Bring Your Own Bible

Dear Friends

Thank you for all your prayers, best wishes and support to a Covid ridden Rectory! Jane is now negative, but I fear I will be positive for some days to come. This has understandably impacted on the pattern of services this weekend – please do check your newsletter and/or the website. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding.

At our main One Church Family service this Sunday, Susan our Licensed Reader, has asked me to ask you to make sure you bring your bible. If you forget or – just possibly – you don’t have a bible, we’ll have some spares to share.

Anglicans don’t have a tradition of bringing their Bibles to church. Time was when Anglicans did come with their own Prayer Books (1662), and I notice one or two still do at 8am. When I served in Hove, we had a very faithful group of Zimbabweans who always came to church suited, booted and bonneted with a Prayer Book tucked under their arm – and they knew their Bible too….

It warms my Covid heart to remember them and their steadfast, ‘big-hearted’ faith in often trying circumstances of cultural, social and economic marginalisation. May your hearts be so warmed this coming Sunday as we continue to celebrate in and through the sacrament of God’s life giving Word that we are an Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is not only ‘our song’ but one we sing for the sake of all…

As ever

Jonathan