Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

Quite a story, starting with the triumphal ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the humble donkey. Crowded streets, the place packed with people preparing for the feast of the Passover, Jesus turning over the tables in the temple, the Last Supper in the upstairs room, for fear of being found, the long night in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, the capture by the soldiers, Jesus coming before Pontius Pilate, the crowds calling for him to be crucified and the release of Barabbas.

And then the crucifixion.

Saturday, the holy day for the Jews.

And so to today, the good news that Jesus is risen. Alleluia!

This is the good news, the news we all share even today 2000 years after the event and it hasn’t changed, He is risen indeed Alleluia!

Full sermon on Easter page

Rev’d Sue Martin

In the Wilderness  

  There seem to be many times when we find ourselves in the wilderness, or is it just me!!

Wandering, walking through the country, wondering which direction we should be travelling in, seeking God’s call, trying hard to get on with our lives when all around us is caving slowly in.

The first Sunday in Lent, a time to reflect.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Looking to the cloud at the Church of the Transfiguration

A lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts

Hurricane Doris was horrendous, lights went out across the country, buses blown off the roads, trees crashed to the ground and homes and gardens strewn around. I hope that there wasn’t too much damage for each of you.

Seeing is believing some people say.

But that is not the whole story is it? Our readings this week are wonderful and give us a real picture of things that we can’t always see. But we have been told!

We can’t see the wind. We can feel it’s effect, every day we know which direction the wind is blowing from, how strong it is and what kind of weather it will bring along the way.

Evidence, readings, disciples, Mt Sinai… read more in the sermon for the Sunday before Lent.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Perspective on the Co-Operative Bank by Angela Tilby

Thought for the Day, Radio 4 14.2.17

Trust is a precious social capital as considered by the original founders of the Co-Operative movement.

The gospels tell us that a trust filled life is a potential blessing.

A beautiful perspective on changes in society and how implicitly it effects us all.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Norwich Diocese

The Visit of the Magi

1st Sunday in Epiphany Jan 8th 2017

The Magi travel from the East and follow the star to Bethlehem. One of the most magical images of the time of the Nativity. We have ttried more and more, to put all the Christmas story into one neat package around Christmas Day.

But in Matthew Ch 2 we know that this event happened after Jesus was born and it is linked to the twlefth day of Christmas or the start of Epiphany, January 6th.

Time to take the decorations down, that is if they have survived this long! Most people have already taken down the decorations, tidied up the house, started thinking about the New Year, have a resolution or two set for at least the next month, if not the year ahead.

I find myself taking out the tree, on Jan6th, with needles shedding all over the floor and on any unsuspecting person or animal, many of the decorations have already reached the floor by this stage and sometimes I look admiringly on people who take out Christmas as soon as possible.

But we can’t really do that, can we? Christmas is here to stay, Jesus is born to us all. We can’t just say,’ Oh, that was nice’,  and move on to the sales and shops and carry on as if nothing has happened.

We carry with us that spirit and love, whether it remains within us or stays for a brief time, like a Christmas tree needle, left on the jumper for a short while only.

The Collect for today;

Creator of the heavens, who led the Magi by a star,

So worship the Christ child, guide and sustain us

That we may find our journey’s end

In Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Rev’d Sue Martin

Mary & Joseph. Image from BBC Nativity

Christmas Eve has arrived! I had a message this morning that, ‘You’re never too grown up to stop looking at the skies for Father Christmas’. Quite right.

A wonderful time for families across the world, waiting, hoping, sharing, getting ready.

Maybe this year you’ve gone overboard on the presents, maybe like me you have been too the supermarket one too many times and just been amazed at the size of the  laden shopping trolleys and maybe today we can all stop, take a break and wait….

Wait for the Light of the World to come among us, to heal and to teach, to be with us and for us.

Even if it’s only for a few minutes lets release all the worries and the fears, they will still be there in two days time.

Christmas is the most special time in the year, a time to enjoy, and a time to know that God is with us, the Word made man.

Rev’d Sue Martin

July 31^st Tenth Sunday in Trinity

St Mary’s Church East Walton, Norfolk

Where your treasure is there will your heart be also

Hosea 11:1-11

Colossians 3:1-11

Luke 12:13-21

I would really like to put my head in the sand and be an ostrich at this time. A few weeks ago I thought that was possible and that when I came up for air then all this turmoil, worry and disaster would have gone away and life would be more settled.

But it hasn’t and there have been such dreadful things happening that they are now impossible to ignore. They are creating fear, despair, upset and rage and then what happens next?

In our prayers, be with all those in Rouen at the dreadful killing of Fr. Hamel, at the Eucharist, we ask God to look with compassion on his family on earth, to break down the barriers that some want to erect between different people, counter the effects of evil in our time and be with all those who mourn and who have been involved in these sufferings.

What I am going to talk about is seeking those things which are above in God’s world, getting rid of malice, fear, anger and wrath and being with God and God with us at every step of the way.

Where your treasure is there will your heart be also

Extract from sermon for 10th Sunday in Trinity

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

The Way to Bethlehem

Luke Chapter 2 verses 1-6

Matthew Chapter 1, verses 20-21

^{So, Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, he town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was carrying a child.}

Joseph reluctantly takes Mary with him to Bethlehem and they travel by day and rest by night. One night Joseph awakens quickly from a dream, an angel has appeared to him in the dream and tells him that Mary is carrying the Messiah.

But on waking he refuses to believe and will not accept that Mary does know the truth.

The wise men have gathered in Judea and decided not to approach King Herod. They have seen that the stars are aligning to be over Bethlehem and are aware that the predictions from many years ago are coming true and the Saviour will be born in the city of David.

They journey on secret across Judea to Bethlehem, leaving their servants to return to Persia straight away.

In the fields the shepherds are watching there sheep and talking amongst themselves about having to pay taxes and if one day a Saviour will come for them.

The alignment is starting to be closer and the journeys of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds in the fields and the travels of the wise men are all leading to Bethlehem , along with the alignment of Jupiter, Saturn and Regulus.

Rev’d Sue Martin – Diocese of Norwich