Deacon Marcianne’s blog – Christmas ’22

“……more than gifts: Gift Giver….”

Dear friends,
Greetings in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

December is the last and busiest month of the year, while January is a month of new beginnings. They are not only months in which friends, families and relatives get together to look back and celebrate what they have accomplished, but they are also months that people use to think about new opportunities, new choices, and decisions.

Christmas tree in church

It is also important to remember those who do not have anyone to celebrate with. A time we remember that although we have plenty, there the people who have nothing. Some will be enduring their first Christmas having buried a loved one or their first Christmas since fleeing a war-torn country. Christmas is a wonderful time for some and equally a traumatic time for others.

This is a time for gratitude. From families that are welcoming new-born blessings into the world, to patients who are finally pain-free after long bouts of treatment. All can sit and give thanks to our Creator at this time of year. Give thanks for our abilities and celebrate God’s given gifts (our health, wealth, friends, families, talents, abilities, intelligence, security, freedom, nature, etc..) to humanity.

While, at times, Christmas has become a season of buying, giving, and receiving materials gifts, Christianity encourages us to put our focus on the true Spirit and Heart of Christmas: “The Gift-Giver, Jesus Christ” in our personal lives. As we leave 2022 and enter 2023, may the Gift-Giver bless us all together, with Him, in Him and through Him, we shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Rev Helen’s blog – New Year 2022

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Now the festivities are over it is perhaps the time to take stock and tidy up. The idea of New Year Resolutions is perhaps a bit old hat.

I have been led this year to a book entitled “Calm Christmas“. it has lots of ideas on what to reflect on and a Christmas/New Year prayer and wish that I say and ask for you ..

May you know you are loved.

May you let others know you love them

May you be safe and offer shelter.

May you be open to your sadness and vulnerability and welcoming of joy.

May you receive whatever you need.

The theme of joy has been coming up a lot and I nearly purchased another book with something to do each day to bring joy.

The things that bring joy are different for each of us but in the silent, dark January days we perhaps need to rediscover that joy through pausing and dwelling on those things. This is what God would have us do.

The season of Epiphany is upon us; it is the time for new dawns and new beginnings for reaffirmation of why we do what we do and to ask ourselves what would Jesus do?

Imagine the joy that the wise men felt when they reached their destination.

Christmas has brought us to that place on bended knee offering our gifts and reflecting on the wonder of the Christmas story but we have to get up and continue journeying wherever that might lead.

I suggest you find time to, as my book says, “pause a moment on the selvedge of the year, to look around and breathe deeply before stepping in. God is calling us to serve him and to…….

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” (Attributed to the founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley).

Something is stirring. What would be that breakthrough for you in 2022 ? Trust in the unknown with Jesus by your side.

Every blessing

Helen

Rev Helen’s blog – October 2021

Dear Friends
October is upon us and as I write the winds are getting stronger and the 
weather seems to be changing. This has caused me to reflect on the wind 
and the power of the wind.

The winds seem to come from all directions. We read in 1 Corinthians 
15 v55 to “Stand strong. Do not let anything move you.” 
Wind can be alarming and mysterious. We sometimes hear of it howling but 
what is wind and what makes it blow?  In a nutshell it is simply moving 
air. Winds change in many directions and changing winds bring in the 
change of seasons and temperatures. The wind seems to be part of the 
rhythm of life. As human beings we are often told we change with the 
wind. Indeed  we know that physically wind can “wind us up “ Children 
are much more active when it is windy. As Christians the wind has an 
extra special quality in that we refer to the Holy Spirit as wind and 
the breath of life.

The Holy Spirit wind represents life that energises and excites that 
breathes God’s peace and also challenges us out of comfort zones into 
new adventures. So the Holy Spirt can change us and move us and as a 
familiar song says carry us on its wings.

God wants us to stand strong for what we believe, stand up for what is 
right and stand up for God and make that a thread in our being and doing 
as we live out what we are called to do. To recognise that God is the 
wind beneath our wings and sing that out.

So this Autumn and Harvest time may we reflect on the goodness of God 
and the air that moves us for we need to stand strong in changing times.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Rev Helen’s blog – July 2021

Dear all,

I have now returned from my sabbatical and I am slowly working my way through things as I step back into public ministry.

