Faith Goes Walkabout – Page 3 – Thoughts and reflections

The Queen and Paddington

On June 12, 2022

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

The walk to Golgotha

By faithgoeswalkabout

On April 15, 2022

In Faith goes walkabout, Holy Land

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

Acts of Kindness

By faithgoeswalkabout

On April 4, 2022

In Faith goes walkabout

Grandad and grandchild in tune…

An Act of kindness can mean many things, it can mean helping someone along the way, it can mean listening to a friend. It can mean walking in step with someone else. Holding a hand to support, or just to show you care is a sign across the generations. Sometimes older and younger people are much more in tune with each other.

I came across this picture of a colleague who helped me along the Way and made such a difference to my journey. Who is helping who in the picture? Or are grandchild and grandad just connected and see the joy in the same things.

Nearing the end of Lent I have created a set of Prayers including this picture.

Rev’d Sue Martin

What kind of world do we live in?

By faithgoeswalkabout

On March 19, 2022

In Faith goes walkabout

World Vision is on the ground helping refugees from Ukraine

I am sure that you, like me and many others will have been praying more over the last two weeks. What a strange world we live in.

Tv screens and newspapers full of suffering, torment, war, destruction, and refugees. Ukraine is the focus of dreadful bombardments and suffering, and for what?

When people risk their lives by travelling across Europe with vans full of medical supplies, clothes and food, when children in our schools have seen the face of war and have stood up against it by spending whole days in support of Ukraine.

Whatever we may think, this is not the way it was ever meant to be, and I hope the sermon touches some of those thoughts indirectly. Read more in Lent 2022.

Hold fast to hope and pray like never before…

Rev’d Sue Marin

Prayers at Lent 2022

By faithgoeswalkabout

On March 8, 2022

In Lent

Time for Reflection… Sunset at Old Hunstanton beach, West Norfolk, Feb 2022

Lent is a time for reflection and making some changes to lifestyle.

Generally, for me that means giving up chocolate. But I don’t actually eat that much chocolate anymore, so it seemed like the easy way out!

Instead of or as well as I have returned to a project that I did a few years ago.. adding a prayer for every day of Lent. In 2022, this seems the least I can do or rather the most I can do to have any real benefit to this strange time in 2022.

On Prayers page I am adding prayers for us all, prayers for reflection and prayers for peace in Ukraine.

Spend a moment and read one or two of the prayers, or maybe it will lead you to write and share a prayer of your own.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Help and Pray for the People of the Ukraine.

By faithgoeswalkabout

On March 2, 2022

In community, Diocese of Norwich, Ukraine

…dreadful and devastating crisis emerges before our eyes

The dreadful and devastating crisis emerges before our eyes as the Russian military invade Ukraine.

This is something we have not experienced for over eighty years. Hundreds of thousands of children and adults have been affected. The evacuation of so many people on the roads with their suitcases, travelling away from their homes to places of safety, such as Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Hungary. Europe is united in support of these people who need our help now.

What can we do? Firstly, we can pray. We can pray for the people and for peace. In our schools, in our churches and in our homes. We can pray on our own or join in with others to show solidarity, united in faith.

Secondly, we can give. It may be online donation or actual clothes and food and medicines. There are places in every town where these can be sent to depots to reach the Ukrainian people, wherever they are.

There are many large charities where your money will be well used. UNICEF is focussing on children and families.

Donate now to protect children in Ukraine

A Prayer for Ukraine

Dear Father,

We pray for peace and for the leaders of the countries as they try valiantly to open talks and prevent further fighting and use of weapons.

We pray for the people in Ukraine, those who have stayed and those who have travelled away from their country, in fear and desperation for their lives. Children and families have been separated in the fight for the freedom of their country. Help us to do what we can to help, by giving and praying.

Father, hear our prayers and calm our fears. Be with us and with our neighbours of Ukraine.

Amen. Rev’d Sue Martin, Diocese of Norwich

Feeling small…

By faithgoeswalkabout

On February 6, 2022

In community, Diocese of Norwich, Faith and business

I have always been fascinated by the large container ships that carry vast numbers of containers across the world. In October 2018, I was visiting my daughter and family in Hong Kong and we were fortunate to or not, to get very close to a large container ship.

We were out on a small junk, with a crew of two people and crossing the shipping channel on our way back to Hong Kong. I had seen the large container ship travelling our way and as it came closer we slowed down to let it pass in front of us.

The video shows how close we were, it made us feel very small. This container ship was certainly not one of the largest, but it made me realise how small we are in the big scheme of things. Maybe a speck of dust from outer space, but yet each one of us is special to God!

Like all the things inside those containers, from the smallest reel of brightly coloured ribbons to large boxes of fruit, being small does not matter.

Back in March 2021,one of the largest container ships The Ever Given became stuck in the Suez Canal. The Ever Given was 400 metres long and held 20,000 containers. Once stuck it was an enormous problem to re-float this huge structure. As a result, large number of container ships had to wait at the entrance to the Suez Canal and shipping around the world was delayed.

How dependant we are on far away places.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Epiphany 1

By faithgoeswalkabout

On January 10, 2022

In church seasons, Diocese of Norwich, Epiphany, Faith goes walkabout

Arise and shine for your light has come ! Isaiah chapter 60:1

How hard it is to emerge from the darkness, the long dark nights and the cold wet days. What a joy the sunrises and sunsets and the days we have had where the sky is blue and we can feel the strength of the sun, that bright shining star that we depend on to survive.

Some time in the surf would be just the thing!

So, moving on from Christmas and into Epiphany, the time when the light shines on us all as we realise that the day has dawned when Jesus is with us for ever. The greatest ever moment of Epiphany.

Christmas – 2021!

By faithgoeswalkabout

On December 23, 2021

In Christmas, Faith goes walkabout

Christmas at Ely

A time of festivity, of giving, a time of love and laughter, of friendship and togetherness.

Twinkling lights in the midst of darkness, presents and gifts, trees brought in the house and traditions to mark this special time.

Christmas, the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Son of God into the world.
Christ among us.

The story of the Nativity, the journey of Mary and Joseph, the manger and the stable, the shepherds on the hillside, the wise men travelling from afar.

The brightest of stars marking the place where Jesus lay in Bethlehem.

But why did he come to us? Why didn’t he appear amongst wealth and fortune like other kings?

Advent 3 Sunrise

By faithgoeswalkabout

On December 18, 2021

In Advent, Christmas, community, Diocese of Norwich, Faith goes walkabout, Sermons, Uncategorized

I’m going to start with the sunrise! Yesterday morning was absolutely wonderful. I was just getting up about 7.00am and looked outside to see a warm reddish pink glow on the skyline, so I said how lovely it was and continued with my usual ‘getting up’ arrangements.

By 7.30am I was outside looking at the sky, touched by pinkness on the edge of high clouds.

All out of darkness we have light!

Read more on Advent 2021...