Sharing some thoughts

I think some of the readings that we have for this time of year in the Church calendar are  wonderful !  Not wonderful because of their enjoyment value but because of their discomfort value. That may seem a little bit  strange  but I think all of us at times as Christians need to feel a little uncomfortable, because whilst I have no doubt of God’s power  and his love, I sometimes wonder how much more he is hoping his people might do in a world with far too many problems…    So often we over-complicate things in our lives, and we can easily reach the point where we’re so good at it that we can justify to ourselves and perhaps even to others that we’re doing all we can to do the right thing, that we’re living a good life…  I attend Church every Sunday and pray every day… I read my Bible regularly… I send money to help charities… I help my neighbour with the shopping… The list can go on and on – we’ve probably all, either consciously o...

From Helen As you probably know by now I like to do things in a slightly unusual way sometimes. With this in mind I would like to wish you Happy New Years Eve! This seems a bit odd, but actually today is the last Sunday before Advent. This means that next Sunday will mark the beginning of the Churches year. So, as next Sunday is the church equivalent of New Years Day then today is a bit like New Years Eve for the Church. Well, perhaps unlike a normal New Years Eve celebration whilst we will have wine and some food we will not be singing Auld Lands  Syne  or partying until midnight, although saying that I am usually in bed before midnight on New Years Eve, anyway you get the drift. Today does have a special name which is Christ the King. Today we remember Jesus the King. The word, Christ means anointed one. Today we think of Jesus, the anointed one. On this day we remember that God  the King  became as nothing for us.    On this day then , ...

A rather pompous Vicar was in school one day trying  to impress upon  the children  the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people  a  call me a Christian?" the man asked …  After a moment's pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it's because they don't know you." This week we have marked the celebration of All Saints Day and on that  day  we reflect on great saints of the past but remind ourselves also that we are called to be the saints of today… Sadly we’re not perfect people but we are called  to be saints  – and a saint isn’t, fortunately for us, someone who is perfect, but someone who is trying to live as God wants them to live…  And our readings this morning work well with this theme. In the Old Testament reading from the Prophet Micah (3:5-12) we’re told of the  dangers of  prophets who are actually offering a false message, a message that rather conveniently suits them – and that’s a danger we can...

This morning  we are  celebrating  All Saints day which happened on Wednesday 1 st . It is a day that always makes me rather happy. I  love  the fact that we celebrate the saints  who have gone before us  and the difference that God made in their lives and the difference that they made in other peoples lives as they pointed them towards God.  Saints are pretty  incredible . I used to think that when we celebrate all the saints that means that we celebrate the ones who  don’t  have a special day. This is true but it is also a celebration of all of us and those who  have gone before us in the faith. Today is a day to celebrate and also a day to remember. We can celebrate all that has been, all those who have gone before us and the ways that God works in peoples lives and we also remember those who did some amazing things for God, even if at times they were seen as very strange.  When I was a child we used to have Al...