Life in all its fulness

This is what Jesus promised, and this will be the controlling theme for the next First Sunday Thing on 6th June. We continue to gather in St Nicolas' through the summer. We continue to have a quiet half-hour Communion service at 9.30 for those who wish to pray in this way ahead or instead of the First Sunday Thing at 10.30. We continue to have different activities in different parts of the church for the first part of the First Sunday Thing and bring them together for an informal act of worship for the second half.

Contaminated water

One of Christian Aid’s suggestions for worship this year was to have a jug of dirty water and a jug of clean water clearly visible. They wanted people to be aware of how rare it is to have clean water or proper toilet provision available. At the last minute, we decided that our jug of dirty water should simply be one with oil in the water. This reminded us to pray for those who have oil washing ashore. Otherwise we followed Christian Aid’s suggestions. We focussed on the jug of contaminated water when we came to our prayers of confession, aware of our shared responsibility for what spoils our world and our own lives; we poured this water away as a sign of God’s forgiveness. We focussed on the jug of clean water when we came to our prayers for other people, aware of the promise that God’s purpose is like a fresh spring; we poured cups of this water into the Font as we prayed.