LLM Calling

Prayers at council meetings

2012-02-10T19:10:00.000Z

No doubt you'll have heard, seen or read the news today that a councillor on Bideford Council in Devon has won his petition to stop the council meetings starting with prayer.

I admit to being disappointed at this ruling but as Mike has so rightly said: "you'd never start a business meeting with a prayer item on the agenda".

Taking his wise words to heart I realised that my disappointment was less about the ruling than about the way it's been spun into such big news. I'm sad that there was a need for this to go to court, sad that it was picked up by the secular society, sad about sound bites saying Christianity is only for old men and sad that there are Christians fuelling the flames. In response here are my thoughts.

Why did this need to become legal?
Could the council not have had a calm and civilised discussion about the prayers and the problems that people had with them? If the councillors can't talk about this then what hope is there that they can run the town/district?

How is prayer insulting to anyone?
For the answer to this question I asked Mike and he said he's never felt insulted when being around prayers, he just didn't see the point for him but could see why others might like it.

Christians are just old men
I think not, please can someone young and trendy step forward and talk about their faith and how it is for them, please! Come on churches, role out the youth and change the misunderstanding.

why are Christians fuelling the debate?
I'm not worried that prayers will no longer be on the agenda, I don't need an agenda to pray. Let's just pray before meetings. After all I'm sure the councillors have coffee and chat before the meeting without it being on the agenda. There are battles to be fought and this is not one of them.

In conclusion I don't need an agenda item for prayer

#365photoproject day 41

2012-02-10T18:39:00.000Z

Title: who're you lucking at?
Date: 10th February 2012
Location: Bournemouth Oceanarium

10th February 2012 Mark 7:31-end

2012-02-10T07:33:00.014Z

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

We are being taken on a journey through this Chapter of Mark, Jesus is travelling around and healing as he goes whilst telling the healed and witnesses not to tell anyone. This time Jesus takes the man away to be healed, he needs the man to be healed through a miracle directly from God.

He can suddenly hear and talk and do both things normally. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking this would be a shock and that learning to cope with noise would take time and language would need to be learned. The fact that these things aren't mentioned shows this as a miracle from God.

Jesus opened this man's ears to hear and his mouth to speak, what a miracle.

Jesus you opened this man's ears to hear you clearly and opened his mouth to speak for you; we ask you to do the same for us. Amen

#365photoproject day 40

2012-02-09T17:06:00.000Z

Title: Ever decreasing snow granny
Date: 9th February 2012
Location: Back Garden

The Bible says Love is ......

2012-02-09T13:59:00.001Z

As valentines day approaches I've been thinking about Love and have turned to the Bible for help on what God says love is. Here are the key passages I've found and my summary of what they mean to me.

Matthew 22:37-40
Love is from every part of your being.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind"

Love starts from within, it is an acceptance of yourself as you accept others
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love is everything that matters in life.
Faith, knowledge and service are nothing without Love.
Love means to be patient with others and kind in all thoughts and actions.
Love removes jealousy and exaggeration and resentments; through love is acceptance.
Love is real and life giving, it lasts forever and gives all we ever need in happiness and joy.

Genesis 29:18-20
Love is everything of importance, Jacob served for seven years for the love of Rachel.
Real love is all consuming, you will do anything and wait forever to know that love outpoured.

Galatians 5:22-23
Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit

Romans 13:8-10
Loving your neighbour is the only thing that matters, through actions and words and feelings.
Love is not just merely saying how you feel, it is about demonstrating it in your actions.

1 John 4:16
Love is all that God is, He is full of love for everyone in the world.
When you love someone truly then so does God love you and them.
Love is a gift of yourself and of God.

Mark 12:31
Love your neighbour.

Romans 12:9-11
Love is about truth, honesty, support, adoration, service and effort.
Love the Lord and love others.

John 13:34-35
God loves us unconditionally and totally, so should we love one another.

Matthew 5:43-48
When you love your neighbour this includes loving your enemies. Love them for themselves and forgive them for their sin; when love is hard it is most worthwhile. Love everyone.

Proverbs 7:12
Love is waiting for us to find it, seek love and you will find.

Jesus isn't in our marriage

2012-02-09T13:24:00.000Z

An article entitled "Jesus is ruining my love life" made me smile, mostly because a lot of the writers situation is not so different to our own.

