Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 23rd August & for the week ahead: Scripture: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” (Romans 12: 2, 4-5) Reflection: These verses almost feel like they could have been written very recently by a wellness specialist. The writer encourages us not to feel that we must be the same as everyone else while remembering that we are all different and unique, and this is something to be celebrated. We can struggle with this though, when we see the capitalist world saying that if we buy this one product or service, all will be well, we’ll achieve success and everyone will like us. Spoiler alert; not going to happen. Have you ever come back from an event and promptly dissected everything that happened? Who said what, what everyone wore, how they all behaved. And that you were so much better than them and hit the mark just right. Two things to take away here; we don’t need to fit in, because God made us and loves us as we are. And we should honour and welcome what makes us different. Try to compliment someone this week, instead of finding the criticism. You may be surprised with what you find. Victoria Bray
Reflection: Sunday 16th August and for the week ahead:Collect:‘Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray and to give us more than either we desire or deserve…’ (Collect for Twelfth Sunday after Trinity)Reflection:Often we are reluctant to ask for help. We can be too proud or too stubborn; we can be too optimistic; we can be ashamed; maybe we don’t want to admit even to ourselves that we are getting out of our depth; maybe we don’t want to be nuisance. I know I’m bad at it.People often say that in a crisis they find themselves praying, though they never normally do. Saying ‘Help!’ aloud in a private prayer can be the first step in admitting our need, and that makes us open to receiving help.In the back of my head I hear my mother saying ‘Those who don’t ask, don’t get’David Harmsworth
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 9th August and for the week ahead:Scripture: Then Jesus instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. After he sent them away, he went by himself up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from the shore, battered by waves and a strong wind.During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified, and they cried out in their fright, “It is a ghost!” But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you across the water.” He said, “Come!” Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus. But when he realized the force of the wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught hold of him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those in the boat fell to their knees in worship, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33Reflection:There are periods of calm in our lives, times of thankfulness and consolidation; there are periods of turbulence, of hurt, disappointment and grief; there are times of renewal, when we realise that the pain doesn’t hurt so much anymore, when hope and joy return.Through these seasons, these changes in the weather of our lives, in the calm and in the storm, Jesus is walking with us, ‘Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid.’ When we feel at sea; when we feel like a storm battered boat; when we need to make changes in our lives that require the courage to get out of the boat, or when change happens to us unexpectedly and we feel we are sinking, he is present to encourage us ‘Come’, or to reach out his hand in love to sustain us. We don’t face the storm alone.The prayer of a Breton fisherman: ‘O God, the sea is so wide, and my boat is so small: Be good to me.’ Sarah Emanuel
