Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

There are various rather peculiar ‘creatures’ that are used in decorations in and on church buildings. Around the outside of many larger churches and cathedrals you may well have found some downright scary beasts! They are usually used as downspouts off the roof or at the head of vast columns. Often, they were intended to scare...

 Immediately after His baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus faced and resisted three powerful temptations during 40 days in the wilderness of Judea. This time of testing and temptation was His preparation for the work God had sent Him to do on earth. It’s the principle behind the season of Lent, which begins on 22nd...

For God so loV ed the world, That He gA ve His onL y BegottE n SoN T hat whosever Believes  I n Him Should N ot perish, But have E verlasting life.” John 3:16

Wise Men Seek Him From the Vicar Spiritual Practices Reflecting faith – to the Glory of God, part 2</strong The Grace of Giving The story behind the hymn: ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers our own search for God… Wise Men Seek Him ‘A cold coming we had of it. Just the worst time of...

‘A cold coming we had of it. Just the worst time of the year. For a journey and such a long journey.’ (Journey of the Magi, T.S. Eliot). In this poem, T.S. Eliot imagines the journey of the Magi to worship Jesus, as told in Matthew 2. This story is at the heart of our...

‘A cold coming we had of it. Just the worst time of the year. For a journey and such a long journey.’ (Journey of the Magi, T.S. Eliot). In this poem, T.S. Eliot imagines the journey of the Magi to worship Jesus, as told in Matthew 2. This story is at the heart of our...

January is a time for thinking about New Year Resolutions, even though we can struggle to keep them very long! However, this month is a good time to re-set our spiritual disciplines. These practices, which engage our whole person, help our spiritual growth as disciples of Christ. If we want more of Jesus’ presence in...

Last month I wrote about the use of flowers to decorate the church during Advent and Christmas and how they reflected our faith and the time of year.  Did you manage to see any of the three I mentioned: poinsettias, lilies or even irises? They each have a ‘meaning’ which tells you part of the...

Money can be a sensitive subject in church, especially when it comes to giving. Paul describes the support given by the Macedonians to the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem as evidence of the‘grace of giving’ (2 Corinthians 8:7). They were following the example of Jesus: ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that...

So Send I You So send I you to labour unrewarded, To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown, To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing So send I you, to toil for Me alone. So send I you to bind the bruised and broken, O’er wand’ring souls to work, to weep, to wake, To bear...

Mary’s Christmas From the Vicar Who is the Baby? Christian Basics – No 12:  The Return of Jesus The story behind the hymn: Good King Wenceslas Reflecting faith – To the Glory of God  ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers the mother of Jesus Mary’s Christmas As Jesus’ mother, Mary plays a crucial part in...

As Jesus’ mother, Mary plays a crucial part in the Christmas story. It begins with Gabriel’s visit to her: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.’ (Luke 1:30,31). This conversation takes us straight to the...