Here's how Jesus is in my life but isn't in our marriage.

When we met we didn't discuss faith or God or church, it just never really came up. We were friends for the best part of a year but we never talked about it. When our friends convinced us to give a relationship a try we never thought to discuss it either.

It wasn't until we went on our first weekend away together, to York, that we had the first conversation about God. It was obvious to me that we'd want to go to York Minster, I hadn't been since a child and I longed to see it again. We went inside and it quickly became clear that we viewed this Holy space very differently. I wanted to sit and pray and contemplate and be with God. Mike wanted to see the sights and read the information.

I remember realising then that we had never talked about God and religion and faith. I started the conversation and it was a challenge. We realised that we were poles about in our beliefs; that I loved and trusted and knew God, whilst Mike denied God entirely and wasn't interested in trying to find Him.

Over the years that followed we would occassionally talk God. Each time was hard for me, I loved Mike so much and found it hard to accept that he wouldn't want to get to know the God I loved so much.

There were arguments, there were discussions, there were tears and there was no change.

I believe in God, Mike does not.

It was hard to deal with, hard to think about and harder to work through. But eventually I accepted the fact that I could love Mike and love God; and that Mike did not have to also love God.

And the amazing thing is that when I came to that acceptance, suddenly I knew it didn't matter. I knew that Mike loved me with my faith and that I loved Mike without any faith. I knew that God loved us both and loved the fact that we were together despite our differences. And when I let go of all the worry, I was able to just relax in it all and Mike was able to support me in my faith.

We are an odd couple; an especially odd couple when you think about Mike's agnosticism and my calling to Ministry in the Church. But we work as we are, we know love and know acceptance and know difference and live it every day.

Jesus isn't in our marriage, but he is in our lives together.

How can we bring heaven on earth?

2012-02-09T13:03:00.001Z

That's our aim right, to bring heaven to earth?
On earth as it is in heaven.
But how do we do that?
What does it involve?

I think it all hangs around four very simple words:

Joy
I think of Heaven being a place of pure joy and happiness; where worries are left behind and sorrows are healed. Can you imagine so much joy? I can, I can imagine it and sometimes even feel it; there are moments of it that touch my heart.

When Rachel cuddles up close for a hug and it's quiet and perfect and the joy is just in the being.
When the world is quiet and a single bird sings their tune of life.
That is my pure joy.

Love
Heaven is full of abundant, wholehearted, life giving love. There is no hatred and there are no disputes. There is just love for everyone exactly as they are in themselves.

Have you felt that?
So many people sadly have not and it's hard to feel it through our earthly relationships not least because we block ourselves from receiving it. But perhaps we can glimpse it through our love of others; through that unconditionality and life eternal love we have for our families.

Forgiveness
Forgiving someone is hard, much hard than forgetting if you're trying to do it properly; at least that's my experience. It is a blessing to give to someone else and an honour to receive. Heaven is a place where everyone is forgiven for everything, even those things they've never faced or voiced.

To have your heart lightened and your soul cleaned, what a relief that will be.
And it's possible every time you pray and ask for forgiveness; and it's provided with every absolution.

Justice
And then it's the really big one, justice. In heaven there is justice and fairness and appreciation of everyone as they are. There are no grades or scales or measures or classes; there is just each person individual and valued for what they are in their entirety.

How do we bring this about on earth? This is a challenge, in the entire world, in each country, in every group, in all families and between couples. Equality and righteousness.

This is the one we tend to ignore as christians; this is the one which is hard to imagine and live out. But if we want to bring Heaven on Earth then this is one we need to work on.

9th February 2012 Mark 7:24-30

2012-02-09T07:11:00.002Z

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

At first sight today's gospel is completely confusing; kids, dogs, crumbs, what's it all about? And then you realise that Jesus is referring to the Jewish people as the children and the gentiles as dogs. This, to our modern minds, is about as insulting as it's possible to get; and I'm pretty sure it was not much better then. He was referring to how the Gentiles would bother the Jews, like dogs bother kids.

But this mother was desperate and she believed Jesus could help, she had thrown herself at his feet and was determined that He would help her child. Her faith and her statement that surely her child could receive even the crumbs of his ministry touched Jesus and he undertook the healing.

