News (Page 76)

Priorities

Today is a terrible day in the liturgical calendar. This is when we remember the other side of the story; after the adoration of the Christ child comes King Herod’s instruction to slaughter innocent baby boys in an irrational attempt to take out his opposition by firing grapeshot. This was the first time Jesus got…

Great and small

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Cl\ire Jones www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/pray/daily-reading-27-december Something to read Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping…

No SatNav!

One of the Bible stories that I find fascinating is in Exodus and starting in chapter 3.  Moses was “tending” a flock of sheep owned by his father-in-law when he was confronted by an angel of the Lord, appearing to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Yet the narrative continues with Moses…

What joy!

I have recently been looking through family photos as I was putting together a slide show of photos for my aunt’s funeral, and I came across this photo of her great great niece cuddling her newborn baby brother. (For those who might have read any of my previous TFTDs, I refer to 16-10-23– the photo…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 31st December 2023

First Sunday of Christmas               Year B                                                 31st  December 2023 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 61 v10 – 62 v3             Celebrate and shout! Psalm 148                               Come, praise the Lord. Galatians 4 v4-7                    God’s children. Luke 2 v22-40                        Simeon and Anna. Recognition, acceptance and celebration of promises kept. Luke tells of Joseph and Mary taking the…

The 12 Days of Christmas

From the 14th-16th December we held a “12 Days of Christmas Festival” in Trinity but it had a bit of a twist. The wording was changed to the following: On the twelfth day of Christmas my Saviour gave to me Twelve gifts for sharing Eleven stars guiding Ten coins to offer Nine friends caring Eight prayers…

Mine!

I’ve just returned home from the final Mothers and Toddlers meeting for the year – the Christmas Party. Our little ones watched puppets telling the Nativity story, had a lovely selection of finger foods to eat and sang Christmas songs. They had done a mini tour of the Church looking at the various Christmas displays…

Energy

The latter part of the prophesy of Isaiah is directed to a nation returned from exile to their own country but still sometimes inclined to indifference. Indifference is fuelled by boredom and over familiarity amongst other things. Today’s passage from Chapter sixty-two (Isaiah 62:1-12) starts, ‘I will not keep silent’. I have attended many concerts…

Do not be afraid

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Claire Jones www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/pray/daily-reading Something to read Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her…