Thursday 29th August

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Dear All,

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Bible Reading:  In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”

Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.

The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”

 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”

 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. Exodus 16: 2-18

 

Reflection: Over the last 4 or 5 weeks we’ve talked a lot about bread…

Last Sunday morning, at the Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival, 10.000 of us broke bread together. The bread baked locally arrived on site in the form of small wholemeal style loaves. We moved into groups of 10-20 and then the blessed bread was distributed. Not served individually but by throwing the loaves from the front. No instructions… but people at the front naturally passed it back, not serving themselves first, but ensuring that others were served first. For ages we seemed to be passing back, and back and back. (The temptation was to keep a loaf for us, but we resisted and kept on passing back!) It was a loaf between two groups - the group next to us finally held onto a loaf - and shared half with us. 

There was plenty for everyone - in fact we each had as much as we wanted.

There is enough food. There is enough food in the world, but we need to find the courage to ensure others are fed, before feeding ourselves. 

A very profound communion service! 

 

Worship through music: Guide me O thou great Redeemer written by the Welsh hymn writer William Williams in 1745 and translated into English by Peter Williams in 1771. Tune 'Cwm Rhondda', composed in 1905 by John Hughes. Sung by The St Michaels Singers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j48TLIRb4Q

and from Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwvpTl88jwI

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God Bless,

Jane 🙏