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Dare to Dream.
Continuing the Diocesan 'Dare to Dream' programme, why not spend some time this week listening to the reflection on the 6th Sunday of Eastertide by Fr Frank Wainwright from Burnham on Sea.

Not So Young Club Holiday - update
"The NSYC committee met last Friday (for the first time since February last year) to discuss amongst other matters the NSYC annual holiday to Kent due to take place on 12th September. 
In the light of the concerns raised by many members and the fact that we are unlikely to meet again before September, the decision has been made to postpone (yet again).
The holiday will now take place on May 15th 2022
Would those going on the trip please advise me or any committee member by email that you are ok with the change of date? (Contact the parish office if you don't already have contact info) 
Also if anyone is interested in joining our jolly group for the holiday we can accommodate a few more... Please make contact, via the parish office, for details.
Thanks"
Mike Ryan - Chair of the NSYC

(Photo taken on the York trip in 2014)


A prayer for peace.
We join with the Vatican in praying for an end to the violence in Jerusalem and in all other parts of the world where people are suffering due to conflict and war... Click Here for the Vatican News report



God our Father, we bring before you our world
– a world full of challenges with divisions among nations, religions and ethnic groups all as a result of the struggle for power, wealth and might.
These divisions have caused the destruction of lives and properties.
Wars have destroyed homes and separated families.
In all of this, your Trinity is a unique symbol of your unity and solidarity for us all.
In all these challenges, Lord, you remain united and in solidarity with us; yes Lord we thank you for this.
We ask you God our Father to send us your spirit of unity among nations, ethnic groups and among religions to inspire us to be in solidarity with one another.
May we remain united in solidarity as you, Father, Son and Spirit are one.
Amen.
Joe Turay, Sierra Leone - CAFOD


Thank you Deacon Vincent for your Reflections for the sixth Sunday of Easter Year – B
1st Reading from the Acts of the Apostles 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48.
This episode is of immense importance for the history of the Church. The question of whether non-Jews (Gentiles) could be admitted to the Community. It was an extremely difficult one, and one which could have destroyed the Church at its very conception. We should regard this as Peter’s conversion, and it is of such significance that Luke will retell it in Chapter 11, and the issue is still under a difficult discussion at the Council of Jerusalem in Chapter 15. Luke has been preparing us for this issue of Gentile acceptance since his Gospel (Luke 2: 32, & 24: 47), and again in the Acts (1: 8, 9: 15). We should try to understand just how toxic this issue was for the Early Church. Jewish thought was “How could someone with no knowledge of the scriptures or Jewish thought, grasp exactly what the Messiah was about? Or have a concept of the ten commandments, and what sin really was or meant?
We, just accept it automatically, but within the Early Church it was a, make or break, issue. In this extract, the Holy Spirit intervenes, allowing Peter to overcome his prejudices and take this ground-breaking decision to admit Cornelius and his family to baptism and entry into the life of the Community. This decision was going to land Peter, and the Church in very hot water.
Psalm 97: 1-4,
This is a cry of triumph, for the Lord is coming, “All the ends of the earth have the Salvation of our God. Shout (sing) to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy. (exult and utter a psalm). The words in brackets are alternative translations.
2nd Reading from the First letter of St. John 4: 7-10.

John is here proclaiming the absolute centrality of Love. It is telling us that the basic model for our love is the Love that God has shown to us in Jesus His beloved Son. This model of love should then reveal itself in our subsequent loving response to this, all enveloping Love which God has shown. Like a child loves his parents, because they have loved and nourished them, clothed and protected them, so we respond likewise to the Love which God has shown us by letting us be called his children. God loves us, so we love Him, we have been purchased by his Son, so we are now free, and this freedom should lead us to love and cherish the Lord our God. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel according to John 15: 9-17.
Here we see the Love that we should emulate, as called upon in the second reading. The commandment that Jesus gives us is that we love one another as he loves us. This love is firstly God’s love for Jesus, which he has then shown to us. It is such an, all embracing love, that he will lay down his life for us, his friends. We are not slaves, we are his friends, simply because he has shared everything with us. The world will not understand this love, so just as it hated Jesus, it will also hate us, hence we might have to endure sacrifice and hardship, as we travel this road of love. It is not a selfish love, it is a total love of God’s creation and God’s creatures, especially his friends. Our task is to take this love out and make all people God’s friends, by sharing all he has bestowed upon us. God is love, not judgemental, so we also should be the embodiment of love, loving everybody into the salvation of our God.
Let us always be thankful. Alleluia.
God Bless you all & Stay Safe.
Deacon Vincent

(Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash.)


Monthly Mass for the LGBTQ+ community.
See the poster for details of May's monthly celebration of Mass at St Nicholas' Church, for members of the LGBT+ community, their families, friends and allies.
All are welcome.








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