Faith Goes Walkabout

Thoughts and reflections

Category: Faith goes walkabout Page 7 of 9

Welcome at West New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea

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On November 7, 2015

In Faith goes walkabout, Uncategorized

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

Come away and rest a while…

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On July 18, 2015

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, theological

 

IMG_1524Seventh Sunday after Trinity July 19th    2015

‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ Says Jesus to the disciples. Mark 6:31

What a powerful few words. How often would we like someone to say that to us.

Come away and rest a while….

 What’s been happening to Jesus and the disciples? Why are they so tired and in need of rest?Jesus saw that his disciples were getting tired and so asked them to come away and rest.

They went in a boat and to find a deserted place, they set off into the Sea of Galilee and headed up the shore, from Capernaum.

But the crowds had seen them and were following on the shore and in fact arrived before they did. So the only rest the disciples has was in the boat. The Sea of Galilee can be incredibly calm and restful beyond measure so let’s hope that they did get some rest before they clambered out of the boat.

When they arrived at the shore Jesus sees the crowds and feels compassion for them as he says, they are like sheep without a shepherd,

And he walks up the hill and starts to speak to them.

Interestingly in today’s readings, we miss out the next section which is the Feeding of the Five thousand, which is a story to itself. And then the calming of the waves, these are both very active sections from Jesus.

And we do all need rest and a time and a place where we can feel peace and calm. Easier said than done!!

Ahead of us we have the summer, holiday time. To experience the real joy of love and laughter and to find space for each other.

In our busy lives it’s hard sometimes to find some space and to Come Away to a deserted place and rest a while.

We rush around getting so much done and achieving more and more, there is more and more on offer for everyone of us and that is really wonderful.

But in the midst of all the running around and endless activity can we find some space, some space to find God and to let God find us. If we never speak to God and say prayers, if we never give thanks and spend some time in worship, how can we expect Him to be with us?

Come Away and rest a while…come to a deserted place all by yourselves.

Amen

For more see Sermons on Faith Goes Walkabout

Rev’d Sue Martin

The best gift of all! The Holy Spirit

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On May 24, 2015

In Faith goes walkabout, Pentacost

PentecostActs 2: 1- 21

And just how amazed do you think the disciples would have been to find that they were speaking in different languages!

Can you imagine it now? What would people have said?

A great crowd of people at a special festival, tongues of flame start to appear from all around, mmmm… not looking to good. Someone by now would have called the police on their mobile.

“Come quick please, I think we have been tricked! This new band have sent fire into the crowd and now there are men who are talking in all sorts of different languages. You’d better hurry!”

At the feast of Pentecost there were a group of about 200 followers, the disciples, and Mary, mother of Jesus and his brothers. A sound from Heaven, like a strong wind appeared and tongues like fire rested on them.

Peter, standing with the other 11 disciples, addressed the crowd. He interpreted the tongues as the fulfillment of God’s promise, described in Joel

Peter went on to baptise about 3000 people that day. They were from countries far and wide; they had the potential to cross cultural boundaries. They had the power and the spirit to take the word of God across the world.

The church and Christianity started here!

Rev’d Sue Martin,  Diocese of Norwich –  www faithgoeswalkabout

Easter Sunday

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On April 5, 2015

In Easter, Faith goes walkabout

Easter Sunday April 5th

Is there Hope? 

Ch Anunc Naz

Matthew 28:1- 10  Acts 10 34-43

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

What a week!

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. What was that like then?

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!

But let’s go back to that tomb, the tomb given by Joseph of Arimathea. There are tombs in Jerusalem just like the one given by Joseph and I have seen a later tomb where they think Joseph of Arimathea was later buried.

In the morning Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus had gone to visit the tomb and see where they had laid his body. It had been such a dreadful day on Friday their sorrow and grief were unmeasurable but together they walked to the tomb, maybe like us today to visit the gravesides of our relatives, in respect and in love.

In Matthew we hear that an angel had rolled back the stone and was sitting there. This is a very short passage, but it says all that is needed.

The guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,

‘Do not be afraid, He is risen. Go and tell his disciples.’

What could have been in the minds of the two Mary’s – joy, exhilaration, fear, wonder.And then on the way to the disciples they met Jesus. Immediately they bowed down and worshipped him.

In the meantime the soldiers had described what had happened and the story was made that his body had been taken by the soldiers, for fear of reprisal from the crowds.

The eleven disciples were making their way to the mountain in Galilee, when Jesus appeared to them.Jesus said to them,

‘Remember I am with you always to the end of the age.’

And that surely is what the Easter message is about. Hope, resurrection, a life hereafter.

What happen to us in this world when we lose all hope? This is such a sad and miserable place to be, the depths of despair.

