For Christians Christmas is about the journey that God makes. God comes to us.
Rather than us as human beings reaching out to try and touch God, God reaches out and touches us amid the mess and dirt of human life. Among the animals Jesus is born and laid in a manger.
And it means this. God understands; God understands what it is to be human, to grow up, to feel sad, happy, lonely, and insecure, to feel pleasure and joy. And in that understanding we can meet with God. [.....]
Christmas is Coming“Christmas is coming: The goose is getting fat”
Well Christmas has been coming at least since August! We know because of the advertisements with which we are bombarded. Have you ever examined the words used to make some of the extravagant claims? A few years ago I wrote a prayer, using an idea from one of the ads on the front of a magazine. I wonder if you might like to use one or some of the advertisements which appear at this time, as a [.....]
Dear Friends,
Firstly – thank you for the past year. All Saints is a fantastic church and I feel privileged to be part of the family. It is exciting to be celebrating our second Christmas together.
Christmas is a time of myths and miracles. Some of the myths we willingly embrace – like Santa Claus or St. Nicholas.
Detail: The Life & Miracles of Saint Nicholas
Artist: Alexander BoguslawskiSt. Nicholas was a real person, although it is hard [.....]
Sunday 14th December 3.00 pm Christingle Service
Sunday 21st December 6.30 pm Carol Service
Christmas Eve 3.00 pm Crib Service
11.30 pm Midnight Mass
Christmas Day 8.00 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Family Communion
What is X Mas Video?
Christmas Services Video [.....]
Almighty God,Whose servant Hilda brought different people together in the love of your Son.Bless this room that we may continue her work,and remember the work the people of this parish have done in her name.Amen
This last Wednesday we celebrated the feast of St. Hilda with the blessing of our Hilda room. Previously known as the committee room, and during the works to the roof used as a chapel, the Hilda room is a place for small groups to meet from church or community.
The room has an AV system [.....]
Praying with the SaintsI have to admit I am sometimes a little envious of churches dedicated to one particular saint. Then one might make an effort to find out all one can about his, or her, life and ministry and have a special affection for them. Anyway, my suggestion is to choose a particular saint to focus on. There may be a particular prayer associated with ‘your’ saint, maybe written by him or her. You may be able to imagine being alongside him or her. You may give [.....]
Dear Friends,
Autumns colours are already giving way to winter’s as the mists hang heavy over street and field. We are passing through remembrance-tide, celebrating All Souls, All Saints, and Remembrance. Advent and preparations for celebrating the Christ-Mass beckon. The year may seem to be vanishing before our eyes!
Yet in that space the Church celebrates an unlikely season as our liturgical year draws to its close. We remember Christ the King.
Image: nighthawk101stock
Kingship is a strange idea to our modern western minds. Our monarchy is valued and celebrated but we are [.....]
Dear Friends,
When was the last time you went to Mass?
The answer is of course probably last Sunday or, one of the midweek services at All Saints. We don’t tend to use the word Mass very often, but most of us go to a service named Mass at least once a year – at Christ- Mass for Midnight Mass.
The different words we use for Holy Communion have different meanings and origins.
We might talk about the Lord’s Supper which reminds us that we are sharing a meal. St Paul [.....]
Something to doThis month’s idea comes from several sources. The 17th century French monk, Brother Lawrence, working in the monastery kitchen, found it just as easy to converse and pray to God there, as in church. Pat, leading the mid-week service at my friends’ church last week, included a prayer/poem which used each day’s activity as a starting place for a prayer: Monday: Washing Day and being cleansed from sin, etc. One week last month in the Tearfund Prayer Diary, each day took a different regular activity such [.....]
Dear Friends,
After this the Lord appointed 72 others. He sent them out two by two ahead of him. They went to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.
Luke 10:1-2
I have to say the last 8 months since I arrived at All Saints have been very busy. As a Christian community we have achieved so much, and I am [.....]
Something to do
Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God.” As we come to the Harvest Festival, and thank God for His provision for us, I wonder if you generally say Grace at meal-times? Sadly, I only tend to remember when I have guests and there hasn’t been a crisis in the kitchen! Perhaps now is a good time to start, using your own words, or reading one. Some of you may have one of those wooden [.....]
Something to do
- Choose a spot that may be special for you: maybe a corner of your garden, or a seat in the park, or a church, or - - - ; or if you are away on holiday, maybe a place with a beautiful view, or a beach, or - - - . Spend time there praying, thinking, listening, meditating, knitting, reading, - - - . Buy a post-card of that place, or draw it, or take a photo, - On the back of the card maybe [.....]
All Saints congregation celebrated the renewal of their church building, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The service involved people of every generation, with anointing with Chrism oil for the power of the Spirit, lively singing of hymns and songs old and new, and the Eucharist offered at our experimental free-standing Altar - with plenty of incense and flags for good measure!
The church building has a new roof, has been fully painted white and blue inside, and the floors have been scrubbed and cleaned. A new AV system [.....]
“But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune. So I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’”
1 King 5:4-5Dear Friends
According to the bible king Solomon’s temple took 7 years to build and involved thousands of labourers. Up to that point worship of god [.....]
It has been a real privilege to journey through Passiontide and Easter together, and now we look towards Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and God willing, our first service back in the Church building.
In this season our hearts and minds are turned towards closeness with God. Thomas, who although he doubted was the only one to place his hand in Christ’s wounds. The disciples who recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread on the road to Emmaus. The sheep who know the Good Shepherd’s voice. Jesus’ [.....]
If you are between 11 & 18 and are part of the church - or know someone who is, then please download and fill in this quick survey - or pick up a paper copy from church!
Download [.....]
As passiontide approaches I share a reflection for the coming days.
His father was a carpenter. Not that carpenters, know each other, certainly not from Jerusalem to that rural backwater. But I knew of the family. Generations of carpenters, not from the backwaters but from Bethlehem. A proud family, a good family, and with connections to merchants that traded to the ends of the earth. Craftsman, good work.
His mother, well she was young when she married I hear. From a family with good connections too, relatives who served in [.....]
I shall let you into a secret. Lent is my favourite season of the church year. Being a natural extrovert I need structured space to explore my shadow side – to reflect, consider and to fast. I wonder what we understand by fasting. Do we think of going without food for 40 days and 40 nights, or do we start a little smaller?
Fasting has always been part of the Christian life, the ‘Teaching of the Twelve’, a Christian book from the first century, states:
“Let not your fasts [.....]
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