I am grateful for the time gifted to me to spend recharging my batteries and I have almost completed my challenge of producing and original piece of work in word and song that I have entitled a journey from lament to hope. I hope to be able to share it with you but meanwhile I am going to give you a small glimpse . One thing that really fascinated me in my reading time was an account of the bacteria that formed on the wounds of the soldiers during the First World War. This bacteria had a powerful quality as it shone in the dark.

It healed the wounds in a remarkable way so the idea of light in the darkness being a healing force gave me an idea.

In our dark world in our wishing things were different as we try to recover from the devastating effects of this virus our wounds can become the light by which we shine.

I therefore came up with the words of the following song. I hope it paints a picture, gives you a healing glow or at least makes you think. Light in darkness is a very powerful thing.

Song: Is there anything more beautiful than living light?

1 We are humbled in the mystery of the world.

Suspended in time,

Yet lifted by the light.

Each moment of each day,

Held safe by the glow.

We’re anchored in God’s love,

Reflections of his heart.

Chorus

Our wounds become the glow by which we shine.

Darkness is our closest friend.

Tiny drops of stillness fill the shadows of our days.

Is there anything more beautiful than living light?

Is there anything more beautiful than living light?

2 We are called to build our lives and work anew.

Begin life again.

With imprints on our minds

Of pain and grief and sadness,

By grace, healing comes.

There’s solace in the light,

of all created things.

Chorus

Our wounds become the glow by which we shine.

Darkness is our closest friend.

Tiny drops of stillness fill the shadows of our days.

Is there anything more beautiful than living light?

Blessings

Rev Helen

Rev Helen’s blog – Easter

It is unimaginable that it is the one year anniversary of our online services as I write this and as we step into Holy Week.

Our opening to Easter worship features a morning sunrise films over lake Galilee when I was there.

The experience is very memorable . As the sun rises the cacophony of the birdsong quietens and the glow of the sun beams across the lake and dances on the waves. It is peaceful and beautiful as you sit on the end of a small jetty contemplating and reflecting with no one else but you there.

This takes me to Easter morning.

Last week as the basis for my whole message I used a blessing that suggests as we step into Easter week we allow ourselves to be transformed and let the Easter light be born in us.

This is part of the Easter message, we must allow God to execute changes in us and our lives, our churches and extend into community to bring about change there too.

As life slowly unfurls following lockdown we will be tempted to go back to what is familiar. Jesus’s disciples went back to fishing after Jesus’s death it was there that they began to learn that as Easter light had dawned and about  what they had to do. It was not the same as before.

There are so many people who have not heard about Jesus so many who have misconceptions about what being a Christian is all about.

Surely during our times of waiting patiently we have all thought about what is important. Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out.

Peter in his encounter with Jesus on a seashore learned he was not back where he started but on a different trajectory to be a fisher of people .

In order to do this we perhaps have to do things differently take risks. The most significant reminder for me is Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep .

What does this mean for you?

What part will you play in this great commission that comes out of the Easter light?

Remember too Pentecost is on its way ..We are not alone.

Every Blessing

Rev Helen

Rev Helen’s blog – Lent 2021

So we reflect on mothering Sunday without the usual events …..

This year many are recognising loss and separation ,grief and sorrow but maybe for many this is the  time to return to God and be thankful for what we have or have had. for new birth and regeneration. This year the whole concept of mothering Sunday and Mother’s day as it has become we recognise is challenging.

For a few moments I hve been reflecting on what the love of a mother means now in the reality we are living in and for for what it means to be mother church also in this reality.

What is this love like when mums are not around either temporarily or permanently when we can’t see or touch or physically hear ?  I found the perfect story !

It is  called the Invisible string and this is forming my basis for this blog The invisible string between God and us ,Jesus and me , me and motherhood as a mum and a child. There is something of mother love or should be  in all my relationships that have meant or mean something or even the loss of  connectedness that we have in all our relationships. The story reminds us of a string that is never broke though sometimes gets a bit tangled  !

The story begins with two frightened children in the middle of a storm who want their mum. She comes to them and tells them of a story passed on to her about an invisible string.

A string made of love. One child says but I can’t see it !

The children are then reassured that they are connected to those who they love and those who love them wherever they are and all they need to do is pull on that invisible string that they will feel in their hearts.They ask how far can the string reach ?  “Anywhere and everywhere”thier mum said.