But Hope… Jesus gives us that hope forever, a love that never ends, a hope for all to be well, a love that is unconditional, a hope that one day we will all meet with Jesus.

Jesus risen from the dead, alive and with us, here, now and forever.

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

What did I need? -1st Sunday in Lent

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On February 22, 2015

In church seasons, Faith and business, Faith goes walkabout, pastoral, theological

Readings Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1: 9-15
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A few weeks ago I was in the Holy Land and I    wondered what I had been expecting on that journey and in that place?

Who would I meet? What would I say? What did I need to take?

I am not sure now what I expected, or had I set out on this journey with the hope that I would merely enjoy it and be pleased that I had made the effort?

And as we start Lent our readings for are about temptation, fasting, God’s promise to Noah, and Jesus resurrection.

Temptation – believing that I have got it all right

Fasting – spending time by suffering in some way

God’s Promise – He will be with us

Jesus Resurrection – Beyond all this that we see and meet Jesus died and was resurrected that we may have that eternal life.

In the Holy Land these aspects were all met and I found that they became alive for me. And who did I meet, what could I say and what did I need to take?

Absolutely nothing!

Rev’d Sue Martin

Holy Land Pilgrimage-The Sea of Galilee

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On February 8, 2015

In church seasons, community, Faith and business, Faith goes walkabout, pastoral, theological

IMG 1509This was the start of our pilgrimage, a day full of wonder and awe, a lake so peaceful and calm, a boat trip to remember for ever, a Eucharist by the shore of the lake, serene and full of the Spirit.

We set out, as many do, into the middle of the Sea of Galilee, peaceful and calm, we had prayers we heard the story of the fishermen and the start of the disciples calling, we saw the geography of that place where Jesus began his work.

After the Bishop had said prayers, there were a few of us who started dancing, to the Jewish dance of Hava Nagila, with music from the crew. – Who would have thought it!! But as always dance was brilliant to express emotions and joy.

We held Eucharist by the shores, and to my amazement,the prayers for that day were for the parish were I now serve and first came to church in Ashwicken.

And towards the end of the day we renewed our baptisms in the River Jordan.

A glimpse into this journey of faith, go to holylandpilgrimage on this site to find out more about the journey.

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

Take Tme

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On April 17, 2014

In Faith goes walkabout, theological

country trackTake time to think

It is the source of power.

Take time to Play

It is the secret of perpetual growth

Take time to read

It is the fountain of wisdom.

Visit www.faithgoeswalkabout.org

Pancakes and beyond…

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On March 16, 2014

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, theological

pancakesShrove Tuesday and Pancake day, when we all have the chance to eat delicious pancakes with our favourite toppings, maple syrup,lemon and sugar, and even Nutella!

A time to be ready for Lent, the six weeks ahead when we spend time in reflection, time to give something up, time to take on something new… but above all to have time for God to find us and for us to find God.

Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, to think, to pray and to get ready for the difficult time ahead. Tempted by the devil, he resisted.

How hard is it for us to actually give something up for just a few weeks, nobody is saying we have too, there is only ourselves to keep the pressure on, and how easy therefore to give in to temptation.

But in Lent we can find ourselves and the true person that God intends us to be.

When I wrote the sermon for the first week in Lent I was in Hong Kong and some of the sermon is in the Lent section on faithgoeswalkabout.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Jesus as a Revolutionary…

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On February 8, 2014

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, pastoral, theological

Jesus walkingJesus was a revolutionary.

He was stirring people into action, making them change, showing them what they should have been doing.

What happens to revolutionaries now? Don’t we all sit back and say things like,

‘I don’t see why I have to change. ‘
‘There’s nothing that I should be doing is there?’

But, “You are the light of the world…” says Jesus
So how can we sit back and do nothing?

We can’t all be revolutionaries but we can speak out when injustice does take place.

Don’t hide your light under a bushel!

See more in sermons on Faithgoeswalkabout.

Readings for 4th Sunday before Lent

Isaiah 58:1-9, 1 Corinth. 2:1-12 and Matthew 5:13 – 20

Rev’d Sue Martin

Follow Me…

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On January 26, 2014

In church seasons, community, Faith goes walkabout, pastoral, theological

Image 4

 

 

Follow me. The words of Jesus for the fishermen and for us too.

No excuses, like…well I’ll just take the dog home first and then I’ll be back.

Or…Can I make it next year, I have so much on at the moment..

Or… I will follow but it’s going to have to be later this week,. Can you come back next Sunday?

Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John were one day normal Galilean fishermen and the next, they were disciples and later apostles of Jesus, Son of God. Pretty impressive that!

We can all do it too, if we really want too. Follow Him!

See Epiphany on Faithgoeswalkabout

Rev’d Sue Martin

Norwich Diocese

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