Thoughts from a Reader

Matthew 14.22-33 Introduction You may have heard the story about a man who gets too close to the edge of a cliff, loses his balance, and falls over the edge. Just before falling to the rocks below, he grabs onto a root sticking out from the edge. “Help, help!” he calls, “Is there anyone up there? Help me! Save me! Is there anyone up here?” A voice answers, “I am the Lord. I can save you. Do you…

Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43 “Listen!” says Jesus, “a sower went out to sow”. It’s such a familiar parable, isn’t it? How many sermons have we heard about the different sorts of ground that the seeds land on and what happens to them. And maybe some of us wonder what sort of ground we are and whether we’re up to scratch when it comes to producing a good harvest. But this isn’t the parable of the seeds…

New Book: Thoughts Through the Year

Hi It’s been a while, but here is a new post! You may have seen my “Thought for the Day” posts on this site. Now all these, and more, by both me and my vicar, Annette Reed, are available in handy book form! Click here to find out more about this book  – perfect for Advent reading, Christmas gifts, and more! Also, let me know if you’d like to see more posts – not all advertising books. Take…

Wednesday Worship – The Holy Spirit

Hello A new Wednesday Worship video is here for June 2022, focusing on the work of the Holy Spirit. Service sheet: Wednesday Worship June 2022 (Holy Spirit) Take care Mel

A Thought for the Day for Black Cat Radio – May 2022 Hello We’ve recently started a wildflower area in our garden at home. I hesitate to call it a meadow because to me that suggests a much bigger area than we’ve got. The ground is cleared of rubbish, raked over, and sown with seeds, which are already beginning to sprout. We’ve been watering as well, although the recent downpours of rain have also…

Wednesday Worship – The Good Shepherd

Hello Wednesday Worship is here again, this time thinking about the Good Shepherd. Do have a look and let me know what you think. Take care Mel

A Thought for the Day for Black Cat Radio The American writer Hal Borland is credited with saying “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn”. I love this, as it reminds me that however dark a day might be, either literally or emotionally, there will always be a better time coming up. It’s especially fitting for this Easter weekend, I think. Having Easter in the spring makes a lot of…

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why…

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus…

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against…

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God…

Wednesday of Holy Week

The Pharisees Question Jesus – James Tissot       Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the…

Tuesday of Holy Week

Stanley Spencer, “Christ Overturning the Money Changers’ Table,” 1921. Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying,…

Monday of Holy Week

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of…

Wednesday Worship for March 2022: Lent

Hello Wednesday Worship is here for Lent 2022. You can find a service sheet here:  Wednesday Worship March 2022 (Lent) The service also includes a prayer for Ukraine. Take care Mel

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for your precious children, at risk and in…