Daily Scripture‘The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him....Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand..’ (Jeremiah 18, v1-4, V6)Daily ReflectionTo be human, is to sometimes get things wrong. We cannot ever be perfect. When we do get things wrong, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would welcome another chance to 'get it right'. Imagine you are the clay in the potter's hands...We've lost our shape, we've got it wrong and become something other than the potter intended.... Does he give up on us? Here's the truth.."He does not cast us utterly away; but puts us afresh upon the wheel, and ‘makes us again’" (Meyer)In these verses, we see that our walk with God is full of second, third, fourth...infinite chances at "getting it right". God never gives up on us. Today, yield yourself to Him afresh, and ask that He "make you again". Vicki Young
Revd Ylva has put together a series looking at some of the meditations of Julian of Norwich. Each meditative session is expected to last about 30-40 minutes. Please join us at 7:30pm via Zoom (cut and paste the link above). All are welcome. The material for tonight is here as a pdf. Please click to download.
Daily Scripture4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his;give thanks to his holy name.5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye,his favour for a lifetime.Heaviness may endure for a night,but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:4-5)Daily ReflectionWho hasn’t gone to bed, worried and upset, maybe even tearful? Heaviness of heart is a universal human experience. But so is waking up, having slept on the worry, or upset, and feeling a whole lot better. The Psalmist, whoever he or she was, knows that feeling that ‘the whole world is against me!’ The remedy, it seems as if the Psalmist wants to tell us, is to give thanks to the Lord our God, sing to him and praise his holy name. Gratitude for all that is good in our lives helps us to put everything in perspective. Our God is a loving and generous God, he doesn’t hold grudges or wants to punish us. Our hearts may be heavy now, but God wants to turn our “mourning into dancing”, yes, even more than that; he will “put off our sackcloth and gird us with gladness” (Ps. 30:11, paraphrased), if only we will let him. Will you turn to him today, grateful to be alive, to have your freedom and a peaceful country to call home? Revd Ylva
Daily Scripture'As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.' (Isaiah 66.13)Daily ReflectionIt’s good to have an occasion to celebrate our mothers, living or departed, remembering with love and gratitude all that they have done for us. This was the inspiration for Mothers Day, which originated in America in 1907 It is celebrated each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. So why are we celebrating today, on 14th March?Since medieval times Mothering Sunday has been celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent, reflecting the ‘mothering’ role of Christ’s Church. This is not only about mothers, but about mothering: about nurturing, loving, encouraging others; about helping them. to grow to maturity. And so, as we give thanks for our mothers we thank God too for all those, both women and men, parents or childless, who have ‘mothered’ us.Revd Rosemary
