Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

The Minor Prophets are ‘minor’ not because they lack importance, but due to their length. The 12 prophets, Hosea through Malachi, make up the last books of the Old Testament, and were written from around 770 BC (Jonah) until 433 BC (Malachi). The prophets fall into 3 time-periods: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah and...

“Sleep is spiritual,” is the claim made in a newly-published guide to discipleship, written by London-based Church of England vicar, Sarah Guinness. Although over-looked by many, ‘The Alternative Guide to Discipleship’ places sleep firmly at the core of growing in Christian spirituality. Sarah Guinness writes, “Sleep is not wasted time. It is an opportunity for...

Last time we reflected on the time of ‘Receiving and sharing the Peace’ within our service. This month, we consider what comes next. I say ‘next’ but actually, during that time of sharing the Peace most of us multi-task!  We move around saying hello and catching up on the latest news from folk we only...

At church recently, we stood to sing Charles Wesley’s hymn ‘Come Holy Ghost our hearts inspire’. Except the organist was playing the tune which normally accompanies the Christmas carol ‘While shepherds watched their flocks by night’. (No, not ‘On Ilkley Moor bar t’aht’- the other one). I had never sung Wesley’s hymn to this tune...

The Lord is my real boss and I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and to do all things without murmuring and complaining. He reminds me that He is my Source and not my job. He restores my sanity...

Saint Matthew From the Vicar 25th Anniversary of 9/11 What’s the Big Idea? – an Introduction to the Book of Daniel Samuel: Loyal to God Reflected Faith Series – The Peace The story behind the HYMN:  Jesus Thy Blood and Righteousness Clothed with Christ ** Editor:  by Canon Paul Hardingham   Saint Matthew – called...

This month we remember Matthew’s call to be an apostle of Jesus and ask what it means for us to follow Christ. Jesus calls us where we are: ‘Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.’ (Matthew 9:9). It...

This month we remember Matthew’s call to be an apostle of Jesus and ask what it means for us to follow Christ. Jesus calls us where we are: ‘Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.’ (Matthew 9:9).  It...

Twenty-five years ago, on Tuesday 11th September 2001, terrorist attacks demolished the Twin Towers in New York. They killed 2,996 people and injured more than 6,000. Events like 9/11 raise the inevitable question: Why does God allow such suffering to take place? There are no easy answers to this question! We cannot fully understand why...

Many of us will remember where we were 25 years ago this month, on Tuesday 11th September, when reports began to come in of planes crashing into skyscrapers in New York. For those of us who were at work, the shock was such that little work got done the rest of that day. Instead, we...

This month we return to looking at Old Testament books. The book of Daniel describes his life in Babylon during the sixth century B.C., when he served both Babylonian and Persian rulers. As a teenager, Daniel and his three friends were deported in 605 B.C. to Babylon, where he lived for over 70 years. They...

The Bible contains descriptions of many kinds of leaders. These men (and sometimes women) were responsible for the well-being of groups of people. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Joshua led the wilderness wanderers into the Promised Land. Gideon, Ezra and Nehemiah led people to fight against their enemies and improved their moral and...