Faith Goes Walkabout

Thoughts and reflections

Category: church seasons Page 6 of 9

Lent 2013

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On February 14, 2013

In church seasons

Image 1Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (less Sundays).

The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus – his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death and resurrection.

The actual word means – to lengthen, and is marked by the lengthening of days as we enter the season of Spring.

Lent is a preparation for Easter and is often shown by giving up something, often foods that we especially like; chocolate, cakes and biscuits are good examples. But Lent can also be a time for real reflection.

There are many Lent courses and the two included are both good ways of exploring meanings and an understanding of life today and the role of Christianity.

The Norwich diocese course(as illustrated) is part of the Lent project with Uganda and can be downloaded for free. The material is written by Rev’d Dr Medad Birungi Zinomuhangi, President & Founder-World Shine Ministries.

The Church Urban Fund course looks at issues of poverty today in the UK and can be downloaded for free. Searching for the truth behind the news headlines and discovering realities for people who live on the edge.

Or try Christian Aid Count Your Blessings? Bite size pieces of daily thoughts on life’s issues in a gentle but real way.

So, let’s get going in Lent, wake up to life around us and the Easter story in 40 days time.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate in Gayton group of parishes.

The Christmas Story – one more time…

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On January 3, 2013

In church seasons, pastoral, theological

Christmas told in the Antipodes

How children ‘down under’ interpret the Christmas Story…

 

Happy Christmas

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On December 24, 2012

In church seasons, theological

Joy and Peace Chr 2012

Advent The Messenger

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On December 19, 2012

In church seasons, theological

candles advent

 

 

 

 

 

 

All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing that night
Glory to God and peace to men
Now and for evermore. Amen

Messages! John the Baptist to the angels visiting the shepherds.
Important messages, probably the most important message in the world!!

But a message from whom?
Who is it that is calling out to us in the time of darkness, nights getting longer and days getting shorter, it’s getting closer and closer…

Guiding, directing, showing the way, bit like pathways and life too.

How often do we decide that the path is not the right one for us, too long? Too stony or swampy? Too much for the time we have today?

But the path that God has set before us is never too long, there is never a time to give up on the work and the life that we have before us.

When you feel yourself starting to give in to the comfy cosy option then get back to the path ahead

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate Gayton group of parishes

Advent- Here I come ready or not!

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On December 7, 2012

In church seasons, theological

Gayt dec

 

Only a few weeks to go…. a message I saw on a church notice board this week was ‘ Here I come ready or not…’

No matter how much we decorate the house, buy all the presents and make the mince pies, on 25th December Christmas will arrive.

‘Are you ready for Christmas?’, is a question so many people ask. But who is actually ready for this very special birthday, who can make sure that all is prepared? Will not Jesus find us at the least expected time?

 

My favourite Christmas story is Papa Panov, by Leo Tolstoy. The tired and weary shoe maker waits and waits for Jesus to arrive. Whilst he is waiting he helps the poor woman and her child, the old lady who needs some food. But still he does not see Jesus, or does he?

At the end of the day, Jesus asks Papa Panov, ‘ Did you not see me Papa Panov, did you not know that I was the little child and the old lady.’P

And Advent is like that. A time for getting ready and when we least expect it He appears.

Here I come ready or not…

Rev’d Sue Martin

Gayton Group of Parishes

Faith Goes Walkabout

A Great Teacher and Beyond…

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On November 4, 2012

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, theological

Jesus and crowds

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the hillside and sat down. His disciples came to him. He took a deep breath, and began his teaching.

What a start,wonderful news, The Beatitudes.
Blessed are the poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven is yours!

And so he went on. Good news for all the people.

I love that beginning; He took a deep breath and began his teaching.
So, here we go then!!

But Jesus starts straight in, what a teacher!

Blessed are….the poor, the mourners, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

Good News for all!!

Blessed means wonderful news, the happy, the blessed. The Beatitudes, which these are often called comes from the Latin beatus.

Words as much for today as for the people at the time of Jesus.

This was the introduction to Jesus’ teaching, ‘listen to this everybody, this is going to turn your life upside down. No more are the rich and powerful going to be the ways to success and prosperity’ .

That is for this life only.

Good to remember and hang on to when we see fame and fortune being a real goal for many, that sadly just slips away into the night.

Readings from Matthew 5:1-12

Rev’d Sue Martin

Gayton Group of Parishes

Life is Not all Sunshine

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On November 1, 2012

In church seasons, theological

Life is not all sunshine!

