Summer

Summer is a liturgical resource book that covers the months of May, June and July. It includes prayers, stories, responses, songs, poems, reflections, monologues, liturgies and reflections for the major Christian festivals and seasons of Eastertide and Pentecost, as well as for Ascension, Saints' days, pilgrimage, holidays and other occasions. The material is written by Iona Community members, associates, friends and others. RaspberriesAll the year roundI can buy them pre-packedon the supermarket shelves,and sometimes I do. But to fiercely prune themtalk to themstake themwater themwatch the bees buzz around themfeel the sun warming themprotect them from interested birdsnurture themsee their colour deepenwatch them swell to ripenesssmell their promise of sweetnessand then to pick themtheir juice staining my fingersand to eat them. Wow. Ripe raspberries. It's summertime. Rejoice. Ruth Burgess