Rogation Sunday 2023
Rogation
Sunday
Rogation
is an ancient Church festival to seek blessing for a community and
its sustenance. The word rogation comes from the Latin verb rogare,
meaning "to ask", which reflects the beseeching of God for
protection from calamities. As the Book of Common Prayer puts it:
“Rogation Days are the three days preceding Ascension Day,
especially devoted to asking for God’s blessing on agriculture and
industry.” Since mediaeval times there has been a tradition of
“beating the bounds” of the parish, praying for God’s blessing
upon the crops and thus the well-being of that particular settlement.
It is still observed by some parishes today – with a procession,
prayers and a sharing of hope in God’s goodness to nourish every
endeavour which enables people to flourish.
Rogation
invites people to ask for blessing – for a particular place; for
all its inhabitants; for every endeavour to promote the common good.
It is totally inclusive – joining everyone in seeking sustenance
and a commitment to play their part in its provision.
O
worship the King all glorious above;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9cDJMsn14
Genesis,
chapter 1: verses 1 to 31
Prayer
We
come before you our God and Sustainer, remembering that you are our
Creator and the source of all being. Out of your love the universe
was born. From the beginning of time you put in place all that is
needed for growth and saw that it was good. You have put this world
into our hands: may we recognise your Spirit within it, disturbing
and challenging us to care for creation, challenging us to care for
the weak and the deprived. Lord we remember that we are called by you
to nourish the earth and its diversity of life, to share the gifts
you have given, with one another and with the poor of the world.
Amen.
Lord
God we ask
that you have mercy on our tired land,
and to prosper the work of our soiled hands. Lord
God we ask that you have
mercy to forgive our delusion of self-sufficiency so that we may
praise you
for your
provision and goodness. Lord, you give us this good earth, yet we
take your generous gifts for granted.
Lord,
you give us this good earth, but we squander its rich resources.
Lord,
you give us this good earth, but we fail to share your bounty with
all of your children.
May
the God of love and power free us from your sins, heal and
strengthen us by His Spirit, and raise us to new life in Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Psalm
107: verses 1 to 38
The
king of love my shepherd is,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfZ-8s71-k
There
are lots forms of Water streams , rivers seas, lakes, garden
ponds or even a fire hydrant,
pause
and reflect on the gift of water. Its
pure
water refreshing
taste.
Farmers
need
it for
watering
livestock and
crops.
Water
aid is
reaching the far flung counties of the world making water safe to
drink and
accessible in building wells.
Water is
very welcome in
the desert .An
oasis
for
humans and beats
We
are not to take it for granted.
Jesus
said that he gives
living water. The
woman at the well story
asked
Jesus for the living water so she had not to collect water in the
heat of the day for
she was an out cast and
seen
as a sinner in her village Jesus gave her more
than she could hope for or understand.
The
living waters flow with in us.
John
7: 37-38
37 On
the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said
in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and
drink. 38 Whoever
believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living
water will flow from
within them.”
As
the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow
rivers of living water.”’
Zechariah
14:8-9
And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem,
half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the
western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. And the Lord
will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the
only one, and His name the only one.
Prayer
Almighty
God,
we
thank you for the gift of water to sustain, refresh and cleanse all
life. May we who have an abundance of water see it as a precious and
scarce resource. Help us to be mindful how much is consumed so that
we can live in the way that we do: guide us to use it sparingly, and
keep us mindful of those who suffer through drought, pollution and
flood. We ask this for the sake of him through whom all things were
made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As
a family we would go round the hedge rows picking
blackberries
A
lad saw us and asked what we were doing. His response
was the poor ought
to do this. We
said that is why we were doing it, nothing nicer than a blackberry
pie
Some
of you may grow fruit or veg in your garden ready for picking once
ripe.
Farmers
are growing foods ready to be harvested at their correct time.
May
we never take the farmers for granted
For
the fruits of all
creation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBXHDbesb7
Mark’s
gospel, chapter 4: verses 26 to 29
26 He
also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A
man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether
he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not
know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first
the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As
soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the
harvest has come.”
Prayer
Almighty
God, whose will it is that the earth and sea should bear fruit in due
season, bless the labours of all those who work on land and sea.
Grant them
a good harvest and the grace always to rejoice in your care. Lord
you have ordered our life that we are dependent on one another,
We
ask that you will prosper
those engaged in commerce. and
industry.
All
workers direct
their
minds
and hands in their
service
for
us.
We
ask that you O God
will be with all
with who live and work locally.
Grant O Lord that whatever gifts they
have,
they may be used to the full, for the enrichment of all
our lives We ask
this prayer
in the name of Jesus, the good shepherd. Amen.
As
a young Girl I use to horse ride in the summer. When the days were
too hot we would ride
in the valley where there was a lovely stream and we would get the
horses and ponies to walk through it
we
could look up to the hills the views were lovely . The buzzards would
fly over head.
Psalm
50: verses 1 to 2, 10 to 11
The
Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks
and summons the earth from
the rising of the sun to where it sets.
for
every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a
thousand hills. I
know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the
fields are mine.
While
riding we would see tall garden canes
in the field with the ends painted red, it was
not until the harvest at chapel
when we learned from a farmer preacher that he would mark his field
with canes
so he knew where the nests were and would not harvest until the young
lapwing or pee wit had fledged. He told the young Sunday
school children that they were to take care of all God’s wildlife.
All
creatures of our God and king
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d3gO6qDLNA
Prayer
Creator
God, Jesus teaches us through the beauty and abundance of creation to
put our trust in you for all things. We ask you now to bless our
fields and gardens our hills and streams our rivers, lakes,
reservoirs and seas that in all these things we might glimpse a
reflection of your glory and your gracious love for each one of us.
Bless, O Lord, the houses and farms and all the homes around this
place. Give us good health, purity of spirit, strength and humility,
hospitality, a spirit of forgiveness and firm knowledge of our need
to seek you in all things. We pray in the name of Jesus, creative
Word of God. Amen.
Listen
to the following while taking time to pause and think
I
am the vine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8gDEydhrq4
What
good work are doing
with
God?
What
would you ask God
for
?
What
is God asking of you ?
John’s
gospel chapter 15:verses 1 to 9
15 “I
am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He
cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every
branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be
even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain
in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in
the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I
am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If
you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away
and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and
burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This
is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved
me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
Prayer
God
our father, we give thanks for the gift of your son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, who was content to share the life of his village in Nazareth.
We give you thanks for
all who live and work on
farms, and for all who
walk and
ride around the
green valleys.
We
give you thanks
for those who work in and
live in this area .
May your blessing rest upon them.
We
pray in the name of Jesus our Lord
. Amen.
O
Lord my God!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USM71JqV30o
Blessing
and Dismissal
Holy
Father,
who formed
the world, give you grace to be wise stewards of His
creation.
Blessed
Jesus, who redeemed the
world, inspire you to go out
and work for Him
Holy
Spirit, whose breath fills the whole of creation, help you to bear
the fruits
of love, joy and peace.
Say
the grace together
