Tag: church of england

Signs of Hope & Blessings

On February 17, 2019

Bless You – That’s my line!

Blessings, God Bless You, Blessed are the poor, the hungry, those who mourn, and those who are hated because of their faith…

What does it mean, blessings, blessed, bless you? Is it really a sign of hope, when hope is needed? Like the first daffodils in Spring, blessings for us all at the end of winter, we hope!

It seems that many people use the term, ‘Bless’, ‘bless you, bless him, and bless her’

I find it hard when people say that as I think what do they mean?

So, when people say to me ‘Oh, bless you,’ I often reply, ‘that’s my line!’

I must admit I deviated quite a bit from my sermon on the Beatitudes today, it seemed that hope was what was needed.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Candlemas

By faithgoeswalkabout

On February 3, 2019

In theological

This is a turning point for the church year. We now move from Christmas and Epiphany towards Easter and Lent, a turning point from looking behind to looking ahead, symbolic and preparing ourselves for Easter.

I think that Jesus must have grown up learning some of the trade of a carpenter as Joseph, I wonder what he made in wood, I imagine him carving and creating. A favourite picture of mine is taken in Avila, Spain and is of a statue over the entrance to a church. It is of Jesus with a saw in one hand and holding his father’s hand as they are walking.

Candlemas – a time when Jesus is taken as a baby to the temple in Jerusalem. Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and declares that he is a light to lighten the Gentiles. A light in our own darkness.

A time when we move from Christmas and Epiphany towards Easter.

It is in a way, where the plan for earth and heaven collide, a meeting point. Luke cleverly draws us all in to that story wanting to know more and in a way looking at our own journeys and life’s plans.

Processions or just taking a single candle out in the darkness tonight, all will be a pathway and alight for our own journeys.

Happy Christmas

By faithgoeswalkabout

On December 26, 2018

In Christmas, church seasons, community, Faith goes walkabout

And all the bells on earth shall ring

On Christmas Day

And all the bells on earth shall ring on Christmas Day

In the Morning

Happy Christmas to All

Rev’d Sue Martin

Advent

By faithgoeswalkabout

On December 8, 2018

In Advent, Faith goes walkabout

Four weeks of preparation and getting ready! That’s a long time even for those, like me who are not that organised, all those endless jobs that need doing before Christmas are sitting in my lists, staring at me every day!

I met with a friend this week who has everything done and finished, just waiting now for Christmas to arrive! At first that seems wonderful but what would Christmas be like if we had it all completed before we had even started?

So, I give myself permission to remain unorganised, have many jobs left to do, and presents to wrap. But in the midst of that I hope to meet friends along the way to share time with, to see sparkling lights brightening the dark skies, to think of just how lucky we are and to find a time each day to thank God for the arrival of his son Jesus into the world over 2000 years ago.

A prayer…

Slow down Advent, and take time to look inwards at our hopes and fears, to look outwards at a world in need of hope and to look Godward confidant in his love and committment to the world.

Amen

Rev’d Sue Martin

Remembrance 2018 – 100 Years

By faithgoeswalkabout

On November 16, 2018

In community, Faith goes walkabout, Remebrance

Poppies made by the Girl Guides,Gayton

One hundred years ago the Armistice was signed between the Allies of World War 1 and the German Empire. The cessation of hostilities took effect at 11.00 am on 11th November 1918.

This year marks the centenary and Remembrance Day is commemorated across the UK.

In our Benefice on Norfolk, we held two main services with packed churches and two minutes silence at 11.00am. Even the traffic stopped on the road for us this year. In the evening two large bonfires were held and again huge numbers of people gathered to watch and the church bells rang out at 6.50pm to join in across the UK.

This was followed by singing the old songs and enjoying a glass of wine and some cakes and listening to stores of people from our village who went to war and never returned.

The first verse of the poem by Rupert Brooke, written in 1914, is a reminder of that time and the young men who gave their lives in the trenches in France and Belgium.

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is forever England. There shall be

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

A body of England’s breathing English air,

Washed by rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt if friends; and gentleness,

In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Rupert Brooke 1914

Rev’d Sue Martin

Joy to the World

By faithgoeswalkabout

On February 17, 2018

In Lent, Papua New Guinea

From Papua New Guinea to England, there is joy in every place. Sometimes we just do not see it!

At a community school, where all the staff are volunteers and life is quite hard, the chair of governors welcomes our pilgrimage from Diocese of Norwich in 2015, with joy and happiness in her smile.

Sometimes we just do not recognise the happiness and joy in our lives. So let’s go out there and spread the joy!

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.

Psalm 24, verse 1

Bishop’s Lent Appeal, Norwich Diocese is to Simbai in Papua New Guinea

Rev’d Sue Martin

Joy in Lent

By faithgoeswalkabout

On February 14, 2018

In Faith goes walkabout, Lent, Uncategorized

Kalpana, brothers and sisters in the Himalayas. We support them.

Lent is a time for reflection and for giving things up. But why can’t it also be a time for joy!

This year as part of a Lent Reflection I will be posting about joy.

Joy can be seen all around us, it is infectious and children share it very easily.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all the people“. Luke 2, verse 10.

What better news could there be.

Joy, happiness and blessings in abundance.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Easter Sunday

By faithgoeswalkabout

On April 5, 2015

In Easter, Faith goes walkabout

Easter Sunday April 5th

Is there Hope?

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

The Longest Day

By faithgoeswalkabout

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.

Most 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

Women Bishops

By faithgoeswalkabout

On November 24, 2012

In community, pastoral, theological

What happened to the vote, how does 72% overall in favour mean that the legislation was defeated?

Everyone is reeling this week with the news that General Synod, the top section of the Church of England’s structure, have seemingly voted against the position of women bishops. In brief there are three houses and each has to have a two thirds majority. All had gone fine until the House of Laity, who did not return this majority.

What a disaster!

In 2012, with a church that has women priests, the common sense and equality approach, would see no reason why women are not treated the same as men!

Theological, a minority of people including conservative evangelicals, feel that it is not right.

If we are all working in the affirmation, love and welcome of God through the world, then surely it must be time for us all to have an equal position and worth.

There is much anguish, frustration and disappointment.

The Bishop of Norwich has written to all across the Norwich Diocese and expressed the need, now, to be more united as a church, to work and pray for a resolution.

In the meantime, women and men together in ministry continue to bring the good news to all in the parishes and beyond.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Curate in Gayton Group of Parishes