Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

Christmas Unwrapped! From the Vicar Micah’s Message – look forward to the child born in Bethlehem The Nicene Creed: Trinitarian Faith What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to Philippians Enough?  Reflecting Faith: Listening to the Gospel And there were shepherds… ** Editor:  Canon Paul Hardingham considers the Christmas story. Christmas Unwrapped! All of us have...

All of us have received unwanted gifts at Christmas. For Joseph the gift of a child, as recorded in Matthew chapter 1, was not something he really wanted. Although he was engaged to Mary, her pregnancy would be grounds for divorce. Not surprisingly, with the associated social disgrace, Joseph wanted to divorce Mary quietly (Matthew...

All of us have received unwanted gifts at Christmas. For Joseph the gift of a child, as recorded in Matthew chapter 1, was not something he really wanted. Although he was engaged to Mary, her pregnancy would be grounds for divorce. Not surprisingly, with the associated social disgrace, Joseph wanted to divorce Mary quietly (Matthew...

Why is the news so full of depressing stories? Why can’t they report some good news for a change? Indeed, our world is always full of troubles, and we may wonder if better times will ever come. Similar comments might have been directed at many of the Old Testament prophets who nearly always said negative...

In the last of our series on the Nicene Creed, we want to ask about its significance today. The original Creed dates from 325 AD, but was expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381. Over the last months we have seen how the Creed provides a ‘big picture’ of who God is and challenges...

This letter was written to Christians in the Macedonian city of Philippi when Paul was in prison, probably in Rome (60-62 AD). His primary purpose in writing was to thank them for the gift they had sent him upon learning of his imprisonment. However, he also uses the letter as an opportunity to report on...

At the opening of Bach’s Cantata No, 82 a solo bass voice begins to sing the aria ‘Ich habe genug’- (I have enough) – a paraphrase of Simeon’s Song ‘Now Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace… for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.’. Simeon – the bass voice – realises that he is...

One of the highlights of the Christmas services is the reading of the opening passage from John’s Gospel, ‘In the beginning was the Word …’ I love the poetry of the words and sentences, as well as their very meaning. In most churches everyone will stand for that reading, which emphasises its importance. But what...

In his gospel, Luke tells how the shepherds in the fields were keeping watch over their flocks when they were terrified by the sudden arrival of heavenly angels, surrounded by the glory of the Lord. And the message of the angel that night has rung down the centuries: “I bring you good news that will...

St Andrew and football From the Vicar The Nicene Creed:The Church and the Future What’s the Big Idea? – An Introduction to the Books of the New Testament: Ephesians When there is no peace Reflecting Faith: Do we hear God’s Word today? Praying With the Prayers of the Bible: when your prayer is not answered...

‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don’t like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that’ (Bill Shankley). When you replace the word ‘football’ with ‘mission’, this quote still has something to say! The apostle Andrew (we remember him on 30th November) demonstrates what...

‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don’t like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that’ (Bill Shankley). When you replace the word ‘football’ with ‘mission’, this quote still has something to say! The apostle Andrew (we remember him on 30th November) demonstrates what...