The holy communion service held on Sunday, second Sunday after Trinity, was celebrated by the Rev Andrew Stevenson, priest-in-charge, who, in his address, said that faith and trust are two sides of the same coin. We gain trust through knowledge and with that trust comes faith, but the faith which comes from a trust in Jesus is not, contrary to popular belief, about a slavish adherence to a whole set of rules and regulations. The readings today show us that very clearly. The gospel reading, which was taken from Luke, Chapter 7, v 36, 8 and 3, is about one of Jesus' many run-ins with the Pharisees and shows that love and understanding are far more important than a literal reading of the rules.

Likewise, Paul, in the Epistle reading, contrasts his former life as a Pharisee with his new redeemed and restored Christian life, and makes the point that no one can stick to the rules all of the time and so, if redemption is about sticking to the rules, we are all lost. No, the point of faith is that we know that apart from God, we are lost and it is faith, faith in the saving power of Jesus' death on the cross, which pulls us out of the mire that we get ourselves into all too frequently. As Christians, we know that God will not give up on us, no matter what, just so long as we live out our faith and live by the spirit rather than the letter of the rules.

The Old Testament reading, taken from 2 Samuel, verses from chapters 11, 12, and 13, was read by Luke Stevenson and the New Testament reading, taken from St Luke, verses from chapters 7 and 8, was read by Rodney Myers. Organist was Sid Bryant.