Dear friends,

A very warm welcome to this service, wherever you are worshipping this morning in the Langtree Team Churches. May the peace and joy of Christ be with us all.

Many thanks to all of you who joined in the great Team celebration last Sunday for St Peter and St Paul – some wonderful singing (thank you to members of the scratch choir) and good food afterwards.

It is the time of year when several spectacular sporting celebrations overlap: Wimbledon, the Henley Regatta, and, this year, the Cricket One Day internationals, and the Women’s World Cup. The joy and enthusiasm of these events remind us that there is more to life than money and politics, and that being human involves not only personal excellence, but also great teamwork and dedication. They show us that there is more to live for than just ourselves, and that our best achievements often are made possible when we collaborate with others in a shared enterprise.

It is also the time of year when hard work in the garden begins to bear fruit: tomatoes start to swell; the last rhubarb is picked; the gooseberries declare themselves ready. And we need to play our part too, to bring in the harvest of God’s bounty, not only in our fields, but in our communities.

Emma and I were very busy this week with a charity concert at Checkendon School, with pupils, parents, and members of the wider community all involved. We are raising funds for a brand new piano for the school, as the old one has been “condemned”. If any member of our churches wishes to make a financial contribution towards this end, please do get in touch with me. Music in primary schools is one of the poorest resourced subject areas in the whole curriculum, and yet it is the one activity that is proven to have a beneficial effect upon the whole child, from Mathematics to mental health.

Your Rector                                             Revd Canon Kevin Davies