May
Dear Lord, our God and Father, in this time of transition give us eyes to see Your presence in our lives, ears to listen to Your will, lips to speak Your words, and hands to do Your work. Grant us grace and go before us, as we seek Your Holy Spirit’s counsel, as we live in community during this time and as we prepare for the arrival of a new priest in our midst. We pray this through Jesus Christ, and for the sake of His kingdom, in sure and certain hope of Your promises to us. Amen.
Dec
The arrival of Black Friday has probably signalled the death knell of Advent as the season it used to be – a time of abstinence and expectation. It’s been in terminal decline throughout my lifetime and there’s not really any point in trying to keep it on life-support. Christmas has won, and the season of Christmas now stretches from the “Light Switch-on”, through all the school nativities and carol concerts, up to Christmas Day and then abruptly stops.
So let’s not keep fighting a battle we can’t win, and instead change the season to a “One Thought” season. By which I mean, a time that we commit ourselves to holding on to one intention despite all the business – to start the day with a prayer, to learn more about a charity I support, to pray for one person I know each day – the point being not to feel guilty about what we are no longer doing, but to remind ourselves that it is Advent through a positive moment.
This year, that might well be to reduce my consumption of the world’s resources in one deliberate way, however tiny, each day.
Then Advent will have achieved one of its original purposes – to challenge us where we need to change.
Oct
6pm Saturday 4 February in the King Alfred Hall.
Baked potato supper and the film ‘Stan and Ollie.
No charge but Donations to Christian Aid
No tickets are needed, but please contact the office (01249 655947) to let them know you’re coming and your choice of Jacket Potato filling: Tuna & Sweetcorn / Beans / Coleslaw.
Oct
30th October at 7pm for 7:30.
Tickets at Eventbrite – A Time To Live, or reserve a seat by texting 07850 996856 or donate on the door.
WellBoring installs wells in rural primary schools in East Africa, giving children, teachers and the wider community vital access to safe water.