Faith Goes Walkabout

Thoughts and reflections

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Papua New Guinea and Heartwood C of E Primary School, Norfolk

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On March 18, 2021

In Faith goes walkabout, Papua New Guinea

Our link with Papua New Guinea remains strong in the Diocese of Norwich. We are aware that life is tough for the people of PNG at the moment as Covid19 hits the area.

We have a presentation to deliver to a school in Norfolk, Heartwood C of E Primary School, on  Thursday 18th March to help Year 2  discover a different land. This is part of their curriculum in geography and RE. What a great way to explore our world.

We journeyed to Papua New Guinea on a Pilgrimage in 2015 and I will be using many of the photos I took at the time to illustrate the session with the Year two children.

The video below is of our greeting by the people of West New Britain(an island in the South Pacific) as we were welcomed into the island.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Jerusalem and the Nuns in Dublin

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On March 3, 2021

In Faith goes walkabout

I am still dancing and singing this tune. The nuns in a closed order in Dublin thought they would do something to lighten our spirits and to bring us hope.

It’s worked!

Rev’d Sue Martin

https://youtu.be/Ewj1hnrsseg

Water – Life Giving

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On February 22, 2021

In Faith goes walkabout, Holy Land

Source of River Jordan

Source of the River Jordan Caesarea Philippi

I received a leaflet this week with my Church Times, called Water; The Truth from WaterAid. On the front cover was a picture of a child full of smiles under a shower tap and  breaking news, that for the first time in history 9 out of 10 people in the world have clean water!

How astonishing that is and we give thanks to all those who have made that possible.

I live in a country where the thought of not having clean water to drink is impossible. But not everywhere in the world has this necessity. Good news indeed that 9 out of 10m people now have clean water.

The image is of the spring of the River Jordan, where water flows effervescently and pure. Water is life giving, but so much more than that. It is the sign for us all that we need to be given that spirit from God, through Jesus. That life-giving water. When we thirst for something and are not sure what we need, it is that need  to be quenched and full of God’s word and support.

Jesus is living water for a thirsty world.

More in Sermon for 1st Sunday in Lent 2021

Rev’d Sue Martin

Strange Times but a sign of hope!

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On January 23, 2021

In community, Faith goes walkabout

We live in strange times. Somewhat of an understatement I know. Times are difficult, unpredictable, sometimes we are in the doldrums and it is like we are becalmed in a vast ocean Other times we are bashed about like the disciples in the boat in a storm on Lake Galilee.

I was thinking that it reminds me of a film called The Life of Pi, which I am sure some of you will have seen. Briefly, a boy is travelling with his family and their entire zoo, including a tiger, on a boat, which is caught in a storm. The boy is saved and also the tiger and they share a journey across the oceans in a small boat. At one point they are becalmed. They keep their distance from each other. The boy is frightened of the tiger with his very sharp teeth and claws. The tiger is frightened of the boy and his ability to use things like wood and sails to threaten him. After a long, long time they drift to an island in the tropics and the tiger walks away, leaving the boy alone.

We are definitely becalmed somewhere, fortunately  in our own homes, and we are frightened of the virus with its spike proteins, maybe and I am guessing here, the virus is frightened of us and our ability to use vaccinations against it.( I don’t think the virus has any emotions though so don’t quote me!!

We are in a period of time which is called, ‘waiting’! We are waiting for the vaccination, unless we have already had it, we are waiting for the curve in the graph to be right down and we are waiting to be told that life can go back to some kind of normal.

What a strange time indeed. Never saw this one coming!!

But this week a real sign of hope The US inauguration for Joe Biden President of the United States and Kamala Harris as Vice President. What a joy to hear in his speech that he refers to his Christian faith at least 10 times. He referred to St Augustine who wrote that a people is a multitude defined by their common objects of their love. He said that the work and prayers of centuries have brought them to this day. And that the American story is a story of hope and not fear. Plus so much more…

This is the right time for a US president with such a dedicated faith who is able to proclaim that love.

Rev’d Sue Martin

The Year of the Parcel 2020

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On January 3, 2021

In Faith goes walkabout

 

There is something in me that doesn’t want to mark 2020 as the Covid Year. It feels like it would have won and I am too positive a person to let that happen.

As yet another brown parcel arrived on the doorstep I knew what last year heralded for me… parcels, gifts, packages, usually ordered by myself, but that didn’t matter when they arrived on the doorstep by the kind delivery person taking a photos of the doorstep. I always wave and say thank you as they rush off to their next delivery.

2020 The Year of the Parcel!

Epiphany is about gifts, being given such a present of Jesus,  that we are full of awe and wonder. We move on from Christmas. We move on with the light of the world. We know many don’t have that joy and move on to more disruptions, tweets, news broadcasts and the endless ‘bad news’ that seems to win audiences.