How many of us would have hung in there in such a conversation? would we have turned our back at the first refusal and given up? Do we give up on our faith? Do we give up on others?

Father we hear these cruel words and we find it hard to see you in this way; yet you showed your compassion and you healed despite it all. We ask for the ability to keep on asking and keep on giving. Amen.

Anyone know what #synod actually did today?

2012-02-08T19:55:00.000Z

I have listened to the live feed from general synod, I've read all the tweets, I've joined in some of the debate, I've read the transcripts and summaries and guess what.......

I'm still confused!

Does anyone know what #synod actually decided about women bishops today?

I think that it's good news.
I think that the majority approves women bishops and that the church holds together in this
I think there's been a ban on any more alterations to the proposal
I think it now goes forward for final approval in July
I think that barring anything unforeseen women bishops will be appointed in the Church of England

If you know different then please let me know.
In the mean time I'm linking up the websites which provide better information than I can, please add yours if you have written and want to share

#365photoproject day 39

2012-02-08T19:19:00.001Z

Title: My Little Blue Peter Badge Winner
Date: 8th February 2012
Location: Home

Praying for #Synod

2012-02-08T13:37:00.000Z

As I listen to the live feed of Synod debating Women Bishops and read and respond to the tweets under the #synod hashtag I pray. I pray ......

I pray for synod members' words to be gentle and christ like, thoughts to be calm and god-centred, proposals to be inclusive and prayerful and decisions to be wise and encompassing.

I pray for all within the Church of England to be calm and full of peace rather than fearful and full of nerves as the discussion continues and the decisions are made.

I pray for all those who watch the debates to know the true mission of christ within the church and within their communities, to see the difference between decision making and love delivering.

I trust that the Church of England will hold firm through these difficult issues, debates and decisions; I just pray that everyone else can hold that faith as well.

In this and all acts we take our strength and guidance from God.
Amen.

Why I wear a cross.

2012-02-08T10:15:00.000Z

A friend at church and I recently had a discussion about wearing crosses as a symbol of our faith. The discussion was around two differing thoughts about wearing a cross:

1. it allows others to know we are christians so they can ask us questions or ask for prayer

2. it is too overt and in people's faces which can make them back away from talking to us

I had never before thought that a cross worn round a neck could be seen as threatening, I'd never had that experience. It got me wondering whether people had perhaps not spoken to me because I was clearly a christian; but I just couldn't believe that was the case. I've only ever had good experiences of people commenting on my cross and asking about my faith; lots of people ask about it - it was made for me by a friend and so is one of a kind.

Why I wear a cross
I have worn a cross on and off throughout my life. I used to put a cross on when I was in need of reassurance, somehow wearing my cross would bring God closer to me through my day, it was a very palpable sense of security.

Then five years ago I made the decision to wear my cross every day; it came to me in prayer one day and just felt like I needed to be more open about my very real faith. It was a decision to share my faith outwardly, and it has happened; I quite often get asked where I got my cross and this will often lead to discussions about faith, God and church.

At the same time I get great comfort from wearing my cross, I know that I hold it when I'm thinking and praying or if I'm upset; much like a holding cross, it allows me to rest in God's presence around me. The cross is close to my heart both emotionally and physically.

How I feel about crosses being banned
There are some organisations who have asked Christians not to wear their crosses, I know British Airways has banned a woman from wearing hers. I find it hard to understand why these organisations have a problem with crosses being worn, surely if there are no health and safety reasons then it should be allowed. For example nurses, doctors and surgeons need to not wear jewellery for infection control, and if you work with animals and young children it might be a risk to your own health to wear a cross which can be grabbed; but if you're allowed to wear jewellery then a cross should not be any different to any other pendant.

And kids at school
Again there are health and safety considerations. I don't allow Rachel to wear her cross at school because I worry that it could get lost or broken or she could get hurt if it got caught up when she's playing. I think this is sensible on health and safety grounds. She always put her cross on at the weekend, but I make her take it off if she's going on to a soft play place. When she's older and can take it on and off on her own then I will let her wear her cross more, if she still wants to.

Rachel was asking for a cross for some months before I found one for her; she said she wanted to show people she loved God and wanted to let God know He was with her always. It is an important symbol to her. I hope that she will be allowed to wear her cross at school when she's older, it is something I will fight on her behalf for if she is told she can't for any reason which is not safety related.

