See, we are going up to Jerusalem. Happy Valentines Day! This morning, by happy coincidence with the Church calendar readings, we have that exalted reading about love in 1 Corinthians 13 – a passage often read at weddings. I will speak about this a little later, but first let us remember the context today in the Church year. Wednesday this week is Ash Wednesday and we will enter the season of Lent – it is…
I am sure you have already spotted the Easter eggs which are already for sale. But before we rush off to buy Easter eggs, today the Church invites us to ponder on the period to prepare us for Easter: Lent. This Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, will mark the beginning of Lent. What is the purpose of Lent? If one word could summarise living LENT it would be growing in LOVE. Lent comes originally from ‘lengthen’ –…
Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. On Wednesday of this week, the Church proclaims, as it has from earliest of times, a forty day fast. It is not something you must do, but something that has been found to be helpful to do, and to do together. We do this to prepare ourselves to more fully understand, in a way that changes our hearts, Jesus’ Passion and Death and his Resurrection. ———— I don’t…
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 In our All Age Worship today we had a young person bang a metal serving tray with a wooden spoon, as loud as possible, and another who was asked to play some sanctus bells very quietly. And you know the reaction, those who were close to the first braced themselves,…
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem. On Wednesday of this week, the Church proclaims, as it has from earliest of times, a forty day fast in preparation to stand with Mary and John and the other disciples in awe before the Cross on Good Friday – that great and terrible day – and to celebrate on the third day after, the great Feast of the Resurrection – Easter. In the Gospel today, Jesus tells the…