Thoughts and reflections

Category: Faith goes walkabout Page 1 of 9

Palm Sunday

Following the donkeys into St Mary's East Walton

Palm Sunday April 2nd 2023 at St Mary’s East Walton 

What a delight to follow behind the young donkeys on our way into church on Palm Sunday. Both young donkeys went straight into church and stayed with us for the first hymn, we have a king who rides a donkey!

Donkeys – what do they mean to us? Calm, loving, spirited, friendly.

As we start Holy Week we remember the entry into Jerusalem by Jesus on the young donkey as the crowds shouted ‘Hosanna’ and waved palm leaves before him.

Much was to happen in this week … Read more in Sermons 2023

Rev’d Sue Martin

Only two days away!!

Martha had sent a message to Jesus to come quickly as her brother Lazarus was seriously ill. But Jesus stayed away for two days, why?

Some different thoughts on time keeping are…

Nice and early, Always on time, Just in time and Running late!

Nice and early. I have to admit to hardly ever fitting into the first one, nice and early. As much as I would love to be that organised I never really am.

Always on time is not for me either, hand on heart. I am now better but I have to really work at it!

Just in time fits me nicely. Gathering things together, having a last cup of tea and then getting to the right place.

Running late – can still be said of me occasionally now. I don’t like it as it means that you may be letting people down, so I do try hard!

And so Mary and Martha were distraught, Lazarus, their brother had died, They had sent word to Jesus who was only two days away, so why didn’t he come then?

Read more… Sermons 2023

Snowdrops

A New Beginning

Let’s take a tiny thing… the snowdrop… Lots now flowering in our churchyards, a flower of winter, and a herald of Spring. How uplifting it is to see their beautiful and tiny white flowers appear through the ground and make carpets of flower in January and February. The beginning of our year. They represent purity. Light and peace.

Snowdrops are a first sign, a promise that spring is on its way, sometimes called Candlemass Bells.

Read more in Sermons 2023

Rev’d Sue Martin

A Sky full of Angels!

Sky Full of Angels

In the depths of our winter, 2nd January was a bright and sunny day. Gazing westwards across the Norfolk fields I saw a sky lit up with  angels (disguised as clouds)! There is certainly one who is shining so brightly!

Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies!

Rev’d Sue Martin

Epiphany

Baubles in Advent

Epiphany – the realisation that Jesus is in the world with us all!

And so the good news continues. Epiphany is the time when the Magi arrived at Bethlehem,

We know the story, we know why the Magi brought the gifts they did, they were gifts for a king. Melchior from Persia brought gold, Caspar from India brought myrrh and Balthazar from Ethiopia brought frankincense.

This the real celebration, we have all the story, we have the light of the world come to live with us, and he will be with us forever.

Read more in Epiphany page.

Let’s move forward into 2023 in the light, it has dispelled the darkness and will never be put out! Alleluia!

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

Christmas is Coming!

St Mary’s East Walton, West Norfolk

The last of the shopping, the final decorations, how many more lights can we have?

Watching the night skies when it has been so cold and the night skies have shimmered with stars have been amazing. Jupiter has been shining bright in the evening sky. How much brighter it would have shone on that Christmas Eve before Jesus was born as it moved towards an alignment with Saturn and the star Regulus.

A time for awe and wonder, a time to experience how large is the universe and how small our part plays, but yet for each one of us we are important to God.

Mary and Joseph would have been approaching Bethlehem so many years ago, the city would have been seen under the same sparkling sky.

Let’s journey together under the same starry skies.

Rev’d Sue Martin

St Michael and All Angels- Michaelmass

St Michael is seen as the chief of archangels, a defender, guardian, protector of Israel and the faith. He is shown in Daniel as a warrior and of course in Revelation he is the slayer of the dragon and the angel who cast out the Satan from the heavenly thrones.

The to angels is said to be:

First Order are Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones,

Second order Dominions, Powers and Virtues

Third Order Principalities, Archangels and Angels

Terms also to describe angels are sons of God, ‘holy ones’, Angels are mentioned in the divine council of God as members of a heavenly chorus,

St Michael is  gentle and brave, gallant and bold.

From the hymn by Jan Struther,

Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed

‘Gainst the dragons of anger and the ogres of greed:

And let me set free, with the sword of my youth,

From the castle of darkness, the power of the truth.

Michaelmass, September 29th is the time we remember St Michael and also celebrate the changing seasons of the agricultural world.

Read more in Sermons 2022

Sun and Moon- How Amazing is That!

Full Moon August 12th St Botolph’s Church. Grimston

In this heatwave I have been enjoying being in the garden in the evening. We have a wonderful view of the western skies . On Tuesday evening  I watched and I waited. The sky slowly changed from pink  to darkness. The sun went down in the west and the moon came up in the south.

How amazing was that!

The moon slowly changed from having pink edges to a beautiful white with just the outline of the craters on the moon visible.

How amazing it was. Then in the darkness I saw the bats overhead. I heard the call of the tawny owls. I watched as one flew from one oak tree to another and then started to call the young over to it. I looked up at the sky when the stars were appearing overhead , many billions of light years away.

How amazing is that!

God’s world is full of awe and wonder. Read more in Sermons 2022.

Rev’d Sue Martin

The Queen and Paddington

by Eleanor Tomlinson

by Eleanor Tomlinson

On a journey together, hand in hand, coats and hats on and bags in hand. Who would have ever suspected that marmalade sandwiches  unite the Queen and Paddington. But we know no that the Queen saves hers for later!

What a statement of truth, sincerity, honesty and a life of service is hidden from view but so obvious as they set off together. One foot in front of the other they both set of on the life journeys with all that they need.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Read more in Sermons 2022 for Trinity

The walk to Golgotha

Golgotha in 2015

And yet… they took Jesus and he walked carrying the heavy cross through Jerusalem and the Via Delarosa and on the hill of Golgotha they crucified him.

As we face depths of despair in our lives let us walk on in faith knowing that the story does not end in death but in resurrection.

In our world we pray for those who will face violence today, who will face death. Keep them strong and brave and let the Son shine in their lives today.

Amen   Rev’d Sue Martin

Read more in Prayers for Lent

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