for one another. Yet God is quietly at work beneath the surface, bringing growth, strengthening hope, and creating beauty in lives and communities in ways we do not always recognise at the time.

As the Psalmist writes, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

In a world that can sometimes feel anxious and divided, June offers opportunities to celebrate what brings us together. More importantly, it reminds us that God is present among us, working through the life of our churches, our communities, and our everyday encounters. As summer unfolds, may we find reasons to rejoice, opportunities to encourage one another, and confidence in the God whose faithfulness never fails.

Prayer

Loving God, thank you for the gifts of this summer season, for family and friends, for music and celebration, and for the communities in which we live. Help us to recognise your presence in the ordinary moments of each day. Fill us with hope, joy, and gratitude, and guide us forward in the confidence of your unfailing love. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

With every blessing for June

Paul

Revd Canon Paul Wilson

Rector of the Epworth Group of Churches

Priest-in-Charge of the Belton Group of Churches

Assistant Curate of the Crowle Group of Churches and the Haxey and Owston Ferry Plurality

Rural Dean of the Isle of Axholme Deanery