Week of Prayer

Sunday was the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In the town centre group of Harrogate Churches we will meet each lunchtime to share the readings and prayers. The material produced for this year has been provided by the Churches of Korea with the theme, 'that they may become one in your hand'. The theme refers to Ezekiel 37:15 describing how the prophet is instructed to take two sticks and write on them. Each stick is to represent one of the kingdoms into which the nation had divided. Ezekiel is then told to hold the sticks in his hand so that they look like just one stick. He is to proclaim the word of hope to the people that this is what God is able to do for his people.
It is a powerful image - that in God's hand his people can become one as those who are held in the hand of God. Ezekiel presents a picture where the focus is not on the two sticks but on the one hand that holds them together.

A pleasant piece of 'tradition' has been established by a member of our Junior Church. At the end of every service now Sophie will soon appear in the church vestibule to pass on to me her joke for the day. Yesterday's joke was a classic -

Who plays music on your head? A head band!!!!!!!