It reminded me that God  tells us this too we are connected everywhere and anywhere You know some of the rest….

Even in the darkest places ..

At the bottom of the ocean…

Up a mountain..

In the jungle…

In outerspace..

And Heaven..

All of these can be metaphors for how we feel/

“Yes even there” said their mum.

They ask “does the string go away when you are mad at us?”

“No” said mum  “love is stronger than anger “

It is there even when you grow up? Questions that we all ask.

This is made so real  isn’t it when we reflect on Mother’s day  re those connections with mums. Some are are not with us any more ,some mums have lost their children even before they knew them and we need to recognise and celebrate that even if we can’t give gifts or cards or presents or flowers we need to remember to find healing and peace and joy. The story encourages the reader to reflect on all the invisible strings they have and realise their interconnectedness The story it not simply about one string it is actually about a vision or a dream that God has for the world one where all the world is  connected by invisible strings or the need for us all to be connected to each other  and the need for this never ending unconditional love to be part of a whole. The whole world in fact! The book ends with pictures of people across the whole world joining hands. So simple yet profound

So Mother’s day or Mothering Sunday is about all of these things bringing people back to a unity joined with the invisible string of love that is unbreakable and profound. Do you need to pull or tug on the strings ?

We might think about our own lives – our experiences of mothering or of being mothered; remembering with thanksgiving the people who have done those things for us.  And perhaps we might also think of times when we have been failed by those who were supposed to care for us, or those times when we ourselves have failed.

Always remember the string that holds it all together and that we can always tug on God’s strings when we need to feel him in our hearts .

Every Blessing Helen

Worship for Sunday 29th November

Call to worship

The waiting begins, again. The breathing in. The holding on. Can you be patient,
this advent season? Can you make space for Jesus be born again, here, today?
Amen.

Opening Prayers

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel’ – As we come to you in prayer this morning, Holy God, we ask you to listen to us – and we give thanks that you have said that you will. ‘You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!’ – Although you are full of majesty and power, yet you humble yourself and draw near to us; shine your light on our worship today we pray. ‘Stir up Your might and come to save us!’ – In our weakness and brokenness at this time we know how much we need you; knowing that we cannot save ourselves, we call upon your strength today. Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. – In our uncertainty we wonder what restoration might look like in these days, but we trust ourselves to you and ask again that you will shine on us
and give us hope in the shadows.

O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? – Amidst our worship we recognize that too often our lives let you down, our prayers are selfish, our compassion is cold, our witness is laughable…. – In a moment of silence we say sorry… And with thankfulness we receive your forgiveness. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

As we call on your name this day, we pledge ourselves once more to you, O Lord God of hosts, you who have your hand upon us, you who makes us strong for yourself. – We will never turn back from you who gives us life. – Thanks be to God. Amen.

You can view text versions of our bible readings and Rev Paul Martin’s reflection (also available via the weekly email newsletter)

readings-29-Nov

reflection

Prayers of intercession.

Advent God, you heard the cry of your people and came to the world in Jesus Christ; come near to us now as we pray: We pray for all affected by sickness around the world; for those who will die today of malaria, tuberculosis, cancer, Covid-19… Faithful God, give your strength.
We pray for all who work to bring healing to those who are suffering in body, mind or spirit; for the NHS, for counsellors, for all who support others… Faithful God, give your strength.

We pray for all who are grieving the loss of family and friends; for those who feel helpless, powerless, guilty, distraught… Faithful God, give your strength. We pray for all who are caught up in situations of violence; for those in lands where war is raging, for those in homes where abuse takes place… Faithful God, give your strength.
We pray for all who have lost their way in life; for those contemplating suicide, for those who don’t know which way to turn, for young people confused by these strange times… Faithful God, give your strength.
We pray for governments and local authorities; for all who have to make difficult decisions, for teachers struggling to make schools safe places… Faithful God, give your strength.
We pray for the church here in …, across these islands, and throughout the world; may we be alert to your presence in the world and draw others closer to your love… Faithful God, give your strength.
We pray for ourselves; we too suffer, we too grieve, we too struggle with abuse and confusion, with anxiety and
selfishness… we cling to your promise to come into our lives and we open ourselves to your coming. Faithful God, give your strength.
We offer all our prayers in the name of Jesus, who came, who comes, who will come. Amen

May we go out and disrupt all that is wrong, unjust and hateful in this world.
May we nurture and plant seeds of love. May we celebrate your coming amongst us, Immanuel.

