On Sunday, Passion Sunday, the Rector, Fr Paul, was the celebrant and preacher at Jeffreyston, Rev. Sylvia Temple at Lawrenny and the Rector at Reynalton.

The sermon was taken from the Gospel for the day, John Ch 11 vv 1-45, where we read that Jesus' friend Lazarus dies, and Mary and Martha send for him. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and restores him to his family in an echo of Jesus' own death and resurrection soon to come.

In his address, the Rector said that despite good intentions, Christians are often clumsy when it comes to saying the right thing to people who experience hard times. In the story of Lazarus, it can appear that Jesus fails at first to engage with the reality of the loss involved. But when he weeps for Lazarus and the Bethany family, divinity and humanity come together in love. Christians sometimes have a hard time marrying up what they believe with the reality of human life; it is an ongoing task and not always an easy one. Jesus' tears, however, encourage us that divine love and human reality can really meet.

After the Rector had showed the congregation the posters that the children in Sunday School had made depicting Lazarus appearing from the tomb still wrapped in the burial cloths, Alice, from the Sunday School, read the prayer clearly which summed up the theme for the day.

At the end of the service, the Rector announced that he had a presentation to make to Mrs. Sylvia Allen, who was retiring as treasurer of Jeffreyston Church after 36 years in that post. A collection from grateful parishioners had been made and Sylvia was presented with a greenhouse in appreciation of her expertise in keeping the parish accounts. The Rector and churchwardens are still in the process of finding someone to replace her - not an easy task!

Services this Sunday, Palm Sunday, will be: 10.20 am in Jeffreyston (meeting early for the Palm Sunday procession around the village prior to the service) and Sunday School; 10.45 am at Lawrenny; 12 noon at Loveston.