Reflections for Sunday 9th May from Jacquie Brown
The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Rogation Sunday – 9 May 2021
Prayer for the week by Canon Robert Townsend
God of love,
give us the strength and courage to go and bear fruit for you, so that our friends, families and communities can know you.
Help us to keep your commandment and to love one another as you have loved us.
Let us encourage others to do likewise.
This we ask in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Alleluia. Amen.
Collect for the week
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Readings:
(With OT reading) Old Testament: Isaiah 55. 1-11; Psalm 98 New Testament: Acts 10. 44-48; Gospel: John 15. 9-17. (Christian Aid Week begins. The reading of Old Testament readings recommences).
Reflection by Jacquie Brown
Rogation Sunday is the Sunday before Ascension Day. For my Reflection today I am following a church service that was held at one of the Irfon Valley Churches in 2016.
Summary
The worship leader explained the history and meaning of Rogation. [Rogation was traditionally a time when Christians prayed for God's blessing on their crops, land and farming work. Often prayers over the parish were combined with "Beating the Bounds": a medieval custom, from a time when maps were not readily available, which involved walking the parish boundaries to remind everyone where they were and lived. In later times objects marking the boundaries would be beaten, but traditionally the boys of the parish were beaten, or bumped on the boundary stones or markers, to imprint the boundaries firmly on their memories! This Sunday was called "Rogation" because, in the gospel for the day, it includes the words, "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give to you": in Latin "to ask" is "rogare". Today the emphasis is usually on growing crops and young animals.]
With the assistance of a parish map, or pre-agreed focal points in the N, S, E and W of the parish, members of the congregation identified where they lived in the parish, with any visitors in a fifth group. One member of each group volunteered to stand in the N, S, E, W or centre of the church.
· Five people were given a symbol (e.g. seeds to symbolise crops). The children processed around the five representatives, and at each person a prayer was said for the symbols below. We asked each member where they lived. Was there anything remarkable about their house? Thinking whether they were North South East or West of the Villlage and handed out some objects saying: "Lord, we ask you to bless:"
o Lamb - to symbolise animals
o Screwdriver- to symbolise tools
o Seeds – to symbolise crops
o Soil - - to symbolise our fields and pastures
o Church – the Cross : to symbolise Reconciliation
· A parish map, showed four focal points in the parish: e.g. Church Hall - Pub - Monument - The Green - Old School - Farm
With the children and representatives standing together in the centre of the church, a hymn was sung and Prayers for the symbols were said:
Final prayer
This Rogation we offer our lives and work to you.
Please bless our work and help us to do it all in your service. Amen.
Prayer for the week by Canon Robert Townsend
God of love,
give us the strength and courage to go and bear fruit for you, so that our friends, families and communities can know you.
Help us to keep your commandment and to love one another as you have loved us.
Let us encourage others to do likewise.
This we ask in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Alleluia. Amen.
Collect for the week
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Readings:
(With OT reading) Old Testament: Isaiah 55. 1-11; Psalm 98 New Testament: Acts 10. 44-48; Gospel: John 15. 9-17. (Christian Aid Week begins. The reading of Old Testament readings recommences).
Reflection by Jacquie Brown
Rogation Sunday is the Sunday before Ascension Day. For my Reflection today I am following a church service that was held at one of the Irfon Valley Churches in 2016.
Summary
The worship leader explained the history and meaning of Rogation. [Rogation was traditionally a time when Christians prayed for God's blessing on their crops, land and farming work. Often prayers over the parish were combined with "Beating the Bounds": a medieval custom, from a time when maps were not readily available, which involved walking the parish boundaries to remind everyone where they were and lived. In later times objects marking the boundaries would be beaten, but traditionally the boys of the parish were beaten, or bumped on the boundary stones or markers, to imprint the boundaries firmly on their memories! This Sunday was called "Rogation" because, in the gospel for the day, it includes the words, "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give to you": in Latin "to ask" is "rogare". Today the emphasis is usually on growing crops and young animals.]
With the assistance of a parish map, or pre-agreed focal points in the N, S, E and W of the parish, members of the congregation identified where they lived in the parish, with any visitors in a fifth group. One member of each group volunteered to stand in the N, S, E, W or centre of the church.
· Five people were given a symbol (e.g. seeds to symbolise crops). The children processed around the five representatives, and at each person a prayer was said for the symbols below. We asked each member where they lived. Was there anything remarkable about their house? Thinking whether they were North South East or West of the Villlage and handed out some objects saying: "Lord, we ask you to bless:"
o Lamb - to symbolise animals
o Screwdriver- to symbolise tools
o Seeds – to symbolise crops
o Soil - - to symbolise our fields and pastures
o Church – the Cross : to symbolise Reconciliation
· A parish map, showed four focal points in the parish: e.g. Church Hall - Pub - Monument - The Green - Old School - Farm
With the children and representatives standing together in the centre of the church, a hymn was sung and Prayers for the symbols were said:
- Blessing of Animals - Lamb
- Blessing of Tools - Screwdriver
- Blessing of Seeds - Seeds
- Blessing of Gardens - Flowers
- Blessing of Fields and Pastures – Soil
- Blessing of Orchards - Apples.
- Blessing of the Parish (given from the church door) - MAP
Final prayer
This Rogation we offer our lives and work to you.
Please bless our work and help us to do it all in your service. Amen.
