Welcome to anyone who has discovered the blog as a result of the article in July's parish magazine. Today's service brought together our two congregations in celebration of the patronal festival. You are invited to continue the conversation started then - which aspects of the story of Peter are most important to you personally ? Why ?
We look forward to reading your thoughts ...
Monday 29 June 2009
Monday 15 June 2009
Sunday June 14 - What is the Kingdom of God ?
Mark 4: 26 - 34
David Knight led our reflections this morning and opened by asking us the unexpected question what a uncorn and a red snooker ball had in common. The answer - one point - led us into a discussion of Jesus' parables here. Unlike an allegory (where every detail of the a story means something, a parable has just one point, and that helps us in our approach to this morning's reading: What is the one point that Jesus is seeking to put across in these stories ?
When we use the word "kingdom" here we are not talking about an area of land but a state of affairs - the rule, or reign, of God. The rule of God may seem invisible at times, but like the tiny mustard seed it is here and and (hopefully) growing - indeed growing sometimes in unexpected places !
Where do you see the rule, or reign of God taking shape in our world or your life today ?
David Knight led our reflections this morning and opened by asking us the unexpected question what a uncorn and a red snooker ball had in common. The answer - one point - led us into a discussion of Jesus' parables here. Unlike an allegory (where every detail of the a story means something, a parable has just one point, and that helps us in our approach to this morning's reading: What is the one point that Jesus is seeking to put across in these stories ?
When we use the word "kingdom" here we are not talking about an area of land but a state of affairs - the rule, or reign, of God. The rule of God may seem invisible at times, but like the tiny mustard seed it is here and and (hopefully) growing - indeed growing sometimes in unexpected places !
Where do you see the rule, or reign of God taking shape in our world or your life today ?
Monday 8 June 2009
June 7 - Trinity Sunday
How do you combine All Age Praise worship with the subject of Trinity?
Not easily – but what fun!
50 of us gathered this morning at Time for God. We looked at Trinity being the love of God and how the three persons within the Godhead are all bound up with other, equal in divinity and being.
Jim did two short readings: Matthew 3:16-17 and Romans 8:14-15 at various points of the service. Interspersed throughout, were a good mixture of songs both old and new: Who put the colours in the rainbow; All things bright and beautiful; Have you heard the Raindrops (to Rupert the Bear music); Spirit of Holiness (Blow the wind southerly) and we closed with Shine Jesus Shine.
Together, we all explored Jesus’ love for us, through his sacrifice and baptism, talking about how baptism brings us into the family of God, thus making us all his children. As a renewal of our own baptismal vows, we washed our hands, pouring water over each other’s fingers and then attaching coloured strips of paper (with the ubiquitous Blu-tack!) onto the freestanding 5 foot Easter Cross as a visual rededication of our lives.
We looked at God’s creation and how we are called to cherish and not destroy it; we planted Sunflower seeds in pots as a recommitment of ourselves to take an active part in looking after God’s world. Pauline took balloons and blew them up to show that we too can be filled with the wind of the Spirit and she had us all writing individual prayers, again which we stuck onto the Cross. These have now been removed and will be put onto the altar at the next Eucharist.
We went away with the conviction that we too can shed Christ’s light and love in the world and we share his love and his light by reaching out to others – not the least in practical ways!
Well, there you go!
Deacon Olivia
Not easily – but what fun!
50 of us gathered this morning at Time for God. We looked at Trinity being the love of God and how the three persons within the Godhead are all bound up with other, equal in divinity and being.
Jim did two short readings: Matthew 3:16-17 and Romans 8:14-15 at various points of the service. Interspersed throughout, were a good mixture of songs both old and new: Who put the colours in the rainbow; All things bright and beautiful; Have you heard the Raindrops (to Rupert the Bear music); Spirit of Holiness (Blow the wind southerly) and we closed with Shine Jesus Shine.
Together, we all explored Jesus’ love for us, through his sacrifice and baptism, talking about how baptism brings us into the family of God, thus making us all his children. As a renewal of our own baptismal vows, we washed our hands, pouring water over each other’s fingers and then attaching coloured strips of paper (with the ubiquitous Blu-tack!) onto the freestanding 5 foot Easter Cross as a visual rededication of our lives.
We looked at God’s creation and how we are called to cherish and not destroy it; we planted Sunflower seeds in pots as a recommitment of ourselves to take an active part in looking after God’s world. Pauline took balloons and blew them up to show that we too can be filled with the wind of the Spirit and she had us all writing individual prayers, again which we stuck onto the Cross. These have now been removed and will be put onto the altar at the next Eucharist.
We went away with the conviction that we too can shed Christ’s light and love in the world and we share his love and his light by reaching out to others – not the least in practical ways!
Well, there you go!
Deacon Olivia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)