Amen.

Rev Helen’s blog – September 2020

Dear Friends

I greet you again still  in difficult times with a message of hope.

I have recently had a conversation about what is real and our need for the real and not the virtual?

The real question is what do we mean by real? I guess this means being present, experiencing physically, touching, tasting, hearing, smelling and seeing live rather than imagining and being creative in our interpretations.

It led me to the story of the Velveteen Rabbit where a toy rabbit has been thrown on a bonfire as it was the onky thing to do to decontaminate following the illness of its child owner who nearly died from Scarlet Fever. Just when the end came the toy rabbit leapt from the bonfire heap and became alive, that is, real.

A real rabbit appeared. Once while I was giving a sermon I used this story and held a toy rabbit in my hand and threw it on the floor. Then I heard murmurs around the church for incredibly a real rabbit was indeed touring the car park. Now that was unnerving and quite prophetic it was as if God was saying to the congregation, see this is real, you can rise from the ashes, you can live again. All will be well 
even when you think it is over.

Being reminded of this story again at this point on our pandemic journey is another reminder from God to us that we will live again however desperate we might feel at this time. I would invite you to look around and let God speak in images to you of things that are real now, the blessings that are indescribable, uncontainable and rich in wonder and that do give us hope for tomorrow.

I also have a hunch that some of these can also be found in the virtual as we continue to search for those glimpses of God that feel real.

Every Blessing continue to stay safe

Helen

Rev Helen’s blog – April 2020

Dear Friends

I greet you in difficult times with a message of hope.

I was reminded by my grandson in a hilarious fashion about Lent and temptation. He was videoed telling his interpretation of Lent when Jesus went to the desert. The metaphor is similar to our current situation…

He described Jesus (or cheesus) eating a huge sandwich and chocolate before he went into the desert where he had no food. There is a sense where we have enjoyed so many good things and now we are forced into a wilderness time. Lent and denial are really coming into focus for many of us. Jesus was being prepared for ministry and spent time relying on God to survive. If nothing else we are challenged in this way at present. We all have a variety of emotions flooding through our minds but the call is to not be afraid and to trust in God’s provision.

The end of my grandson’s tale was he came out of the desert and ate another huge sandwich and an even bigger egg! We will come out the other end, whether we are changed as a nation as a result we do not yet know . However may we prepare for blessings untold and be positive. There is no doubt people will pull together and there have already been many acts of kindness that can be celebrated.

In the words of Jesus…

I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. (John 14:27) Be determined and confident. Do not be afraid of them. Your God, the Lord himself, will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them.

Stay safe every blessing.   Rev Helen x

Rev Helen’s blog – March 2020

As I write this I am preparing to go away on holiday a retreat from the busyness of my role as Minister and feeling somewhat guilty as I have the opportunity to travel to a warm place for sunshine, sea, sand and restoration particularly as my Sabbatical begins in April. Everyone I know tells me I should not feel in the least bit remorseful but actually it does not come easy when I know so many struggle. However on reflection our February lectionary readings have guided us on what it means to be disciples and how to grow too. We have learned from the sermon on the mount about the things we are blessed by. These are things that the world does not understand or appreciate and as church we often struggle to but it came to me the importance of staying salty so we can be salt of the earth that feeds others. The call to all of us is to be salt.            

Did you know that in Jesus’s day when Matthew wrote his gospel people were paid their salary in salt.  In Greek salt was and has become in English the root word of salary.  People were paid in salt so could it be that through the things we do for Jesus help to keep us salty? We also know as in this sermon on the mount Jesus rook his disciples up a mountain and Jesus himself often withdrew to pray.

This teaches us that our discipleship offers us a number of things to do and there has to be a whole variety of ways in which we stay close to God in order we may fulfil the tasks to which we are called.

We must do this as individuals and a community of faith. This will involve rest, study, reflection, prayer, conversation, the necessity to be accountable to each other and the necessity of watching over one another in love. Thank you for watching over me and enabling me to take time out.

We must not only be salt to the world but also season ourselves.

So the challenge for Lent is to engage in things that season you and then church will be a community of faith that rejoices in unusual upside down blessings and is the city on the hill in a dark world that shines and encourages life in all its colours.

Blessings

Helen