The cross is a symbol of a person's faith, a gentle outward display of a strong inward belief; I can not see it as threatening at all and there is no reason why it would make anyone feel uncomfortable. I never feel threatened by turbans or head scarves or kippah or bindi; they are signs of respect of someone's beliefs and should be celebrated as such.

8th February 2012 Mark 7:14-23

2012-02-08T09:27:00.000Z

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Here's another passage which speaks to me about the requirement on us to be inclusive and loving and accepting. If it is the things inside us which matter then any hatred or lack of acceptance of people with different lifestyles and beliefs is a reflection on our lack of love and faith. It is easy for us to pass judgement on people who live lives which we feel are wrong, but what about the fact that this judgement is not for ourself and is full of arrogance and slander?

Father today we are reminded that you are the only one who judges, let us not cast slights on others but rather look inside ourselves. Amen

Why Rachel isn't at a church school

2012-02-07T15:27:00.001Z

This is a response to the many people who ask me why I haven't sent Rachel to a church school when there's one quite local to us. It is our experience of how and why we chose what we did, not any comment on church schools.

When choosing a school for Rachel I wanted to send her to our local church school. It seemed like a church school would match best with our family values. There was one major down point however, it would mean driving her to school because it was too far to walk. So we also short listed our local catchment school which we could walk to.

We went along to visit both the schools.
First was the church school, we liked the feel of it; lots of happy kids, loads of wonderful art on the walls and a great assembly with prayers and hymns. But there were two things which felt weird;
1. The kids were of a very specific demographic - mostly white - which doesn't match with the community we live in.
2. Over half the kids travelled from well outside catchment - great because they wanted to come to the school, but it didn't have a local community feel.

Next we visited the local school. It was less flash, much bigger with less art and the kids seemed a bit less controlled. But the kids who showed us round were happier and had loads of fun things to tell us and seemed to know lots of the younger kids and all of the teachers. All good points. There were kids of every deomgraphic in the community and I liked that, along with the fact that the kids all live within a mile of the school. But of course there were downsides:
1. The school never included prayers in their assemblies, but RE lessons were provided by REinspired which I knew about because I'm one of the team.
2. The school was less flash and the head teacher less of a sales person, but I quickly realised that wasn't the most important thing.

So how did we decide?
In the end we decided that we wanted Rachel to have a broader social communuity experience, mixing with other cultures and religions as part of her school years. Through my role in the church we knew she'd get good christian messages and lessons and have a christian network, but we really felt that appreciating the beliefs and lives of others would stand her in better stead for the future. We also loved the fact that she would walk to school with me and when she was older on her own, and that her friends would all be local.

It hasn't been easy over the last 2 years to stick with this decision, the school she's at seems to find it hard to focus on the individual child; but her actual teachers have been fantastic, she's thriving and she loves school. And our hopes that her horizons would be broadened have been realised, she knows so much about tolerance of other kids' beliefs and festivals. OK so she has less school given knowledge of the Bible, but she has a strong christian faith and enjoys talking to muslims and hindus about their own experiences of God.

How I get to my happy place

2012-02-07T15:14:00.000Z

Family time, away from the stresses of normal life

Family time is my number one way to increase my happiness. Just being together, not doing the chores, is an absolute pleasure and completely what life's all about. It can be as simple as just chilling at home, or away on holiday, it really doesn't matter; for me it's just about being "just us".

Prayer, specifically meditation

When people ask me how life is different as a christian I have just one thing to say, it's just amazing being loved and in love with God. It's a happiness like nothing you can explain. And it's at it's best when I manage to find quiet, focussed time to pray quietly and deeply, meditatively. Time slows down and joy overflows, it's like nothing on earth and I love these moments.

Time at The Sea Shore in Barton on Sea

One of the best decisions we ever made was to buy the flat by the sea. It is great for our health and well being, a total bolt hole away. We often go down just for one night and yet it always feels like we've got away from the world for a week. We love the fresh air and the freedom and the complete lack of pressure. It's that mix of family time and prayer all in one.

