Reflections

The power of love

On the day we call Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem with a big crowd of followers who are shouting out that he is the king who God has sent. As I thought about this, I imagined another triumphant entrance into…

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Longing for home

The Lord says to his people, “When the time comes to save you, I will show you favour    and answer your cries for help.I will guard and protect you    and through you make a covenant with all peoples.I will let you settle once again    in…

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Gardening tips

Jesus told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking…

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Self discovery

I visited the Chapel at Cheltenham Hospital this week and saw this poem by Ruth Burgess: The desert waits (an invitation to Lent) The desert waits, ready for those who come, who come obedient to the Spirit’s leading; or who…

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Ash Thursday!

Today we used a tradition at our Communion service usually used yesterday, Ash Wednesday. We used ash to make the sign of the cross on each other’s foreheads, saying the words: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you…

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It’s all a bit of a mess

This is the reflection from the Communion service that didn’t happen today, as i wasn’t feeling well. Quite appropriate really, as you’ll see… I wonder how Joseph felt as this all happened? He must have spent a long time thinking…

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Mary and Elizabeth

Today at Communion we had this lovely reading about Mary visiting Elizabeth… Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby…

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Advent longing

We often talk about Advent as a time of waiting, but that sounds a bit passive and empty. I think that behind the Advent readings and songs and hymns there is more than just waiting – there is longing. We…

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Here we go again…

Next Sunday is Advent Sunday – the beginning of the church’s year. Every year we move through the story of the coming of Jesus – Advent, Christmas and Epiphany – then after a short break we follow the story of…

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