Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 Water. There’s a lot of it about. The earth’s surface is 71% water, that jacket spud you’re having for lunch is ¾ water, and even you, the person reading this, are a “bag of mostly water.” 1 Your brain is almost entirely water. And where I live, … More ‘Water’ way to start!
I like people. I like Christmas. But I like being unpressured, too. Three days after Christmas, and I’m peopled out. Enough of the jollity, away with the turkey, and stuff the…….. Eek! I’ve become the Grinch! Not really- but I’ve enjoyed today as a quiet “after the party” day with no-one else making demands. Just us two, home … More After the Party… Look, See, Pray
Tomorrow will have more light than today! Call me an optimist- but it is actually true! It may only be a minute or two, but we’ve passed the changeover point here in the northern hemisphere. Day by day we get through winter, and move towards the Spring. (Also, Christmas is a day closer! Yay!) I’ve never … More More Light! Look, See, Pray
OK, OK, I know I said I was taking time off over Christmas, but I just thought I’d slip you this last little nugget. It’s a loose-parts story script (eg Godly Play, Deep Talk, Out of the Box) for Christmas based on John 1 and the ‘God is closer to us than our breath’ quote, … More Closer than our Breath
Strangely mesmerising… the brilliant scarlet is eye-catching, but I keep looking at the golden “thread” round the centre of the flower. I don’t know enough botany to know what those bright yellow strands are for- something to do with pollination, probably- so my eye treats them as a decoration! The picture become a glorious pattern. Spotting “golden … More Golden Thread- Look, See, Pray
I’m guessing that you’re all sorted for the big day by now, so here’s looking ahead slightly. (If you’re not sorted and you’re panicking, look back to the last couple of posts for loads of instant ideas, crafts, talks and printables). New Year’s Day is in three weeks and you’ll be too busy photocopying emergency … More Advent 3 + Hannukah + Epiphany
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. How else do we explain the choices made every day? Decorating, for example. Colour schemes in our homes vary from house to house, generational choices have their moment- do you remember chocolate brown internal doors? Or purple and orange patterned wallpaper? Or there’s the pragmatic … More Beauty’s Power- Look, See, Pray
Get Ready, the King is Coming! No, not Elvis, sadly. Although I’m sure he’ll feature on the Boxing Day TV schedule between re-runs of Bake-Off and a Carry On quadruple bill. Instead, (and no less thrilling) here’s the text of a sermon I preached last week on the theme of Get Ready, the King is … More Advent 2 – Get Ready, the King is Coming!
Snow is quite unusual here on the South Coast. Today gave us a smattering of the white stuff! Sadly, so little that it didn’t make a decent picture. So I’ve gone back to another snowy surprise- 1988 in the lovely town of Wirksworth in the Peak District. What started as a little scattering grew overnight- … More Snow… Look, See, Pray
In what might be my maddest Christingle script yet, I present to you the awesomeness that is [drum roll] Dog-tingle! Yes, you heard that correctly. Christingle featuring a dawg. Click here for the script and a ‘what-you-need’ list (Primarily a patient dawg, if that’s not giving too much away.) Guaranteed to be memorable, not guaranteed to … More Dog-tingle – oh yes!
The Reflectionary 