I suspect the Year of the Parcel will carry on, in fact it may be a life changer. Even the smallest things can arrive in a brown parcel, but they can be just what you need!

In the midst of this pandemic we can all receive a gift, whether wrapped up in brown paper or knowing that the light of the world came among us, let’s journey on into Epiphany beating this virus and knowing that gifts are the way forward!!

Rev’d Sue Martin

 

 

Advent 4 Mary and Elizabeth

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On December 21, 2020

In Advent, Christmas

The light shines in the darknessDoes this seem a particularly dark and gloomy time of year? Or is it just me?

More than ever  we need the light of the world to come among us. If He could also stop all the messages about Covid and let us reflect on what is important at Christmas, that would be wonderful too.

On the last Sunday before Advent, in our readings, Angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth and following her news, Mary travels a considerable distance to see her cousin Elizabeth, also expecting her first child.

A real sign of hope when it was so needed.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and returned home to her parents and her betrothed husband Joseph. Such courage and real strength.

This Christmas, 2020, we can still hope, we can light the candles, we can decorate the tree and know that whatever happens God loves us forever.

Read more in Sermons 2020

 

Rev’d Sue Martin

 

Shepherds, Sheep and Angels

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On December 12, 2020

In Advent, Christmas, Faith goes walkabout

Shepherds, Sheep and Angels,

Advent 3

Isaiah 7: 1-7
Matthew 1:18-25

 

 

 

 

 

Image from Christmas Journeys

Advent is the season we are well into now and looking forward to Christmas, only 12 days to go! Still time to do all those unimaginable jobs that need to be done, or if you are anything like me, still time to make the mince pies and finish the shopping.

But let’s first of all slow down the advent season and take a little time to look inwards and at our hopes and fears for the years ahead,to look outwards at a world in need of hope, both in this country and abroad and to look towards God for his direction and love.

Even in the midst of this pandemic there are signs of joy as the Advent third candle is lit.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Christ the King The Sunday before Advent

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On November 21, 2020

In Advent, Faith goes walkabout, Sermons

…the Sunday before Advent.

We are at the end of the church year! Like the calendar year of 2020, what a year!! Most people will be pleased to see this year behind us.

Christ the King is the last Sunday before Advent and as we reflect on his kingdom, what does it mean for us?

Is it…  The living of a good life.

 

Serving others and our community, sharing in love and friendship, knowing God as the true and  living God.

Is this where we can start to get close to the  kingdom of God.

Is it for us to find, and for us to be part of?

The good thing  is that every day we can help others.

We can stop for a minute and help.

We can show someone  love and friendship.

More thoughts on Sermons 2020…

Rev’d Sue Martin

Have we locked God in the church?

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On April 4, 2020

In pilgrimage, theological

Have we really locked God in the church along with the pews? Did we firmly turn the key and slide the bolt so we can’t get in and He can’t get out?

Over the last week , or is it two… all the churches have been locked. Understandably church goers are distressed. Where can they go to pray and worship? Is anybody doing anything?

But out of sadness there comes joy,and out of a locked church emerges online services. Numbers for people listening in to a service of their choice is huge, larger than church attendance by far. So, now is the time to reach out and offer help and support to all those who are getting in touch.

And, no, of course we haven’t locked God in the church, how could we. He is out there, with us, walking with us through this crisis, reaching out to all who ask.

And all we have to do is to ask, to pray and to find Him in our lives  today.

 

Rev’d Sue Martin

Heroes and Villains – Archangel St Michael

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On September 30, 2019

In Michaelmass, Sermons

Mural on entrance wall at Rockingham Centre

Dragons at Rockingham Centre, Southwark

Many stories have a hero and a villain.
Some that come to mind are; Superman and Lex Luther , Batman and The Joker, Harry Potter and Voldemort, Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader,

What happens in these stories; well let’s take Harry Potter, of course…

As he grows up in his school at Hogwarts he discovers the evil truth about Voldemort, that he is trying to overthrow all that is good in the world of wizardry including the head of the school,  Professor Dumbledore.
But Harry Potter is strong and rises up to those who are used by Voldemort to
do his evil works, eventually Harry Potter meets and fights with Voldemort himself.
Harry Potter the hero and Voldemort the villain.

Sherlock Holmes, the series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman is one of my favourites.
Sherlock who is able to make amazing deductions from clues, is always aware that
Moriarty is a force that is usually present.
And so then to St Michael, we hear in the book of Revelations that Michael and his angels fight the dragon and his angels and that Satan, the dragon is defeated and thrown down.

So St Michael is the hero!!

And then what about his band of angels, read more in Faith Goes Walkabout, sermons.

Rev’d Sue Martin

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