One of my grandsons will have had his fifth birthday on 14th January. After Christmas, it always seems to creep up on me every year, so as soon as the New Year celebrations were over, I texted my daughter to ask what I should get him. Apparently, they are preparing to remove his stabilisers from…
It is strange how old memories materialise out of nowhere. Reading the passage for today (2 Samuel 6:12-19) I recalled my mother’s smile. With hindsight she always had a happy smile but as a child I considered it to be an abomination. To my shame, now that I am some twenty years older than she…
This week, our 10 minute service reflects on on John 4:23-24,
Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Claire Jones www.christianaid.org.uk Something to read By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse…
Some pictures from Messy Church at Elmsett Methodist Church.
Gypsy Smith : the forgotten evangelist by Bill CurtisSeed Publishing Group (US), 2017 240 pages £12ISBN 978 0 996 841 290 This is a study of Rodney Gypsy Smith (1860-1947) by an American Baptist pastor who earned a PhD doing this research. It bears all the necessarily pedantic hallmarks of academic research. If you are…
The leader at a recent Sunday morning service included, in the opening prayer, thanks for some of the many blessings we enjoy. Some items included a warm bed in which to sleep, a warm home and food and clothing. Possibly, some of us in the congregation were grateful that the prayer continued with consideration of…
“Jesus promised his disciples three things, that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy and in constant trouble.” This is a quote from theologian William Barclay, used by John Bell in the York advent course “Life in the comma” that I referred to last week. When did you last feel completely fearless, or absurdly happy?…
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 19th January 2025 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 62 v1-5; Psalm 36 v5-10; 1 Corinthians 12 v1-11; John 2 v1-11. The generosity of God. John wants his readers to be in no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. Three times in the first chapter, Jesus’ true identity…
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. (1 Corinthians 13 v. 11) A strange thing happened to me this week. I’d been talking with someone about the song ‘Puff, the…