Faith Goes Walkabout

Thoughts and reflections

Category: church seasons Page 4 of 9

The Mustard Seed

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On July 27, 2014

In church seasons, theological

The Mustard Seed

Image 9Sixth Sunday after Trinity July 27th 2014


Readings Matthew 13: 31 – 35, 41 – 52. Romans 8

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.

 

A mustard seed so tiny and innocuous , but it has an intelligence to become a large plant in a year, to spread and to grow and to produce beautiful flowers.

How though can the kingdom of God be like a mustard seed?
No wonder that the disciples found it hard to follow, a country, a world, a universe like a mustard seed?

The world is a pretty big place. The vastness of the oceans, the great continents and land masses, no-one could say that our world is small. And the universe, well there is something that is so vast it the size is beyond our comprehension.

But is that really so?

To find out more go to Sermons on Faith Goes Walkabout.

Rev’d Sue Martin

The Longest Day

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On June 24, 2014

In church seasons, pastoral, theological

This was the view from home on June 21st 2014 at 21.25,just as the sun disappeared over the horizon. The longest day was coming to an end and it wasn’t over yet as the daylight and twilight continued until well past 22.00.

What an amazing experience and wonderful to have so much sunshine on the longest day.

IMG 0802Most of the information available relates to the Summer Solstice and to the druids at Stonehenge, rather as if they were and still are the only ones who find this a special time.

 

Solstice’ literally means the stopping or standing still of the sun. It is used as a name for the longest day of the year – 21 June – when the sun is at its highest point in the northern hemisphere.
The sun reaches its highest position in the sky twice a year as seen from the north or south pole. This is when either hemisphere is tipped towards the sun more than on any other day of the year.
The day of the solstice has the longest period of sunlight in the calendar year (16 hours and 38 minutes in London). The only exception is in polar regions, where daylight can last for days or months.

Light is powerful, and that our relationship with our star, the sun, is crucial to our planet.

Being filled with light gives us hope and joy and a real lift to our souls.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Lord of the Dance

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On April 20, 2014

In church seasons, pastoral, theological

EasterHappy Easter!

Alleluia, He is Risen!

Dance then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,

And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

They cut me down

And I leap up high;

I am the life

That’ll never, never die;

I’ll live in you,if you’ll live in me:

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he:

Rev’d Sue Martin

Chaplain at QE Hospital, Diocese of Norwich

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

Helicopter Crash in North Norfolk

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On January 10, 2014

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

Image 4

 

 

 

 

 

On the edge of the North Norfolk coast, US Air Force helicopter crashed killing all four people on board.

The HH-60G Pave Hawk, based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, came down at a nature reserve in Cley next the Sea on Tuesday night.

The aircraft, from the 48th Fighter Wing, was on a low-level training mission and carrying live ammunition.

For many of us, living in Norfolk, the flights overhead of military planes and helicopters is a constant reminder of the work of the armed forces and how the low level flying over the sea is a fundamental part of the training programmes.

It is of enormous sadness that four young men should lose their loves in such a way on the shoreline where there is usually peace and solace.

The Bishop of Lynn, The Right Reverend Jonathan Meyrich said ,

“We have all been shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of the four crew members involved in Tuesday’s crash. Words can be of little help at this time to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives, but in services across the Diocese we will be remembering them in our prayers this Sunday, as well as those in Cley and Salthouse and members of the emergency services, many of whom have been left shaken by this tragedy.”

“Often when a tragedy like this happens, people want to pray but are not sure how. The best prayers come straight from the heart, but the prayer below can be used by any who wish to remember before God those whose lives have been affected.”

“God of all consolation, we pray for all those whose lives have been affected by Tuesday’s helicopter crash. We ask for comfort for those who have been bereaved, courage for the colleagues of the crew, strength for the emergency services, peace for communities of Salthouse and Cley. Grant to all who have been affected by this tragedy your light and hope, for we pray in the name our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Rev’d Sue Martin

Diocese of Norwich

Advent 2

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On December 8, 2013

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, pastoral, theological

Posada

Mary Joseph and donkey

The Advent journey of Mary and Joseph and their donkey is experienced more and more in our churches and homes.

The tradition of Posada, which began in South America is now taking root in the UK.

Crib figures, representing Mary, Joseph and the donkey travel around a village or town stopping(by arrangement!) where there is a place for them to stay with a warm welcome.

Night after night, the figures are taken from one host home to another; hospitality, the lighting of a candle and a very simple act of worship are shared. There is time to wonder on these amazing overnight guests and to reflect on what Advent really means.

Rev’d Sue Martin

image courtesy of spiritualchild.co.uk

Advent 1

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On December 1, 2013

In church seasons, theological

First Sunday of Advent December 1st

Image 1

Advent literally means ‘ to the coming’ or the ‘arrival’.

Just as it’s getting darker and darker with the nights getting longer and longer, we start thinking about the light of the world;
All out of darkness there came light,…
The light of the world has come among us cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light from the collect.

What does that all mean, darkness, the works of darkness, the armour of light?
The world had been in a place where things were not going well, Isaiah refers to a conversation about how God has become very unhappy about what is happening on earth. No one appeared to be listening to him, so he decides to send his Son.

And now, in Advent, getting ready, thinking about Christmas day and for us as Christians seeking the message that comes with the arrival and birth of Jesus. So what do we do! How do we get ready?

Read more in Advent of Faithgoeswalkabout.org

Rev’d Sue Martin

Archbishop of Canterbury in Hong Kong

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On October 29, 2013

In church seasons, community, theological

++CanterburySomebody once said, ” Coincidences happen more often when you believe in God”.

Not sure if it was a coincidence or just my luck, that whilst in Hong Kong this last two weeks, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby was preaching at St John’s Cathedral, whilst on a stop over between London and South Korea.

Warm and sunny day, in the midst of the higher than high finance buildings in Central, Hong Kong Island, the traditional English style cathedral sits amongst surrounding gardens.

The Archbishop preached on allowing God to be in control of our lives and how sometimes that is deeply uncomfortable, but that we should be faithful and true to what God asks us to do.

DSCF2041

 

Notes on the sermon are under Sermons on Faith Goes Walkabout.

Rev’d Sue Martin

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