Music, singing it and listening to it
I love music, listening to it and mostly singing it - I find it almost impossible not to sing along to music, whatever it's era or style. Take Abba singing Mamma Mia, I challenge you to watch this and not sing AT ALL. Can you do it?

And now you've heard it, how do you feel? I have just gone up 10 points on my happiness scale.

Laughter
I love to laugh, who doesn't? Although maybe not like this

It lifts the soul, released endorphins and just breed happiness. I especially love to laugh with others whether out with friends or out at live comedy.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens

2012-02-07T14:47:00.000Z

Google Doodle for 7th February 2012

I adore Charles Dickens, have done since my childhood. He's such an amazing story teller; his characters are effervescent and real and he manages to paint pictures of Victorian England which shine through the decades and centuries.

For me it all started with the 1968 film version of Oliver Twist. This film was on the TV all the time as I was growing up, I knew every line, every song and every nuance of the whole thing. It was something marvellous and special to me. I reckon I cried every time and yet I knew that it would all work out OK.

I had an old set of the Dickens books, I can't remember whether they were at Granny's house and I read them there or whether we had them at home, but they had that musty smell and I loved to read them. Of course I started with Oliver Twist and then read the Christmas Carol, Little Dorrit and The Pickwick Papers I think.

I remember scaring myself by reading The Christmas Carol and then falling in love with the 1984 film (no one else likes it) which was no where near as bad as my imagination made the words in the book.

I won a prize for creative writing in my first year of secondary school and asked the school for the book of The Old Curiorsity Shop; I've still got it on my shelves with the pasted in prize certificate. It was a special thing to receive.

Over the years I've read all of Dickens' Novels at least once, possibly every one twice. They're as new today as they were when I first read them, in fact they might even have improved as life experience helps me better understand what Charles was trying to portray.

200 years ago today Charles Dickens was born and yet if you gave any one of his books to someone who'd never read anything of his they would accept it as fabulous new fiction. As full of mystery and truth and lessons for life now as they have been for nearly two centuries.

Happy Birthday Mr Dickens and thank you.

#365photoproject day 38

2012-02-07T14:19:00.001Z

Title: Hanging on in there
Date: 7th February 2012
Location: Back Garden

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Prayers

2012-02-07T14:19:00.000Z

There is an official prayer for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, here is it with its introduction.

The following Prayer, written at The Queen's direction by the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral for Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, will be used in the Jubilee Thanksgiving Service in St Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday, 5 June. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have commended it for use throughout the Church of England.

God of time and eternity, whose Son reigns as servant, not master; we give you thanks and praise that you have blessed this Nation, the Realms and Territories with ELIZABETH, our beloved and glorious Queen. In this year of Jubilee, grant her your gifts of love and joy and peace as she continues in faithful obedience to you, her Lord and God and in devoted service to her lands and peoples, and those of the Commonwealth, now and all the days of her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

But for me this prayer is all a bit formal, great for use in church services but not easy for kids to use or for any of us to remember if we want to pray personally. So I thought I'd have a go at writing a prayer that I could memorise and teach to kids.

Dear God, thank you for giving our Queen such a long reign. Please be with her this year as she celebrates. Keep her safe and well to do your work and let her know how much we love her. Amen.

Pinterest gives me "love" ideas

2012-02-07T11:57:00.000Z

I am a pinterest addict. I just love the way I can now keep all the great and beautiful ideas, projects and words I find online in one useful place. If you don't know what I'm talking about and work with kids, young people and families then please go to pinterest and join in, or email me and I'll invite you. This is how my front page on pinterest looks at the moment, pin boards for lots of the different work I do.

Our next People, Prayers and Potatoes Messy Church session is on Sunday 19th February 2012 and I'm bringing everything together around the theme of LOVE.
God Loves Us.
God wants us to love each other.
God tells us to Love Thy Neighbour.
God tasks us with Loving our Environment.

As you'll see in the screenshot above there is a pinboard on Love and these are some of the highlights I've found that I will be using for the session in 2 weeks time, with my own adaptations no doubt.

God loves us individually as we are - as individual as fingerprints

God asks us to love thy neighour - here we demonstrate our love as a whole

God loves how we love each other - families of love

God tasks us to love the environment - plants

God tasks us to love the environment - animals

love is fun, let's enjoy it

love is sweet as candy

Love is in the midst of everything

God loves us THIS MUCH

7th February 2012 Mark 7:1-13

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000Z

That Which Defiles The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

This has really struck me today with respect to the whole debate on women bishops and gay marriages; what would Jesus say if he walked around general synod today?

