Ipswich Round (Page 22)

This is the online version of the circuit newsletter. The Ipswich Round is now issued each week via email – you can view the current edition by clicking here.

Past issues of the print version can be
found here.

You can click on various categories in the column on the right hand side or scroll through to see all articles

If you have any contributions for Ipswich Round, such as Articles, Reviews, Thoughts, Poems, Pictures, Studies, Recipes, Ideas, Musings, Stories, anything at all, you can submit them here or email ipswichround@methodistic.org.uk

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 22nd January 2023

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.                Year A                                    22nd January 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 9 v1-4;             Psalm 27 v1, 4-9;       1 Corinthians 1 v10-18;        Matthew 4 v12-23. Pointers. In last week’s lectionary readings, John the Baptist was pointing to Jesus. This week, Paul is pointing away from himself, (or any other apostle) and towards…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 15th January 2023

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time               Year A                                                 15th January 2023 Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 49 v1-7;  Psalm 40 v1-11;  1 Corinthians 1 v1-9;  John 1 v29-42. Partners with Jesus. God spoke to the people of Israel during their time in exile, through his prophet Isaiah. The Lord said to me; “Israel, you are my servant…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 8th January 2023

First Sunday in ordinary Time                    Year A                                                 8th January 2023 Lectionary readings:   Isaiah 42 v1-9;     Psalm 29;     Acts 10 v34-43;     Matthew 3 v13-17. The Lord God’s Servant. The (second) prophet Isaiah is addressing the people of Israel during their time of exile in Babylonia. I think that Isaiah’s reference to the Lord God’s servant…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 1st January 2023

First Sunday of Christmas               Year A                                                 1st January 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 63 v7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2 v10-18; Matthew 2 v13-23. Joseph’s obedience. Matthew’s gospel records the escape to and return from Egypt of Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus. After the wise men had gone, an angel from the Lord appeared to…

War and Faith

War and Faith : short biographies from the Second World War  by Don Stephens  EP Books, 2016141 pages £6.99  ISBN 978 1 783 971 503 In this sequel to his book ‘War and Grace’, Don Stephens tells the stories of eight people of varied nationalities who, in one way or another, went through World War…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 25th December 2022

Christmas Day                                  Year A                                                 25th December 2022 Lectionary Readings:    Isaiah 9 v2-7;    Psalm 96;    Titus 2 v11-14;    Luke 2 v1-14. Good news for everyone. A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God, Eternal Father and…

The Force of Truth  by Thomas Scott

The Force of Truth  by Thomas Scott  Banner of Truth, 1984 (first published 1779) 127 pages £2.95ISBN 0 851 514 251 This is a spiritual autobiography from the 18th century by Thomas Scott (1747-1821), a contemporary of the Wesleys. The interest of this narrative is that by his own admission the author became a priest…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 18th December 2022

Fourth Sunday of Advent                 Year A                                                 18th December 2022 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 7 v10-16;       Psalm 80 v1-7, 17-19;      Romans 1 v1-7;       Matthew 1 v18-25. Poor Mary! By tradition, Mary is the focus of the fourth Sunday in Advent, though you would be hard put to evidence that from today’s readings! This is how Jesus…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 11th December 2022

Third Sunday of Advent                               Year A                                     11th December 2022 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 35 v1-10; Psalm 146 v5-10; James 5 v7-10; Matthew 11 v2-11. Work it out for yourself. Here is a message for all who are weak, trembling and worried. “Cheer up! Don’t be afraid. Your God is coming. The blind will see and…

Who wrote the New Testament ?

Who wrote the New Testament ? dvd  S4C, 2003 3 hours   £13  ISBN 0 564 035 36X According to the producers, this is ‘the story of 27 compositions that changed the course of history’. The 27 compositions in question are the 27 books of the New Testament. In 3 presentations of about an hour each,…