Rev. Paul Clapham led our service of Holy Communion for the third Sunday after Easter. Rod Smith was our organist. Our steward, Ros Chatburn, read John 1 v 29 – the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Paul defined sin as separating one from God, one’s neighbour and what God made us to be. He went on to outline the history of the Passover feast from Joseph being sold into slavery to the liberation of the Israelites from servile exile in Egypt.
According to John’s gospel it was the day before Passover when Christ was crucified. Our celebration of Holy Communion is a reminder that His death enabled the restoration of our relationship with God. Life as a Christian is far from easy. Just like the Israelites who, once freed, soon became unhappy with their diet of manna in the wilderness, we struggle to leave behind bad habits. (Numbers 11 vv 4-9, read by Guy Chatburn). We must keep focused on what God made us for. (Galatians 5 vv 19-21). Passover is the start not the end.
Rev. Paul led prayers from our service book and served Holy Communion assisted by Jill Harrison.
He ended our service with words from Ephesians 3 v19 (may you come to know his love…and so be completely filled with the very nature of God) and a blessing.