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!
In the village Museum, high in the Austrian Alps, I came across this dramatic crib scene. Beautifully modelled, it catches something of the harsh realities of the life of the artisan people of Israel. Not a palace, not “picture-perfect” but featuring houses with cracked walls and very humble status. When we construct our “model Christmas” … More Austrian Crib- Look, See, Pray
Christ the King Resources Preaching on Christ the King (Ian Paul) The Sheep and the Goats (Ian Paul) John 18:33-37 Reflections on kingship Matt 25:31-46 Sorting Christ the King mobile craft Booklet from Wild Goose Publications Lesson plan based on Knights from Young Catholics God Give Me Patients! A script based on Ephesians 4:1-16, and … More Christ the King + God Give Me Patients!
Going out with a bang- a cherry tree exhibiting a last blast of intense colour before the winds strip the branches bare. So striking, it looked more like a curtain of fire than leaves. The season is changing quickly. There is a temptation to try and carry on as if minor things like weather and … More A Curtain of Flame- Look, See, Pray
One of my most popular Advent resources is the awesome, magnificent, fantabulous Advent Flexagon. Click the link to get the PDF and video. But now there is more! Yes, you heard that right – another printable, foldable, colourable Advent yummy. This time it is based on the ever-popular fortune-teller / cootie catcher. I present to … More Flip-Flap Advent Story Teller
“As the crow flies…” is a common saying, which means “to travel in a straight line” instead of taking all the bends and detours of a road. This is used when giving directions to strangers/lost motorists. The phrase offers hope of a short journey, but does not always take account of the reality of the … More Learn from the Crow- Look, See, Pray
Devotionals are always popular for Advent. Here are a few you might like to look at. The first ones are for families and children, the later ones for adults. And look out next week for a fantabulous new Advent Craft, perfect for your Messy Church, schools work, afterschool event, Christingle or whatever. Just print and … More Advent Resources – 2
The Reflectionary 