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.

Raspberries

All the year round

I can buy them pre-packed

on the supermarket shelves,

and sometimes I do.

But to fiercely prune them

talk to them

stake them

water them

watch the bees buzz around them

feel the sun warming them

protect them from interested birds

nurture them

see their colour deepen

watch them swell to ripeness

smell their promise of sweetness

and then to pick them

their juice staining my fingers

and to eat them ...

Wow!

Ripe raspberries.

It's summertime.

Rejoice!

Ruth Burgess