Shepherds and Farmers and Sunshine(?)

What a very bucolic theme we have to this week’s Reflectionary. I feel I should don a smock and prance around with a pitchfork. Or perhaps just watch THAT Yeo Valley advert a couple of times. (Love the chicken!)

Click here for my freshly-preached sermon on John 10:11-18, the Good Shepherd. My apologies for posting it on the wrong week. We work half a week behind on our Wednesday communions and while I usually post resources here a week in advance I didn’t finish writing this sermon until the night before it was due. Naughty me. Sorry.

An additional not-the-right-week piece is an All-Age service starter for The Parable of the Sower, intriguingly, incorporating a crochet pattern! Click here for the script and instructions and see it in action in the video below.

For a fun linked craft, make chocolate ‘soil’ from crushed choccy digestives mixed with melted chocolate and butter or milk. Load a couple of spoonfuls into a paper cup for a plant pot and sprinkle hundreds-and-thousands on top for the seeds.

Definitely on the right week are these links and your liturgy resources at the bottom of this post: confessions and absolution, blessings and dismissal. When I have completed the cycle, they’ll be appearing in book form, so keep a look out for that.

I love writing these resources, and I love hearing from folks who’ve used them and had a hoot.
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Liturgy Resources for Sixth Sunday in Easter

Psalm 98, John 15:9-17

Confession and Absolution

Let the sea roar at the presence of the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the earth with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

Lord Father, you have authority to judge the earth
for everything belongs to you and you rule over all.
Have mercy on us, we pray,
have mercy on us and forgive us for when we have failed you,
especially for [pause].

God in his gracious mercy
pardon and free you from all your sin,
strengthen you to do his will
and fill you with joy in your resurrection life.

Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the earth with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

Sing for joy to the Lord all the earth; rejoice and sing praises
for he has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness.

Blessing and Dismissal

As the Father loves you, abide in his love.
As the Son commands you, abide in his love.
As the Spirit enables you, abide in his love.
And the blessing …

God has appointed you to go and bear fruit,
fruit that will last.
Take this fruit to a hungry world
in the name of Christ
Amen.