Summer

Summer is a liturgical resource book that covers the months of May, June and July.
 
It includes prayers, stories, responses, songs, poems, reflections, monologues, liturgies and reflections for the major Christian festivals and seasons of Eastertide and Pentecost, as well as for Ascension, Saints’ days, pilgrimage, holidays and other occasions.
 
The material is written by Iona Community members, associates, friends and others.

Raspberries

All the year round
I can buy them pre-packed
on the supermarket shelves,
and sometimes I do.

But to fiercely prune them
talk to them
stake them
water them
watch the bees buzz around them
feel the sun warming them
protect them from interested birds
nurture them
see their colour deepen
watch them swell to ripeness
smell their promise of sweetness

and then to pick them
their juice staining my fingers
and to eat them ...

Wow!
Ripe raspberries.

It’s summertime.

Rejoice!
            
Ruth Burgess