All out of darkness we have light Which made the angels sing that night Glory to God and peace to men Now and for evermore. Amen

Messages! John the Baptist to the angels visiting the shepherds. Important messages, probably the most important message in the world!!

But a message from whom? Who is it that is calling out to us in the time of darkness, nights getting longer and days getting shorter, it’s getting closer and closer…

Guiding, directing, showing the way, bit like pathways and life too.

How often do we decide that the path is not the right one for us, too long? Too stony or swampy? Too much for the time we have today?

But the path that God has set before us is never too long, there is never a time to give up on the work and the life that we have before us.

When you feel yourself starting to give in to the comfy cosy option then get back to the path ahead

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate Gayton group of parishes

Only a few weeks to go…. a message I saw on a church notice board this week was ‘ Here I come ready or not…’

No matter how much we decorate the house, buy all the presents and make the mince pies, on 25th December Christmas will arrive.

‘Are you ready for Christmas?’, is a question so many people ask. But who is actually ready for this very special birthday, who can make sure that all is prepared? Will not Jesus find us at the least expected time?

My favourite Christmas story is Papa Panov, by Leo Tolstoy. The tired and weary shoe maker waits and waits for Jesus to arrive. Whilst he is waiting he helps the poor woman and her child, the old lady who needs some food. But still he does not see Jesus, or does he?

At the end of the day, Jesus asks Papa Panov, ‘ Did you not see me Papa Panov, did you not know that I was the little child and the old lady.’

And Advent is like that. A time for getting ready and when we least expect it He appears.

Here I come ready or not…

Rev’d Sue Martin

Gayton Group of Parishes

Faith Goes Walkabout

What happened to the vote, how does 72% overall in favour mean that the legislation was defeated?

Everyone is reeling this week with the news that General Synod, the top section of the Church of England’s structure, have seemingly voted against the position of women bishops. In brief there are three houses and each has to have a two thirds majority. All had gone fine until the House of Laity, who did not return this majority.

What a disaster!

In 2012, with a church that has women priests, the common sense and equality approach, would see no reason why women are not treated the same as men!

Theological, a minority of people including conservative evangelicals, feel that it is not right.

If we are all working in the affirmation, love and welcome of God through the world, then surely it must be time for us all to have an equal position and worth.

There is much anguish, frustration and disappointment.

The Bishop of Norwich has written to all across the Norwich Diocese and expressed the need, now, to be more united as a church, to work and pray for a resolution.

In the meantime, women and men together in ministry continue to bring the good news to all in the parishes and beyond.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate in Gayton Group of Parishes

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the hillside and sat down. His disciples came to him. He took a deep breath, and began his teaching.

What a start,wonderful news, The Beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven is yours!

And so he went on. Good news for all the people.

I love that beginning; He took a deep breath and began his teaching. So, here we go then!!

But Jesus starts straight in, what a teacher!

Blessed are….the poor, the mourners, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

Good News for all!!

Blessed means wonderful news, the happy, the blessed. The Beatitudes, which these are often called comes from the Latin beatus.

Words as much for today as for the people at the time of Jesus.

This was the introduction to Jesus’ teaching, ‘listen to this everybody, this is going to turn your life upside down. No more are the rich and powerful going to be the ways to success and prosperity’ .

That is for this life only.

Good to remember and hang on to when we see fame and fortune being a real goal for many, that sadly just slips away into the night.

Readings from Matthew 5:1-12

Rev’d Sue Martin

Gayton Group of Parishes

Life is not all sunshine!

The book of Job is largely concerned with an entirely just and righteous man and his relationship with God. It brings to mind important questions about suffering and divine justice!

In the courts of heaven God and Satan were having a conversation; Satan was saying he could easily persuade anybody to turn to him away from God. If he had the chance to inflict injury and sorrow then he could persuade the person to follow him and not God.

If you are ever tempted to say, when life gets tough… ‘Why me?’ then the story of Job is a good one to remember.

He loses all that he has and his wife and friends plead with him to give up believing in God. But he remains resolved and in the end, when he is covered in sores, does it finally get better. God renews his wealth, family and fortune.

A good story but not easy reading.

Go to Faithgoeswalkabout for some reflection on Job and Life is not all Sunshine at Last Sunday in Trinity.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Sitting on Top of the World

Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian helicopter pilot had been lifted up by a helium balloon to over 128,000 ft above Mexico, sitting on top of the world.

