Thoughts and reflections

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Strange Times but a sign of hope!

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

So long as we…

Above all else in this time of social distancing, isolation and world wide pandemic a little prayer to remind us of life in this world.

So long as we enjoy the light of day

May we greet one another with love.

So long as we enjoy the light of the day

May we pray for one another,

Zuni prayer taken from A Child’s Book of Prayer, compiled by Tessa Strickland, Barefoot Books

Rev’d Sue Martin

Happy Christmas

And all the bells on earth shall ring

On Christmas Day

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

 

Remembrance 2018 – 100 Years

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

Light up a Life!

lual-candles-at-the-minster-in-kings-lynnLight up a Life services with the Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House are being held this week.

Over a hundred people joined us on Sunday 4th December, at King’s Lynn Minster and lit candles which were placed on the altar. Carols were sung and people had chance to reflect and join together over a cup of tea and a mince pie.

On Monday December 5th, a service was held at the Sandringham Visitor’s Centre and more than a hundred people listened, prayed and lit candles too. Tea and mince pies again on offer and a well needed chance to meet and chat!

When we lose someone we love.… a chance to read the address

Rev’d Sue Martin

Chaplain to the Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House

Nice, France 14th July 2016

image2-22.jpgOn the warm summers evening in Nice, people were out celebrating Bastille Day, enjoying family time, friendship, camaraderie and the beautiful setting of the promenade, the Mediterranean and the city.

The destruction that followed is beyond description and belief, I don’t understand how anyone in their right mind could have driven that lorry  and killed so many innocent people.

Was this done in the name of something else, religion…No, organisations on other shores… who knows?

So many questions to which there will never be an answer. On  TV news, the father of the driver held up a medical letter stating that his son needed constant psychiatric medications. A plea maybe to give some reasoning behind the action.

What can we do? How can we feel? Where does this leave us and everyone else in Europe?

I would suggest that ‘at a loss’ is most people’s attitude. Apparently the following evening, beyond the Promenade Anglais, the bars and cafe’s were open, people were not afraid and would not be intimidated. But it does leave a sense of fear which will spread beyond Nice and that is exactly what must not happen.

Nick Blaine’s blog makes good reading

Fear is the biggest weapon in the hands of the enemy, it develops hate and prejudice.

In all that is happening in this world of 2016, a seemingly crazy year, let us look to others, for support and friendship, not close our doors, and retreat to an ever narrowing circle of life.

And pray…. for those in Nice, for those close to us and far away and for those who have just a touch of badness in us. I have added a prayer written by a 12 yr old on to the prayers on Faith Goes Walkabout.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Diocese of Norwich

 

Come, walk with me…

m_finsburyparkislington.jpg  This has been an amazing two weeks in  the UK, a referendum that has seen us  exiting Europe, unbelievable and now  unstoppable. There is so much to say  that I am lost for words and maybe this  isn’t the place to express what I feel in  deep sadness and concern.

And so… recently I was working in  London, just off Southwark Bridge and  had a couple of spare hours to myself, an experience that seldom happens. In my sermon for July 3rd I express what actually happened to me on that day. My intention was to go for a wander in London and a nice coffee somewhere.
What actually happened was not quite as expected, and I found myself in the chapel at Southwark cathedral.

For way of a change to the usual address style, the sermon was delivered by two people, see Sermons 2016.

It is a reflection of how life can change sometimes and take you into places that help you, if you listen in the first place.

Come, walk with me…

Rev’d Sue Martin

Living Together

Image 3On Sunday November 15th I was delivering a Holy Communion service in the village church. It was an unremarkable day, the same lovely group of people and cheerful organist.

I have come to know and love this church and know that there are always one or two little things that don’t quite work out. This Sunday, it was the microphone system and although we struggled with all the switches and the sound system we couldn’t get it to work.

Looking at the altar in the chancel and where the congregation were sitting, attached to the pews at the back of the church, I didn’t fancy having to shout my way through the Eucharist. I took the brave decision to ask if everyone could move forward to the front!!

If you too are a confirmed Anglican, you know what a big ask that is!

But very willingly everyone moved forward and the benefits were that I didn’t have to shout and they could hear me. Success!!

Being together, finding ways to make things work. Just what living together is really about. God’s love finds us all and we can all share, make changes and love one another as Jesus has asked us to do.

And the kite picture? Well, it is very bright on this autumnal day and also it shows what can happen when we all pull together.

Rev’d Sue Martin – Hospital and Hospice Chaplain Diocese of Norwich

Holy Land Pilgrimage-The Sea of Galilee

IMG 1509This was the start of our pilgrimage, a day full of wonder and awe, a lake so peaceful and calm, a boat trip to remember for ever, a Eucharist by the shore of the lake, serene and full of the Spirit.

We set out, as many do, into the middle of the Sea of Galilee, peaceful and calm, we had prayers we heard the story of the fishermen and the start of the disciples calling, we saw the geography of that place where Jesus began his work.

After the Bishop had said prayers, there were a few of us who started dancing, to the Jewish dance of Hava Nagila, with music from the crew. – Who would have thought it!! But as always dance was brilliant to express emotions and joy.

We held Eucharist by the shores, and to my amazement,the prayers for that day were for the parish were I now serve and first came to church in Ashwicken.

And towards the end of the day we renewed our baptisms in the River Jordan.

A glimpse into this journey of faith, go to holylandpilgrimage on this site to find out more about the journey.

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

Reading made Possible – spreading the word digiitally

Worldreader - books on Kindles and mobile phones...

Getting to grips with the text…anywhere!

World Reader and Cambridge University Press, South Africa (CUP SA) are working in partnership on e-readers and mobile phones.

This means that anyone with a phone (non smart phone), in South Africa, can now access books through the World Reader app, which is hosted on the cloud based mobile application platform BiNu. This enables phones, such as Nokia which are widely used across the continent of Africa, to be used as reading devices.

Wow!!

This is amazing news for literacy and for all who are working to make reading a possibility for everyone across the world.

Niall McNulty, digital publisher at CUP SA, described the development as ‘genius’.

‘A recent report by UNESCO, Reading in the mobile era: A study of mobile reading in developing countries, highlights the importance of using mobile devices to encourage a culture of reading by providing access to books to people who previously had none.’ Â African Branch of Cambridge University Press, 11.8.14

Last year, World Reader had 330,000 monthly active users, reading 650,000 books on mobile phones.

CUP has made 360 e-books available via the app, including titles from the Cambridge African Language Library which is a primary reading series.

SmithMartin Partnership are excited at this development and all that it may mean for future readers. We are working with World Reader in a smaller way, through our Books Go Walkabout project to support e-reading and literacy.

The way ahead for future readers!

Sue Martin

Our core partnership - our core values and delivery, available here...

 

Books Go Walkabout & Dolphin Booksellers, part of SmithMartin Partnership LLP

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