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Elements: Earth – by Michael Manning
Elements: Earth Blessèd art thou, Lord of the land’s consolation,soft sustainer of soil and strong grain of the wood,seasons in symphony of soul, sap and bloodof a grace grown from dust to a vast jubilation.O Lord, in thy mercy, bring kind liberation. Michael Manning
Lenses
Lenses – by Jonathan Hobdell What is YOUR worldview? Yes, YOU! The one reading this post. Maybe you’ve thought about it before, maybe you haven’t, but if there’s one thing the Old Testament teaches us, it’s that hearing things again is never dangerous, especially compared to leaving the gap in between too long! But seriously: what is your worldview? How do you view the world? Or, given what I’m going to write a little further on, maybe I should just…
Elements: Fire (Michael Manning)
by Michael Manning Elements: Fire Blessèd art thou, Lord of the deep wells of light,transfiguring flame on the brow and the tongue,warming our lives in thy victory wonwith the love like a jewel in weakness, not might.O Lord, open our eyes, give us new sight. (this is part of a series of poems by Michael, entitled “Elements”)
Seek and You Will Find (Jonathan Hobdell)
by Jonathan Hobdell Those of you that know me, already know my penchant for film and TV quotes. I try to lean towards the poignant side, but a good laugh is always welcome too. Lately, I find my bent turning towards the cross-over between films in particular, and the Gospel. With that in mind, here is a small thought for you all. Fair warning: the article below contains some potential spoilers. In that wonderful modern musical, The Greatest Showman, I…
Don’t Just Believe in God (Emma Nudd)
by Emma Nudd There is a difference between believing in God and believing God. Let’s read that again. There is a difference between believing in God and believing God. Now I think for the most part as Christian’s, the believing in God is the easy bit. We have taken the step of faith already; we have accepted the gift of salvation. Believing in God, let’s face it, that is not difficult. If we didn’t believe in God, that He exists,…
The Way
The Way This is the way the world is.The way we raise our shaking palms.The way we cast our ragged cloaks before the power.The way we praise the hot, expected hour,anticipating the gleeful retribution.Remember the way the walls were once torn down?The way the families stripped of firstborn scrabbled in the darkfor the child now lost?The son that lies dead.For violence wrought demands violence in return, we said.This is the way the world is.The fearful, forced, forsaken world.The punitive world…
Greater Than A Mother’s Love
When Max was a little over a year old, he fell down the stairs. He’d only just learnt to walk, and we hadn’t got round to installing the stair gates yet. It was one of those split-second incidents, that happened in slow motion. Having very briefly nipped upstairs, leaving him safely in the living room (or so I thought), Max had managed to navigate his way, stealth-like, half-way up the stairs. I came down to find him turning around and…
Holiday Club
This Easter saw Broadway run its first (in a VERY long time) Holiday Club. After talking about it on and off for a few years, Emma stumbled across The Restoration Station. The Restoration Station was created by Scripture Union and has all the scripts, drama, videos, games, group work, work books, everything you could possibly need, written out for you. With a core team of 4, we set to work figuring out how we could run The Restoration Station, what…
In The Home Town (Michael Manning)
Storm-saved we were, and sheltered now at last;proclaimed our rights through years to come; grew ways glad and great,commodious; a place where justice flourished free and fast;beguiled our bright-born ones to singing halls and happy fate. He came wind-dinted, shrived by weary sorrow, nor might,nor power, nor fine-filigreed certainties in his dirty handsbut a babbler to the last and baffled us with cant; lightfell lustreless, breath-beaten dreams and songs of other lands. Called our good lives lackey, simulacrum, engorged;dared to…
See A Need: Fill A Need
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:12 I heard a comment recently in relation to some Christians filling a need in the community that went something like “help, but without the religious involvement, would be good”, and something in me got a little bit cross, if I’m honest. Why are some people willing to accept help, but with conditions? It got me thinking, if “religious” people had not stepped in…
Words – Sheila Sutton
James wise words often pop into my head, you know the ones about being quick to listen, slow to anger and slow to speak? I often think about them but probably don’t always apply them! I well remember several years ago our youngest grandchild had been really naughty and, after an argument with her older sister, had stormed upstairs and written LOSER in felt tip pen over her sister’s photo! It no doubt made he feel empowered for a brief…