From there he emerged from his capsule in a suit, similar to a space suit and fell back to earth at 833mph.

Wow!! You might say it was utter madness, a stunt for publicity, what a waste of money or many other things but actually… Wow!

Sitting on top of the world!

The beautiful blue planet of earth lay beneath him, at the edge of space.

There’s a very good song by Delta Goodrem called Sitting on top of the World, a real rousing song and full of ‘feel good’ factor. If you don’t mind all the glitz, you can view on Youtube!

But what could it have been like! Once having made the decision, there was no choice but to get down, if he had gone up and up into space all sorts of things would have happened,he would not have survived for long.

What did he think at that point? He said he felt small and very alone and just wanted to get down.

Feeling small, humbled…the enormity of space around him. Looking down on the world below… all very theological.

God looking down from the heavens…

In the video of Felix’s descent the only sound you can hear is of his breathing, no screams, no shouts of joy or fear just silence. When he landed on his feet he fell to his knees and gazed upwards, Mmmm.

A fuller sermon is under Trinity on Faithgoeswalkabout, interesting for reflection.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Tasmania, the most southerly state in Australia, an island, separated from the mainland by the Bass Straits. A beautiful place with huge diversity in the climate, landscape and wildlife.

Vast areas of wilderness and huge untouched forests with no roads or population are unchartered territory, especially in the south west.

We spent a week in Tasmania (see section on Faith Goes Walkabout- Walkabout Australia).From echidnas and wombats to Tasmanian Devils and Duck Billed Platypus, the wildlife is amazing. The temperate rain forests with the Tall Trees of Sassafras and Arras and beautiful beaches are stunning.

The history of Tasmania since the arrival of the white settlers doesn’t make good reading and the church was part of this difficult time. Tasmania was established as the place of last resort and conditions were really bad. Conditions were harsh and made worse by the elite class who continued to make large amounts of money. The aboriginal population was destroyed and any people left were made part of the settler’s way of life. There are many stories, and a recent book called Wanting by Richard Flanagan is about a young girl Mahinna around 1839 and her move into the governor’s house.

Maybe it’s when travelling that we are taken to places, not only beautiful but where we learn about life, that we start to increase in wonder and look back in amazement.

Tasmania, a great place and very far south on the other side of the world.

Rev’d Sue Martin Curate at Gayton group of parishes

Sponsored Cycle Ride.

What a fantastic day! With the sun shining all day and the hills(there really are hills in Norfolk!), it felt more like rural France.

£107 was raised to be shared between All Saint’s Church, Ashwicken and The Norfolk Churches Trust. A real fun way to support one of our local churches and the Norfolk Churches Trust.

All Saint’s Ashwicken, is our church in the fields, and at a high point where you can gaze out towards the coast. There is always a place to sit and rest, outside and inside. A special place indeed.

The Norfolk Churches Trust makes grants to churches and chapels towards repair and restoration costs. Since it’s inception in 1976, it has given over £3.8 million.

In total, we cycled 18 miles and visited seven churches, Grimston,Congham, Little and Great Massingham, Gayton Thorpe,East Walton and Gayton.

Look forward to next year but hope to do more cycling in the next few months, as summer turns to autumn.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Faith Goes Walkabout

Curate at the Gayton Group of parishes

The Olympics starts today! The opening ceremony is to be held at the stadium in Stratford, East London and promises to be the best one yet!

Listening to Radio 4′s Thought for the Day this morning, Canon Duncan Green, the head of multi-fatih chaplaincy for the London Organising Committee, talked about the excitement, the anticipation- the ‘are we there yet’ feeling!

It’s a great chance to listen to how this enormously mammoth event, through all it’s troubles and commercialisation still brings people from all over the world to celebrate and be together in harmony with a common purpose.

Thought for the Day is also a really good opportunity to listen to a number of speakers from many different faith backgrounds talking about current issues and happenings. It’s only on for a few moments at about 7.45 am every week day morning.

But you can always listen to it again, follow the link on Faith Goes Walkabout or direct from the BBC.You can also find your favourite speakers and listen to their broadcasts again or read the whole script.

Make it a favourite then you can always access the broadcasts.

So in between the events and when you have some space for reflection it’s well worth a second chance.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate at Gayton Group of Parishes