Happy 5th Sunday in September. 5th Sundays are always different and often exciting. Today was no different; after a good string of up attendance we had a day where everyone was away (not unexpected in most cases). Excitement was in the air for lots of good reasons, although there was a slight feeling of 1974 in the air (both the bread and the wine were distributed by the priest), but not to fret. All is well. In fact, we experienced the first fruits of our chestnut tree on Thursday – one, solitary chestnut dropped. Great joy! Today we experience a sunny afternoon sandwiched between two pleasant nights – God’s blessings are present.

Today in worship we wrapped up 5 weeks in James coupled with a reading from Esther. Ironically, the King (Ahasuerus) asked Esther to tell him what she wanted “even to half of his kingdom” which was a segue into the reading from James. James invites us to trust the power of prayer, following his statement about when to pray (always for everything). We are asked to pray for what we want, listen for God’s response (the important part), and act with faith that God’s plan will come to fruition.

I invite your comments and likes,
Les+

Readings: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22; Psalm 124; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50

Listen at: https://chirb.it/zDFafI