Ok

By continuing your visit to this site, you accept the use of cookies. These ensure the smooth running of our services. Learn more.

- Page 4

  • Guided Self Appraisal

    Today I had my first meeting with my GSA guide, and it was great.  We seemed to connect pretty well and she engendered a sense of trust and ease from the moment we met.  Chomping yummy Italian salad as we talked was a good plan too.

    I've always been a fan of appraisal, probably because I've always had good experiences of it and rarely was it ever linked to promotions or pay rises during my industrial past.

    Being able to talk honestly and say "these are the areas where I need to focus" without risk of ridicule or reproof was vital, and I now feel motivated to begin to put in place some next steps to refresh and renew myself for ministry that I've know I needed to do but never quite got round to as Iwas too busy doing ministry.  And that's the point - it's about making time to pause, reflect and redirect ourselves so that we stay healthy in body, mind and spirit.

    Thank you MK for a great meeting - I'm looking forward to getting on to the next stage.

  • Public Faith & Private Pain...

    News had just been made public that Rev Lynn Green, General Secretary of BUGB has been diagnosed with early (primary) breast cancer (here)

    Lynn is not me, her diagnosis and prognosis are not mine, but to a degree I can empathise with her (as can many other female ministers, vicars, nuns etc.)

    If prayer is your thing, please pray not only for Lynn and her family, but also for those who care for her (and others) medically and for those who will be entrusted with the challenging privilege of walking with her on this unchosen and unwanted journey.

    God bless you, Lynn x

  • A Different Kind of Wedding Sermon...

  • Fifth Wednesday in Lent - A Poem

    Last Sunday's gospel was John 11 - here's the poem we used to help us reflect on it

     

    Lazarus

    By Dan Doyle



    I
    What is there that can
    diminish the sorrow of loss
    when one whom we’ve loved dies?
    Sorrow, oh sorrow deep!
    Our brother, Lazarus is dead!
    Emptiness has entered the house.
    There is only the sound of wailing.
    The rooms are redolent
    with frankincense and myrrh.
    We pray the Kaddish,
    make the preparations for the meal
    that will be served to those
    who come to help us bury him.
    “If only his friend had been here,
    He would not have died,”
    We say to one another.
    If only…If only…
    Is our desperate prayer.

    II

    “Rabbi, If you had been here
    my brother would not have died.”

    “Martha, he will rise again.”

    “Yes, I know this, Rabbi.
    At the Resurrection.”

    “I am the one who raises the dead.
    Do you believe me, Martha?”

    “Yes, Master.  Oh, yes, I believe.
    I know you and with all my heart
    I believe in you.”

    Then, Jesus wept.

    III

    The crowd gathered before the tomb
    desperate with terrible grief and loss.
    Then they heard Martha and Mary’s friend,
    the one they called, Jesus,
    ordering some of the men to remove
    the heavy stone that had been placed
    at the entrance to the sepulcher some days ago.
    Confused and wary they rolled it back.
    The dark heart of the death-ditch
    was then revealed to us all.
    Some of us fell back for fear of the stench
    we thought would emanate from the grave,
    but a fresh breeze wafted out instead.
    A breathless silence fell over us.
    Then, with a voice full of authority,
    Jesus spoke, and everything came alive
    around us…

    “Lazarus, come out!”

    As if one, we sucked in a surprised breath.
    There, standing in the cave’s dark maw,
    was the grave-wrapped Lazarus
    strait, tall, his face still covered in cloth.

    “Remove his bindings. Set him free.”

    A young man stepped forward awkwardly
    and nervously took the wrappings away
    then stumbled back and we all could see…

    The look in Lazarus’ eyes
    wide with wonder,
    struck all of us dumb.
    There he was!
    LIfe breathing in him,
    The spirit-spark in his eyes.
    We rushed to him,
    our faces streaming tears.

    In the days that followed
    we talked excitedly about this miracle
    that we had all been witness to.
    And, still, many could not believe
    in their weary and frightened hearts
    that this son of an old carpenter from Nazareth,
    this wandering rabbi, Jesus,
    might be the one we have been waiting for
    since the time of Moses and the prophets.
    But some of us knew that this Jesus,
    who had come so gently,
    yet so powerfully among us,
    was, indeed, the Messiah of God
    and we began to tell everyone we met
    what we had seen him do for Lazarus, our friend.

    Lazarus lived on for many years
    and never tired of telling the story.
    in hushed and awe-filled tones.
    And we never tired of listening.
    Lazarus was a man of gentle knowledge,
    of abiding faith, and of quiet strength.
    He told us over and over again
    that we were loved by one
    who knows our hearts, and who
    despises not our petitions,
    and that we would never be alone.
    We began going to the synagogue differently.
    We listened to the words the Rabbi read
    from the ancient prophets more closely
    and we were moved in our hearts and minds.

    At long last, Lazarus died
    and we wept for sorrow again.
    But we knew in our depths
    that he was not dead,
    that the Resurrection
    promised by the prophets is real,
    that death no longer holds sway
    over our simple lives,
    and that we will see each other again
    in the world to come.  Amen


    From http://jesus-loves-you.org/a-moving-poem-lazarus-jn-111-53/#vLv6V8OX7TzJoDxw.99

     


  • Palm Sunday - Another Approach

    Pure dead brilliant!  Weeping Angels meets Glasgow meets the Gospel...