The book of Job is largely concerned with an entirely just and righteous man and his relationship with God. It brings to mind important questions about suffering and divine justice!

In the courts of heaven God and Satan were having a conversation; Satan was saying he could easily persuade anybody to turn to him away from God. If he had the chance to inflict injury and sorrow then he could persuade the person to follow him and not God.

If you are ever tempted to say, when life gets tough… ‘Why me?’ then the story of Job is a good one to remember.

He loses all that he has and his wife and friends plead with him to give up believing in God. But he remains resolved and in the end, when he is covered in sores, does it finally get better. God renews his wealth, family and fortune.

A good story but not easy reading.

Go to Faithgoeswalkabout for some reflection on Job and Life is not all Sunshine at Last Sunday in Trinity.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Sitting on Top of the World

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On October 22, 2012

In church seasons, Faith goes walkabout, theological

Sitting on Top of the World

A huge step downwards...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian helicopter pilot had been lifted up by a helium balloon to over 128,000 ft above Mexico, sitting on top of the world.

From there he emerged from his capsule in a suit, similar to a space suit and fell back to earth at 833mph.

Wow!! You might say it was utter madness, a stunt for publicity, what a waste of money or many other things but actually… Wow!

Sitting on top of the world!

The beautiful blue planet of earth lay beneath him, at the edge of space.

There’s a very good song by Delta Goodrem called Sitting on top of the World, a real rousing song and full of ‘feel good’ factor. If you don’t mind all the glitz, you can view on Youtube!

But what could it have been like! Once having made the decision, there was no choice but to get down, if he had gone up and up into space all sorts of things would have happened,he would not have survived for long.

What did he think at that point? He said he felt small and very alone and just wanted to get down.

Feeling small, humbled…the enormity of space around him. Looking down on the world below… all very theological.

God looking down from the heavens…

In the video of Felix’s descent the only sound you can hear is of his breathing, no screams, no shouts of joy or fear just silence. When he landed on his feet he fell to his knees and gazed upwards, Mmmm.

A fuller sermon is under Trinity on Faithgoeswalkabout, interesting for reflection.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Sponsored Cycle Ride – 18 miles!

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On September 9, 2012

In church seasons, community, pastoral

DSCF1615

 

Sponsored Cycle Ride.

What a fantastic day! With the sun shining all day and the hills(there really are hills in Norfolk!), it felt more like rural France.

 

£107 was raised to be shared between All Saint’s Church, Ashwicken and The Norfolk Churches Trust. A real fun way to support one of our local churches and the Norfolk Churches Trust.

All Saint’s Ashwicken, is our church in the fields, and at a high point where you can gaze out towards the coast. There is always a place to sit and rest, outside and inside. A special place indeed.

The Norfolk Churches Trust makes grants to churches and chapels towards repair and restoration costs. Since it’s inception in 1976, it has given over £3.8 million.

Image 2In total, we cycled 18 miles and visited seven churches, Grimston,Congham, Little and Great Massingham, Gayton Thorpe,East Walton and Gayton.

Look forward to next year but hope to do more cycling in the next few months, as summer turns to autumn.

 

Rev’d Sue Martin

Faith Goes Walkabout

Curate at the Gayton Group of parishes

Thought for the Day

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On July 27, 2012

In church seasons, community, Uncategorized

Oly 2The Olympics starts today! The opening ceremony is to be held at the stadium in Stratford, East London and promises to be the best one yet!

Listening to Radio 4’s Thought for the Day this morning, Canon Duncan Green, the head of multi-fatih chaplaincy for the London Organising Committee, talked about the excitement, the anticipation- the ‘are we there yet’ feeling!

It’s a great chance to listen to how this enormously mammoth event, through all it’s troubles and commercialisation still brings people from all over the world to celebrate and be together in harmony with a common purpose.

Thought for the Day is also a really good opportunity to listen to a number of speakers from many different faith backgrounds talking about current issues and happenings. It’s only on for a few moments at about 7.45 am every week day morning.

But you can always listen to it again, follow the link on Faith Goes Walkabout or direct from the BBC.You can also find your favourite speakers and listen to their broadcasts again or read the whole script.

Make it a favourite then you can always access the broadcasts.

So in between the events and when you have some space for reflection it’s well worth a second chance.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate at Gayton Group of Parishes

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