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
Next Service: MOTHERING SUNDAY10am Holy Communion ONLINE Holy Communion Service. Please see 'Services and Events' for a cut and paste link to this service. A Zoom Coffee morning follows the Sunday service.
Daily Scripture:I lift up my eyes to the hills - from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121 v 1 & 2)Daily Reflection: In the Bible, the major revelations of God usually happen on mountains - Moses meets God on Mount Sinai, and Jesus is transfigured on the mountain top. For the psalmist, Jerusalem - the city of seven hills - is where God’s presence is uniquely found. If you look up from the heart of the city, on all sides you see the rising slopes of seven hills. The psalmist’s strength comes from looking around and reminding himself that God’s presence is with him. God is with him and all around him, just as the hills surround the city. God is everywhere - but we sometimes find it hard to feel God’s presence. However, if we follow in the psalmist’s footsteps and look to the hills we can remind ourselves of the enormity of God’s love and that God is ever present. Lyn Hayes ALM
