Welcome to Trinity Church, Newport
Trinity Church is a friendly welcoming community which seeks
to enable people to explore the Christian life of faith, worship and service.
Our services are now taking place each Sunday morning in May at 10.30am
Rev David Lavender will lead the service on 2nd May. Advance booking is essential
Please book your attendance with Lyn (01952 825586)
Reflection by Revd Fiona Brown
May 2nd 2021
Our reading today is from that part of St John’s Gospel entitled “Farewell discourses” where Jesus is preparing his disciples for the time when he is not physically with them day by day.
Read St John’s Gospel chapter 15 verses 1 – 8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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.
“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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Reflection
When we watch Monty Don pruning plants he makes it look so easy. He knows exactly which branches to chop out. Kevin attacked our gooseberry bushes and just hopes he’s got it right. Last year we had almost more fruit than we could handle.
It seems counter intuitive to cut back branches so that the whole will be more fruitful and yet that is what happens.
If Jesus was to prune the branch of the vine that is you, I wonder what he would cut out. What would you cut out so that you can be more fruitful? These are not comfortable questions, but ones we all need to answer if we are to remain as the spiritually healthy people Jesus wants us to be.
Prayer
Lord, help us to look at our lives and acknowledge what needs to be cut out. Forgive us when we are reluctant to recognise our weak spots where we do not draw on you for our strength and growing power. Amen.
Read STF 258 You are the vine, we are the branches
Please feel free to contact us if you wish - see our Contacts page. We will be pleased to hear from you.
