Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

When a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, it’s hard to believe it’s the same creature. But at both stages of its life, it has a body that is perfectly suited to living in a particular environment. This insect can help us understand the afterlife and the significance of the resurrected Jesus. Paul, on his journeys,...

‘On Holiday with Jesus’ From the Vicar The Parable of the Prodigal Son Reflected Faith Series: Who is in the building? Don’t be afraid to fail Success or Failure? The good life put on hold. Reflecting on the Bible (or ‘Meditating on scripture’) ** Editor:  Canon Paul Hardingham considers our need to find rest. ‘On...

August is the month when schools are off and many of us go on holiday. This year will be very different, with many opting for a ‘staycation’! The good news is that Jesus offers us a true rest: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take...

August is the month when schools are off and many of us go on holiday. This year will be very different, with many opting for a ‘staycation’! The good news is that Jesus offers us a true rest: ‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take...

The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is one of Jesus’ best-known stories. It beautifully presents the good news of the gospel: the story of God’s generous and underserved love towards us. It’s the story of us being lost yet also found by Him. The younger son is lost when he demands his inheritance...

In England, hopefully by the time you read this, all the lock-down and social isolation measures will have been relaxed. Church buildings and services will be ‘back to normal’. Working folk will be back in their workplaces, and all will be well with us all. I live in hope – but I am well aware...

In my local church, we use a parish prayer which includes the line: ‘Help us to be brave enough to fail – but try again.’ Encouraging words indeed, and if we look back throughout the centuries, many men and women who have made the world a better place have taken those words to heart. For...

‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.’ Proverbs 9:10  These six words sum up a year in which many things we valued became impossible. Some we found we could easily do without, but others were vital things like friendship, community, and touch. Their gradual...

I found some words of wisdom in a newspaper recently, taken from an interview with Marcelo Bielsa, the Leeds United manager. “The moments in my life when I have improved are closely related to failure. The moments in my life when I have regressed are closely related to success. Being successful deforms us as human...

Many children enjoy boiled sweets – especially trying to see how long they can make them last.   The pleasure of holding the flavoured sweet in your mouth is far better than crunching it up in a few seconds! There is a way of doing much the same with a Bible passage, and it is called...

Olympic Gold From the Vicar The Good Samaritan HYMN:  The story behind ‘Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken’ Reflected Faith Series: The Spaces Between Time for a change What’s your next step? Don’t stop too soon Following ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers the need for encouragement. Olympic Gold This month should see the start...

This month should see the start of the Tokyo Olympics, having been postponed from last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A number of New Testament letters refer to Olympic sport including Hebrews: ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin...