Thoughts and reflections

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Where is your treasure?

July 31st Tenth Sunday in Trinity

St Mary’s Church East Walton, Norfolk

Where your treasure is there will your heart be also

IMG_3308Hosea 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

Advent 3

The Way to Bethlehem

Mary and JosephLuke 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 NorwichPurple scarf

Advent A Course on The Nativity

BBC The Nativity

BBC The Nativity

The greatest story on earth, the birth of Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago.

The BBC produced a series in 2010 on The Nativity, looking at the whole story and bringing a new dimension into what it could have been like for Mary and Joseph at that time in Judea.

I had wanted to explore this representation for a while and decided to lead an Advent Course based on the series.

Over the next four weeks we will be exploring the alignment of people and places, the journeys  made and the sacrifices that brought Jesus into this world born in a stable as a vulnerable baby.

In the first week we saw how Mary and Joseph met and became betrothed, Mary’s family, her cousin Elizabeth, and the appearance of Archangel Gabriel to Mary.

The 4 weeks will appear under Advent in Faith Goes Walkabout and if you are interested please do comment.

Rev’d Sue Martin  Chaplain in the  Diocese of Norwich

Welcome at West New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea

IMG_0378In September 2015, I arrived in West New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea. The warriors were the most spectacular sight and a welcome of dance, colour and warmth. We were to see the dancers on a few occasion, they were with us at church, at the Franciscan Friary in the middle of the rain forest.

In the two months since I have been back, these moments sit in my heart. A welcome warmth as we approach November darkness. A time when we were with Christians in a very different place  and surrounded by love and faith.

A lasting memory is of being in the middle of the rainforest and waiting for the warriors and dancers to arrive, which they did in complete darkness, amazing! We returned with some songs and actions, I led the warriors, dancers and children with Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes! Still  a teacher at heart then!

Somehow I know that this place will stay with me and I hope that I can go back there soon. There is a great deal that we can do to help the people, they have nothing and yet they have everything. There’s is not a life of need for material things. It is a life of family, tradition and faith with all the love and joy in knowing Jesus.

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

St Michael and All Angels

Michaelmass daisiesA Little Lower than the Angels. Hebrews, 2:7
Michaelmass, the season when the summer is coming to an end, a time when the beautiful warm weather starts to become a little cooler and the autumn approaches.
We have seen the autumn equinox impressively this year marked by the super moon and the eclipse. A wonderful sign of God’s world.
Michaelmass was the time in the agricultural world when the summer seasonal work was at a close and those working on the land over the summer seasons would be looking for work elsewhere for the winter season. A time for change.
In Thomas Hardy novels he makes full use of the season to show a whole army of characters with their agricultural implements and particular skills in field work to be present at a market of fair in the local towns.

St Michael is the guardian angel of autumn  or Michaelmass. He is the Archangel responsible for courage and bravery, he is the defender of faith and is known for his slaying of the dragon.

Sermon for 18th Sunday after Trinity at All Saint’s Church Ashwicken 4.10.15

Rev’d Sue Martin     FaithGoesWalkabout.org

Pilgrimage to Papua New Guinea

papuanewguineaButtonOn Wednesday 26 August 2015 I will be  starting a pilgrimage to Papua New Guinea.

As I start to prepare beyond the packing I remember this pilgrims prayer from Mallorca.

Set out! You were born for the road Set out! You have a meeting to keep. Where? With whom? You don’t yet know Perhaps with yourself? Set out! Your steps will be your words the road your song the weariness your prayer. And at the end your silence will speak to you.

Set out! Alone or with others; but get out of yourself. You have created rivals you will find companions. You envisaged enemies You will find brothers and sisters. Set out! You were born for the road. The pilgrims road.

Someone is coming to meet you is seeking you, so that you can find him.   In the temple at the end of the road.

In the shrine at the depths of your heart. He is your peace He is your joy.

Go, God already walks with you.

Taken from Eglisia Paroquial , Arta Mallorca

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

Hope for the Future

hopeAcross the world, women and girls who are caught up in political battles, in the name of religion.

They are kidnapped, held hostage, taken away from their families and living in impossible situations.

Where is the logic that girls are not allowed to have an education? How does it work for anyone not to allow their daughter to be able to read? Let alone being unable to marry a person of their choice or unable to walk without a chaperone.

In so many ways we value our freedom in the UK and that equality issues are not so basic and so dire as in many places, not saying however, that suffering by girls is not taking place in the UK.

Fear can work in so many ways, faith does not use fear as a justification.

Community Energy Projects

Image 1Midsummer and a far cry from the dark days of a northern winter. So maybe not the best time to think about energy and energy savings, but when we heard about community and energy we began to sit up from our sun loungers( only joking!) and start thinking about how communities in all shapes and sizes can take more control over their energy sources and become more efficient.

There are many benefits, the most obvious being coming together as a group to make savings and to use the knowledge and skills of many people to benefit the whole community.

There are now moves to work with, for examples, Parish Councils to engage with their community and become the mover of a community energy project. The team at Community Pathways have a great source of documents to support and develop the projects.

In our partnership, we work with people and community organisations to deliver benefits to the community.

We see the potential impact of these projects in a number of ways; using volunteers, bringing together expertise in skills and knowledge, using local business and groups, working with people across age groups and across family involvements.

There is nothing like making a saving to ensure that people will become active. And this way it can be the community that will be the real winner.

Sue Martin FRSA- SmithMartin Partnership LLP

Making Ideas Work …training at Canada Water Library

 You know that feeling when you have a great idea but the overload of work just weighs you down?

Before that happens, don’t let the idea get squashed…. Build Something you Love!

...at the workshop image

Thinking about community…

On March 25th our partnership team spent the day with a wonderful group of people, in Canada Water Library, to do just that… Building Something Special. From ideas and concepts to how setting up an organisation in the right framework will benefit the project immensely.

We were working in connection with Church Urban Fund, Near Neighbours and Rev’d Tim Clapton and the people were all connected with Near Neighbours and working as a faith organisation or in connection with faith groups.

What did we discuss? A huge array of the aspects on setting up an organisation, the ethical stance that community projects have at their core, and the passion for supporting and developing people as paramount.

People had come from different communities in London and their set up organisations included;
World of Faith, Clapton/Hackney Gardening, World Beaters, Future 4 All, Alternatives, iiChild, British Rastafari, Community Organising Malawi, VOTY Project, St Mark’s Dalston Junction.

SmithMartin have created www.enterprisingcommunities.today to provide a continual supply of up to date information.

Pleased to support communities.

SmithMartin Partnership LLP

Canada Water Library image

The library interior…

God and the Jet Stream

Image 2Have you ever wondered what is happening with the weather this year?

Day after day of cold, bitter northerly winds and a Spring that just seems to refuse to happen.

Snow at Easter, the northern hills still covered in the white stuff, lambs already in need of their warm and wooly coats.

The Atlantic Jet Stream, it seems is too far south! Leaving us above the warm and westerly winds an in direct line for the easterly winds from the Urals.

What does God think about the jet stream and could he just not give it a casual blow from the south, please?

I wonder if he sits in heaven and maybe thinks that along with austerity goes a very cold wind indeed!

On searching in the Bible the main reference to the weather is in Job, 37: 22- end

When the wind has passed and cleared them, out of the north comes golden splendour.’

Maybe we should just hope that in time the weather will change and become warmer…. and like all difficult things, with time it will pass.

Rev’d sue Martin

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