Time to Take Stock

 

 

This is the first Sunday in Lent, a time when we remember Jesus' time in the desert on his own before he began his public ministry and take time to take stock of our own lives.  

Thank you to all those who shared their thoughts and experiences about observing Lent.    One of you spoke of taking time to review their possessions.   Another spoke of a Mothers Union campaign for 2012  called "Count Your Blessings" which invites us to pause before we turned on a light or tap and give some money to help those who whom light and water does not come at the flick of a switch.   Another of you spoke of saying Compline together as a couple at the end of each day.   Yet another of a friend who is posting three things to be thankful for on their Facebook page each day.

At TFG this morning we sampled an activity called the examen.   The PP presentation on the examen can be viewed here.   The music following can be heard here (click on the triangular play icon - you do not have to pay anything to stream, only to download to keep.)   If you would like more on the examen, click here and here.

 

However you are observing the next six weeks till Easter,  may it turn out to be a journey that brings you greater understanding of your self and God's purpose for you and of your part in making the world a better place for all.

If you would like to continue the conversation please make your comment below.

Peter King

Taize for TFG

As we move towards the season of Lent this morning’s service took the form of a meditative reflection and prayer in the Taizé style.

At the beginning we pondered the origins of Taizé in 1940 and that it was there for German, Jew and political refugees. Brother Roger, the founder of the community understood the plight of these people and from this sprang the community whose trademark is one of love and reconciliation between Christians and man and fellow man. Jesus prays in St John’s Gospel  ‘ I ask that they may all be one. As you Father are in me and I am in you may they also be in us. (John 17; 20, 21).

In many ways there are no real winners in war; the innocent suffer. Brother Roger fostered a spirit of compassion – as he said – when compassion is lost, everything is lost.

We need to think about change, how we follow Christ’s way, and today’s gospel reading, tells of transfiguration, and the Corinthians reading talks of light shining out of darkness.

As the chant says ‘In our darkness there is no darkness with you O Lord, the deepest night is clear as the day’ We, made in the image of God, should reflect God’s light (glory) in the world in which we live, living out ways of love, compassion and reconciliation as exemplified by Brother Roger. 

Rev Frances

For more information on Taize go to http://www.taize.fr/en

12th February 2012 In the beginning

Today's reading came from John's Gospel (Chapter 1 verses 1-14).
We recalled how the Good News about Jesus and His death and resurrection was passed on orally for about 20 years before the first writings that we can find in the Bible.  These writings were the letters that Paul wrote to the various churches and people he had visited in his travels.  It was not until about AD70 that the first Gospel was written (that of Mark) and the Gospel of John was written even later.
John's purpose in writing was to show WHY Jesus came as well as what He said and did.

From the passage we noticed:
v. 1  "In the beginning..."   (same words as the start of Genesis)
v. 2  With God    (Jesus was there before the creation)
v. 3  No pre-existing stuff  (creation of everything out of nothing)
v. 4  the LIFE was the LIGHT of men  (Jesus is the Light of the world)
v. 5  The light shines in the darkness  (He came into a dark and sinful world)
v. 6-9  Preparation in Israel – John the Baptist
       (John called people to say sorry for the wrongs of the past and be baptised ready
           for the coming of Jesus)
v. 10  the world did not know him  (the Jews did not recognise that He  was the Messiah
              they had been waiting for)
v. 11  His own did not accept him   (the Jewish people did not accept Him)
v. 12  but to all who received him, he gave power to become the children of God
             (but those who accept Him are able to live as God wants us to live)
v. 14  and we have seen his glory
             (various occasions are recorded in the Bible when the glory of Jesus was shown
              - His baptism by John the Baptist being one of those, read about it in John Chapter 1;
                  also the transfiguration which is recorded in Luke Chapter 9)

We emphasised the value of daily reading of the Bible and suggested reading the Gospel of John a little a day over the next month.  Copies were available.