Just like the church building in the photo: whether we realise it at the time or not, there are timeless witnesses to the provident presence of God. For uncounted years, people have passed near this old church nestling in the coastal hillsides of Norway. It stands to say boldly: “God is here.” So then… for today, tomorrow, forever… … More Sleep well, wake free- Look, See, Pray
Just recently, a reader asked for activities to help children think about the recent Australian bush fires. Here are some ideas, which equally apply to other times when hard things happen. Activity – Look for the Helpers Fred Rodgers has good advice for all of us when the problems of the world seem overwhelming: Look for … More Mourning with Those who Mourn – Psalm 27:1,4-9
Meditation Labyrinths have a long history in Christian spiritual life, and are often found in cathedrals today. They can be used to symbolise a journey or one’s life path, or simply as a means of slowing down and listening. This variation of a classical labyrinth follows the calling of Jeremiah, from before he was born … More Jer 1:4-10 – Meditation Labyrinth
Forget the still, small voice; I need the deafening, heavy-metal-band-sound-system voice before I go, ‘Eh? Sorry, did you say something?’ … More 1 Sam 3:1-10 – Hard of Hearing?
[Jonah-Man enters, in ‘Superman’ pose]
Narr: Who are you supposed to be?
J-M: I’m being Jonah, and [indicating pants] obviously, he’s some kind of super-prophet!
Narr: Ummn, I’m not sure it’s that kind of pants. … More Jonah 3:1-5, 10 – Jonah-Man, the Pants Prophet
Am I Samuel, hearing God but mistaking it for just an ordinary voice? Certainly God uses the voices of those around us to speak, and I know I need to listen better. Take a few moments to look around you. If God were speaking through the ordinary voices of the everyday, what might he be saying, right now? … More 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) – listening, but not understanding
The first child is called Jezreel. That probably means nothing to you (I had to go look it up) but it meant a lot back then. Today, it would be like calling a child Auschwitz or Hiroshima or Nine-Eleven. Ouch. … More Hosea 1:2-10
We are going to illustrate what Jesus said are the greatest commandments. You will need a sheet of paper and a pencil, and some colouring pencils or highlighters. Draw three circles, one inside another, so that it looks like a target. You can cut round the largest circle if you like. In the outer circle write … More Activity – Priority Targets
If Jesus is not God then he is a big, fat liar. He claimed something that was the hugest lie on the planet and made dozens of his friends suffer hideous deaths for no reason. That is not a good moral teacher. That is a charlatan, a con-man, a crook – a nasty piece of work. … More John 10:22-30
Lent 3 – If God is so all-loving and all-powerful, then why does he let bad things happen to good people?
It’s a very good question, and you’re absolutely right to ask it. Being a Christian does not mean shying away from the difficult questions. We’re allowed to mention the elephant in the room. … More Luke 13:1-9
The Reflectionary 