Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 11th January – The Baptism of Christ – and for the week ahead:Scripture13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’ 15 But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ (Matthew. 3.13-17)ReflectionJesus’ baptism is real starting point for his earthly ministry. Here all three persons of God, the One-in-Three, show up at once. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The voice from heaven, Jesus and the dove, all present and correct. But, interesting and significant as this clearly is, even more deeply meaningful is what the voice of God proclaims: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved.’ And: ‘With him I’m well pleased.’ Jesus was both fully God and fully human. And as a human he absolutely needed to hear those words before he set out. To be called ‘Beloved’. ‘Beloved! How wonderful. To know that you are just that, before you have performed any miracles or taught any sage lessons or healed even a single person. And God tells us the same, calls us Beloved and tells us: ‘With you I am well pleased’. Not because of anything we do, but because of who we are. Beloved! Revd Ylva
Reflection – Sunday 28th December – The First Sunday of Christmas – and for the week ahead:Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of a earthly home, help your Church to live as one family, united in love and obedience, and bring us all at last to our home in heaven. (Prayer after Communion) It has been such a joy, in these days of Christmas, to welcome to our churches so many families, united for this festive season. Many of them grew up as part of our church family, and now return with their own children to celebrate Christmas, continuing the familiar traditions of church and home. But we remember, too, those who are separated from their families by distance, misunderstanding or death. We give thanks for our church family, for the love and support and encouragement we share, and pray that we may be channels of God’s fatherly love to all those in need. Revd Rosemary
