Reflection

Advent 4: Love First Coming         by Madeleine L’Engle He did not wait till the world was ready,till men and nations were at peace.He came when the Heavens were unsteady,and prisoners cried out for release.He did not wait for the perfect time.He came when the need was deep and great.He dined with sinners in all their … Read more

When asked who he was, John the Baptist was clear.  I am not the Messiah.  I am not the prophet, Elijah.   I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,  ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’  When someone asks us who we are, how do we answer? By our relationship with people? … Read more

Kneeling                                          by RS Thomas Moments of great calm, Kneeling before an altar Of wood in a stone church In summer, waiting for the God To speak; the air a staircase For silence; the sun’s light Ringing me, as though I acted A … Read more

Believe the worst and don’t be disappointed. That’s what many would see as good advice in our dealings with one another. Have your ever been told that someone’s cynicism about humankind is really just being realistic? I don’t think we wish to believe the worst. In fact, I believe that in the heart of every person … Read more

Advent this year begins on Sunday 29th November and continues until Christmas Eve. Advent signifies the beginning of a new liturgical year and, as with all New Year celebrations, we look forward with hope and anticipation to a new beginning. Advent is a season that is focussed on waiting and looking forward to Christmas “when … Read more

I have an uncle who is a farmer. He has had cattle in the past, but now mainly grows grain. Garth and I were getting a tour of his farm one day, in his old land rover with the roof cut off, and the dogs were running alongside. It really is a thrill to fly … Read more

These are words from the Collect for this Sunday. To think about what is eternal always sparks a longing in our hearts, I think, because it reminds us simultaneously of our mortality and of the sense that we belong outside time in a story of love and creativity that is much bigger than ourselves. Poet … Read more

“Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air…” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17a In what is probably the earliest of all of the New Testament writings, Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is a celebration of the faithfulness of … Read more