I believe completely that the unacceptance of gay marriages and women bishops is all about human tradition. God loves us as we are; he knows us inside and out; this isn't true only for those who live the traditionally accepted way, it's true for all people, everyone! How could this God I know not require us to love and accept everyone; it is embedded in the "love thy neighbour" commandment.

Father, today I pray again for your unwavering love of all to be felt and known by those who make decisions in the church; bring us all your word and truth. Amen.

#365photoproject day 37

2012-02-06T19:16:00.000Z

Title: The cross reflected
Date: 6th February 2012
Location: St Nicolas Earley

6th February 2012 Mark 6:53-56

2012-02-06T08:06:00.000Z

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

What an amazing tale of faith, all these people knowing that if they just touched Jesus then they would be healed.

Do we have that same faith today?
Do we believe that Jesus can heal us from our pain and sickness?
Do we share the hope of healing that we know in our lives?

If not, why not?

Jesus we rejoice in your healing gifts and thank you for their eternal provision. We ask to be given the courage to share this miracle with others. Amen.

Super Bowl 2012

2012-02-05T21:23:00.001Z

From http://tastefullyentertaining.blogspot.com/2009/01/super-bowl-food-tabletop-ideas.html

Tonight is the Super Bowl, the biggest single sporting event of the year with 150million people watching just in the USA. That's a lot of American Football fans.

The game is between the NY Giants, from New York of course; and the New England Patriots, not from England but from Boston. Is that a local derby? There'll be over 40 players at the game and the cheerleaders who were missing last year will be back, Pom Poms and all.

You can tell this is a massive event because Madonna is the half time entertainment, now that's nothing to sneeze at. In fact it's such a big thing that it's called the Half Time Show.

Lots of my American friends seem to be hosting or attending Super Bowl parties and I have a few friends here who will be staying up late to watch it. I have to admit to never having watched a single game of American Football , the helmets always make me worry about the risk of injury.

Almost as important as the game is the food; this is America after all. There'll be hot wings, dips, chips, guacamole, shrimps, nachos, burgers, corn dogs with cookies, brownies and ice cream to finish. Mouth watering?

So far of course this is just a load of facts, so what?

I found all these facts because a search I was doing on "super prayers" came back with several hundred results about prayers for the Super Bowl. It seems that prayers have a central place when it comes to sport in the USA; for safety, touchdowns and wins. With somewhere around 150 million prayers banding about tonight it'll be a big night for faith. Something to celebrate.

Meditating in the Sistine Chapel

2012-02-05T12:18:00.001Z

I was emailed this link to an interactive 360 degree tour of the Sistine Chapel.

I am sure you will agree that it is truly amazing; an even better view and experience than you could get when you visit, not least because there are no people in the way and you can get close to the artwork itself. Add to the experience of the choral music and it is a meditative, prayerful experience.

Enjoy

We all have the potential of a seed

2012-02-05T12:07:00.000Z

I was clearing out one of Rachel's craft boxes yesterday and found this seed.

A simple, small seed which has probably been in the dark for months, possibly longer. A seed which has been waiting, dormant; storing it's potential inside for just the right moment.

Rachel asked me if it could ever become anything now, after all its time abandoned. She saw it as dead, gone, past it's best before date; with no hope for a life to come. Yet we know that a seed holds it's potential deep inside, just waiting for the right conditions to arrive. And we can provide those conditions for this seed; we can help it to thrive, bring out it's potential.

We are all like this seed; we have potential inside us for greatness. It might be we don't know what that potential is or what we might be, but it is waiting for us to find it none the less. It might be the potential of love or justice, of grace or change, of campaigning or caring; who knows what, but it is there. We are left knowing that there is potential inside us and we just need to find it and act on it.

Helping people find their hidden potential is a passion of mine, something I have always felt is the key to happiness and fulfilment. It is a part of my ministry in children's work, of course; kids are just one massive seed of potential. But it's also part of my ministry to adults; we all have more potential hidden within us, ready to be developed and used. God knows it, we just need to find it.

What is your hidden potential?